What’s the Z4 like to live with?
Discussion
Considering a Z4, specifically a Mk2 35i around 2011-2013. I already have a 4x4 for family stuff and a ‘71 MGB when I want something raw, so this is to fill the gap. Mostly motorway and A roads, but I want something which looks and feels special and puts a smile on my face.
Interested in what they are like in real life. Is the ride on the M Sport harsh enough to loosen my fillings? Is there any space left in the boot when you fold the roof down? Is the DCT gearbox the one to have or does it suit the manual better?
Interested in what they are like in real life. Is the ride on the M Sport harsh enough to loosen my fillings? Is there any space left in the boot when you fold the roof down? Is the DCT gearbox the one to have or does it suit the manual better?
Tricuspid said:
Considering a Z4, specifically a Mk2 35i around 2011-2013. I already have a 4x4 for family stuff and a ‘71 MGB when I want something raw, so this is to fill the gap. Mostly motorway and A roads, but I want something which looks and feels special and puts a smile on my face.
Interested in what they are like in real life. Is the ride on the M Sport harsh enough to loosen my fillings? Is there any space left in the boot when you fold the roof down? Is the DCT gearbox the one to have or does it suit the manual better?
We'd a 2012 2.0i Turbo variant from new for 3 years.Interested in what they are like in real life. Is the ride on the M Sport harsh enough to loosen my fillings? Is there any space left in the boot when you fold the roof down? Is the DCT gearbox the one to have or does it suit the manual better?
Reasonable space in the boot with the hood down. Sport suspension was fine, not jarring or particularly harsh.
We enjoyed ours, great car TBH.
Might be worth considering a 3.2S Boxster too though?
Tricuspid said:
Thanks for that ... I am also considering a Boxster (see other thread). It’s tricky, I want both!
We've owned both (albeit an older Boxster) - if i was buying again i'd go for a Boxster. More of a sense of occasion and more fun to drive.They hold their money well too. We sold our Boxster for £100 more than we paid for it a year earlier.
You might want to visit z4forum to get more feedback.
The generation of Z4 you mention was classified by BMW as an E89 which is generally considered to be more of a "GT" than a "Sports Car", unlike the earlier E85/E86 models.
I've had a manual E86 3.0Si Coupe for 3 days short of 5 years, and I love it - highlights being how it looks and how it goes!
The E89 35i could be manual or auto but didn't have adaptive dampers which cost s
t-loads to replace (although they were an option), the 35is was slightly more powerful but only came with DCT and adaptive dampers - but they both have the same engine so more performance is only a re-map away! 
And boot space is severely limited if you want to be able to get the roof down.
I suppose it's just a question of working out exactly what sort of car you want.
The generation of Z4 you mention was classified by BMW as an E89 which is generally considered to be more of a "GT" than a "Sports Car", unlike the earlier E85/E86 models.
I've had a manual E86 3.0Si Coupe for 3 days short of 5 years, and I love it - highlights being how it looks and how it goes!
The E89 35i could be manual or auto but didn't have adaptive dampers which cost s
t-loads to replace (although they were an option), the 35is was slightly more powerful but only came with DCT and adaptive dampers - but they both have the same engine so more performance is only a re-map away! And boot space is severely limited if you want to be able to get the roof down.
I suppose it's just a question of working out exactly what sort of car you want.
I've owned my E85M since late Nov and found even with it's harsher suspension, it was able to deal with the poor road surfaces in Oxford, without causing my spinal damage to be set off. The E89, is more GT than "sports car" , it's noticeably larger and feel more refined all round. The only drawback with the E89 is the fact it's got a folding metal roof, so when it's down, you lose a lot more space in your boot, that if they used a soft-top like the E85 had.
The auto gearbox is a big improvement in the E89 and makes city driving a sinch. When you're on some nice A or B roads, you can have a bit of fun using the paddles.
Even if you don't plan on using it, the Nav/Infotainment system is a big improvement on the E89 and if for any reason your phone let's you down, you won't have to deal with a clunky UI and worn out DVD drive, when trying to get the blasted thing to accept and show you where the hell you need to go.
I'm over 6ft4" , with back problems and I have found my E85M to have the right amount of room, where I am able to fine tune my chair, yet feel my shoulders are supported, which I find helps me feel in control when driving. The E89, come with some excellent seats, that are easy to adjust and like my E85M's, they help keep you in place and just inspire confidence when driving.
The auto gearbox is a big improvement in the E89 and makes city driving a sinch. When you're on some nice A or B roads, you can have a bit of fun using the paddles.
Even if you don't plan on using it, the Nav/Infotainment system is a big improvement on the E89 and if for any reason your phone let's you down, you won't have to deal with a clunky UI and worn out DVD drive, when trying to get the blasted thing to accept and show you where the hell you need to go.
I'm over 6ft4" , with back problems and I have found my E85M to have the right amount of room, where I am able to fine tune my chair, yet feel my shoulders are supported, which I find helps me feel in control when driving. The E89, come with some excellent seats, that are easy to adjust and like my E85M's, they help keep you in place and just inspire confidence when driving.
I'm on my third Z4, a 2010 E89 manual 30i M Sport. Previously had a supercharged E85 3.0i and a Z4M.
Z4M was the biggest let down out of the 26 cars I've owned, it just didn't live up to its sum of parts even with some modifications. The current E89 was really just meant to be a stop gap due to a change in personal circumstances, but in total contrast to the Z4M, it's far exceeded my exceptions!
As mentioned above, it's not as outright sporty as the previous generation, but a much better all rounder. There's never a drive where it doesn't feel at home whether it be a motorway cruise munching the miles or a cross country blast. I have a bike rack fitted now, which works really well. Boot is decent enough for a three soft bags even with the roof down. Cabin is a great place to be.
I don't think anyone would argue the Z4 is better than the Boxster, but it's all about price points. I only just paid into 5 digits for a 2010 car with full BMW service history and 33k miles. Good luck finding a decent Boxster with that sort of money. I test drove a £22k 35is last year, you'd have to be made to pay that sort of money.
Z4M was the biggest let down out of the 26 cars I've owned, it just didn't live up to its sum of parts even with some modifications. The current E89 was really just meant to be a stop gap due to a change in personal circumstances, but in total contrast to the Z4M, it's far exceeded my exceptions!
As mentioned above, it's not as outright sporty as the previous generation, but a much better all rounder. There's never a drive where it doesn't feel at home whether it be a motorway cruise munching the miles or a cross country blast. I have a bike rack fitted now, which works really well. Boot is decent enough for a three soft bags even with the roof down. Cabin is a great place to be.
I don't think anyone would argue the Z4 is better than the Boxster, but it's all about price points. I only just paid into 5 digits for a 2010 car with full BMW service history and 33k miles. Good luck finding a decent Boxster with that sort of money. I test drove a £22k 35is last year, you'd have to be made to pay that sort of money.
If for motorway and A roads mainly - why not a properly sized GT then - really need that canvas top on that noisy tarmac compound (tiring on a long run)?
For B roads Boxster or a facelift E85 Z4 3.0si manual sport - lighter front end than Z4M and still power aplenty, cheaper, lower consumption. Both cars that reward driver's engagement - especially the former. E89 is anything but.
For B roads Boxster or a facelift E85 Z4 3.0si manual sport - lighter front end than Z4M and still power aplenty, cheaper, lower consumption. Both cars that reward driver's engagement - especially the former. E89 is anything but.
Hehe, I didn't like to say ....
Anyway, found a Z4 to try yesterday, a 23i. Lovely looking thing in the flesh, gorgeous lines and curves, solid build quality. 23i had enough power, but it could definitely handle more. Manual box was hard work and I suspect the car would suit the auto / DCT much better. The ride was ... brittle, but I suspect that's mostly down to the runflats, previous BMW's I've had have been the same. Overall it's a highly desirable car.
Does anyone know or have a link to the specs? Ideally I'd want a 35i with DCT, and I'm wondering what the differences between the standard S-Drive and the M-Sport are. I've read something about adaptive suspension. Does the M-Sport have bigger wheels?
Anyway, found a Z4 to try yesterday, a 23i. Lovely looking thing in the flesh, gorgeous lines and curves, solid build quality. 23i had enough power, but it could definitely handle more. Manual box was hard work and I suspect the car would suit the auto / DCT much better. The ride was ... brittle, but I suspect that's mostly down to the runflats, previous BMW's I've had have been the same. Overall it's a highly desirable car.
Does anyone know or have a link to the specs? Ideally I'd want a 35i with DCT, and I'm wondering what the differences between the standard S-Drive and the M-Sport are. I've read something about adaptive suspension. Does the M-Sport have bigger wheels?
Tricuspid said:
Manual box was hard work and I suspect the car would suit the auto / DCT much better.
I wouldn't write off the manual just yet, like with any BMW the fairly average shift feel can be greatly improved for less than £100, I've done it to all my manual BMW's, including my Z4M and E89:- ZHP Gear Knob, heavier and removes a lot of the notchiness
- Clutch Delay Valve Removal
- Clutch stop like this - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/273827635429?ul_noapp=t...
Amazing the number of people who overlook this and compromise on an auto\DCT.
Well I wouldn't go for a 23i when the 30i has the same engine, just a bit bigger! So running costs are the same - apart from maybe insurance.
BMW manual gearboxes seem to be really variable IME. Find a good one and they are great, but a bad one can be miserable!
My current E86 Z4 one was alright (CDV already gone) but getting the gearbox fluid changed and fitting a ZHP gear-knob improved it no end.
Sadly my latest E90 330i daily has a really obstructive change, but I'll start with a fluid change and CDV delete and hope that helps. But the 139K miles E91 325i it replaced worked really well.
I'm not that up to speed on E89s, but I think an M-Sport will have stiffer and lower suspension, plus the lovely M-Sport seats, an M-Sport steering wheel and probably bigger wheels.
From what I have read on z4forum the 35i didn't have Adaptive suspension, but it was an option - whereas on 35is it was standard. People have mentioned numbers like £1,000 per damper to replace Adaptives!
BMW manual gearboxes seem to be really variable IME. Find a good one and they are great, but a bad one can be miserable!
My current E86 Z4 one was alright (CDV already gone) but getting the gearbox fluid changed and fitting a ZHP gear-knob improved it no end.
Sadly my latest E90 330i daily has a really obstructive change, but I'll start with a fluid change and CDV delete and hope that helps. But the 139K miles E91 325i it replaced worked really well.
I'm not that up to speed on E89s, but I think an M-Sport will have stiffer and lower suspension, plus the lovely M-Sport seats, an M-Sport steering wheel and probably bigger wheels.
From what I have read on z4forum the 35i didn't have Adaptive suspension, but it was an option - whereas on 35is it was standard. People have mentioned numbers like £1,000 per damper to replace Adaptives!
Edited by Mr Tidy on Sunday 12th May 23:16
Edited by Mr Tidy on Sunday 12th May 23:18
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