350Z/370Z, Z4C, Z4 35i, 135i/335i, XKR/XFR, Monaro, or...?
Discussion
Following on from my earlier thread, comparing the Nissan 350Z v 370Z with occasional comparisons to the Z4 Coupe, having read the comments to that thread (a really good thread, by the way, very useful and enjoyable!), it actually gave me some points to ponder, and that leads to some interesting possibilities that I want to discuss here.
For starters, I think I am almost certainly going to sell the MX5. It's been an absolute blast to drive, especially with the Super 200 pack it has fitted, but I think I'm now after something with more luxury and refinement, and preferably an engine with at least 6 cylinders (5 would also be acceptable, though). I'm feeling drawn to cars with a more muscular vibe, something that just has a bit more of a special feel, and just as nice to drive slow as drive quickly.
I have therefore narrowed my choice down to these contenders, but I am also open to suggestions. I will have £10K to spend in spring (though I am quite happy to spend less), and don't want anything that would be too ruinous in terms of maintenance or reliability. I am mostly looking at Coupes.
Nissan 350Z / 370Z
This was my first choice, hence the original thread. As an ex-owner of a 350Z Roadster, it seems like a safe choice, with good reliability and reasonable running costs. Easy to get a good noise with intakes and exhausts. Fairly comfortable to own and drive. Good looking. Early 350Z might be doable for around £5k with some shopping around and delivers the core thrills, but I do like the appearance of the 370Z and the rev matching feature and more modern interior are attractive and I think it probably is worth the extra money. The big Z has a lot of character and charm. I have heard some complaints about loud tyre noise and the a droning exhaust particularly in the Coupes.
BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0 Si / E89 35i
I still really like the look of these. Again, I am an ex-owner of an auto E86. I think they feel a bit more grown up than the Nissans. The earlier E86 Coupe should be a mostly trouble free ownership experience and low running costs. Lovely engines in these. Enough speed for me really from my memory of mine, but the E89 with its turbocharged engine has a lot more potential in this area, and the E89 also seems to have a much nicer interior, but it's a lot more tubby than the earlier car. I think the early car has better looks, although the E89 has the potential of the convertible, I've read some cars suffer from motor failure in the soft tops, and I understand the 35i engine has it's own set of issues.
BMW 135i / 335i
As an all round car both of these seem a fairly solid choice with their RWD, the option for manual box, and their powerful 6-cylinder turbocharged engine. I would also consider the auto if it was a good gearbox with good reliability. These have some tuning potential too, with around 380 bhp from a remap and some light mods. This would potentially give me a significantly faster car than the earlier suggestions. Although I am somewhat concerned that they will be a little bit dull in a way and not really special enough after the other two. I do feel the 135i would feel more special than the 335i, with it's 'poor man's 1M' kind of vibe. The 335i I'm guessing will be the more comfortable and refined option.
Jaguar XKR
I must admit, I've been hearing these being talked about for a while, and having looked into, it seems as though they are not actually too bad to run and live with. Affordable and robust by all accounts, obviously, apart from the petrol consumption. My budget would see me into a 4.2 Supercharged model. I really like the way these look and it presents me with a chance to get into a V8 car while I can. They are also absolutely gorgeous looking cars. Fast, a V8 noise, gorgeous and supremely comfortable. I am asking myself what's not to like?
Jaguar XFR V8
Another way into a V8 is the XFR which is just dropping towards affordable now. I do quite like these, but I think I prefer the XKR for it's looks and the fact I'm not needlessly dragging around 2 extra seats. I don't know if I would need a brave pill for a 5.0 V8 XFR at the bottom end of the market though?
Vauxhall / Holden Monaro
And yet another way into a V8 is an early / lower spec Monaro. It certainly ticks the big engine box, but I've never been sold on the looks, and I don't know what they're like in terms of running costs. However, it seems to be a depreciation-free motor and they do have their fans. Not sure about the tall gearing though. However, one thing is for sure, it'll be a hugely different experience to an MX5.
Those are my choices so far, any thoughts or discussions or anything I've missed that I should be considering?
For starters, I think I am almost certainly going to sell the MX5. It's been an absolute blast to drive, especially with the Super 200 pack it has fitted, but I think I'm now after something with more luxury and refinement, and preferably an engine with at least 6 cylinders (5 would also be acceptable, though). I'm feeling drawn to cars with a more muscular vibe, something that just has a bit more of a special feel, and just as nice to drive slow as drive quickly.
I have therefore narrowed my choice down to these contenders, but I am also open to suggestions. I will have £10K to spend in spring (though I am quite happy to spend less), and don't want anything that would be too ruinous in terms of maintenance or reliability. I am mostly looking at Coupes.
Nissan 350Z / 370Z
This was my first choice, hence the original thread. As an ex-owner of a 350Z Roadster, it seems like a safe choice, with good reliability and reasonable running costs. Easy to get a good noise with intakes and exhausts. Fairly comfortable to own and drive. Good looking. Early 350Z might be doable for around £5k with some shopping around and delivers the core thrills, but I do like the appearance of the 370Z and the rev matching feature and more modern interior are attractive and I think it probably is worth the extra money. The big Z has a lot of character and charm. I have heard some complaints about loud tyre noise and the a droning exhaust particularly in the Coupes.
BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0 Si / E89 35i
I still really like the look of these. Again, I am an ex-owner of an auto E86. I think they feel a bit more grown up than the Nissans. The earlier E86 Coupe should be a mostly trouble free ownership experience and low running costs. Lovely engines in these. Enough speed for me really from my memory of mine, but the E89 with its turbocharged engine has a lot more potential in this area, and the E89 also seems to have a much nicer interior, but it's a lot more tubby than the earlier car. I think the early car has better looks, although the E89 has the potential of the convertible, I've read some cars suffer from motor failure in the soft tops, and I understand the 35i engine has it's own set of issues.
BMW 135i / 335i
As an all round car both of these seem a fairly solid choice with their RWD, the option for manual box, and their powerful 6-cylinder turbocharged engine. I would also consider the auto if it was a good gearbox with good reliability. These have some tuning potential too, with around 380 bhp from a remap and some light mods. This would potentially give me a significantly faster car than the earlier suggestions. Although I am somewhat concerned that they will be a little bit dull in a way and not really special enough after the other two. I do feel the 135i would feel more special than the 335i, with it's 'poor man's 1M' kind of vibe. The 335i I'm guessing will be the more comfortable and refined option.
Jaguar XKR
I must admit, I've been hearing these being talked about for a while, and having looked into, it seems as though they are not actually too bad to run and live with. Affordable and robust by all accounts, obviously, apart from the petrol consumption. My budget would see me into a 4.2 Supercharged model. I really like the way these look and it presents me with a chance to get into a V8 car while I can. They are also absolutely gorgeous looking cars. Fast, a V8 noise, gorgeous and supremely comfortable. I am asking myself what's not to like?
Jaguar XFR V8
Another way into a V8 is the XFR which is just dropping towards affordable now. I do quite like these, but I think I prefer the XKR for it's looks and the fact I'm not needlessly dragging around 2 extra seats. I don't know if I would need a brave pill for a 5.0 V8 XFR at the bottom end of the market though?
Vauxhall / Holden Monaro
And yet another way into a V8 is an early / lower spec Monaro. It certainly ticks the big engine box, but I've never been sold on the looks, and I don't know what they're like in terms of running costs. However, it seems to be a depreciation-free motor and they do have their fans. Not sure about the tall gearing though. However, one thing is for sure, it'll be a hugely different experience to an MX5.
Those are my choices so far, any thoughts or discussions or anything I've missed that I should be considering?
I think this is an easier one to get an answer to, with the Nissan's some light fettling you'll have the aural pleasure even at low speeds, now with the BMW's they'll give you bigger gains for every £ (BHP wise) spent BUT you'll need to spend more (especially on the Z4) on suspension than you will on the Nissan's .
One area that the BMW's fall short is on the gearshift which I find a bit rubbery.
GET THE 370!!!!!!!!!!
One area that the BMW's fall short is on the gearshift which I find a bit rubbery.
GET THE 370!!!!!!!!!!
ZX10R NIN said:
I think this is an easier one to get an answer to, with the Nissan's some light fettling you'll have the aural pleasure even at low speeds, now with the BMW's they'll give you bigger gains for every £ (BHP wise) spent BUT you'll need to spend more (especially on the Z4) on suspension than you will on the Nissan's .
One area that the BMW's fall short is on the gearshift which I find a bit rubbery.
GET THE 370!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks mate! I must admit to being quite drawn to the XKR at the minute. Poor mans Aston Martin One area that the BMW's fall short is on the gearshift which I find a bit rubbery.
GET THE 370!!!!!!!!!!
I'll feel like an Aldi version of James Bond 
ZX10R NIN said:
If you can live with an auto & want a modern classic then in my very bias opinion you should get a CLK55 amg 
Good steer they feel special at low or high speed & are pretty much bulletproof:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211262...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201141...
Nice, I will add it to the list, although I've got to admit that AMG mercs scare me the same way a Porsche would (bork factor). These OK then?Good steer they feel special at low or high speed & are pretty much bulletproof:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211262...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201141...
If you can live with an auto & want a modern classic then in my very bias opinion you should get a CLK55 amg
Good steer they feel special at low or high speed & are pretty much bulletproof:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211262...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201141...
C55:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207207...
Good steer they feel special at low or high speed & are pretty much bulletproof:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202211262...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201141...
C55:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207207...
TameRacingDriver said:
Nice, I will add it to the list, although I've got to admit that AMG mercs scare me the same way a Porsche would (bork factor). These OK then?
They're pretty much bulletproof, the worst job is the spark plug change, check to make sure the oil cooler has been changed as it could contaminant the cooling system.In most cases his will have been changed as it was an early issue.
ChrisH72 said:
Surely you'd be Tang Ling Zao from Die Another Day??
I'm not really into James Bond as you can tell, but I googled it and made the connection 
ZX10R NIN said:
They're pretty much bulletproof, the worst job is the spark plug change, check to make sure the oil cooler has been changed as it could contaminant the cooling system.
In most cases his will have been changed as it was an early issue.
In most cases his will have been changed as it was an early issue.
will keep it in mind!On the topic of the Z4/135/335 N54 cars:
The 335i really does everything better than the 135i. If you want the car to feel special then the Z4 is the one with more focus. All 3 options are capable of 420bhp with just an intercooler and catless downpipes so there's no benefit when it comes to power.
The Z4 handles better than the 335i and puts the power down a lot better. It's a lot easier to work on and it has much more room for wider wheels and bigger intercoolers when you want to go for bigger power. If you get the adaptive suspension it's also more comfortable than an MSport 335i in "Normal" mode and sharper in "Sport" mode.
I still prefer the 335i as an overall package though. The 335i is much more modest looking, it's also quite practical with the folding rear seats. The 335i coupe also has a nicer exhaust note than the Z4.
The manual transmission options in the 135/335 are ok (some complain about them being notchy) but the 6 speed auto is crap. They did bring the 7 speed DCT to the 135 and 335 in 2009/2010 so those are worth considering but will cost a premium.
The engine doesn't really make much noise at low speeds though so if you want a sense of occasion then consider something with a V8.
The 335i really does everything better than the 135i. If you want the car to feel special then the Z4 is the one with more focus. All 3 options are capable of 420bhp with just an intercooler and catless downpipes so there's no benefit when it comes to power.
The Z4 handles better than the 335i and puts the power down a lot better. It's a lot easier to work on and it has much more room for wider wheels and bigger intercoolers when you want to go for bigger power. If you get the adaptive suspension it's also more comfortable than an MSport 335i in "Normal" mode and sharper in "Sport" mode.
I still prefer the 335i as an overall package though. The 335i is much more modest looking, it's also quite practical with the folding rear seats. The 335i coupe also has a nicer exhaust note than the Z4.
The manual transmission options in the 135/335 are ok (some complain about them being notchy) but the 6 speed auto is crap. They did bring the 7 speed DCT to the 135 and 335 in 2009/2010 so those are worth considering but will cost a premium.
The engine doesn't really make much noise at low speeds though so if you want a sense of occasion then consider something with a V8.
car user said:
On the topic of the Z4/135/335 N54 cars:
The 335i really does everything better than the 135i. If you want the car to feel special then the Z4 is the one with more focus. All 3 options are capable of 420bhp with just an intercooler and catless downpipes so there's no benefit when it comes to power.
The Z4 handles better than the 335i and puts the power down a lot better. It's a lot easier to work on and it has much more room for wider wheels and bigger intercoolers when you want to go for bigger power. If you get the adaptive suspension it's also more comfortable than an MSport 335i in "Normal" mode and sharper in "Sport" mode.
I still prefer the 335i as an overall package though. The 335i is much more modest looking, it's also quite practical with the folding rear seats. The 335i coupe also has a nicer exhaust note than the Z4.
The manual transmission options in the 135/335 are ok (some complain about them being notchy) but the 6 speed auto is crap. They did bring the 7 speed DCT to the 135 and 335 in 2009/2010 so those are worth considering but will cost a premium.
The engine doesn't really make much noise at low speeds though so if you want a sense of occasion then consider something with a V8.
Thanks for the feedback, sounds like the Z4 would be the way to go if going for the BMW route. Surprised the 335i is better than the 135i ! They are cheaper too. All that being said, about that V8...The 335i really does everything better than the 135i. If you want the car to feel special then the Z4 is the one with more focus. All 3 options are capable of 420bhp with just an intercooler and catless downpipes so there's no benefit when it comes to power.
The Z4 handles better than the 335i and puts the power down a lot better. It's a lot easier to work on and it has much more room for wider wheels and bigger intercoolers when you want to go for bigger power. If you get the adaptive suspension it's also more comfortable than an MSport 335i in "Normal" mode and sharper in "Sport" mode.
I still prefer the 335i as an overall package though. The 335i is much more modest looking, it's also quite practical with the folding rear seats. The 335i coupe also has a nicer exhaust note than the Z4.
The manual transmission options in the 135/335 are ok (some complain about them being notchy) but the 6 speed auto is crap. They did bring the 7 speed DCT to the 135 and 335 in 2009/2010 so those are worth considering but will cost a premium.
The engine doesn't really make much noise at low speeds though so if you want a sense of occasion then consider something with a V8.
SWoll said:
If an XKR/XFR are considered I'd suggest saving another couple of grand as far better cars available at that price point than the bottom of the barrel options at £10k. Will almost certainly cost you less in the long run.
I've been looking at the XK / XKR all night now. I feel like I'm really leaning that direction. They seem to be reliable, don't seem to cost the earth to run considering what they are, and honestly, I'm seeing few downsides.If it was truly worth it, I could probably stretch the budget if as you say it might cost less in the long run.
TameRacingDriver said:
I've been looking at the XK / XKR all night now. I feel like I'm really leaning that direction. They seem to be reliable, don't seem to cost the earth to run considering what they are, and honestly, I'm seeing few downsides.
If it was truly worth it, I could probably stretch the budget if as you say it might cost less in the long run.
I had an 07 plate XKR back in 2009. Lovely, lovely car it was. Owned it for 2.5 years, no issues at all. It’s a really good GT from that period. If it was truly worth it, I could probably stretch the budget if as you say it might cost less in the long run.
TameRacingDriver said:
I've been looking at the XK / XKR all night now. I feel like I'm really leaning that direction. They seem to be reliable, don't seem to cost the earth to run considering what they are, and honestly, I'm seeing few downsides.
If it was truly worth it, I could probably stretch the budget if as you say it might cost less in the long run.
The XKR is a lovely looking thing but I'd have to say the newer, facelift XFR with the 5.0 supercharged engine and 500+hp would be tough to say no to.If it was truly worth it, I could probably stretch the budget if as you say it might cost less in the long run.
Definitely the pick from the list if you are looking for something that mixes luxury with brawn. Everything else rather tame and boring in comparison.
ETA - The XFR above looks an absolute peach BTW.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301093...
Edited by SWoll on Sunday 5th February 19:29
Quite a variety of options there.
You seem to be getting drawn towards a V8 though. Personally I'd go for a Monaro because you can get them with a manual gearbox! And I'd hope a Chevy V8 would be pretty bullet-proof.
But if you don't mind an Auto I can see the appeal of an XKR or something AMG.
You seem to be getting drawn towards a V8 though. Personally I'd go for a Monaro because you can get them with a manual gearbox! And I'd hope a Chevy V8 would be pretty bullet-proof.
But if you don't mind an Auto I can see the appeal of an XKR or something AMG.
Mr Tidy said:
Quite a variety of options there.
You seem to be getting drawn towards a V8 though. Personally I'd go for a Monaro because you can get them with a manual gearbox! And I'd hope a Chevy V8 would be pretty bullet-proof.
But if you don't mind an Auto I can see the appeal of an XKR or something AMG.
The very tall gearing slightly puts me off the Monaro, but I can see your point. Ultimately though I think I could tolerate an auto with some flappy paddles in exchange for a nice grunty V8!You seem to be getting drawn towards a V8 though. Personally I'd go for a Monaro because you can get them with a manual gearbox! And I'd hope a Chevy V8 would be pretty bullet-proof.
But if you don't mind an Auto I can see the appeal of an XKR or something AMG.
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