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Z4 in Vancouver BC

6K views 30 replies 12 participants last post by  The Roadstergal 
#1 · (Edited)
Drove up to Vacouver last night to Z4 unveiling at Brian Jessel BMW.

I want one. You will want one.

  • I have nothing but good things to say about the styling of the exterior and the interior. The doors have a shape which makes them much thicker at the top than the Z3.
  • The interior aluminum trim is real aluminum. Not E46-style matte chrome. It would be easy to leather cover every aluminum pieces in (deviating) colors of leather.
  • Interior controls are placed perfectly. Ignore other people hacking on the flat dash. It is not a problem.
  • Gauges are perfect.
  • Steering wheel is great. Tilts and telescopes.
  • Armrest is useable, but too low to be ideal and too small. E-brake boot is integrated into armrest leather.
  • Glovebox is probably not large enough for the owner's manual.
  • Rear storage compartment probably makes up for some glovebox space
  • Door map pockets are very small and shallow.
  • Cupholders are well thought out.
  • There are no tools on board. No jack, no lug wrench, nuthin. No space or provisions for them either, at least under the trunk carpet
  • Amp has been relocated to the battery compartment under the trunk floor
  • Warning triangle is sized for the Euro E46 one now. Still cannot get those in the US
  • No underhood liner on the models I saw. Aluminum hood is cool.
  • Manual seats are nice.
  • LED lighting behind interior door pulls to located interior door handle, Boxster style
  • Overhead light panel is E46 with amber LED lighitng integrated
  • Quality of dash and door panels is not as good as E46, but much better than Z3 wood pulp/vinyl door panels. They feel injection molded and hard plastic. Texture is good though.
  • Plenty of room in cabin. Feels much larger than Z3
  • Both of these cars had the 18" bolted 5-spokes, not slated for US. I like them.
  • Car looks better de-badged. Neither of these had the Z4 or the 2.5/3.0 badges on them.
  • I took only 1 picture. Will post when I get home tonight.
  • Women employees at Brian Jessel are very attractive.
  • Brian Jessel had a section dedicated to BMW Individual with several hides of leather draped around on display. This is the right way to spec out an interior.
  • Exterior door handles appear to be E39 re-used.
  • Interior door handles appear to be X5
  • Door panels have soft vinyl section where your elbow goes. Probably no need for door armrests aftermarket. Most of door panel is vinyl. Very little leather.
  • Windshield header is thicker and beerfier in all respects
  • Lack of small wing windows makes windshield feel more solid. I prefer no wing windows.
  • Roll hoops are 2 pieces of plastic snapped together. Would be easy to leather cover.
  • Interior switches and controls are great. Lots of E46 re-use. The feel and operation is commensurate with a $45K car, not a $29K Z3 1.9 car. This is good. The auto climate controls and the manual climate controls are both nice feel.
  • Quality of materials in general is much better than Z3 in all respects. I found a few Saratoga-made pieces, but BMW has done a good job.

Will write more later. Less than 4 hours of sleep and have to pitch to president of Dassault at 8am this morning.
 
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#27 ·
Mystikal said:
When the E39 came with the window controls on the driver's door, I thought it was all over. But then the E46 surprised me with all 4 controls on the console. Hopefully, the Z4 will just be another little oddball in this way. It just makes so much sense to have them right there, near the shifter, the passenger, etc.
I dunno about other roadster owners, but when I had a 2.8, I would generally raise and lower both windows at the same time. Usually with the top too. This is why I like them co-located.

Even better of course, would be a Ron Stygar/Open Sesame button with raised and lowered both windows and the top simulatenously.
 
#28 ·
JonM said:


I dunno about other roadster owners, but when I had a 2.8, I would generally raise and lower both windows at the same time. Usually with the top too. This is why I like them co-located.

Even better of course, would be a Ron Stygar/Open Sesame button with raised and lowered both windows and the top simulatenously.
Yes, the E36 has a button that raises all four windows at once (though the top button is separate). Not sure why they didn't do the same on the Z3/4.
 
#30 ·
JonM said:


I dunno about other roadster owners, but when I had a 2.8, I would generally raise and lower both windows at the same time. Usually with the top too. This is why I like them co-located.

Even better of course, would be a Ron Stygar/Open Sesame button with raised and lowered both windows and the top simulatenously.
I already open and close both front windows with one hand in the E30 and E46 everyday. Guess I have a big hand? :angel:

Not like it really matters in the E46, they're all one-touch anyways. :dunno:
 
#31 ·
I love the response to it - love or hate. I'm seeing it tomorrow. I'll give Maldives a fair shot, but generally I prefer blues light or dark, not halfway. I'm dying to see a black one.

If the female employees are Bellevue BMW aren't attractive, will I not like the car? :confused:
 
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