Z4 #2

[coldel]

I had a Z4 E86 coupe, it was a nice car, but I decided it was time for a soft top. Sold the E86 a few months back and set about looking at soft top options. Those that know me know I like to try different cars, so I was looking at everything from an SLK to a Boxster.

I quickly came the conclusion that the SLK facelift was too hard to find in the spec and colour I wanted and the Boxster just had too much bork factor built in for me to consider the potential bills.

I was thinking of an E89 23i, but it felt a little underwhelming when I tried one.

Then, this appeared on ebay. I contacted the guy, genuine reason for sale, loads of good jobs done on it such as a pierburg water pump, suspension refresh etc. It went against my usual buying principles of getting a decent mileage decent condition car, this one has 114k miles, but given all the work done decided to take a look.

For the price, and the condition, I snapped it up. Shame it rained all the way home from Swindon, in the hottest June on record!

06 Manual Z4 E85 3.0si
M Sport kit including seats suspension etc.
Electric heated seats
Michelin PS4 all round with refurbed MV2 wheels
Recently fitted discs and pads
Roof motor relocated to boot



A few orders went in on amazon and ebay to resolve a few immediate little jobs

Polish the headlights as they had misted and yellowed
Polish out some etching from some bird poo that sat too long
Battery needs replacing its reaching end of life
Bluetooth module ordered for wireless streaming
Valvetronic gasket ordered
Oil cap gasket ordered (both leaking a touch)
Black kidney grills ordered
Ordered some roof cleaner as that needs a little care and attention

Got the turtlewax all in cleaner and sealant and had a go with that yesterday

Before


After


The phone camera doesnt pick it up that well but it was an improvement.

I also decided to degrime the engine bay, did a first sweep, will get the brushes out and have another go next weekend

Before


After


It is subtle but I like to clean all the bits people often dont bother with.

Also found time to get to PH SS this morning at BMW HQ Farnborough!

[Birr97]

So the replacement for a Z4, is a Z4?
Fair play, you can't beat them value for money.

Be interesting to hear your thoughts on the differences between the E85 and E86.

[coldel]

Yes I went around the houses, was determined to get something else, then settled on another Z4
They are just fantastic value, that straight six three litre just performs so well.

So far I can tell the structural difference when chucking it a bit, the E86 felt a lot tighter and more planted. But otherwise they pair up really well, in fact the headroom is better in the E85 than the E86 (I have a weirdly longer torso than most people for my height with short legs lol)

The other job I do need to do but not urgently is refurb the drivers seat, as it does have 114k miles of wear on it.

[Mr Whippy]

I fancy another Z4, but not quite yet… need a triple garage so it can stay warm and dry :-)

Looks like a good buy.

Any sign of rusty arches?

Also my Z4 bubbled around the point the fabric roof and rear wing meet just behind the doors. I think the rubber vibrates a bit and rubs grime through the paint and it all just goes a bit yucky.

[coldel]

Arches are clean, no rust there. Not checked that other spot will take a look later, but sure I would have picked it up.

It has the uprated HiFi too, so bass speakers behind the seats, sounds pretty good, much better than the basic one I had in the E86.

[cerb4.5lee]

That looks very nice.

Enjoy roof down motoring.

[TameRacingDriver]

Nice. Will be interesting to see whether you notice much difference in the drive v's the Coupe. I'd wager that you will only notice a slight difference at best.

Don't blame you for swerving the Boxster after my experience, even though before everything went tits up I was trying to talk you into one. Shame as they are a very good drive, and some of them are undoubtedly reliable, but as you say, cheap for a reason more often than not, and they seem to be 911 running costs more or less which is scary to someone without a powerful director role.

Going back to the Z4 though, I loved the look of the Coupe, but for fun driving, they feel a bit claustrophobic for me. Roof off motoring really does double the fun I reckon.

Did you consider the 350Z Roadster at all? I had one of those and enjoyed it.

[coldel]

Comparing the N52 vs the VQ engine in the Z4 vs the 350z I just preferred that engine, and the gear shifts were so much better, the overall driving experience in the Z4 is better than the 350z for me. I also think these just look better as a roadster vs the 350z with the roof up. Just feels that bit better, certainly the quality of the interior is better too. So it just edges it on so many aspects I went for a Z4 again.

[TameRacingDriver]

Fair play, I can certainly see why someone would choose the Z4 over the 350Z, it has a vastly better interior, and although I preferred the noise of the 350Z, it's fair to say otherwise the N52 is a far better engine - lighter, more economical, just as powerful, if not more so. The Z4 also seems to suit being a convertible better than the Datsun as you say (although the 370Z rectifies this but was likely more than you wanted to spend).

Enjoy, will look forward to the updates.

[cerb4.5lee]

I've always liked comparing the N52 and the VQ. The N52 feels a lot smoother and it is far more eager to chase the redline too. The VQ does feel quite torquey for a NA engine I reckon though, plus I do like the noise the VQ makes(even moreso with an upgraded exhaust). The VQ in my 370Z has always felt weirdly reluctant right at the top of the revs to me, whereas the N52 just flies around to its redline in comparison.

[TameRacingDriver]

cerb4.5lee said:

I've always liked comparing the N52 and the VQ. The N52 feels a lot smoother and it is far more eager to chase the redline too. The VQ does feel quite torquey for a NA engine I reckon though, plus I do like the noise the VQ makes(even moreso with an upgraded exhaust). The VQ in my 370Z has always felt weirdly reluctant right at the top of the revs to me, whereas the N52 just flies around to its redline in comparison.

Yeah, there's no doubt the N52 is more keen to rev, and for me, it still seems pretty torquey at the lower end of the revs, maybe not quite as much as the VQ, but still pretty damn impressive I think. The VQ is more guttural, raw sounding, and sounds quite yobbish compared with the much more turbine like N52 which is a masterpiece in smoothness. They're both great engines, but the N52 edges it out I think, even though I'll always think the VQ sounds absolutely hilarious with an aftermarket exhaust / induction as you say.

[Mr Whippy]

TameRacingDriver said:

Nice. Will be interesting to see whether you notice much difference in the drive v's the Coupe. I'd wager that you will only notice a slight difference at best.

Don't blame you for swerving the Boxster after my experience, even though before everything went tits up I was trying to talk you into one. Shame as they are a very good drive, and some of them are undoubtedly reliable, but as you say, cheap for a reason more often than not, and they seem to be 911 running costs more or less which is scary to someone without a powerful director role.

Going back to the Z4 though, I loved the look of the Coupe, but for fun driving, they feel a bit claustrophobic for me. Roof off motoring really does double the fun I reckon.

Did you consider the 350Z Roadster at all? I had one of those and enjoyed it.

Totally agree on the roof.

Much better with it off than on. I think my Z4 roof was down for every journey all year round. Only if it was raining or wet motorway work, would it go up.


I’d have one again without a second thought but need a garage for it really.

[TameRacingDriver]

Mr Whippy][ said:

Totally agree on the roof.

Much better with it off than on. I think my Z4 roof was down for every journey all year round. Only if it was raining or wet motorway work, would it go up.


I’d have one again without a second thought but need a garage for it really.

Are they known for leaking?

I've always left convertibles outside and the only one that ever leaked was a Boxster (and boy did that thing leak).

[coldel]

Any soft top has the capacity to leak, I owned two VX220s so know all about the challenges of a leaky roof, probably more than most

15/20mm spacers arriving Tuesday which should give it a good stance. Soft top cleaner arrived with some brushes so as soon as I can get the car parked outside the house the soft top is getting some love.

Will sort that battery out today too.

Im far too excited

[lukas_]

Really nice car OP! Also have a black 3.0si roadster (had it for 7 years now as a second car and have no plans to ever sell it, it just works so well as a weekend car and has always been 100% reliable with normal maintenance).

What bluetooth module did you choose at the end? I have still not settled on one yet and have been using FM transmitter (which is fine but not perfect). I was thinking about going with the BlueBus, it seems that is should work on e85 too (seen it for the 1st time in one of the last M539 youtube videos on restoring e39).

Enjoy the Z4, it looks great!

[coldel]

For my E86 I had previously, I just used a £20 plug n play one from eBay. You remove the standard head unit and place it between the loom and the back of the head unit. Worked a treat and totally invisible. So I ordered another one of those.

[snotrag]

lukas_ said:

What bluetooth module did you choose at the end? I have still not settled on one yet and have been using FM transmitter (which is fine but not perfect).

Dont need to spend much.

I've just fitted this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304961906064 to a 2006 Z4M with standard Business CD+HifiDSP. Headunit out, plug it in, push headunit back. All of a sudden 'Aux mode' becomes an option and my phone connects within a few seconds everytime i get in without even taking it from my pocket. Spotify, google maps etc, doddle. Absolutely nothing on show.



ETA - seems me and Coldel have done the same, and posted at the same time!

[coldel]

Yep thats the one snotrag

[lukas_]

Wow, this seems pretty awesome! Many thanks to both!

[Mr Whippy]

TameRacingDriver said:

Mr Whippy][ said:

Totally agree on the roof.

Much better with it off than on. I think my Z4 roof was down for every journey all year round. Only if it was raining or wet motorway work, would it go up.


I’d have one again without a second thought but need a garage for it really.

Are they known for leaking?

I've always left convertibles outside and the only one that ever leaked was a Boxster (and boy did that thing leak).

My roof was fine outside for 9 years, and the roof motor was all still fine too.

The concern was more as they age that they'll start to rust away. A garage is like a stasis machine vs being stored outside!


As they get older they need some money spending all over. It's ultimately throwing money away unless you keep the monocoque in good nick in my view.