Does a used NC have any competitors?

Does a used NC have any competitors?

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TNurburgring

Original Poster:

102 posts

117 months

Thursday 10th September 2015
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This morning I had a talk with a friend of mine and we came to the conclusion that a used NC hasn't got real competition... We couldn't think of a convertible that gives you so much fun for this kind of money (and reliability). The only car that comes close is a (much older) S2000, because they are pretty expensive on the used market where I live.

Do you guys know any cars that come close at this price point?

clarki

1,326 posts

226 months

Thursday 10th September 2015
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My cousin got a 3.0 Z4 when I bought my roadster. Similar price, year older, slightly more miles.

Very different cars but you can't deny the BMs pace, ride, quality and looks. He's had no issues with it either. I couldn't have one though...no cup holders!!lol

TNurburgring

Original Poster:

102 posts

117 months

Thursday 10th September 2015
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Where I live a used Z4 is a bit more expensive, but close. I always think a Z4 is expensive to run (high fuel consumption, expensive maintenance, expensive parts). Has your friend ever mentioned any of those things?

clarki

1,326 posts

226 months

Thursday 10th September 2015
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Not really.

It's a 3.0l, so naturally it uses a bit more fuel. Way quicker in a straight line though.

Now it's over 5 years old he takes it to a specialist, rather than BMW, where the prices are on a par with everything else. Only ever needed standard servicing up till now and 1 set of front pads. Probably going to service it ourselves next year as he plans to keep it for a while yet.

Sat-nav is crap. Stereo's ok though. He went for an SE with M-sport bits. Makes the car comfy when you want it to be and grippy when you need it to be. Nice car to be fair.

Patrick Bateman

12,333 posts

181 months

Sunday 13th September 2015
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clarki said:
My cousin got a 3.0 Z4 when I bought my roadster. Similar price, year older, slightly more miles.

Very different cars but you can't deny the BMs pace, ride, quality and looks. He's had no issues with it either. I couldn't have one though...no cup holders!!lol
Really?

Whenever I see criticisms of the Z4, ride is invariably mentioned.

heebeegeetee

28,969 posts

255 months

Monday 14th September 2015
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Patrick Bateman said:
Really?

Whenever I see criticisms of the Z4, ride is invariably mentioned.
My friends son has one, and both he and his wife have commented on the bad ride quality.

ZedLeppelin

60 posts

156 months

Tuesday 15th September 2015
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I have access to both an Msport Z4 and a 2007 NC 2.0 sport. I drove an ND 2.0 sport yesterday for a few hours.

I look at them all in terms of driving pleasure and not boot space or cup holder design.

Z4 Msport is a quality car. Well built and is what it is. Good on long open roads and motorways. Crashy ride and I'd change the dampers. Other than that, it's pretty good but not great at tight, winding roads which an MX5 is born to be on.

ND sport is a quality car which isn't quite there yet. It's fairly unrefined, jittery and all a bit lightweight feeling. Didn't feel planted. I'd soften the dampers and get a geo setup done. Felt like it was trying to be too many different things, none of which was an Mx5. I'd wait until the first revision is released before considering one.

NC is old feeling by comparison to the Z4 and ND. It sounds old, looks old and feels old. It's at home on winding back roads. Could use 50bhp more, sports exhaust and stiffer arbs as standard. Value for money? Depends what you paid for it but for around £5k, hard to beat.

I'd have a modded ND over any of them but only when Mazda sort out their act and stop doing impersonations. For around £23k, I'd have a Jaguar XK as the current ND is overpriced. 3 years later and £10k less, maybe but if the MX5 went all electric, highly likely.

clarki

1,326 posts

226 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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ZedLeppelin said:
I have access to both an Msport Z4 and a 2007 NC 2.0 sport. I drove an ND 2.0 sport yesterday for a few hours.

I look at them all in terms of driving pleasure and not boot space or cup holder design.

Z4 Msport is a quality car. Well built and is what it is. Good on long open roads and motorways. Crashy ride and I'd change the dampers. Other than that, it's pretty good but not great at tight, winding roads which an MX5 is born to be on.

ND sport is a quality car which isn't quite there yet. It's fairly unrefined, jittery and all a bit lightweight feeling. Didn't feel planted. I'd soften the dampers and get a geo setup done. Felt like it was trying to be too many different things, none of which was an Mx5. I'd wait until the first revision is released before considering one.

NC is old feeling by comparison to the Z4 and ND. It sounds old, looks old and feels old. It's at home on winding back roads. Could use 50bhp more, sports exhaust and stiffer arbs as standard. Value for money? Depends what you paid for it but for around £5k, hard to beat.

I'd have a modded ND over any of them but only when Mazda sort out their act and stop doing impersonations. For around £23k, I'd have a Jaguar XK as the current ND is overpriced. 3 years later and £10k less, maybe but if the MX5 went all electric, highly likely.
For £23k you'll get a hell of a Porsche Boxster...and way more driving pleasure than any Jag XK (which really is old). Oh, and better cup holders...not sure on the boot space though??

clarki

1,326 posts

226 months

Wednesday 16th September 2015
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heebeegeetee said:
Patrick Bateman said:
Really?

Whenever I see criticisms of the Z4, ride is invariably mentioned.
My friends son has one, and both he and his wife have commented on the bad ride quality.
I didn't think it was that bad tbh. My cousin's is an SE model, not an MSport, and the run-flats have long gone. Maybe that helps, maybe i'm wrong??

Evangelion

7,936 posts

185 months

Friday 18th September 2015
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clarki said:
For £23k you'll get a hell of a Porsche Boxster...and way more driving pleasure than any Jag XK (which really is old). Oh, and better cup holders...not sure on the boot space though??
You get two boots, what more could you want?!

Jonstar

906 posts

198 months

Friday 25th September 2015
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I went through a similar dilemma and picked up a z4 3.0 at a similar price to nc's. Had an nb before and the s2000 is closer to the mx5 than the z4. Parts costs are generally between 30-50% more but I must admit it is significantly more car, reliable and engine is a peach! Take the runflats off and the ride is even bearable.

Gandahar

9,600 posts

135 months

Saturday 26th September 2015
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Jonstar said:
I went through a similar dilemma and picked up a z4 3.0 at a similar price to nc's. Had an nb before and the s2000 is closer to the mx5 than the z4. Parts costs are generally between 30-50% more but I must admit it is significantly more car, reliable and engine is a peach! Take the runflats off and the ride is even bearable.
Both the z4 and NC have image problems but both are good cars.