E36 M3 Coupe Vs Z4 Coupe 3.0 sanity check
Discussion
I've hankered after a Z4 Coupe for a while as a weekend car; something to do 2 to 3000 miles a year in and enjoy. Of late I have been looking at E36 M3s thanks to MBoon's thread on his Individual Imola and I can't get them out of my mind. The fact that they both now fall into the £8-10k bracket only serves to further complicate the matter.
I've driven the Z4 but not an E36 M3. I can see why there was criticism levelled at the steering feel on the former but I also think it is one of the most attractive (attainable) cars of the last decade. Are there any current / past owners of either / both who can offer any insight? I'm not bothered about either as an investment (it seems pretty obvious which way that is going at the moment) as, for a BMW fanboy like me, this will be a keeper and my priorities lie with the driving experience vs the cost and annoyance of things breaking.
Cheers!
I've driven the Z4 but not an E36 M3. I can see why there was criticism levelled at the steering feel on the former but I also think it is one of the most attractive (attainable) cars of the last decade. Are there any current / past owners of either / both who can offer any insight? I'm not bothered about either as an investment (it seems pretty obvious which way that is going at the moment) as, for a BMW fanboy like me, this will be a keeper and my priorities lie with the driving experience vs the cost and annoyance of things breaking.
Cheers!
Edited by CharlieGee on Thursday 29th January 21:01
An imola individual gt2 could be a far better investment but they're more like £15-20k plus now.
Apparently a 136k mile one sold for £15k recently.
If your budget is genuinely 8-10k then you've answered your own question -z4.
If you could stretch your budget a gt2 is the rarest m power car bmw have made - 50 only so rarer than an e30, e46 csl and even an m1.
Apparently a 136k mile one sold for £15k recently.
If your budget is genuinely 8-10k then you've answered your own question -z4.
If you could stretch your budget a gt2 is the rarest m power car bmw have made - 50 only so rarer than an e30, e46 csl and even an m1.
jonah35 said:
An imola individual gt2 could be a far better investment but they're more like £15-20k plus now.
Apparently a 136k mile one sold for £15k recently.
If your budget is genuinely 8-10k then you've answered your own question -z4.
If you could stretch your budget a gt2 is the rarest m power car bmw have made - 50 only so rarer than an e30, e46 csl and even an m1.
Sorry, my post was a little ambiguous... I realise that at this sort of money the ship has sailed on Imola Individuals. I'd consider any Evolution Coupe around the £8-10k mark. My understanding is that that would get something in decent condition, ie under 100k and not covered in rust. Brings it pretty much in line with what is available in terms of Z4 coupe.Apparently a 136k mile one sold for £15k recently.
If your budget is genuinely 8-10k then you've answered your own question -z4.
If you could stretch your budget a gt2 is the rarest m power car bmw have made - 50 only so rarer than an e30, e46 csl and even an m1.
MattHall91 said:
Sorry to butt in without offering any advice, but I'm in the market for a new motor around the 8k mark myself.
What are you thoughts on the Z4? Overall driving experience?
My other thoughts are Clio 200 Cup and Golf R32.
I really like it... I doubt I can offer much that you can't find on the Z4 Forum. I've had a Clio 182 in the past which was a great drive and I think that the 200 has genuine presence when I see one but it doesn't compare to the Z4 in terms of desirability for me. As long as you are looking at Coupes that is.What are you thoughts on the Z4? Overall driving experience?
My other thoughts are Clio 200 Cup and Golf R32.
Given that I have had a 182, which has similar pace to the 200 I can say that the Z4 feels pleasingly brisk in comparison. Renault spanks it for steeling feel though.
Bought a Z4 3.0si roadster last year, and whilst I love the engine, I found the steering to be completely lacking in feel, and almost skittish handling.
Binned the runflats and put on Conti SC5s, which are an improvement, but I still wasn't finding it fun. Dropped the tyre pressures a couple of psi, and it's a revelation. So much more planted now, and more feel.
Never driven an E36, but a Z4 with that engine is a great thing
Binned the runflats and put on Conti SC5s, which are an improvement, but I still wasn't finding it fun. Dropped the tyre pressures a couple of psi, and it's a revelation. So much more planted now, and more feel.
Never driven an E36, but a Z4 with that engine is a great thing
CharlieGee said:
jonah35 said:
An imola individual gt2 could be a far better investment but they're more like £15-20k plus now.
Apparently a 136k mile one sold for £15k recently.
If your budget is genuinely 8-10k then you've answered your own question -z4.
If you could stretch your budget a gt2 is the rarest m power car bmw have made - 50 only so rarer than an e30, e46 csl and even an m1.
Sorry, my post was a little ambiguous... I realise that at this sort of money the ship has sailed on Imola Individuals. I'd consider any Evolution Coupe around the £8-10k mark. My understanding is that that would get something in decent condition, ie under 100k and not covered in rust. Brings it pretty much in line with what is available in terms of Z4 coupe.Apparently a 136k mile one sold for £15k recently.
If your budget is genuinely 8-10k then you've answered your own question -z4.
If you could stretch your budget a gt2 is the rarest m power car bmw have made - 50 only so rarer than an e30, e46 csl and even an m1.
Well I'd go e36 m3 coupe, manual.
Why?
Very very rare now, true drivers car, m3 not an ordinary bmw, fast, shouldn't lose money, parts plentiful, cheap to run.
jonah35 said:
Ah, ok.
Well I'd go e36 m3 coupe, manual.
Why?
Very very rare now, true drivers car, m3 not an ordinary bmw, fast, shouldn't lose money, parts plentiful, cheap to run.
Am I right in thinking you've had one? I seem to remember your name from an old thread I was reading the other day. Was yours a coupe? The sensible choice Is the Z4 and I genuinely love the way they look but I care more about the drive than the looks. For what it's worth I'm actually quite keen on the appearance of the E36 M3 too.Well I'd go e36 m3 coupe, manual.
Why?
Very very rare now, true drivers car, m3 not an ordinary bmw, fast, shouldn't lose money, parts plentiful, cheap to run.
mon the fish said:
Bought a Z4 3.0si roadster last year, and whilst I love the engine, I found the steering to be completely lacking in feel, and almost skittish handling.
Binned the runflats and put on Conti SC5s, which are an improvement, but I still wasn't finding it fun. Dropped the tyre pressures a couple of psi, and it's a revelation. So much more planted now, and more feel.
Never driven an E36, but a Z4 with that engine is a great thing
What psi are you running?Binned the runflats and put on Conti SC5s, which are an improvement, but I still wasn't finding it fun. Dropped the tyre pressures a couple of psi, and it's a revelation. So much more planted now, and more feel.
Never driven an E36, but a Z4 with that engine is a great thing
A Racing Blue 200 passed me on my cycle home tonight and even though it had all the South London bad boy mods I immediately thought 'want it'. Well it was actually 'can't wait to convince my girlfriend she wants one when they're £3k' but you know what I mean. Such enjoyable and practical motoring if you're doing minimal miles and they work really well as something to complement a weekend toy.
MattHall91 said:
Thanks for your 2 cents!
I thought as much. Planning to drive both next month. I am edging towards the Clio, but I don't want to regret turning that straight six motor down and the extra shove from the Z4. I'll see what I find out in the coming weeks.
I thought as much. Planning to drive both next month. I am edging towards the Clio, but I don't want to regret turning that straight six motor down and the extra shove from the Z4. I'll see what I find out in the coming weeks.
CharlieGee said:
A Racing Blue 200 passed me on my cycle home tonight and even though it had all the South London bad boy mods I immediately thought 'want it'. Well it was actually 'can't wait to convince my girlfriend she wants one when they're £3k' but you know what I mean. Such enjoyable and practical motoring if you're doing minimal miles and they work really well as something to complement a weekend toy.
I'll be doing 20-25 miles a day and a nice drive each weekend if the weather is decent. I think I'm trying to find reasons not to get one and I can't.MattHall91 said:
Thanks for your 2 cents!
I thought as much. Planning to drive both next month. I am edging towards the Clio, but I don't want to regret turning that straight six motor down and the extra shove from the Z4. I'll see what I find out in the coming weeks.
I thought as much. Planning to drive both next month. I am edging towards the Clio, but I don't want to regret turning that straight six motor down and the extra shove from the Z4. I'll see what I find out in the coming weeks.
I had an E36 M3 EVO cabriolet, and while the cab was perhaps not the sharpest car, that engine and the speed was quite special. The coupe version was a far far better drivers car.
I also had a Z4M roadster, which was far better than the M3, but that is not what you were comparing. The 3L version is a great car, fast and capable, practical and easily to use, but it was never a "special" car.
So if you want a special occasion and good driving car then the M3. If you want a better as in easier to live with car then the Z4. If you want a good drive, epic engine and special feeling car I would suggest the Z4M versions....roadsters can be had at about £10k if interested.
I also had a Z4M roadster, which was far better than the M3, but that is not what you were comparing. The 3L version is a great car, fast and capable, practical and easily to use, but it was never a "special" car.
So if you want a special occasion and good driving car then the M3. If you want a better as in easier to live with car then the Z4. If you want a good drive, epic engine and special feeling car I would suggest the Z4M versions....roadsters can be had at about £10k if interested.
markcoopers said:
I had an E36 M3 EVO cabriolet, and while the cab was perhaps not the sharpest car, that engine and the speed was quite special. The coupe version was a far far better drivers car.
I also had a Z4M roadster, which was far better than the M3, but that is not what you were comparing. The 3L version is a great car, fast and capable, practical and easily to use, but it was never a "special" car.
So if you want a special occasion and good driving car then the M3. If you want a better as in easier to live with car then the Z4. If you want a good drive, epic engine and special feeling car I would suggest the Z4M versions....roadsters can be had at about £10k if interested.
Useful input. Thanks. I didn't think it would take long for the Z4M suggestion to pop up. I've had my time with soft tops so would only consider the Z4M Coupe. It's going to be £8k more for one of those which is pretty significant over the initial outlay. £500 a year for VED would also grate.I also had a Z4M roadster, which was far better than the M3, but that is not what you were comparing. The 3L version is a great car, fast and capable, practical and easily to use, but it was never a "special" car.
So if you want a special occasion and good driving car then the M3. If you want a better as in easier to live with car then the Z4. If you want a good drive, epic engine and special feeling car I would suggest the Z4M versions....roadsters can be had at about £10k if interested.
I have had an E36 Evo and a Z4 3.0. The Evo was the only car I ever regret selling, I just loved it and would buy another if I had a bit more time to look after it, and there is the rub for me. The Z4 was a good car but it was a long way from the M3 in terms of driving pleasure and making every journey a special drive. Awesome on track too 
It's worth noting my Evo was in excellent fettle and I bought it with Eibach pro s coilovers, so I never experienced the standard shocks and springs...
It's worth noting my Evo was in excellent fettle and I bought it with Eibach pro s coilovers, so I never experienced the standard shocks and springs...SteA said:
I have had an E36 Evo and a Z4 3.0. The Evo was the only car I ever regret selling, I just loved it and would buy another if I had a bit more time to look after it, and there is the rub for me. The Z4 was a good car but it was a long way from the M3 in terms of driving pleasure and making every journey a special drive. Awesome on track too It's worth noting my Evo was in excellent fettle and I bought it with Eibach pro s coilovers, so I never experienced the standard shocks and springs...
I'd expect to pay out for a suspension refresh on anything I bought so think it's a valid comparison. I guess it's that element of a drive being an experience in itself that I'm after. Pretty hard to quantify when it's so subjective. The merest research suggests that it's going to be a while before any viable E36s come up, becoming pretty rare. It's worth noting my Evo was in excellent fettle and I bought it with Eibach pro s coilovers, so I never experienced the standard shocks and springs...CharlieGee said:
jonah35 said:
Ah, ok.
Well I'd go e36 m3 coupe, manual.
Why?
Very very rare now, true drivers car, m3 not an ordinary bmw, fast, shouldn't lose money, parts plentiful, cheap to run.
Am I right in thinking you've had one? I seem to remember your name from an old thread I was reading the other day. Was yours a coupe? The sensible choice Is the Z4 and I genuinely love the way they look but I care more about the drive than the looks. For what it's worth I'm actually quite keen on the appearance of the E36 M3 too.Well I'd go e36 m3 coupe, manual.
Why?
Very very rare now, true drivers car, m3 not an ordinary bmw, fast, shouldn't lose money, parts plentiful, cheap to run.
The z4 is good but so much more electrical stuff to go wrong. The e36 is an engine, suspension and brakes. Nothing else to go wrong. I would guess the z4 is more costly to repair.
Either is a good car though
I looked at and test drove both before buying a Z4 Coupé. I could prattle on for hours about the two cars, but ultimately I found that whilst the E46 M3 was better when driving really fast, most of the time it felt like my old E46 330ci, whereas the Z4 Coupé felt special all the time. Much of it does depend on how you value the drive vs the engine though - the E46 engine is glorious. The added attraction was that for me at the time, £20k was getting me a 10k mile Z4 Coupé that still smelt new inside, whereas the M3 was considerably leggier for the same money.
ETA: Terribly sorry, but I mis-read the OP - I naturally assumed that the E46 was being discussed, because they're worth about the same as Z4Cs. I've not driven an E36 M3, so can't comment. I've had two E36s though and loved them if that helps!
ETA: Terribly sorry, but I mis-read the OP - I naturally assumed that the E46 was being discussed, because they're worth about the same as Z4Cs. I've not driven an E36 M3, so can't comment. I've had two E36s though and loved them if that helps!
Edited by RobM77 on Friday 30th January 13:51
Interesting thread is interesting.
Whilst not directly relevant, I have in recent months been toying with an e36 M3 convertible or a Z4 3.0 Roadster amongst other things. What my research showed was that:
- it was going to be easier to find a decent Z4 in budget
- complaints about the Z4's steering & ride seemed to be mostly down to tyre choice and pressures
- one of the cars is nearly 20 years ago and will require some fettling to keep in in shape.
- one of the cars is a bona-fide M-car
My conclusion was: for a weekend car that can be fettled and not pressed into everyday use, and that can be taken off the road for little jobs, the M3 clinches it. For an everyday car that you can have fun in at sensible speeds when the mood takes you and that you can just drive and not worry about, the Z4 wins.
For me, much as I like the e36 (currently have a 323 ragtop), the Z4 wins as I already have plenty of cars that I don't have time to work on and just want something to drive!
The other thing is the coupe is much rarer than the ragtop and as you say has to be the best looking coupe in the last 10 years - much more class than the M3 IMHO, which still has a bit of a council estate image (no offense intended!) if these things matter to you.
Whilst not directly relevant, I have in recent months been toying with an e36 M3 convertible or a Z4 3.0 Roadster amongst other things. What my research showed was that:
- it was going to be easier to find a decent Z4 in budget
- complaints about the Z4's steering & ride seemed to be mostly down to tyre choice and pressures
- one of the cars is nearly 20 years ago and will require some fettling to keep in in shape.
- one of the cars is a bona-fide M-car
My conclusion was: for a weekend car that can be fettled and not pressed into everyday use, and that can be taken off the road for little jobs, the M3 clinches it. For an everyday car that you can have fun in at sensible speeds when the mood takes you and that you can just drive and not worry about, the Z4 wins.
For me, much as I like the e36 (currently have a 323 ragtop), the Z4 wins as I already have plenty of cars that I don't have time to work on and just want something to drive!
The other thing is the coupe is much rarer than the ragtop and as you say has to be the best looking coupe in the last 10 years - much more class than the M3 IMHO, which still has a bit of a council estate image (no offense intended!) if these things matter to you.
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