Z4 M Coupe; Think I am going to like it !
Discussion
I picked up my 7 month old 1,500 mls Saphire Black Z4 M Coupe yesterday and I am glad to say that early impressions have made me think this will be a keeper, ( for the next few years at least ), and I have already picked up a set of CSL alloys and am dropping them off to the paint shop tomorrow to have them painted black.
The funniest thing was that when I went for a test drive pryor to purchase I commented that the rear suspension felt abnormally stiff, uncomfortable even but the stealer man said that we were driving down possibly the worst condition road in Essex which I must say I was surprised at as surely if this was to highlight an inadequacy, why use it as a test route?.When I returned to finalize the deal and whilst signing the last few bits of paperwork, the salesman confessed that the abnormally hard ride was due to the fact that the transport blocks were still fitted from when the car was delivered to the site! We laughed, but I am cross with myself for not making more of it and we did only drive on fairly flat main roads after the initial comment, just goes to show that if you have made your mind up that you want something and think that you have found the right one, you will be prepared to suffer a little thing like NO SUSPENSION
The funniest thing was that when I went for a test drive pryor to purchase I commented that the rear suspension felt abnormally stiff, uncomfortable even but the stealer man said that we were driving down possibly the worst condition road in Essex which I must say I was surprised at as surely if this was to highlight an inadequacy, why use it as a test route?.When I returned to finalize the deal and whilst signing the last few bits of paperwork, the salesman confessed that the abnormally hard ride was due to the fact that the transport blocks were still fitted from when the car was delivered to the site! We laughed, but I am cross with myself for not making more of it and we did only drive on fairly flat main roads after the initial comment, just goes to show that if you have made your mind up that you want something and think that you have found the right one, you will be prepared to suffer a little thing like NO SUSPENSION
Edited by GTWayne on Sunday 14th October 19:00
I like to modify my cars and am already looking at having KW shocks and Eibach springs/anti roll bars fitted, this should compliment the CSL alloys and PS2's that I already have waiting in the wings. I will be using the car mainly for touring Europe but may well be tempted to do a track day or two 
GTWayne said:
^ How so in your opinion?
I had the M3 before and its alot harder, the body control in the Z4M is far better, more taught and less roll but IMO it is oversprung, stiff does not = fast and when I have time I'm going to experiment with softer springs. Low speed ride really is very poor, I live on a really bumpy road and I literally bounce up the road but it does improve as you pick up speed but i've never driven a car where the if you try and nail it on a bumpy b road the TC flashes so violently, its just not set up for our crap roads. Take it on track though and by god it's good, i love it to bits but for my needs it's just too hardtaffyracer said:
GTWayne said:
^ How so in your opinion?
I had the M3 before and its alot harder, the body control in the Z4M is far better, more taught and less roll but IMO it is oversprung, stiff does not = fast and when I have time I'm going to experiment with softer springs. Low speed ride really is very poor, I live on a really bumpy road and I literally bounce up the road but it does improve as you pick up speed but i've never driven a car where the if you try and nail it on a bumpy b road the TC flashes so violently, its just not set up for our crap roads. Take it on track though and by god it's good, i love it to bits but for my needs it's just too hardtaffyracer said:
GTWayne said:
^ How so in your opinion?
I had the M3 before and its alot harder, the body control in the Z4M is far better, more taught and less roll but IMO it is oversprung, stiff does not = fast and when I have time I'm going to experiment with softer springs. Low speed ride really is very poor, I live on a really bumpy road and I literally bounce up the road but it does improve as you pick up speed but i've never driven a car where the if you try and nail it on a bumpy b road the TC flashes so violently, its just not set up for our crap roads. Take it on track though and by god it's good, i love it to bits but for my needs it's just too hardYes. traction off all the time.
This weekend I was going round a long fast bend on a country road with a bad surface, I was going quite fast, probably 80/90% limit of grip. Whilst it was very bumpy, it didnt move from exactly where I wanted it at any point. So whilst its not the most comfortable, it really does work.
This weekend I was going round a long fast bend on a country road with a bad surface, I was going quite fast, probably 80/90% limit of grip. Whilst it was very bumpy, it didnt move from exactly where I wanted it at any point. So whilst its not the most comfortable, it really does work.
Top pup said:
Kirk said:
This never happens on mine. What are you doing to get the TC to light up?
They're fine on smooth well surfaced roads, but go and find a poorly surfaced B road or simlar and accelerate hard down it and you'll find the TC light spends most of it's time on. taffyracer said:
But turning it off doesn't change the fact that the rear end struggles for grip on poor surfaces.
I think it does.With the traction on, every little bump whilst under acceleration, results in the TC cutting the power and therefore going slower. With it off, you can make much better progress. I have found that the grip at the back is virtually no different to driving on a smooth surface. Yes it’s very bumpy, but grips very well.
I think the TC is oversensitive. Did you know that in sport mode the TC operates at a lower threshold? Personally I don’t like it because it also makes the throttle too quick.
taffyracer said:
Yes i did know that, but TC reacts to loss of grip, it might not be huge and the TC might be oversensitive but the fact remains that only bumpy roads it loses grip when it simply shouldn't, that's a cause of being too stiff and why the car is superb on track in standard trim
You are right. I think another way of putting it might be to say, there is enough loss of grip to set off the sensitive TC, but not enough to unsettle back end. Suspension being "too stiff" is a very subjective thing. For me it is not.
Rich_Alpina said:
Congrats on your purchase mate - any pics with the black rims???
Sorry for the delay in replying, been uber busy.Rims were painted on Friday and was looking forward to having tyres fitted today and putting the wheels on the Coupe on Sunday but the tyre fitter was of ill today so will have to wait until Monday / Tuesday now
. Will try and get some snaps sorted for next week after it has been in for a full valet and A glaze treatment next Saturday kentmotorcompany said:
I think the TC is oversensitive. Did you know that in sport mode the TC operates at a lower threshold? Personally I don’t like it because it also makes the throttle too quick.
I didn't know that, I had a little play at the weekend and having sport mode on does seem to calm the TC down, just a shame you can't have one without the other.Thanks for the tip
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