RE: ?BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe: Spotted

RE: ?BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe: Spotted

Author
Discussion

SpudLink

5,669 posts

191 months

Friday 15th December 2017
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
Anyway I'm obviously totally biased so feel free to ignore this, but every time I drive my Coupe I can't help feeling all is right with the world and having a grin plastered on my face!
Reading this thread I was already beginning to think that we 3.0si Coupe owners sound like members of a cult. But you’re not wrong. It makes the world a better place.

danp

1,603 posts

261 months

Friday 15th December 2017
quotequote all
Mr Tidy said:
danp said:
I like the idea of improving a 3.0Si but you’d still be stuck with the horrific EPAS.
Yes, but have you driven one?

Why don't you share you garage with us BTW?
I had a 3.0 roadster for a year or so, good engine but awful ride and steering as mentioned. I moved to 17” and non-RFTs but it was still poor. And this was an SE, I shudder to think what an M Sport on 18” and RFTs is like.

I looked at 130i’s but ride wise they’re similarly afflicted, as was the 330i I bought instead (but to a lesser degree). Perhaps I’m particularly sensitive to it or the roads are especially rubbish near me. The answer appears to be a trip to Bird’s for a pricey suspension update!

Started adding cars to My Garage but never finished, must do so. Currently have a 325ti which has great steering and a reasonable ride but could do with about 100bhp more ;-)




Edited by danp on Friday 15th December 09:48

flight147z

960 posts

128 months

Friday 15th December 2017
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danp said:
SidewaysSi said:
I do think that in general (post mid 90s cars), non M cars can be more fun than the M versions.

A £13k 3.0 with a couple of grand of mods will probably be a better drive than a standard M coupe.
I like the idea of improving a 3.0Si but you’d still be stuck with the horrific EPAS.
I think I'm lucky in that I haven't driven anything with better steering - I'm fine with mine and don't have a problem with but perhaps that's because I haven't driven anything better!

In general I would be very wary of any claims that the 3.0 will rise in value. I'm banking on losing 50% of what I paid for mine over 3 years

SidewaysSi

10,742 posts

233 months

Friday 15th December 2017
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Not sure about value appreciation with old BMWs if you want them to drive properly. I will have spent at least £5k on my E36 328i..!

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Friday 15th December 2017
quotequote all
SidewaysSi said:
Not sure about value appreciation with old BMWs if you want them to drive properly. I will have spent at least £5k on my E36 328i..!
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I spent £5,500 on my E36 328i Sport Coupé a few years ago. Things quickly add up when a car gets to a certain age, and that was just suspension and brakes back to new spec plus a few other things, no engine work done!

culpz

4,881 posts

111 months

Friday 15th December 2017
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danp said:
Started adding cars to My Garage but never finished, must do so.
If you haven't already updated it, then i'd advise not to bother anyway. It will often get used against you on here, unfortunately.

Snails

915 posts

165 months

Friday 15th December 2017
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Mr Tidy said:
Anyway I've been on a dedicated Z4forum since I bought it (would thoroughly recommend it BTW) and a few months later someone was looking for one. I got in touch and he came to view it on a Sunday. I took it for a last drive on the Monday and wondered what on earth I was thinking, but then he rang me that night to put a deposit on it! He'd come over 100 miles to see it, so I couldn't say no.

Which meant on the Wednesday I was out looking for it's replacement! First one taken away 8 May 2016, 2nd one collected 2 days later and I still have it!
19 months later and it is still going strong. It is just about to tick over to 77k. I did have brief thoughts of selling it, but I don't know what I'd replace it with!

Pistom

4,916 posts

158 months

Friday 15th December 2017
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These cars tend to be criticised by armchair would be motoring journalists, many of whom have little experience of the cars other than regurgitating what others have said before them.

Having had a couple of Coupes, I loved them at the time. I still admire them on the rare occasion I see one.

They are not the best at anything but as a package , very enjoyable to own and surely that's what matters.

SidewaysSi

10,742 posts

233 months

Friday 15th December 2017
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
SidewaysSi said:
Not sure about value appreciation with old BMWs if you want them to drive properly. I will have spent at least £5k on my E36 328i..!
I'm glad I'm not the only one! I spent £5,500 on my E36 328i Sport Coupé a few years ago. Things quickly add up when a car gets to a certain age, and that was just suspension and brakes back to new spec plus a few other things, no engine work done!
It all adds up!

My total expenditure maybe around £7k when all done but that will include suspension, bushes, engine, diff, brakes, steering, ARBs, wheels, rustproofing, flywheel, clutch, gearchange, cooling system. And a few other bits.

The whole lot will be upgraded in other words! Hopefully will be a proper road racer when done.

RobM77

35,349 posts

233 months

Friday 15th December 2017
quotequote all
Pistom said:
These cars tend to be criticised by armchair would be motoring journalists, many of whom have little experience of the cars other than regurgitating what others have said before them.

Having had a couple of Coupes, I loved them at the time. I still admire them on the rare occasion I see one.

They are not the best at anything but as a package , very enjoyable to own and surely that's what matters.
I think it's also quite a skill to have a car for an afternoon, or even a weekend, and report on what such a car would be like to own long term. As you say though, I've heard plenty of stories of a journalist turning up at a factory, driving a car for five minutes, and then writing a ten page piece on it. I once looked into motor journalism, and was told that one had to be a journalist first and foremost - knowledge of cars or proven ability driving them was not a pre-requisite. In other words, don't always take what they say as gospel.

Pistom

4,916 posts

158 months

Friday 15th December 2017
quotequote all
RobM77 said:
I think it's also quite a skill to have a car for an afternoon, or even a weekend, and report on what such a car would be like to own long term. As you say though, I've heard plenty of stories of a journalist turning up at a factory, driving a car for five minutes, and then writing a ten page piece on it. I once looked into motor journalism, and was told that one had to be a journalist first and foremost - knowledge of cars or proven ability driving them was not a pre-requisite. In other words, don't always take what they say as gospel.
I'm trying not to go off topic here but I think the most interesting journalists are those who can write an interesting story about a car. My life long car passion was fuelled by journalists who wrote in Car, Autocar and Motor. Equally, a car doesn't have to be great to be a great car.

Going back to the Z4 Coupe, first and foremost it has amazing looks, a couple of great engines and an entertaining drive.

The M is almost like a wild horse and it doesn't flatter the inept driver but great fun when you get it right. Just changing gear smoothly felt like you owed yourself a round of applause.

Even saying this, I think they will be appreciated by many for years to come.


florian

290 posts

273 months

Friday 15th December 2017
quotequote all
Had a 3.0 si a few years ago as a loaner from Sixt: It was fantastic. Still remember driving it from Hamburg to Husum on the unrestrictred Autobahn - great sound and more than adequate power. Highly recommended with the six speed!

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Saturday 16th December 2017
quotequote all
Snails said:
19 months later and it is still going strong. It is just about to tick over to 77k. I did have brief thoughts of selling it, but I don't know what I'd replace it with!
Great news - I just knew that was a great car!

My current one is on 84K, and I really don't know what I would want as a replacement! laugh

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Saturday 16th December 2017
quotequote all
danp said:
I had a 3.0 roadster for a year or so, good engine but awful ride and steering as mentioned. I moved to 17” and non-RFTs but it was still poor. And this was an SE, I shudder to think what an M Sport on 18” and RFTs is like.

I looked at 130i’s but ride wise they’re similarly afflicted, as was the 330i I bought instead (but to a lesser degree). Perhaps I’m particularly sensitive to it or the roads are especially rubbish near me. The answer appears to be a trip to Bird’s for a pricey suspension update!

Started adding cars to My Garage but never finished, must do so. Currently have a 325ti which has great steering and a reasonable ride but could do with about 100bhp more


Edited by danp on Friday 15th December 09:48
Great - I know exactly what you mean!

325ti Sport is my daily, but Z4 Coupe is my toy! laugh

little_r

10 posts

234 months

Sunday 17th December 2017
quotequote all
After 36months of ownership the car has been pretty bullet proof. One headlamp and a set of tyres. Have no complaints! Stratus grey coupe still gets attention. Star alloys a rarity.
Car will be up for sale very soon as it’s time for a change..


Edited by little_r on Sunday 17th December 19:59

golfer19

1,564 posts

132 months

Sunday 17th December 2017
quotequote all
little_r said:
After 36months of ownership the car has been pretty bullet proof. One headlamp and a set of tyres. Have no complaints! Stratus grey coupe still gets attention. Star alloys a rarity.
Car will be up for sale very soon as it’s time for a change..


Edited by little_r on Sunday 17th December 19:59
Lovely looking car.
Is that an SE or a Sport.

kambites

67,461 posts

220 months

Sunday 17th December 2017
quotequote all
danp said:
I had a 3.0 roadster for a year or so, good engine but awful ride and steering as mentioned. I moved to 17” and non-RFTs but it was still poor. And this was an SE, I shudder to think what an M Sport on 18” and RFTs is like.
yes I had one to try for a day last time I was looking to buy a sports car; having driven an SLK350 a few days earlier I genuinely felt the Mercedes was a far better drivers' car. It's a shame because teh Z4M shows what a decent set of dampers and a proper steering rack can do with the platform. To this day I've wondered whether BMW intentionally hobbled the non-M car to protect the M.

InductionRoar

2,001 posts

131 months

Sunday 17th December 2017
quotequote all
Pistom said:
The M is almost like a wild horse and it doesn't flatter the inept driver but great fun when you get it right. Just changing gear smoothly felt like you owed yourself a round of applause.
True dat!

cerb4.5lee

30,189 posts

179 months

Sunday 17th December 2017
quotequote all
kambites said:
To this day I've wondered whether BMW intentionally hobbled the non-M car to protect the M.
Both cars are massively flawed though, hydraulic steering doesn't really improve the Z4M, because it's still held back by a piss poor chassis and a terrible ride even on normal tyres.

little_r

10 posts

234 months

Monday 18th December 2017
quotequote all
golfer19 said:
Lovely looking car.
Is that an SE or a Sport.
It’s an SE..

Edited by little_r on Monday 18th December 01:17