Fun face off: Audi S4 (B8) vs BMW Z4 Coupe
Discussion
Mr Tidy said:
I really don't think getting into a Z4 Coupe via the boot is an option - you'd need to get Fagin to send the Artful Dodger round!
To be fair from what I have read about 130is and Z4 Coupes (and experienced in the case of the Z4C) they both benefit hugely from some upgraded suspension and a Quaife LSD.
If you got lucky you might find one that has had those sort of upgrades, which would be a much cheaper option than buying a standard one then paying to have them done. Non run-flat tyres are also said to improve both no end.
AFAIK neither is a particular theft target - they're all over 10 years old now anyway and don't have keyless entry! I had Z4 Coupes parked in an "allocated" space for over 5 years and the only interference I suffered from was when someone stole the dust caps with the BMW logo on them!
Enjoy the test drives.
I don’t know, a carefully placed trampoline and some diving practice could help to post myself into the cabin...To be fair from what I have read about 130is and Z4 Coupes (and experienced in the case of the Z4C) they both benefit hugely from some upgraded suspension and a Quaife LSD.
If you got lucky you might find one that has had those sort of upgrades, which would be a much cheaper option than buying a standard one then paying to have them done. Non run-flat tyres are also said to improve both no end.
AFAIK neither is a particular theft target - they're all over 10 years old now anyway and don't have keyless entry! I had Z4 Coupes parked in an "allocated" space for over 5 years and the only interference I suffered from was when someone stole the dust caps with the BMW logo on them!
Enjoy the test drives.
Edited by Mr Tidy on Friday 21st February 22:39
I’ve heard the same re: suspension, though as I’d want to fit lightweight 17s in either case and that might improve things somewhat even with standard setup. Oddly, I preferred the standard worn 130i setup to the BabyBMW recommended one.
There are a couple of 130is on sale currently with Eibach/Bilstein setups which look good despite both being 100k+. Most Z4s seem to be in standard suspension, or at least don’t mention any new bits.
Non runflats are a definite. My second 130i with proper tyres had about three times as much grip as my first on runflats - enormous difference. Have never understood need for LSD, though. Traction on proper tyres was fine, so does an LSD really make that much difference?
Having looked at insurance quotes for both, they’ve actually gone down a lot. Maybe they’re more inconspicuous than I thought. As you said lack of keyless entry is a bonus!
cerb4.5lee said:
I've always been a big fan of a LSD in a RWD car and I can't really put my finger on why but I just like the way they feel. I never realised how important they are in a FWD car though until I got my F56 Mini Cooper S...it only has 189bhp but it still wants to light the tyres up at any opportunity. That car is desperate for a LSD for me and I can't understand why it doesn't have one.
I’ve driven loads of FWD cars with diffs and some of them give you greater traction and make the car feel 4WD, others tug you all over the place when you put the power on.Since with RWD you’re not affecting the steering when accelerating, is a diff noticeable if you’re not spinning the wheels? Do they do much when you’re driving normally or on the edge of traction - or only if the wheels are actually slipping? Sorry, despite being a car nerd, my technical knowledge is...limited.
talksthetorque said:
I’ve had a B9S4 and a Z4MC, with a slight overlap on the timing.
The Z was much more fun to drive more of the time. A lot of that for me was down to the ‘experience’ of getting into a 2 seater low down that cocooned you, and it sounded great with the awesome S54 engine.
I know the 3.0 engine from our 330 we had before and that is smooth and powerful as well, just without the edge at the top end.
It held its value and cost peanuts to run - oxygen sensor was the only thing that went on it in 4 years.
The S4 was a great all rounder. Spirited drive round the twisties, 300 mile trip to Scotland, stick loads of tools in it and fight the commuters on the way to work, all dispatched easily. But it was a four door saloon, and therefore not an event.
You’ll enjoy both for different reasons. But you hit the nail on the head with your OP.
Do you want one all rounder or two different cars.
Thanks for the insight. Ignoring purchase/running costs and drive/garage space issues, I’d definitely go for two cars.The Z was much more fun to drive more of the time. A lot of that for me was down to the ‘experience’ of getting into a 2 seater low down that cocooned you, and it sounded great with the awesome S54 engine.
I know the 3.0 engine from our 330 we had before and that is smooth and powerful as well, just without the edge at the top end.
It held its value and cost peanuts to run - oxygen sensor was the only thing that went on it in 4 years.
The S4 was a great all rounder. Spirited drive round the twisties, 300 mile trip to Scotland, stick loads of tools in it and fight the commuters on the way to work, all dispatched easily. But it was a four door saloon, and therefore not an event.
You’ll enjoy both for different reasons. But you hit the nail on the head with your OP.
Do you want one all rounder or two different cars.
Taking those into account, it’s down to how close one car can get to offering enough fun and practicality. If it could get 80% of the appeal for 60% of the cost, I’d do that. I’m just not sure that’s possible.
I love my Spec B, and drove a very long, circuitous route home after dropping my wife at work this morning and have realised that I don’t enjoy driving it for fun. It’s great when I need to get somewhere, but even though it has many good traits - steering, noise, body control, gear change etc - I don’t take it out for the hell of it. I use to do that all the time with my 130i, despite it being a five-door hatch. The weightier steering, beefier engine and small, nimble feel made it worth it.
As for the supercharged S4...I’m not sure whether it’s simply capable or can be enjoyable and exciting, too. I found a brand new S5 completely boring a couple of years back - the engine was bland and it was an auto. Even the latest RS5 doesn’t do it for me - and that was driving it on deserted mountainside hairpins. A manual B8 - ideally with sports diff - though, might just be analogue enough to do it...
cerb4.5lee said:
I have very limited experience with FWD in performance cars so I appreciate your experience share. I've never driven a FWD car with a LSD and I just presumed that a LSD would improve my Mini.
A well set up one probably would. A bad one would probably destroy the appeal of the car, though.I’m not sure which technical factors would make the difference, though. Imagine you can’t really tweak them too much once they’re fitted...
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