CRZ as a work/commuter car worth considering?
Discussion
Hoping to get an idea of what these are like if anyone has owned one.
Bit of background…… i have a 125i with the N52 that i use for daily duties mainly consisting of town driving in surrey and outer london for my work as a photographer (fun roads! i know……)
I do not do considerable mileage hence why I didn’t go for the obvious choice or a diesel or hybrid but wanted something comfortable thats nice to drive when i need it to be.
Ive had it a few years now but it is now getting to the point where it has a steadily increasing list of things that need replacement/repair etc. It is also burning/leaking oil at a rate where it requires top up every few months along with a slow coolant leak I cannot find.
Here is where i am considering the options of having a nice low maintenance car i can use as a daily (ive ruled out diesels as i do fairly short journeys which arent good for them)
The CRZ appeals as it looks quite quirky and i would never carry more than 2 passengers, has low road tax and can briefly use it on electric power. I average 24mpg in the 125i!!
Ive considered other options but i keep coming back to these for some reason, i would just have to accept the CRZ for what it is.
Or is it better to plough money into the BMW and just grin and bear it.
Another option i have considered is selling it, using a CRZ or similar as my sole car for now and save up for something a bit more fun for my own use later down the line ie MX5, GT86, Elise - which has always been my dream car or even a Z4 with the same engine as mine.
Would be interesting to hear if anyone else has debated similar. Im finding the running costs of the bmw are steadily increasing even though i own it outright and it would be nice to have more left over each month from my fuel allowance.
Bit of background…… i have a 125i with the N52 that i use for daily duties mainly consisting of town driving in surrey and outer london for my work as a photographer (fun roads! i know……)
I do not do considerable mileage hence why I didn’t go for the obvious choice or a diesel or hybrid but wanted something comfortable thats nice to drive when i need it to be.
Ive had it a few years now but it is now getting to the point where it has a steadily increasing list of things that need replacement/repair etc. It is also burning/leaking oil at a rate where it requires top up every few months along with a slow coolant leak I cannot find.
Here is where i am considering the options of having a nice low maintenance car i can use as a daily (ive ruled out diesels as i do fairly short journeys which arent good for them)
The CRZ appeals as it looks quite quirky and i would never carry more than 2 passengers, has low road tax and can briefly use it on electric power. I average 24mpg in the 125i!!
Ive considered other options but i keep coming back to these for some reason, i would just have to accept the CRZ for what it is.
Or is it better to plough money into the BMW and just grin and bear it.
Another option i have considered is selling it, using a CRZ or similar as my sole car for now and save up for something a bit more fun for my own use later down the line ie MX5, GT86, Elise - which has always been my dream car or even a Z4 with the same engine as mine.
Would be interesting to hear if anyone else has debated similar. Im finding the running costs of the bmw are steadily increasing even though i own it outright and it would be nice to have more left over each month from my fuel allowance.
Edited by E82_125i on Saturday 9th November 15:50
Edited by E82_125i on Saturday 9th November 15:52
Find a nice CR-Z and you won't want to get rid of it, ultra cheap motoring with great styling, loads of rear space with the back seat folded,
really great handling for a car in this class, a liitle go-cart in fact, and plenty enough speed in sport mode.
Go for the earlier version with the Nimh battery, and most off all check the underside as they are prone to corrosion, find the
least corroded one you can and underseal it to the max, and regularly clean and grease the rear caliper pistons.
Other than the tiny 12v battery under the hood which can be problematical (swap it for a larger battery) there really isn't that
much goes wrong with them.
really great handling for a car in this class, a liitle go-cart in fact, and plenty enough speed in sport mode.
Go for the earlier version with the Nimh battery, and most off all check the underside as they are prone to corrosion, find the
least corroded one you can and underseal it to the max, and regularly clean and grease the rear caliper pistons.
Other than the tiny 12v battery under the hood which can be problematical (swap it for a larger battery) there really isn't that
much goes wrong with them.
Master Of Puppets said:
Find a nice CR-Z and you won't want to get rid of it, ultra cheap motoring with great styling, loads of rear space with the back seat folded,
really great handling for a car in this class, a liitle go-cart in fact, and plenty enough speed in sport mode.
Go for the earlier version with the Nimh battery, and most off all check the underside as they are prone to corrosion, find the
least corroded one you can and underseal it to the max, and regularly clean and grease the rear caliper pistons.
Other than the tiny 12v battery under the hood which can be problematical (swap it for a larger battery) there really isn't that
much goes wrong with them.
That looks lovely! These look great in white i think. A shame we diidnt get the supercharger kit in the US. Im browsing used ones at the lower end of the market but given its a hybrid im wondering if its a safe decision. If i do it im looking at doing it as cheaply as possible as itll be a runaround for work mainly.really great handling for a car in this class, a liitle go-cart in fact, and plenty enough speed in sport mode.
Go for the earlier version with the Nimh battery, and most off all check the underside as they are prone to corrosion, find the
least corroded one you can and underseal it to the max, and regularly clean and grease the rear caliper pistons.
Other than the tiny 12v battery under the hood which can be problematical (swap it for a larger battery) there really isn't that
much goes wrong with them.
I know you've had a few issues with your 125i but maybe it depends how much you like it?
Can you find an oil leak? Usual culprits are the cam-cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket getting brittle. If it is either of those you should be able to see it. My 330i with the N52 engine has had both replaced (it's done 126K) but still needs a top up every few months, which probably only leaves the sump gasket. As that would be an expensive job it's cheaper to just keep topping it up!
Have you tried getting it checked over by a good BMW Specialist? Given where you are you could try getting it looked at at RBM Hampshire in Hook. Ross worked for Sytner for 15 years before he set up RBM and has been looking after both my BMWs ever since. He also has loan cars which makes life easier.
If you are set on a change a diesel definitely wouldn't be good for short journeys and worse still wouldn't be ULEZ compliant unless it is Euro 6, which typically means 2015 onwards so expensive.
Honda CRZ looks quite interesting, not least because it must be one of the few manual hybrids. Although a GT86 may well have as much rear seat space so might be an option now. Then again I test drove a GT86 and loved nearly everything about it apart from the gutless engine that just seemed to make more noise than power and had a very flat mid-range.
I have no experience of MX5s but you might find the performance a bit limited after a 125i. No knowledge of the Elise either, but you'd notice a startling jump in performance in a 3 litre N52 Z4 (I've had 2) compared to your 125i.
Anyway good luck whatever you decide.
Can you find an oil leak? Usual culprits are the cam-cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket getting brittle. If it is either of those you should be able to see it. My 330i with the N52 engine has had both replaced (it's done 126K) but still needs a top up every few months, which probably only leaves the sump gasket. As that would be an expensive job it's cheaper to just keep topping it up!
Have you tried getting it checked over by a good BMW Specialist? Given where you are you could try getting it looked at at RBM Hampshire in Hook. Ross worked for Sytner for 15 years before he set up RBM and has been looking after both my BMWs ever since. He also has loan cars which makes life easier.
If you are set on a change a diesel definitely wouldn't be good for short journeys and worse still wouldn't be ULEZ compliant unless it is Euro 6, which typically means 2015 onwards so expensive.
Honda CRZ looks quite interesting, not least because it must be one of the few manual hybrids. Although a GT86 may well have as much rear seat space so might be an option now. Then again I test drove a GT86 and loved nearly everything about it apart from the gutless engine that just seemed to make more noise than power and had a very flat mid-range.
I have no experience of MX5s but you might find the performance a bit limited after a 125i. No knowledge of the Elise either, but you'd notice a startling jump in performance in a 3 litre N52 Z4 (I've had 2) compared to your 125i.
Anyway good luck whatever you decide.
I've repeatedly considered these as a daily. I'm still planning to own one in the future, perhaps as a second car.
Predictably the rear seats are totally useless. It's best to treat it as a two-seater with a generous boot. In my experience the front is actually pretty spacious for such a small car, and the driving position is really pleasant. I'd go for GT spec if you can as that gets you heated seats and some other nice toys, but Sport spec isn't exactly spartan so work with whatever means you've got available.
They're generally reliable, but as others have mentioned, check for corrosion as the paint/underseal on them was thin from the factory. Very little goes wrong with them - exterior door handles spring to mind but that's about it. Apparently these really don't like being sat around unused for long periods of time - more so than your conventional ICE car - so I'd go for one with a higher mileage and make sure you use it often.
A fully charged IMA battery should give you enough juice for about 3 hard acceleration runs in Sport mode. If it can't give you this then the battery might have a capacity problem. iirc there are guides on the CR-Z forums showing you how to 'cycle' the battery yourself - do your own reading of course as I do not fully understand this process yet - alternatively there are people out there who will swap the battery pack for circa £1,500 to £2,000. Luckily problems to this extent seem to be pretty uncommon.
Predictably the rear seats are totally useless. It's best to treat it as a two-seater with a generous boot. In my experience the front is actually pretty spacious for such a small car, and the driving position is really pleasant. I'd go for GT spec if you can as that gets you heated seats and some other nice toys, but Sport spec isn't exactly spartan so work with whatever means you've got available.
They're generally reliable, but as others have mentioned, check for corrosion as the paint/underseal on them was thin from the factory. Very little goes wrong with them - exterior door handles spring to mind but that's about it. Apparently these really don't like being sat around unused for long periods of time - more so than your conventional ICE car - so I'd go for one with a higher mileage and make sure you use it often.
A fully charged IMA battery should give you enough juice for about 3 hard acceleration runs in Sport mode. If it can't give you this then the battery might have a capacity problem. iirc there are guides on the CR-Z forums showing you how to 'cycle' the battery yourself - do your own reading of course as I do not fully understand this process yet - alternatively there are people out there who will swap the battery pack for circa £1,500 to £2,000. Luckily problems to this extent seem to be pretty uncommon.
decafbeermerchant said:
I've repeatedly considered these as a daily. I'm still planning to own one in the future, perhaps as a second car.
Predictably the rear seats are totally useless. It's best to treat it as a two-seater with a generous boot. In my experience the front is actually pretty spacious for such a small car, and the driving position is really pleasant. I'd go for GT spec if you can as that gets you heated seats and some other nice toys, but Sport spec isn't exactly spartan so work with whatever means you've got available.
They're generally reliable, but as others have mentioned, check for corrosion as the paint/underseal on them was thin from the factory. Very little goes wrong with them - exterior door handles spring to mind but that's about it. Apparently these really don't like being sat around unused for long periods of time - more so than your conventional ICE car - so I'd go for one with a higher mileage and make sure you use it often.
Owners' reports of fuel economy are generally around the 45 mpg mark. VED and servicing are also very cheap, and premium tyres are around £100 each from memory.
A fully charged IMA battery should give you enough juice for about 3 hard acceleration runs in Sport mode. If it can't give you this then the battery might have a capacity problem. iirc there are guides on the CR-Z forums showing you how to 'cycle' the battery yourself - do your own reading of course as I do not fully understand this process yet - alternatively there are people out there who will swap the battery pack for circa £1,500 to £2,000. Luckily problems to this extent seem to be pretty uncommon.
Predictably the rear seats are totally useless. It's best to treat it as a two-seater with a generous boot. In my experience the front is actually pretty spacious for such a small car, and the driving position is really pleasant. I'd go for GT spec if you can as that gets you heated seats and some other nice toys, but Sport spec isn't exactly spartan so work with whatever means you've got available.
They're generally reliable, but as others have mentioned, check for corrosion as the paint/underseal on them was thin from the factory. Very little goes wrong with them - exterior door handles spring to mind but that's about it. Apparently these really don't like being sat around unused for long periods of time - more so than your conventional ICE car - so I'd go for one with a higher mileage and make sure you use it often.
Owners' reports of fuel economy are generally around the 45 mpg mark. VED and servicing are also very cheap, and premium tyres are around £100 each from memory.
A fully charged IMA battery should give you enough juice for about 3 hard acceleration runs in Sport mode. If it can't give you this then the battery might have a capacity problem. iirc there are guides on the CR-Z forums showing you how to 'cycle' the battery yourself - do your own reading of course as I do not fully understand this process yet - alternatively there are people out there who will swap the battery pack for circa £1,500 to £2,000. Luckily problems to this extent seem to be pretty uncommon.
Mr Tidy said:
I know you've had a few issues with your 125i but maybe it depends how much you like it?
Can you find an oil leak? Usual culprits are the cam-cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket getting brittle. If it is either of those you should be able to see it. My 330i with the N52 engine has had both replaced (it's done 126K) but still needs a top up every few months, which probably only leaves the sump gasket. As that would be an expensive job it's cheaper to just keep topping it up!
Have you tried getting it checked over by a good BMW Specialist? Given where you are you could try getting it looked at at RBM Hampshire in Hook. Ross worked for Sytner for 15 years before he set up RBM and has been looking after both my BMWs ever since. He also has loan cars which makes life easier.
If you are set on a change a diesel definitely wouldn't be good for short journeys and worse still wouldn't be ULEZ compliant unless it is Euro 6, which typically means 2015 onwards so expensive.
Honda CRZ looks quite interesting, not least because it must be one of the few manual hybrids. Although a GT86 may well have as much rear seat space so might be an option now. Then again I test drove a GT86 and loved nearly everything about it apart from the gutless engine that just seemed to make more noise than power and had a very flat mid-range.
I have no experience of MX5s but you might find the performance a bit limited after a 125i. No knowledge of the Elise either, but you'd notice a startling jump in performance in a 3 litre N52 Z4 (I've had 2) compared to your 125i.
Anyway good luck whatever you decide.
After giving it some thought I think having two cars will cause more headaches than its worth. Essentially two mots and consumables a year alongside a pending house move i think is possibly not the best idea. Especially knowing the BMW does need some work. Can you find an oil leak? Usual culprits are the cam-cover gasket and oil filter housing gasket getting brittle. If it is either of those you should be able to see it. My 330i with the N52 engine has had both replaced (it's done 126K) but still needs a top up every few months, which probably only leaves the sump gasket. As that would be an expensive job it's cheaper to just keep topping it up!
Have you tried getting it checked over by a good BMW Specialist? Given where you are you could try getting it looked at at RBM Hampshire in Hook. Ross worked for Sytner for 15 years before he set up RBM and has been looking after both my BMWs ever since. He also has loan cars which makes life easier.
If you are set on a change a diesel definitely wouldn't be good for short journeys and worse still wouldn't be ULEZ compliant unless it is Euro 6, which typically means 2015 onwards so expensive.
Honda CRZ looks quite interesting, not least because it must be one of the few manual hybrids. Although a GT86 may well have as much rear seat space so might be an option now. Then again I test drove a GT86 and loved nearly everything about it apart from the gutless engine that just seemed to make more noise than power and had a very flat mid-range.
I have no experience of MX5s but you might find the performance a bit limited after a 125i. No knowledge of the Elise either, but you'd notice a startling jump in performance in a 3 litre N52 Z4 (I've had 2) compared to your 125i.
Anyway good luck whatever you decide.
I also think given its just a 1 series and still pretty practical, i wonder if there is really any point of keeping it sitting around un-used the majority of the time - other than sentimental value.
If i was in something collectible, rare or impractical i think id have more of a case for having a daily and a weekend car but seeing as my car isnt a 1M im struggling to justify it.
My dream car is Lotus Elise (or any variant) but not currently in a position to splurge on a toy essentially.
Bottom end of the market CR-Zs are still around 2-3k so i wonder if the money would be put to better use in keeping the 125i going - even though its a massive pain everytime its off the road as i need it for work.
The CR-Z is quite a fun little car to chuck around and very easy to drive around town, making it better for work. However i do wonder if i had one as my only car, if id miss the refinement and the performance of the BMW - id say its also more comfortable and has bigger back seats than the Honda, i dont use them often mind. I certainly would not miss the running costs though.
The only alternative would be if i saved for something to use as a daily that can perform both tasks but would be a bit more money - something like the last Fiesta ST model or BRZ/GT86 spring to mind. Or something sensible and wafty like a Volvo.
Edited by E82_125i on Tuesday 12th November 00:18
griffter said:
I like a two car solution, because you can keep one car special, and use the other for day-to-day. But it is a luxury and has associated logistics and costs as you have noted.
Would a FN2 Civic type R (or even type S) in budget give you the best of both worlds?
Yes if i had something a bit more special to keep that way i think its worth it but my car is still a capable daily really. Would a FN2 Civic type R (or even type S) in budget give you the best of both worlds?
FN2 shape civic ive been down that road already and wouldnt do it again i think. I only had the S, was low maintenance albeit not particularly nice to drive with awful suspension, even worse build quality along with a rust starting to set in!
I had briefly considered one of these to deal with my daily duties and ended up with a 2015 Mini Cooper 1.5. Tried both and really did like the CRZ and it had plenty of toys in there too. My biggest issue was that for same price was a much newer and lower mileage Mini. Ended up buying my Mini and don't regret it. It's £20 Road Tax, £180 a year to insure, 45+MPG (52+MPG on a decent run) Haven't been happier. Surprisingly a lot more comfier than the Scirocco 2.0 TSI it replaced as a daily.
I would agree. I had one in 2017 for around 9 months. I averaged around 38 mpg everywhere and ultimately found it too slow. The handling was great and gearbox quite nice. It’s a hybrid by name really. The battery just assists the acceleration. Mine was very reliable. I found that the paint was thin and chipped easily. Overall quality was pretty decent.
Its a funny one the CR-Z. It really seems like a mixed bag. Some owners absolutely love them and they do seem to have somewhat of a following. On the flipside as seen here, some only keep them short term before moving them on - which might explain why quite a few of them have quite a high amount of previous owners.
I dont know much about mild hybrids but the one i test drove was averaging 37mpg. Well i can safely say thats certainly better than the E82, which is on 25 on average but then i dont expect that to be great. Highest ive seen is about 40 on a long run though which i think isnt bad for 3 liter 6 cylinder.
Im guessing the CR-Zs mpg doesnt compare to a diesel though however then you have the ULEZ dilema to navigate.
Maybe it is just best to invest the money i would spend on another car into the BMW to freshen it up. Alternatively a C30 is a good shout though and not too far removed from a CRZ (Coupe hatch thing shape with nice interior). If i went for one of those i dont think i would be able to stretch to a 5 cyl model though, the T5 is too thirsty and the D5 i dont think is ULEZ compliant.
I dont know much about mild hybrids but the one i test drove was averaging 37mpg. Well i can safely say thats certainly better than the E82, which is on 25 on average but then i dont expect that to be great. Highest ive seen is about 40 on a long run though which i think isnt bad for 3 liter 6 cylinder.
Im guessing the CR-Zs mpg doesnt compare to a diesel though however then you have the ULEZ dilema to navigate.
Maybe it is just best to invest the money i would spend on another car into the BMW to freshen it up. Alternatively a C30 is a good shout though and not too far removed from a CRZ (Coupe hatch thing shape with nice interior). If i went for one of those i dont think i would be able to stretch to a 5 cyl model though, the T5 is too thirsty and the D5 i dont think is ULEZ compliant.
E82_125i said:
Its a funny one the CR-Z. It really seems like a mixed bag. Some owners absolutely love them and they do seem to have somewhat of a following. On the flipside as seen here, some only keep them short term before moving them on - which might explain why quite a few of them have quite a high amount of previous owners.
I dont know much about mild hybrids but the one i test drove was averaging 37mpg. Well i can safely say thats certainly better than the E82, which is on 25 on average but then i dont expect that to be great. Highest ive seen is about 40 on a long run though which i think isnt bad for 3 liter 6 cylinder.
Im guessing the CR-Zs mpg doesnt compare to a diesel though however then you have the ULEZ dilema to navigate.
Maybe it is just best to invest the money i would spend on another car into the BMW to freshen it up. Alternatively a C30 is a good shout though and not too far removed from a CRZ (Coupe hatch thing shape with nice interior). If i went for one of those i dont think i would be able to stretch to a 5 cyl model though, the T5 is too thirsty and the D5 i dont think is ULEZ compliant.
If you drove my 330i you'd see an average of 34.0 mpg on the OBC since the battery was replaced 9,000 miles ago in 2022, but I'm retired so can avoid rush hours and sitting in traffic!I dont know much about mild hybrids but the one i test drove was averaging 37mpg. Well i can safely say thats certainly better than the E82, which is on 25 on average but then i dont expect that to be great. Highest ive seen is about 40 on a long run though which i think isnt bad for 3 liter 6 cylinder.
Im guessing the CR-Zs mpg doesnt compare to a diesel though however then you have the ULEZ dilema to navigate.
Maybe it is just best to invest the money i would spend on another car into the BMW to freshen it up. Alternatively a C30 is a good shout though and not too far removed from a CRZ (Coupe hatch thing shape with nice interior). If i went for one of those i dont think i would be able to stretch to a 5 cyl model though, the T5 is too thirsty and the D5 i dont think is ULEZ compliant.
And regardless of the ULEZ issue diesels aren't that economical on short trips, plus short trips don't allow for DPF regeneration which can lead to a whole world of pain.
Volvo C30s do look good, but as you say a T5 probably wouldn't be as economical as your 125i.
It looks like you are talking yourself into keeping your car which may well work out to be the cheapest option.
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