[M3X3Z3]

Since 1999 my garage has never been without a Z.
First was a '99 Z3 2.8i American Edition followed by a 3.0i Z3 and thereafter an E89 Z4 3.5is.
Had the super fast 3.5is for 11 years and in March it will be replaced by a G29 M40i.

The G29 will be a keeper when the sad day arrives when BMW stops Z4 production.

[Rob_G77]

Originally Posted by DPelletier

Our roadsters are/were replacements for our touring bike (I've had 42 motorcycles and have been riding and racing since 1973, still have two) after the bike became physically uncomfortable for both of us on longer trips. The Z4 isn't a motorcycle but you still get the wind in your hair, so to speak, while being far more comfortable.

Cheers,
Dave

I usually wear a hat when driving my convertible because of a bald spot on top I managed to drive my previous Z4 2 years with only losing my hat once!

Rob

[TAZ007]

Two Words:

WHY NOT!

[COKen]

I also only lost my hat once. It was when passing a car (rather rapidly) in my M Roadster. The Z4 has much less wind turbulence in the cabin than the M Roadster does. Which is a good thing.

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by COKen

I also only lost my hat once. It was when passing a car (rather rapidly) in my M Roadster. The Z4 has much less wind turbulence in the cabin than the M Roadster does. Which is a good thing.

Hope it wasn't your favorite hat.

[COKen]

Originally Posted by TAZ007

Hope it wasn't your favorite hat.

Nope. I had a duplicate.

[AlZ4]

I was never a convertible person. Never considered one. Looking for a cheap fun to drive manual transmission car for my 16 year old son, all we could find at the time was a VW Eos. I found myself stealing his Eos on good weather days and letting him borrow my 12 year newer S4 for the top down experience. I like german cars but was getting fed up with my local Audi dealers service department.

So when the S4 was getting to be about 10 years old, I was looking for a convertible with the performance of my S4. The only thing I could find at the time was the M240i convertible. Loved the engine but the car itself was too narrow making the seats narrow. After about 30 minutes or so of driving, my back would be killing me from the narrow seats. After having the M240i for less than a year, heard about the Z4 coming out and waited to test drive one. Test drove one and loved it so test drove the 4 series, the TT, the S5, the SLC and the Boxer. Ordered the Z4 M40i and it has been the most fun car I have ever had for the last 2.5 years now.

[Rob_G77]

Originally Posted by TAZ007

Hope it wasn't your favorite hat.

In my case it was in the city and I stopped to retrieve it. It might have been run over once though...

Rob

[Rob_G77]

Originally Posted by AlZ4

I was never a convertible person. Never considered one.

Me either! Any convertible I ever sat in just felt too cramped or the seating was higher than I was comfortable with.

Originally Posted by AlZ4

the TT, the S5, the SLC and the Boxer. Ordered the Z4 M40i and it has been the most fun car I have ever had for the last 2.5 years now.

I have to admit the the new 2022 AMG SL is eye catching. AWD certainly makes it more practical for winter driving, but the price even for the SL 55 is quite a bit more money.

I wish the Z4 had a bit more refinement to it though. Neck scarf and ventilated seats would be nice. Even on fair days if it's 15c/60f it can be darn chilly driving top down. I also wish it had assisted drive pro with lane keep assist. Not for everyone, but I like having it on my X6.

Rob

[Horseman]

https://www.hotcars.com/why-every-ge...-a-bmw-z4/amp/

Here ya go!!

[Bigmouth Studio]

When I had my E46 330ci in 2004, couldn't stop to love BMW. The handling was so good. When the E89 Z4 came to Hong Kong in 2009, I went directly to the dealer and dropped my money without test drive because of the beautifulness of E89. In 2019, my car club helped the Hong Kong dealer to conduct the launching of G29. After the event, I felt sorry to my E89 because I was in love with another Z4. I am extremely delighted to have my Z4 M40i in my parking for the last 2 years.

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by Horseman

https://www.hotcars.com/why-every-ge...-a-bmw-z4/amp/

Here ya go!!

Thanks, good article.

[ZMcruiser]

Originally Posted by Horseman

https://www.hotcars.com/why-every-ge...-a-bmw-z4/amp/

Here ya go!!

Very good article. There are those who consider the Z3 to be the only true Zee, they can be a bit pretentious. Troglodytes that they may be!

[ZMcruiser]

Originally Posted by TAZ007

I've owned verts since 1998. Enjoyed the Eclipse GST Spyder, Miata, BMW 323CIC, and the M235. I'm a rag top man through and through.

I first saw the Z4 last year during a service visit on my M235 and was awe struck by the full design and it was something I wanted. I did test drive the Porsche 718 Spyder, but the allocation wait was longer than a ATF Form 4 transfer. I couldn't consider the C8 because it would mean waiting 2 more years and looking at the Audi S6 vert seemed not enough bang for the buck. I just didn't want to downgrade to a 4 banger. Whether 2 or 4 seats, not a big deal as long as its a rag top. I will say I was thinking on a M4 vert until I saw the Z4 and that new 4 series snout helped make my decision easy.

Good comparison with the ATF Form 4 Transfer!

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by ZMcruiser

Good comparison with the ATF Form 4 Transfer!

I know! Currently 10 months into the year long wait on my AKS. Funny thing, the value increased 15% while waiting.

[stlcdr]

Always liked a convertible. 78 spitfire in the UK, Miata NA in the US, followed by a 82 Fiat Spider. Was never going to sell the spider, until they remade it. Currently have a 17 Abarth 124. Wasn’t going to sell it until I saw (in the wild) a Z4, latest model. So, now looking for one. Not a BMW person, just a convertible person.

[COKen]

Originally Posted by ZMcruiser

Very good article. There are those who consider the Z3 to be the only true Zee, they can be a bit pretentious. Troglodytes that they may be!

Hey, I resemble that remark.

[CJ421]

I looked at a used Corvette C7, but it was too big and not quite refined enough (especially electronics). I also window-shopped the Boxster but couldn't understand the pricing (I would have bought new; it would have been $90K+ for a four cylinder that doesn't even sound that good). Last, I looked at the Jaguar F-Type but thought its design was dated and it was also quite expensive (for new).

And I did look at the Supra, but the looks weren't for me and I wanted a convertible.

The Z4 balances just about everything well, and almost 9 months in I'd make the same decision again. Style, comfort, sportiness, value, etc. - it does it all. Another factor for me was that I have a good relationship with my BMW dealer, dealing with them vs. another company simplified a lot of things for me.

Charles

[TAZ007]

Originally Posted by CJ421

I looked at a used Corvette C7, but it was too big and not quite refined enough (especially electronics). I also window-shopped the Boxster but couldn't understand the pricing (I would have bought new; it would have been $90K+ for a four cylinder that doesn't even sound that good). Last, I looked at the Jaguar F-Type but thought its design was dated and it was also quite expensive (for new).

And I did look at the Supra, but the looks weren't for me and I wanted a convertible.

The Z4 balances just about everything well, and almost 9 months in I'd make the same decision again. Style, comfort, sportiness, value, etc. - it does it all. Another factor for me was that I have a good relationship with my BMW dealer, dealing with them vs. another company simplified a lot of things for me.

Charles

When I built a 718 Spyder, the MSRP was around 116k for the 6 cylinder. For that money, it should of had an electric top.

[Rob_G77]

Originally Posted by TAZ007

When I built a 718 Spyder, the MSRP was around 116k for the 6 cylinder. For that money, it should of had an electric top.

I once test drove a 718 4 cylinder boxster 2 years ago. It sounded exactly like a Volkswagen beetle. It also had more engine noise in the cabin than I would have liked. It was quite nimble for a 4 cylinder. The sales guy did tell me that sales had plummeted and the 6 cylinder was coming back.

Porsche styling (to me) seems very derivative. That's not saying they don't look sporty, but there is just so much style similarity between models. I find the Z4 just more unique with its design.

Rob

[ebirotedu]

Been thinking a lot about ‘why the Z4’ instead of anything else, and dug up this fairly recent thread.

These are the salient points for me:

1 - Had to be a convertible - For the first time in my life, I really wanted a convertible. I think it’s partly recognition that there are days I don’t want to ride the motorcycle, but still want an open air experience.

2 - Good performance - Having something fast that handles well, but isn’t necessarily intended for track use, suits me just fine. If I were 10 or 20 years younger, I’d likely have gone straight for an M3 (or M4) coupe, or Z06, ZL1 or GT350. But I just don’t see myself exploiting any of those cars to their full potential unless I take them to the track, and that’s just not something I want to do (I’m more likely to get a track motorcycle first). On the road I’m more of an 8/10ths kind of driver when I want to get on it, and then only when it’s not going to surprise or scare the crap out of other motorists. And no matter where you go, it seems there’s always someone else around, so the opportunities to push the car hard on public roads are limited. Too, as regards performance, even non-top tier cars are able to post performance numbers that would have matched or exceeded those of supercars 20 years ago. And reviewers were generally gobsmacked by the performance of those cars at the time when they reviewed them. One that hasn’t changed in 20 years is human beings and our ability to perceive and react to external stimulus - there’s no chance in hell that today’s supercars would be safe to drive without the electronic stability, traction and braking systems (same thing applies to motorcycles too). Everything is relative, of course, but even Z4 M40i levels of performance seem plenty fast for me. I’m already aware that I’m the limiting factor in terms of extracting maximum performance out of my motorcycle on the road, and the same thing will be true of the Z4.

3 - Reasonable cost - Now is not a good time to buy a car, but I got a bit stir crazy last autumn and started thinking hard about getting a convertible. Originally, I was looking for a deal on one of the following: Miata MX-5 (ND2) or Fiat 124 Spyder Abarth with Recaro/Brembo package; Corvette C7 Z51 or GS or Z06 convertible; Camaro ZL1 convertible, E93 M3, or a 718 Boxster S <— all with a manual. (I did find one low mile 2014 C7 Z51 convertible for $50k locally, but I went riding one Sunday instead of going to check the car out and another dealer bought it, drove it to Ft Lauderdale and listed it in eBay at a $9k markup - tbh, I wasn’t super keen on on yellow, and it was an LT1 trim level car). In another thread I think I mentioned that the AMG GT C Roadster is kind of a bullseye for me - but it’s pretty spendy, and I don’t see myself getting 2.5x the enjoyment out of it vs. a Z4 M40i. And whatever any magazine reviewer might say, a 718 Boxster S/GTS is not “about the same” price as a Z4. With a similar config an S is $25-30k more, and the GTS is another $10k over that. A C8 convertible with Z51 package and an LT2 interior is roughly $90k. But markups. Also, I’m not super keen on the C8’s styling.

4 - Special characteristics - Some manufacturers are known for having signature engines, and though BMW has made lots of great engines of varying configuration over the years, the inline 6 has featured (excepting the E90/92/93) in the M3/M4 line-up since the 1995 E36. That’s a car I really liked and wanted to own when I lived in Manhattan and it was totally impractical to own any car. The B58 generates plenty of thrust, and sounds awesome. It also seems like a solid engineering design, and I am hopeful that it will perform reliably for many years and miles to come. The B58 was a good reason for me not to end up with with a Corvette or Camaro convertible

5 - Size - One of the most appealing things about motorcycles is how nimble they are. The same can be said of the Miata MX-5 - small size and low weight make what might otherwise seem on paper to be an uninteresting car into something that’s universally regarded as fun to drive even if it doesn’t post supercar performance numbers. The Z4, while not exactly a lightweight at ~3500 lbs, is considerably more compact than many of the cars I was otherwise considering (excepting the 718 Boxster), but is still roomier than a Miata and better suited to all day cruising or travel.

6 - Intended use - As noted, I don’t plan to track my Z4. That’s not to say that it will never see a track — it would be fun to track it just to be able to drive it at 10/10ths and explore it’s limits - but I don’t have any plans to do so at the moment. While sorting through options leading up to putting down my deposit, I decided that I was likely to spend 90-95% of my time just cruising around with the top down, enjoying the scenery, and only 5-10% of the time really trying to hustle the car along at 8/10ths. The Z4 seems perfectly suited for this. Also, given expected use, I decided that I could live without a manual transmission, especially if the alternative was a really good DCT or auto like the ZF. If this list were stack ranked in order of importance, ‘Intended use’ really ought to be #2. But it’s here because it represents a result of thinking about the things that precede it.

7 - Environmental impact - I’ve always justified my affinity for poor mileage performance vehicles by rationalizing that I spend a lot of time on motorcycles, all of which get exceptionally good mileage by way of comparison (my KTM 1290 Super Adventure S knocks down 45 MPG (!) most weekends when I ride it to the mountains - worst case is maybe 39 MPG if it’s local, urban riding with lots of stops and starts). The Z4 M40i gets better mileage and generates the least amount of greenhouse gas pollutants of any car (besides the Miata) that I might have considered, and by a good margin. Per the trip computer, I think I averaged 23 MPG in the Z4 last Sunday (280 miles). Not so great for the Z4 maybe, but it was in sport plus mode nearly the entire time. But still considerably better than the mileage I’d have gotten in any other 4 wheel vehicle I’ve owned in the past 20 years.

Alrighty. Got that out of my system. Time for lunch!

P.S - 8 - Styling - Even though this ended up at the end, it should be somewhere up near the top - maybe #4 - because there’s no way I’d spend any significant amount of money on a road car that I didn’t enjoy looking at, no matter how good a performer it was. I’ve always preferred the long hoodline of a traditional roadster over any mid or rear engine designs. Examples of other cars whose styling I really like: The aforementioned GT C Roadster, Ferrari 599GTB & F12 Berlinetta, Dodge Viper ACS, V12 Hydra Schmidt Roadster (yes! ). In this regard, I greatly prefer the Z4 over the Boxster, or a C8. One thing I dislike about the GR Supra (and many Mustangs produced over the years) is the insistence on fake vents and scoops for stylistic effects. Thankfully, the Z4 only has only a couple of non-working vents on the rear flanks. I think they look good and even if they don’t actually work, they’re not transparently fake in a way that even the most casual observer can’t ignore.

[Toon902]

The Z4 wasn't my first choice and will probably be supplanted by my dream car, Porsche 718 GTS 4.0 with a manual transmission if/when I can get an allocation out of Porsche.

I walked into the Porsche dealer last fall intending to place an order for European delivery this spring. They basically laughed at me saying, "Spring 2023?", but they took my deposit anyways and put me on a waitlist, where I continue to sit today.

Having told myself that I was driving into the city to purchase a sports car TODAY, I spied the BMW logo across the street and decided to go check it out as well. Despite not having one on the floor to show me (or to test drive), I was excited to see that the model had been resurrected and rejuvenated. When I asked about delivery timelines, I was told that they were taking orders for February production and late March delivery. Hell, yeah! I can scratch my itch while I wait for Porsche to bless me with an allocation.

Now with an order for an M40i in the system, I began to dig in, watching every YouTube review and getting more excited as I did so. I love how every reviewer basically chuckles when they hit the accelerator. I love how they all rave about the engine sound, the build quality, the roof, etc. And so my excitement for getting a Z4 began to build. It no longer feels like I gave something up rather that I'm getting a hell of a car that I will enjoy driving for as long as I own her.

True to the timeline, mine came out of production in late Feb but was caught up in the RAM recall and has been sitting in port since. The retrofit was completed 2 days ago and now I'm Googling RoRo ships traveling from Bremerhaven to Halifax with fingers crossed. It's a 10-day crossing and there are several in the coming weeks, so hopefully, I'm behind the wheel in late-May!

As @ebirotedu pointed out previously, I think the Z4 is a beautiful car with much better lines that the Boxster, although I will admit that I love the geometry of the roof line on the Cayman. Do I wish it was available in a manual? Absolutely, but everyone raves about the transmission, so I'm not going to worry about it.

And TBH, for my use cases, which will be mostly weekend drives in the country and some medium distance roadtrips, my G29 is probably ideal. Who knows? Maybe I'll keep her instead of the Cayman... Time will tell.

I have still yet to actually see one in the wild. But I love the look of mine on the configurator and can't wait to giggle as I put the hammer down!