130 , z4 3.0 coupe, 335i or 335d - now which one!?

[bosshog]

Been thinking of getting a BMW for quite sometime - never had one so don;t really know what to expect, but I wanted to give it a go.
After doing some research and from what I know already I'm basically down to the above 4.

I have about 20->25K euro to spend on the car, as you lucky b*ggers living in the UK get a lot more for you money with cars I can *just* about stretch to these.
I'm wanting something that is a drivers car but as its my only car it does need to be easy to live with. Namely comfortable, not too bad on the consumption, etc. My commute is about 80km with a mix of twisty roads, motorway and town traffic.

I suppose the best will be to go and test drive, but that's not too easily done down here.

Originally I was leaning towards the 335d as I like the look of the car and read some good things. However on realising it was auto it started to put me off and hence I was thing about the petrol version instead. However broadening my search a little I realised that I *might* be able to stretch to a 135 and again heard these where a blast to drive. Can anyone who's driven one compare it to the 335?

Finally I also realised I could get the z4 coupe - again I don't see many of these here so hadn't crossed my mind - thoughts anyone?

Edited by bosshog on Monday 11th October 12:56

[csmith319]

If you don't need the space then for me it would have to come down to a Z4 coupe or 135i. 130i is great (I've got one) and I believe the 1 series is much more fun to drive than the 3 series (which my wife has) - if you can stretch to a 135, then you should, I didn't want to fork out an extra 8k for 40bhp though. I had a Z4 soft top before - great car, really miss it, but needed rear seats, hence the 130i.

Z4 coupe just looks better and better everytime I see one - will be a future classic I reckon, whether in M guise or 3.0.

[bosshog]

Also something else - maintenance/problems costs - the lower the better. Are any of these real trouble hot spots? or are they all comparable?

thanks!

[csmith319]

All pretty much comparable I think in terms of service and maintenance.

[bosshog]

csmith319 said:

If you don't need the space then for me it would have to come down to a Z4 coupe or 135i. 130i is great (I've got one) and I believe the 1 series is much more fun to drive than the 3 series (which my wife has) - if you can stretch to a 135, then you should, I didn't want to fork out an extra 8k for 40bhp though. I had a Z4 soft top before - great car, really miss it, but needed rear seats, hence the 130i.

Z4 coupe just looks better and better everytime I see one - will be a future classic I reckon, whether in M guise or 3.0.

thanks for you rthoughts. Do you think the Z4 (coupe) drives better than the 130/135?. What are the like when comparing raw performance/grunt/acceleration?

[csmith319]

bosshog said:

csmith319 said:

If you don't need the space then for me it would have to come down to a Z4 coupe or 135i. 130i is great (I've got one) and I believe the 1 series is much more fun to drive than the 3 series (which my wife has) - if you can stretch to a 135, then you should, I didn't want to fork out an extra 8k for 40bhp though. I had a Z4 soft top before - great car, really miss it, but needed rear seats, hence the 130i.

Z4 coupe just looks better and better everytime I see one - will be a future classic I reckon, whether in M guise or 3.0.

thanks for you rthoughts. Do you think the Z4 (coupe) drives better than the 130/135?. What are the like when comparing raw performance/grunt/acceleration?

Its an interesting question. Comparing the Z3 3.0si to the 130i (same engines) - the Z4 is rawer and more of an 'event' to drive. It's louder (in a good way) and is loads of fun to drive. The 130i is easier to drive fast, almost as quick, but not quite. The 130i is actually better suited to our backroads as it's slightly softer suspension absorbs the bumps that the Z4 didn't really like. You've got to be confident with the Z4, really take it by the scruff of the neck - when you do, it rewards you back.

The 135i - I haven't driven it myself (but I have driven that engine in the new Z4), but apparently lots more torque (not really lacking anyway from the others to be honest though), slightly less exciting top end, but very fast of course - and much more tunable. There is a slight softness to the throttle that the NA engine doesn't have - much crisper.

So to sum up - I would prefer a Z4 as it's more of an event, sounds better and I think it's a little bit special. If you need a couple of seats, the 130 / 135 make up for whats missing by being a little easier to drive fast and bit more refined too.

I took the Z4 to the Nurburgring earlier in the year with an M5 and a 997 911 C2S - it didn't embarras itself. On the twisty roads heading out of the UK (so staying below 70 / 80) my friend in the 911 said he was having to drive as hard as could to keep up. On the motorways, up until 110 it kept up very well (yes they were faster, but not massively) - above 120 / 130 they pulled away. On the track - more than fast enough - definitely at the point in performance where the car no longer matters - it's down to you.

[edition]

Thumbs up here for the 130!

[Vroomer]

For me, the Z4 Coupe combines driving excitement with sensible running costs.

And it could be a future classic, which the mass-produced 1 and 3 Series never will be.

[edition]

I would have thought the 130 is rarer... I know people might say there is a reason for that hehe.

You do seen alot of z4s tho.

[roofer]

I've had a 130, and currently have a 335d. Both were/have proper tyres. A 135 with proper tyres would be my next choice.

[bosshog]

roofer said:

I've had a 130, and currently have a 335d. Both were/have proper tyres. A 135 with proper tyres would be my next choice.

which do you prefer the 335d? or 130? Which one has more:
- presence
- occasion
- for driving
- performance
- easy of use

thanks!

[volvos60s60]

I considered a 335d but did not think it was 'special' enough. In the end I bought a 2006 Z4 coupe this spring. It does feel a bit special each time I use it, but for some reason I have not grown very attached to it, & I can't explain why, because I can't really fault it. It also seems to be holding it's value very well. My only criticism of the package is that it's very wide (10mm or so narrower than an E39) & visibility at the extremities is poor.
I have been considering a 130i or 135i as a kind of pocket rocket but I really think that if I go for one I may well wish I'd have kept the Z4.

In summary the Z4 coupe has reasonable running costs, reasonable purchase costs (depends on your circumstances obviously but offers good value for money & if I recall was around the same price as a 130i for comparable year/mileage), low depreciation, good fun, good performance, good handling, good image - I think I'm talking myself into keeping the Z4 here!!!

[Mattt]

I don't understand your choices - I don't think I'd ever say "I want a BMW" and buy something from their range - I'd say "I want a 2 seat sports car" and look at the options within that segment.

If you're looking at Z4s, why not look at Boxsters & 350Zs etc too?

[greygoose]

I had a Z4 Coupe and now have a 135i, the Z4 had more of a sense of occasion and felt more special but the 135 rides better on the poorly maintained roads of the UK. The Z4 is quite a bit smaller but has a good sized boot for trips away.

I prefer the looks of the Z4C but prefer driving the 135.

[bosshog]

Mattt said:

I don't understand your choices - I don't think I'd ever say "I want a BMW" and buy something from their range - I'd say "I want a 2 seat sports car" and look at the options within that segment.

If you're looking at Z4s, why not look at Boxsters & 350Zs etc too?

Because I've already had a Z and I hate the styling of boxsters. I've considered what type of cars I can get in my price range and the only cars the fall in to my requirements (reliability, quality interior, a good driving experience ) - it just so happened that they all fell into the bmw camp. Having owned a porches, VW, Audi, Renault, Nissan I fancied trying a BMW has those cars all pricked my interest and nothing else does in my price range except the Z - but I've already had one so it just leaves the bimmers.. EVO/Subaru's are just too in-ya-face, I've had enough of hot hatches. So I honestly cannot find any other cars that fall into my needs - I'm up for suggestions mind!

(It all started with wanting a 335d - great motorway muncher, good performance, good looking, and nice interior and its kind of branched out from there. I never said 'I want a BMW, now what is there..')

Edited by bosshog on Tuesday 12th October 12:44

[Herbs]

I'm assuming it needs to be LHD otherwise you could always export one from here to France. 2 of my have gone to Sweden & Germany as they are rare there and/or exchange rate makes it viable.

Food for thought

[roofer]

bosshog said:

roofer said:

I've had a 130, and currently have a 335d. Both were/have proper tyres. A 135 with proper tyres would be my next choice.

which do you prefer the 335d? or 130? Which one has more:
- presence
- occasion
- for driving
- performance
- easy of use

thanks!

Both cars fulfill in their own way, i've done 120k in the 335, the most i've ever put on a car. The 130 had me getting up on a crisp Sunday morning for a blat in the countryside at 6 am. It was like a rollerskate. The 335 still amuses when you tread on it, i know its character inside out, in everyday life it works perfctley as a tool, but still makes me grin, its easier to use. I only got rid of the 130 because i was filling it up every day, and always got stuck in a que of shoppers, when all i wanted to do was buy petrol.

The tractor gets filled twice a week. As a combination tool, the 335 is very hard to beat, it can be placed with precision, and firing it out of a bend reminds you how much torque it has. The 130 is a little boiler, get it fizzing, and you can really string a nice road together, and the steering is excelllent. But as a high mileage machine, you won't beat a 335 easily. Across country, with equal drivers, the 335 will pip it, but you can never beat the song of a petrol engine. And in my experience, the 130 was better across country than the E39 M5....they are both a lot of car.

[ChrisOB1]

having just picked up my 335d coupe i love it... especially the way it hands me my seat belt when i start her up... get a 335d coupe of course im not bias in anyway!