Z4 which one?

[Hawk318ti]

Hi

I am finally in the market for a BMW again. I have the following options and would like some advice from all of you who have them. I am looking at a '03 z4 2.5 with 98000km on the clock as well as a '04 z4 3.0 with 170000km on the clock.

What i want to find out is which one would be better as a daily runner, i.e which is lighter on fuel and/or cheaper to service.

Also have you guys had or heard of any issues with either of the cars.

I am hoping to pick either of the 2 up next week so a quick response would be nice :=):

 

[UpNcOmiNg!]

I would honestly say the 3.0.
Have you driven both though? Try take them on a similar drive, reset the odometer and consumption meter etc etc and see from there.
They both have bulletproof motors so I don't see any hassles there.

 

[Blue Shirt]

You will be well advised to have the VANOS seals replaced on either the 2.5 or 3.0 motor no matter which one you buy. They are both M54 motors which suffer from collapsed VANOS seals which make the motors lazy and heavy on fuel. Contact moranor on the forum, he stocks the seals and can recommend a mech to install.

Personally, if both cars are the same price, I would go for the 2.5 simply because it has much lower mileage. They will both have similar fuel consumption and the 3.0 will naturally have a bit more oomph.

Check that the roof mechanism works fine when opening/closing, and that there is no wind noise (whistling) when the roof is closed.

You should also check out the cooling system, the Z4's have the same weaknesses as most E46 cars. Check for leaks at the expansion tank, the thermostat housing and the thermoswitch in the lower radiator coolant pipe.

 

[tinovittee]

I would also go for the 2.5 given the mileage difference. From what the others guys on the forum have said about their e46/e90's, seems as though the 2.5 uses just about as much fuel as the 3.0 but isn't quite as quick. Between these 2, condition would be the main decider for me though... Good luck.. you're gonna love it either way! sheer driving pleasure! (just not on rough roads... :fencelook: )

 

[Hawk318ti]

Funny enought the 2.5 is R20,000 more than the 3.0.


and also when I went back to the ad now it has been removed so, 2.5 I guess unless I find something else.

 

[Hawk318ti]

is a 3.0 with 170 000km on the clock going for R100 000. a good buy?

 

[GoCart]

Funny enought the 2.5 is R20,000 more than the 3.0.


and also when I went back to the ad now it has been removed so, 2.5 I guess unless I find something else.

That 2.5 is in Auto Trader.. R129K

Looks good to me.

Closest 3.0 with those Km's are R149K

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is a 3.0 with 170 000km on the clock going for R100 000. a good buy?

Maybe, the only Z4 on AT for 100K is a 2,5 with 230K km on the clock.

 

[Hawk318ti]

Yup that is the 2.5. I phoned them and there are already 2 other people applying for the car.So chances of me getting are very slim.

I have sent you a pm for the 3.0 but it wasn't one on AT.

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What are the service costs for each like?

 

[GoCart]

The service cost will probably not be vastly different… key is to service it yourself; there is where you save money.

These cars are a bit lighter than 3 series sedans or coupe’s, so even the 2.5 should have some go.

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O' contact BMW for an estimate on the inspections for these two models, that will give you a good idea.

 

[ashley]

Hi

Z4’s built after April 2004, can open and close the roof from the remote and have a better radio system, according to the research I’ve seen on the web.

I bought a 2004 3.0i (but built 15th Dec 2003), with a 6 speed manual, I avg. 10.4l/100km.
The Z4 handles well, and picks up speed nicely, but the ride can be hard with the run flats.
Actually maybe more fun than my V8

 

[Hawk318ti]

The service cost will probably not be vastly different… key is to service it yourself; there is where you save money.

These cars are a bit lighter than 3 series sedans or coupe’s, so even the 2.5 should have some go.

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O' contact BMW for an estimate on the inspections for these two models, that will give you a good idea.

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Are there manuals readily available for doing the services? When I had the Ti to find any form of manual was a b****

 

[cOlDFuSiOn]

I honestly think the 3.0 will be an awesome car to have :thumbs:

 

[RAArmstrong]

The service cost will probably not be vastly different… key is to service it yourself; there is where you save money.

These cars are a bit lighter than 3 series sedans or coupe’s, so even the 2.5 should have some go.

---

O' contact BMW for an estimate on the inspections for these two models, that will give you a good idea.

---

Are there manuals readily available for doing the services? When I had the Ti to find any form of manual was a b****

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You may not easily find DIY's but you'll probably find a wealth of DIY's which can be just as helpful, if not more! :thumbs: