BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe
Discussion
Well, I went around the houses a fair bit on this purchase. I had a thread running on here and saw all sorts of suggestions. From an SLK55 to an RCZ-R. I looked at a few cars and none quite did it for me. I actually went about 4 months looking around. Anyway someone on a driving group I am in suggested looking at the Z4 3.0si - half the price of an equivalent M car but still a very good machine, and not so unforgiving.
Saw a Sport version go up on autotrader, and almost missed it as the title had SE on it. Checking with BMW it definitely was a Sport and it had every Sport extra so went and looked and immediately knew I wanted it.
It has a few niggles to work out:
- A few scratches on the bumpers
- Rear parking sensors dont work
- Rear tyres need replacing (annoyingly it currently has run flats all round)
But otherwise what an engine and gearbox, wow, just wow. It has tonnes of torque for lazy driving but then you want to make progress and it revs very freely.
Interior is simple, very nice, but slightly showing its age. The head unit is obviously crap and no bluetooth and the speakers are very basic. I will sort all that out at some point. But not a priority.
Gave the car a quick wash, but the weather has just noticed I bought a car to replace my old VX220 and has such been raining constantly since so no chance to get some nice shots of it.
Saw a Sport version go up on autotrader, and almost missed it as the title had SE on it. Checking with BMW it definitely was a Sport and it had every Sport extra so went and looked and immediately knew I wanted it.
It has a few niggles to work out:
- A few scratches on the bumpers
- Rear parking sensors dont work
- Rear tyres need replacing (annoyingly it currently has run flats all round)
But otherwise what an engine and gearbox, wow, just wow. It has tonnes of torque for lazy driving but then you want to make progress and it revs very freely.
Interior is simple, very nice, but slightly showing its age. The head unit is obviously crap and no bluetooth and the speakers are very basic. I will sort all that out at some point. But not a priority.
Gave the car a quick wash, but the weather has just noticed I bought a car to replace my old VX220 and has such been raining constantly since so no chance to get some nice shots of it.
Yes the photos of them do not quite capture just how brilliantly styled the coupe is. That rear three quarter look is just one of the best out there.
I do also need to refurb the wheels, being split rim two piece its going to cost a bit. I might also just make the inner part a slightly darker shade leave the outside part silver.
I do also need to refurb the wheels, being split rim two piece its going to cost a bit. I might also just make the inner part a slightly darker shade leave the outside part silver.
MDUBZ said:
Tbh some cheap Chinese ditch finders would be better than the run flats, shocking things… before you sort new tyres, the cost of refurbing 108s properly ( split and paint) comes in at 500-800 depending on where you are in the country, I did mine about 5 years ago and they are just starting to bubble (I’d ceramic coated and used wax on them - it had 1 winter as a daily in that time). They are quite heavy wheels too, if I had my time again I’d be fitting some CSL style with a nice deep dish..
I have some quotes on split and refurb (preferably powder coat) and have on the owners forum had numbers around the 400-500 mark which seems reasonable. I really want to keep my car looking standard and the 108s look great, I prefer them to CSL copies. Thanks for the tip on Bluebus I will look into it. I would like to retain OEM head unit. I will look at what I can do with the speakers but thats down the line.
Yes the PS4 tyres are so well reviewed, I am on a number of car forums and they perform really well - but thats also reflected in the price. Given the blackcircles deal putting them almost on par with Goodyear I will probably opt for them.
Yes the PS4 tyres are so well reviewed, I am on a number of car forums and they perform really well - but thats also reflected in the price. Given the blackcircles deal putting them almost on par with Goodyear I will probably opt for them.
Thanks guys. I know its very approximate but according to howmanyleft there are circa 250 manuals and 130 autos. There are a few threads on the Z4 forum but production numbers for the 3.0si manual coupe were for the UK around 1600. Not inconceivable that a rear wheel drive sports car has lost so many to ditches/scrappers in 12-14 years.
First job is to lose the damn run flats, they are really bad.
First job is to lose the damn run flats, they are really bad.
Loving the pics guys keep them coming.
Yes the 'inspections' are really just that, checking stuff works as it should. Nothing taxing at all and certainly not something I would be paying a dealer to do.
Mine had an oil change a year ago and has done something like 4k miles since. I probably will change the oil and filters just as a matter of process of buying a car, as I always do. Although 6.5 litres
I think it takes.
Looks great in silver I agree. I did literally buy the first one I went to look at which just happened to be black. I wouldn't have gone for silver but that pic up there looks great.
Yes the 'inspections' are really just that, checking stuff works as it should. Nothing taxing at all and certainly not something I would be paying a dealer to do.
Mine had an oil change a year ago and has done something like 4k miles since. I probably will change the oil and filters just as a matter of process of buying a car, as I always do. Although 6.5 litres
I think it takes.Looks great in silver I agree. I did literally buy the first one I went to look at which just happened to be black. I wouldn't have gone for silver but that pic up there looks great.
Gave my 108 wheels a good clean up today and to be honest a lot of it was surface grime which was baked on. They came up really well. Only the rear left genuinely needs a refurb. Even if its to address the kerbing, I presume I can just get a mobile guy out to do that on the road side.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4's booked in to go on tomorrow morning, get rid of the dire run flats.
Also purchased a bluetooth module (ebay £20 jobbie) to plug into the back of the headunit see if that helps with streaming music. I have as a back up bought a 3.5mm audio cable with an adaptor to go into my iPhone as a rudimentary solution.
ebay sourced PDC unit has arrived just need to pull apart the rear boot carpet to find the (hopefully) faulty one and swap it out.
Bloody drivers seat is squeaking like crazy, doing my head in!
Michelin Pilot Sport 4's booked in to go on tomorrow morning, get rid of the dire run flats.
Also purchased a bluetooth module (ebay £20 jobbie) to plug into the back of the headunit see if that helps with streaming music. I have as a back up bought a 3.5mm audio cable with an adaptor to go into my iPhone as a rudimentary solution.
ebay sourced PDC unit has arrived just need to pull apart the rear boot carpet to find the (hopefully) faulty one and swap it out.
Bloody drivers seat is squeaking like crazy, doing my head in!
Thanks Wayne, I have a £20 unit from china on the way but will look that up also! I am not happy with the wired solution via Aux really.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4's are on and wow...what a difference. I was thinking of just keeping the run flats and see how it goes but so glad I didn't, handling wise its another level entirely and makes driving the car so much more a pleasure.
Michelin Pilot Sport 4's are on and wow...what a difference. I was thinking of just keeping the run flats and see how it goes but so glad I didn't, handling wise its another level entirely and makes driving the car so much more a pleasure.
Just got a second replacement PDC module for the reversing sensors...and nothing. So frustrating. I have checked the sensors they are all ticking indicating they are functional. I have tried two replacement PDC units and neither made any difference. Tried cleaning up the sensors with a bit of WD40 and wiping them really clean. Nothing.
MOTK said:
Do you mean you've replaced the pdc controller? Part #3 66209129815 If so then it is quite possible someone has coded the car to turn them off.
Yes i replaced part 3, i tried two different used units from ebay and I get the same outcome. The sensors tick, all four of them, the unit I tried changing and still when I put it into reverse I get a long 5 second tone and then nothing. The previous owner (private sale) said they did work for him and he hadn't done anything to them, although how much to be believed is obviously open to debate.
Edited by coldel on Thursday 24th February 10:08
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