Is it pleasant late summer?
Not so long ago, buying a new open car was quite easy. An exceptional number of brands had one or more of these in their range, and sometimes they were even remarkably affordable. An affordable open car now seems like a utopia, forcing many enthusiasts to turn to the second-hand market. Reason enough to take a look at a modern-looking ‘oldie’: the BMW Z4. No fewer than 37 owners kept track of the ups and downs of their sports enthusiast on AutoWeek.nl, we collected their most interesting findings.
The hallmark of the BMW Z4 was its controversial design. quite a shock after the quite classically styled Z3. The first generation Z4 came onto the market in 2003 and is known among enthusiasts under the code name E85. From the facelift, introduced in 2006, you could recognize the Z4 by a slightly sharper front bumper and rearranged rear lights.
It didn’t stop there, because after the facelift, customers could also opt for the Z4 Coupé. This closed Z4 remained relatively rare and now has an even higher classic and enthusiast value than the open original. In 2009, the first Z4 was replaced by a successor with a steel folding roof, while the third generation introduced in 2019 again has a fabric roof. That indeed offers space for another Z4 Coupé…
Driving the Z4
Although plenty of owners indicate that they like to look at their Z4, people buy such a car primarily to drive. “This is a car with two faces,” writes the owner of a 2008 Z4 2.5 Si. “Its first face is like a neat tuxedo: a good and chic appearance. His other face is the one in a racing suit. Especially when you use the sports button, the character changes immediately. I haven’t fully delved into the exact adjustments, but in any case the steering and throttle movements are set to ‘racy’. The engine management is also told that everything is allowed at full speed.”
The owner of a more powerful Z4 3.0i (2003) also mentions this sport button. “The handling of the Z4 is very good. The relatively low weight ensures sporty driving. In normal mode the car is easy to drive, by pressing the sport button you get better throttle response and more feeling in the steering wheel (slightly heavier, although it is still relatively light). In sport mode the car is a bit nervous on the gas. This is not so pleasant in the city or in traffic jams. Fortunately, as a driver you have a choice.”
Another BMW driver is less enthusiastic about the power steering. “The downside is the steering feel, the electric power assistance is not great. But it is not so disturbing that it costs you driving pleasure, so just accept that it is less than, for example, the E81 1 Series that I also have.” In addition, this critical driver also contributes: “The car is sporty, with hard suspension. But next to my Cayman it is actually comfortable. I think it has to do with expectations, but the chassis of the Z4 is not super refined.
Manual or automatic?
Most Z4 drivers indicate that they consciously choose a manual gearbox, because of their own sporting aspirations or those of the model. “It’s really a pleasure to drive this car. The BMW 6-speed gearbox shifts wonderfully, with some resistance but precisely,” writes one of them. “A sprint from 0-100 km/h goes so fast that you have difficulty changing gears in time. The gearbox is quite direct and requires a lot of force to operate the gears, but choosing the wrong gear is almost impossible,” adds another 3.0i driver.
The next owner will not be bothered by late switching: he drives a Z4 3.0i with automatic transmission that has long since passed the 300,000 km mark. “The automatic transmission is an old-fashioned five-speed automatic transmission with a torque converter. You would expect such an old machine to be a bit slow to understand, but in practice that is not so bad. It shifts smoothly and times its shifts well. In sports mode, the gearbox is well alert and shifts down nicely when braking for a bend. You can also shift gears yourself using the lever, which is quite fun, but in practice I rarely do that.
Different tires make a difference
A regularly recurring criticism concerns the track sensitivity of this type of Z4. “It had Bridgestone Potenza run-flat tires,” writes the owner of a 2003 Z4 3.0i. “My experiences with these tires are downright bad. A BMW Z4 has sporty suspension, but the bouncing and noise as well as rut sensitivity of the tires made driving less fun.” He purchased new tires, which completely changed the driving experience. “I chose Pirelli Cinturato P7, not a run-flat tyre. When I drove away I immediately felt the difference. Like I was driving a different car. Gone was the noise at every hole in the road or manhole cover, gone was road sensitivity. A relief!”
Speaking of noise, a Z4 M owner likes to talk about it. “The Z4 M has a well-finished hood. With the hood closed, wind noise is not too bad and it closes perfectly in rainy weather. With the hood open (and the wind net installed) you can still have a conversation at legal speeds and the wind turbulence is not too bad. If you really start to burn, you can forget conversations and it’s like being in a storm.”
Everyday ease of use?
Not every Z4 driver uses the roadster as a weekend car, it is more than once used as a daily means of transport. It is good to know that people appreciate the space. “The trunk is fantastic,” writes a satisfied Z4 Roadster driver. “I haven’t checked it all out before purchasing, but there is an extremely large amount of space for a car in this category. You can fit a large travel suitcase by temporarily folding the convertible box up and then folding it down again after loading if necessary. This way you can still drive with the hood open.” Another driver is also satisfied with the trunk, but has another point of criticism. “The storage space in the car is not enough. Small door pockets and only an armrest where you can click your phone. Normally there is more space behind the armrest, but this is where the CD changer and DVD for navigation are located.”
Owners have no significant complaints about the seating furniture, although we learn that sports seats are better than the standard ones. No exception with BMW, but also not with many other brands that offer this choice. One owner drove a Z4 with all options, but unfortunately only the sports seats were missing. He tackled this problem pragmatically by trading in the car for a Z4 M, which is equipped with these sportier profiled seats as standard. Taller drivers must also pay attention. For example, a 1.90 meter tall driver indicates: “My height seems to be the limit for this car. I have positioned the seat and steering wheel correctly, but I think it could be a few cm lower. With the hood open, the wind blows through your hair well. If I pull my head in 5 cm there is hardly any wind.” Taller people could also look for one with manual seats, another rider explained. “The most noticeable option that is missing are electrically adjustable seats. The first owner appears to have done this on purpose, because the manual seats are approximately 3 cm lower and you can therefore sit even lower in the car. You better come up with it!”
Maintenance, malfunctions and irritations
Now that the first Z4s are twenty years old, we can get a good idea of the quality. To get straight to the point: it turns out to be quite good. Major problems seem strange to the Z4, although several owners report defects in window regulators.
The car also has a phenomenon that causes the steering wheel to appear to ‘stick’ around the center position, as this owner also experienced: “Shortly after purchase, the car appeared to have the phenomenon of Sticky Steering (problem with the steering column), something that occurred with the first generation of Z4s. could prevent what only occurs in warm weather and after a long drive. Repair costs approximately €2,250. That’s a bit of a setback, but since then the car has been running perfectly and I’m glad I carried out the repair.” It also seems to be a more economical solution: “Have this done by turning a ring in the steering wheel. I don’t know exactly how it works, but sure enough, it works! So far I haven’t had any problems with it and it cost me 70 euros,” exclaims a 2.5i driver.
The predominantly good quality does not mean that Z4 drivers necessarily drive cheaply, just like almost every older car, this BMW sometimes needs some extra attention to keep it in top condition. For example, the previously mentioned automatic driver incurred considerable costs in the first year and a half of ownership. “In consultation with the specialist, I made the full investment in the car. He was worth it according to them and certainly to me too. But it shows once again that you are never cheap with an older BMW…”
All in all, Z4 drivers are quite satisfied drivers. They enjoy a sporty driving, but at the same time quite usable sports car. In terms of comfort, it can help to replace the run flat tires with normal rubber, taller drivers seem to be better off with manually adjustable seats. Keeping a Z4 in top condition requires a substantial investment every now and then, but what older car does this not apply to? If you take that for granted, the E85 Z4 seems to be a great choice for those who want a sporty and striking car. Even twenty years after its introduction.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl