Anyone owned a Z4 on here?

[StiflerMR2]

AWESOME handling, and reasonable performance...

EFA

They are superb cars Shame mines has lost me about 6.5K in one year - still don't ever regret buying it tho.

[Neil72]

Basically, Alison needs to be able to fit a pasting table in the boot

Do Decorators not have vans these days ?

Sounds like you need 3 cars Andy. Keep the Elise, keep the Fiesta and buy a sub £3k shed.

A 'practical' fun car always ends up being a compromise in my experience, in terms of both fun and practicality.

[gorrie]

I'll get shot down in flames for suggesting, but what about an RX8?

A lot more usable for the family than a 2 seater, big boot for the pasting table...Decent handling, and reasonable performance...

It sounds like you need something you'll actually use - Hence getting rid of the Elise...The RX8 would fit the bill, with seating for the kids too...

RX8 was my 1st choice having been keeping an eye on prices.
Went to Murrays last Thursday to look at dimensions of a showroom car (no intention of paying for a new one). Was shocked at just how little leg space there was in the back once I got my drivers seat in to position. The angle of the rear seats wouldn't have helped either as the kids legs are too short for their knees to bend at the end of the seat so would have been sticking out. So for me, the back seats are useless so may as well look at a usable 2 seater. Additionally, yes, there's a big boot on the RX8... but the boot opening is shocking. If you have anything remotely bulky to fit in, forget it. The opening in the Z4 is more useful than the RX8, despite the overall space being smaller.

350Z... good shout... will have a look.... does that rear strut bar not steal a fair bit of boot space?

[RDH]

A colleague of mine has a 2.0l one with the reg -G10 RRY.
She's looking to offload the number plate if you're interested?

[gorrie]

lol... I've already got G10 RRE. Ask her how much she wants for the plate though... Might be OK for the other car. Her name isn't Fiona is it? I've got a W21 FEE plate I want to offload... lol.

[graeme]

I looked at RX-8, Z4 and 350Z not long ago. I chose not to buy anything, but the 350Z was winning hands down. Really pisses me off that it's 1500kg though! No need for that. Not sure removing all the crappy plastic trim would help much either; I think it's a fundamentally heavy-as-hell car. Still, early ones are a bargian, and about £6k seems to be enough to S/C or twin-turbo a 350Z up to acceptable performance levels, and they do look rather nice.

None of the above make as much fun-per-£ sense as a Scooby or Evo though. I think when the time comes I'm swaying towards a non-chav Scooby Spec-D (the discrete STi like John had).

[Edin430]

New Z4 and 350z out this year though so IMHO I wouldnt touch the current models until they do - as the prices will drop like hell

[Digital]

Would an S2000 be out of the question? Obviously won't have the torque of the Z4, but I would imagine it would be lighter and more fun to drive, and should have most of the toys that the BMW has. Oh, and they drift very nicely round Knockhill in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing - take a bow scib4 .

If not a Boxster then that would be my choice.

[a4drk]

Andy
I'm kinda in the same boat as you.
My Elise is going next week & i'm swethering to buy another car or just bank the cash.......

The money is going to burn a big whole in my pocket & i've been checked out PH & Autotrader for (1st choice) a Boxster 3.2s
or a Z4 3.0
for circa £10k
I missed out on a 51 reg Boxster 3.2s - 31,000 miles, Seal Grey, Factort Sat Nav & Xenons for £10,250!
bummer.....

Don't know yet - looking at everything. - Been put off looking at TVRs.
Lots of adverts saying "22,000 miles, 3 years old, recent engine rebuild....>!"

One thing I can say about driving BMW's. I've got a 330d Sport (204bhp one) - It took me 2 months to actually realise how much a cracking car it is & how much i liked it. - Before - I had an Audi A4 2.5 Tdi Quattro Sport, chipped to 220bhp. - so that was hard to beat - however - 2 totally different driving styles.
Had the Beamer now for 2½yrs and absolutely love it.,....... (still to chip it!)

David

[johnboy_78]

Depends how much you are looking to spend, but if the Z4 is what you are looking for, why not consider Alpina's take on it?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/776287.htm

I bought one 6 months ago and love it. It isn't a Vx or Elise, but it is a really nice car. More powerful than the 3.0L, it has a handbuilt 3.4L engine with 300bhp (0-60 in around 5 seconds and an unrestricted top speed of 172mph), has Alpina body styling & 19" alloys (without run flat tyres), a fantastic engine/exhaust note, bespoke Alpina interior (with much better sports seats than the std Z4) and every possible extra. And there are only 170 rhd examples in existence, so quite rare.

We are expecting our first child in May and as a result I'll be looking to move my car on in a few months if it is of any interest. It's Japan Red with a black leather interior and all the extras.

Lots more info on these cars if it intersts you: http://www.thealpinaregister.com/

Cheers,

John

[a4drk]

Those Alpina Z4's are awesome looking things - love those alloys!
This white one got me excited.....!
http://www.thealpinaregister.com/photo/ ... ible/88/03

Too dear for me tho.
I've got an 11k budget.

David

[gorrie]

Trying not to spend more than I get for the Elise.

So far, I've got a boy in France who wants to pay me in Euro... and wants me to take it to London for him (I pay petrol & make my own way back). Edinburgh & £GBP or no deal.
A chap with a 3.0 Z4 ('03 plate) which you can pick up for about £2K less then the Elise, but he wanted a straight swap. Even after infalting his price for the Z4, there was a big shortfall that he wanted me to just write off.
And 1 chap from down south who pretty much agreed he was buying it, price agreed, pickup in the next 2 weeks... now can't proceed due to insurance

FWIW... test drove a 3.0 Z4 yesterday with 17" wheels/runflats & the steptronic gearbox.... Ride was fine... did not like that 'box one bit. Engine was nice enough... 'box was killing it (felt like it was constantly slipping the clutch in order to bring the vehicle speed up gently). Going to check out Boxsters & 350Z's this weekend hopefully... although you get a much newer Z4 for your money.

Andy.

[a4drk]

Andy,
I've got my eye of the Boxster 3.2S at the market - as that is what i want too.

I would avoid the black one in Braidwoods (Y reg or £9995)
http://brdwd.co.uk/cgi-bin/details.pl?v_vin=Y326YBH
I looked at it in November & he told had taken it off the market as it wasnt running right.
He said that it needed a new valve. However - It's obviously fixed now..... (and will probably be OK)
It wasnt the cleanest car - quite a few scratches on it.

David

PS - I've verbally sold my car to a guy from Holland. - hes coming next tuesday
I think i'm getting the money transferred same day to my Dutchfriends farjers account in NL.
Then, after a phone call to say the funds are there - I will realease the car. (then the money will get transferred to me - 4 days -) - But at least I know its safe.
This is the only way I can think of how to do it. (Apart from Cash - the guy wont do that)

[ryallm]

Depends how much you are looking to spend, but if the Z4 is what you are looking for, why not consider Alpina's take on it?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/776287.htm

I bought one 6 months ago and love it. It isn't a Vx or Elise, but it is a really nice car. More powerful than the 3.0L, it has a handbuilt 3.4L engine with 300bhp (0-60 in around 5 seconds and an unrestricted top speed of 172mph), has Alpina body styling & 19" alloys (without run flat tyres), a fantastic engine/exhaust note, bespoke Alpina interior (with much better sports seats than the std Z4) and every possible extra. And there are only 170 rhd examples in existence, so quite rare.

We are expecting our first child in May and as a result I'll be looking to move my car on in a few months if it is of any interest. It's Japan Red with a black leather interior and all the extras.

Lots more info on these cars if it intersts you: http://www.thealpinaregister.com/

Cheers,

John

I have always really liked Alpinas - there is something a bit different and individual about them. Pretty much my ideal daily drive would be the latest D3 touring with the tweaked twin turbo engine from the 123d. Interestingly Steve Sutcliff in Autocar ran a D3 a while back and wrote that it had a far better ride on 19s than the equivalent regular Beemer on 18s with runflats. I just don't see the point in runflats - why wreck the every day ride quality for a bit of convenience when you get a puncture once in a blue moon? - I haven't had a puncture in over 60k miles in my Focus.

Mark