View Full Version : Sat in one at my dealer today
dthompson
05-05-2009, 01:10 PM
It was an Sdrive35, blue exterior / white interior
Very spacious in the drivers' seat. Dash looks much more upscale. But the cupholder on the right interfered with my legroom on the passenger side. Not sure why BMW did that.
MSRP was right at $60k.
Excitmnt94
05-05-2009, 01:37 PM
yeah. we got the same one delivered today. as well as a 30i with a manual transmission and not much else. should get PDI'ed tomorrow so i can take them both for a spin. i am NOT NOT NOT digging the back end of the car at all.
TeeZee
05-07-2009, 07:15 AM
Dropped by a local dealer here in NJ (Paul Miller in Wayne) and checked out the two they had at the showroom. 3.5 in blue over design white with double clutch auto and a 3.0 in black over coral/ash wood with manual.
The interior certainly seems spacious enough and the finish on the 3.5 (the 3.0 was locked and outside with the roof up) was very nice. Can't get over how much trunk space you lose with the top down. It is a very nice looking car but only the driving will tell if it's worth around 60K spec'ed out. I'm making my appointment for a test drive.
The sport auto handle didn't seem as big once you had it in your hand as it seemed to appear in pictures. The small parcel shelf with the net seems like a nice addition as is the storage box if no nav. I liked the alcantara door panels as well.
STIHLBOLTS
05-09-2009, 10:08 AM
I test drove two today! :thumbup:
the 3.50 twin turbo blue with white trim and interior and a 3.0 6 speed manual black, red interior. Both of these cars are so awesome. The twin turbo had me at 85 before I knew it. Good thing there wasn't a cop sitting next to the dealership! :rofl:
The hardtop fold back is so wicked and the ride is no longer seat of the pants. Many are going to love this car, while I am sure some purist's won't think it's a roadster any longer and it may not be. It is bigger. I just wish I had brought my camera to take a picture of mine next to the blue one so you see the differences.
Z4luvr
05-09-2009, 03:56 PM
I am Z4luvr, but I have to admit I was underwhelmed by the new Z4. I test drove the 3.0 manual black / red version today.
1) As far as power was concerned it seemed much more passive than my 3.0si. Therefore, the main thing I learned was that I could not move "down" to the 3.0, but would need to get a 35 to be happy. They didn't have one of those available to drive.
2) The retractable hard top looks cool, but the lack of trunk space with the top down is troubling because I drive top down 90% of the time. Even with the pass-through area there is no way you can go top down with a decent sized golf bag in the trunk. One smallish piece of luggage would fit, but probably not one with a briefcase. If the top is up, storage is not a problem.
3) Design - I may be biased, but we thought the design was not a significant improvement. While I liked the hood more, the rear end doesn't so much for me. The side styling and the interior were modestly better, but overall the design issues were not the huge plus I thought they would be.
4) Ride - I drove it in normal, sport and sport+ modes. I didn't perceive that much a difference from one mode to the next. Overall the ride was smooth - better than my Z. It feels more like a bigger car than my Z.
5) Price - I am still surprised by the price of the new version. I priced out the 3.0 and the 3.5 on the BMW build your own site and the cost difference between the two was smaller than I thought. I don't see why anyone would buy the lower end car. My sales guy told me that all he has sold so far are the 35.
Conclusion: I don't HAVE to get the new version. I can wait to get one later when the prices decline or end of model trunk money becomes available. If I can find a low mileage si, I will probably replace my current Z with that.
STIHLBOLTS
05-09-2009, 06:32 PM
I agree with your assesments. Mine is almost paid for and I can do a lot of improvements to mine for what a new one is going to cost. :D
Excitmnt94
05-09-2009, 08:19 PM
haha...too funny! ^^^^
it was a pleasure meeting you today and i did enjoy the test drives as well.
as we talked about, when i first saw the cars come off the truck i was not impressed. now that i have driven them both a few times...and have been staring at them quite a bit i am totally in love. i spoke with quite a few people today who came in to look at other vehicles and just had to know about the new Z.
i really do need to park mine next to them and snap a bunch of pictures. maybe i will do that monday. if i can get to it i will do so and e-mail you the pics!
STIHLBOLTS
05-10-2009, 10:43 AM
Looking forward to it. I should have known your car when I saw it from the minitures. :thumbup: Wife and I are going to slip down to the dealership and take a peek this afternoon, with a camera. :)
dwulffusa
05-11-2009, 08:15 AM
Looks like that have only manufacture 2 for each dealership .....
1x Blue on Ivory 35i loaded
1x Black on red 30i pretty basic.
funny
I did the walk around today - black sapphire over red, 6 speed base car (must be the same at every dealership).
Nice details, seems to be built to a higher standard of finish than the prior model (about on par with the 3 series), but the trunk just gets murdered by the folding tin top - what a shame BMW chose to not include a ragtop version.
Engine compartment has more substantial bracing than before, shifter feels like the ZHP's (short shift). Nice driving position.
I liked the 17 inch wheels on the base model.
A nice car, but I don't "gotta have it" - it feels large and oddly, not quite right for a "sports car", it's now more cruiser.
mapezzul
05-11-2009, 08:35 PM
3) Design - I may be biased, but we thought the design was not a significant improvement. While I liked the hood more, the rear end doesn't so much for me. The side styling and the interior were modestly better, but overall the design issues were not the huge plus I thought they would be.
I am not sure you are looking at this objectively- the new interior is leaps and bounds better than the spartan modestly appointed version it replaced. The build quality and materials are much more substantial. The inside is actually based on the CS / same designer which to many is one of the best interiors ever created.
Looks like that have only manufacture 2 for each dealership .....
1x Blue on Ivory 35i loaded
1x Black on red 30i pretty basic.
funny
Every manufacturer does this when they launch a new model, they are called "launch" vehicles and are not to be sold until a certain date. They are pre-specced first run cars and are usually the same used in marketing materials.
I question the "white" interior especially with the suede like inserts; that is going to be a PITA to clean but will look good when clean.
They also usually try to hit a certain price point with the launch cars- here there is a lower priced 30 and higher priced 35.
mapezzul
05-11-2009, 08:42 PM
I did the walk around today - black sapphire over red, 6 speed base car (must be the same at every dealership).
Nice details, seems to be built to a higher standard of finish than the prior model (about on par with the 3 series), but the trunk just gets murdered by the folding tin top - what a shame BMW chose to not include a ragtop version.
Engine compartment has more substantial bracing than before, shifter feels like the ZHP's (short shift). Nice driving position.
I liked the 17 inch wheels on the base model.
A nice car, but I don't "gotta have it" - it feels large and oddly, not quite right for a "sports car", it's now more cruiser.
They are marketing this car different, so as someone who stated they will wait for the "trunk money"; there will be none since they did not caterer to the minority but the majority this time again.
The design of this car is not for die hard enthusiasts, it is for cruisers/sporty drivers and this will succeed in that category well; same reason for the hard top and not the soft, the MB, Lexus and the like have hard tops and that is the new target market. Not a Porsche contender and was not designed to be one, softer/smoother is what the goal was and increase luxury and design.
The past car did not sell well because the ride was harsh, the interior was cramped and the materials were cheap in feel and look... this car is not that. They will be built in Germany and they will be in limited supply (a true "pull" car).
Z4luvr
05-11-2009, 09:10 PM
they will be in limited supply (a true "pull" car).Yes, that is true, but at these prices in a down economy it's not going to be "pulling" many sales in the US.
I failed to mention one thing - they finally added a padded armrest for the driver's right arm. You don't need to buy one from Leather Z anymore. Savings $125 :p
They are marketing this car different, so as someone who stated they will wait for the "trunk money"; there will be none since they did not caterer to the minority but the majority this time again.
The design of this car is not for die hard enthusiasts, it is for cruisers/sporty drivers and this will succeed in that category well; same reason for the hard top and not the soft, the MB, Lexus and the like have hard tops and that is the new target market. Not a Porsche contender and was not designed to be one, softer/smoother is what the goal was and increase luxury and design.
The past car did not sell well because the ride was harsh, the interior was cramped and the materials were cheap in feel and look... this car is not that. They will be built in Germany and they will be in limited supply (a true "pull" car).
I guarantee in about a year, you'll be able to find a nice clean CPO 3.0 with a few miles on it in the mid 30's.
If that.
That's the car to buy :)
The design of this car is not for die hard enthusiasts, it is for cruisers/sporty drivers and this will succeed in that category well; same reason for the hard top and not the soft, the MB, Lexus and the like have hard tops and that is the new target market. Not a Porsche contender and was not designed to be one, softer/smoother is what the goal was and increase luxury and design.
The past car did not sell well because the ride was harsh, the interior was cramped and the materials were cheap in feel and look... this car is not that. They will be built in Germany and they will be in limited supply (a true "pull" car).
Very well put.
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