What is a Z4 like to own? Or alternatives?

[anonymous-user]

I like to change cars quite often, and this time I am finding a lot of appeal in a Z4, this would be an older one at around 5 to 6k probably and it would have to be the 3L as I just can't see the point of choosing a smaller engine unless there are some serious mechanical reasons to do so. Mileage will be miniscule and I am old so mpg, insurance etc... matter very little.

But I am wondering what is a Z4 actually like to own and drive?

I value driver involvement and fun most, outright top speed does not interest me in the slightest, I do like being able to accelerate hard but I won't risk my licence so fun / soundtrack or just some other weirdly appealing mystery factor are what matters. I currently have a Grand Cherokee and a Civic Tyre R and love both equally but for quite different reasons, but I feel the need for a RWD convertible again having owned a few mk1 MX5s and a couple of kit cars before.

S2000s are too expensive, Z3s do nothing for me at all, a turbo MX5 was an option I considered but I've had enough of the rust aspect and with the roof up I found them utterly miserable to be in, and mk1s are quite rare now and I can't get exited about the mk2 and onwards. Caterhams way too expensive, Westfields etc ... affordable but I've done that Seven-style already and don't want to go back as they are too impractical for almost everything apart from a fair-weather blat. V8 yank tanks appeal too, but most are impossible to find at that price range. The V8 Hemi GC was almost an option but the valve-drop issue put me off and the 6.1 is way out of my price range. 300C Hemi out for the same reason. RX8s again don't interest me for no particular reason.

Is a Z4 likely to scratch my weird / fun itch? Or is there something else that I am overlooking?
The other likely option is a 350Z - better or worse than a Z4 if you want to have fun driving it?

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 27th March 15:51

[anonymous-user]

The EPAS thing and comments about the steering being lifeless concerns me a bit as I was used to the steering on a mk1 mx5 which was really good.

How does the steering feel on a 350Z compare? Is that similarly over-assisted or lacking feedback?

[anonymous-user]

Shifter1 said:

Oh no.

Care to explain this?

[anonymous-user]

Shifter1 said:

JimSuperSix said:

Shifter1 said:

Oh no.

Care to explain this?

Sorry. If you have a look at the other thread (link was posted here) with basically identical topic you will understand. But we just went through this or are still going. Was more of an inside joke for those who are partaking in the other basically identical thread.

Ah ok i see. I'm sure an M3 is lovely but I am almost certain i want an open-top car again, unless its something really mad that is.

[anonymous-user]

ZX10R NIN said:

350Z:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303195...

3.2 Audi TT not the last word dynamically but a sweet engine:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302254...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206287...

MK1

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212132...

Thanks - I have absolutely no interest in an Audi TT but the 350 convertible is very appealing....lovely colour too.

I need to find one at a dealer that offers nationwide delivery though as where I am based there are almost none of any of these interesting cars for sale within sensible driving distance - it's just endless Corsas and whatnot - which is why I am asking about how they drive etc.. and finding to test out within about 100 miles is impossible. I've never bought a car sight-unseen before, I used to only buy locally and then I'd crawl over each one and examine everything and then without fail the engine would implode within 6 months. The only reliable cars I've bought were the ones where I didn't examine anything - the CTRs bonnet wouldn't even open before I bought it

This time I'm going to try buying a nice one totally unseen from long distance and see how that goes....

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 28th March 09:34

[anonymous-user]

Yeah every time I find something that grabs my interest its invariably on the south coast, which might as well be on the moon as far as popping over to have a look at it goes.

I looked a few Boxsters as there are quite a lot available at the sort of prices I was looking at, but the IMS failure on these older ones (and do they have bore-scoring issues too?) would worry me too much for me to enjoy the car. Similar to the reasons why I've stopped looking for a Hemi GC or 300C.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 28th March 09:53