If a GT would fit the bill then a M235i or M240i are pretty hard to beat for the money. Would require a bump in budget but not by too much. Fitment of an LSD transforms them from 1 Series with a boot into something way more interesting.
Last edited by Padders; 5th July 2020 at 17:11.
Sorry, just catching up with this thread!
I think the GT coupe is probably on the nose, especially with a less run of the mill engine. Back in the good old pre-corona days I did (and hopefully will do soon) a lot of motorway/dual carriageway driving, and while it's fun to take the S2000 sometimes I think using that (or something similiar) daily would probably get a bit tiring. I know people do this and hats off to them but it's not for me (unless I buy 2 cars... there's a thought).
That said, being being somewhat in the sticks there are some great local backroads I use sometimes so hence the reason for wanting something a bit more involving. Amusingly, if I'd have spent a bit more initially and bought a TTRS I'd have lost a lot less money as they've held their values really well, and also probably be more enamoured with it given the 5 pot!
Regards the budget, I'm pretty firm at £9k (sorry) - I've got a bit more money to use but I'd rather keep ringfenced that for potential problems/niggles on getting a new car. That said, if £10k (not a huge bump, I know) would buy somthing a lot better then that's fine. I did have a quick look at E46 M3's but I've somewhat missed the boat with my budget.
I've driven a coupe of the Z4 coupes now, 1 manual and one auto, I'm seriosuly considering one in manual. I think I might re-consider a Boxster, see if there's one local I can drive, although I wonder how the running costs would compare?
Good plan to at least reconsider a Boxster. If you are a chap of generous proportions, you may find the 986 just a little cramped. However, if you rate an analogue driving experience, and can bear a slightly dated cabin, they are the car for the purists. Better rust protection than the later cars too. Have a look at Boxanet. A very friendly and knowledgeable bunch, often willing to allow accompanied test drives to decent people.
Don’t discount a 350Z, I’m sure you could find a good later spec model for your budget. The Mrs had a convertible for a while and I had some great drives in it. We loped down to the Dordogne in it, then ragged it round some fantastic French back roads for a week. It was effortless on long runs from London to Yorkshire to see the outlaws, and it’s swan song weekend was with me and some mates (one in a Z4M Coupe) in Wales. I had a really epic drive up the Elan Valley in it, roof down, V6 yelling at the hills. You have to work it, but it’s a very friendly car to get sideways. Completely reliable too. Needed nothing but tyres and an oil change over two years.
Would echo all this - close friend has had one for years that he just parted with a couple of months ago. Only issue would be your daily driver requirement as it goes through fuel at an obscene rate! Brilliant fun to drive though, and the noise...
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Just to bookend this thread, a rather nice Z4 Coupe cropped up locally and I ended up buying it (probably bit quicker than I'd planned on making the jump but there we are, right car at the right price at the right time). I was looking out for one without the satnav as they're terribly dated now and ruin the lines of the dash. I lucked out with this one as it's one of the very few spec'd with the leather dash trim, it's very nice (but needs an effing good clean).
I'm really pleased with it so far, seems to have a lot more character than the TT. Maybe a Boxster next time, although I'm tempted to put a bit of a slush fund and jump straight into a Cayman. I really appreciate all the input on this thread, they're all cars on the 'list' to try at some point in the future, probably with an MX5 up the top of it.
Couple of photos:
Thanks again,
Harry
^^^^^^
Good buy.
TBH, the potential issues with the Boxster/Cayman in your price range should always be considered and assessed. The Z4 is a great car - once you have 'fettled' it you have a solid buy and a nice usable coupe.
Enjoy!.
When you look long into an abyss, the abyss looks long into you.........
Lovely car and nice spec with those alloys too.
These are relatively rare in the UK but a more common sight around Germany.
Enjoy! I am off to look a BMW myself this morning (my last was a Z3m back in 2014)Sent from my SM-G960F using TZ-UK mobile app
Nice car. Enjoy!
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Looks, very nice, I always think the Z4 shape really suits grey for some reason, just for the contrast here is a pic of my old M in carbon black, but grey is the better colour (IMO):
Congratulations! That’s similar to mine and I’ve no regrets. Just make sure to get it on some decent rubber, I can’t make out from the photos what’s it’s currently running, but whatever you do get rid of run flats if it has them (particularly at the front end) or it will tramline like crazy and have a harsh ride. I’d also be interested to know how long your battery holds up when not driven - a jump starter sufficient to start a lorry seems to be an essential part of the kit for me, but it doesn’t get used enough really.
Lovely car!
Get the F10 M5 gear shifter too, makes a much nicer shift; very common mod on the Z4 forum.
You can also remove the foam from the sound generator for even more noise. I found it too much, so replaced it.
Z4 forum is a very friendly place.
Superb, looks like the dream spec!
Congratulations and have fun getting acquainted
Thanks all, it's already on non runflats (Continental Contact Sports) and one of the previous owners has already done the sound mod [makes a rather good noise at 5k plus]! I'm already on the Z4 forum and, amusingly, so is/was the car. I've been in contact with 2 of the previous owners, both expressed interest in buying the car back!!! Spent most of this afternoon cleaning the chocolate and makeup off the seats, much better already!
It's already wearing a stubby aerial, and a ZHP gearknob is in the post. Got it booked in for a full detail, minor panel correction (door dings) and a touch upn to the alloys in the next couple of weeks, and it's getting a mechanical seeing to tomorrow.
Lovely looking car. Haven’t come across that seat colour combination before but does break up the blackness nicely!
Nice choice, here’s to many miles of happy motoring for you
Over the years (I'm almost 70), I've had my fair share of powerful sports cars, saloons and motorcycles. The most fun drive that I have ever had, was my mum's (original) 1970 Fiat 500F. It was always on the edge and taught me more about driving than any other car. I did all the stupid things that I had seen done in the "movies" and luckily, came through it all unscathed! You would be amazed at what those little cars could do and soon became aware of what they couldn't! As for modern sports cars? They just don't do it for me. Far too safe! There's far too much traffic and far too many cameras about. Mum's Fiat was bought for £250, was used and abused in the family for around three years and finally sold for £500 to a collector for spares!!! Brilliant fun, a useful shopping trolley and nil depreciation!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiat_500
Enjoy!
Thanks!
Me neither! The leather dash seems pretty unusual, too - I found this website to play around with: http://perso.numericable.fr/tonyz4c/index30si.html
Only 26 cars came into the UK with this interior combination so pretty rare indeed!
Thanks, fingers crossed! Been OK so far.
Not to spam my own thread but a few extra photos from the 'long way home' after servicing at a freinds garage on Saturday. It dropped a coil pack for some reason when we changed the plugs but luckily managed to locate one in time for me to drive home. Sounded fairly amusing as a 5 pot...
Stunning car, but look at Taz's thread on the forum for numbers, far more accurate as my coupe combo of stratus & amarone doesn't exist on that link, think it's 1 of 3 from memory confirmed by BMW, so your one could be more rare!
I'm not surprised a previous owner offered to buy it back, I couldn't find a nicer one than the one I sold & repurchased it again!
Would love it back again, one of the only cars I parked & looked back again as I walked away, such a gorgeous shape & so glad I didn't lose a finger to the sides of the boot as it shuts!
Congrats on the purchase, nice car, enjoy, would welcome your thoughts on this v S2k later.
I've had both, this felt more solid but possibly missing some of the excitement of a high revving engine. Significantly better torque made up for it & can drive much more lazily and still make good progress if you aren't in the mood to be fully on it. Ended up with a Z4M which sort of combined both cars, but IMHO the 3.0si is the better car for 90% of normal driving vs the M version.
That final 10% when you want it though really comes through. We have had 4 E85/E86s in the household, both his & hers at one point.
I'll have a trawl through the forum for that thread, would be interesting to know for sure. Yeah, a couple that I saw lookd pretty sad all told, I guess they're getting to the point where they're old enough to actaully need looking after now. It is a fantastic looking shape, and it's funny you mention the boot shuts I was thinking this while washing it!
I've yet to drive the S2K this year (been off the road during lockdown, taxed again now though) but hopefully over the weekend I'll give it a good blast and report back with a fresh view of both cars. I'll probably end up echoing the above post... The BMW is certainly a nicer place to be for a long drive, but in terms of getting it going down a backroad, I suspect the Honda will be more exciting to go 'full send' due to that incredible engine. That said, the N52 in the Z4 is pretty good too, equally as happy pootling about or revving the nuts off it!
Depends what kind I'd say, if you had something up to lab size ish you might be OK? There is a cover which retracts into the bulkhead behind the seats so when that's away there's nothing between the boot floor and rear window. Bit of a disclaimer I'm not a dog owner though.
I see the Z4 gets a fair bit of praise, is this just for the Coupe or does it extend to the soft tops aswell?