Z4 3.0 vs Z4 3.0Si vs Z4M

Originally Posted by crewdog843

Damn.....I wish now I had gotten an M (coupe or roadster)...but at the time, there were none available, at least in this area. I am really torn...I love my 3.0si roadster, but then too, I love some of the M coupes I see nowadays. Maybe I should just be satisfied, huh? I saw a black one today...wish I could have met the owner.

You can always upgrade. Your car should still be worth quite a bit so the cost to switch wouldn't be horrible. Have you ever driven an M? It may not be as great as you think.

Doc are you getting tired of yours?

Originally Posted by STIHLBOLTS

Doc are you getting tired of yours?

Not at all. I just mean many folks who have i or si cars have driven M's and not been impressed. I wouldn't buy one without test driving both si and M versions to see which one they prefer.

Yes, it might be a aquired taste or one that just smacks you like it did me. I guess I have a certain love for gear jaming. Something about winding it up in 2nd and throwing it in 3rd that just gets me. A 3.0 with auto did not give me that same $ h i t eating grin feeling.

I'v got an SMG Z4 3.0i. You should give one of these a try ! It's a blast to drive ! I love mine. I can drive it like a manual or an auto. Good day.

I've been reading this forum and other related sites for information on the '06-'08 Z4 roadster. I'm leaning towards this car, especially the 3.0si, as my weekend / sunny day car. It will be my first roadster. I'd love to own the M, but a) i dont want to pay that much and b) i'm not into racing or tracks, so i'm thinking it's too much engine for me. I think the 3.0si will be the right balance of horsepower and comfort. I'm going to continue to read and may even contact some of you directly for your opinion. thanks in advance.

btw, i thought EdCt's point of "Think of the 3.0 as the upscale, better built Miata, the Si as the upscale, better made and more luxuriously appointed S2000 and the M as the Boxster fighter and you'll get the idea." is very interesting as I am also interested in the S2000. I would love some comments comparing the S2K to the SI.

Does the 07 3.0Si come with a limited slip diff as standard option?

To me, there is no issue. The M is a monster, and I love it. However, I live in Florida. If I lived near any big city in the North with lots of potholes and pavement patches, the car would drive me nuts as a daily driver. But you are looking for a weekend car, get the best of the choices. Then, unless you will ditch it soon, get the Lifetime Maintenance Schedule from Mike Miller at BMWCCA and follow it. The S54 engine is amazing, but needs care, and more care than BMW calls for when, at most, BMW is responsible for 100,000 miles.

I recently bought this

last weekend went to a car show, new Maserattis, Ferrariis, a Ford GT, Lotus Elise, Mustangs, Aston Martin, some very Nice cars...and the Z4M was the photographers Favorite...I was pretty stoked, I mean there were several $100K plus cars there and mine was getting the attention...kinda made me feel good...

I missed the last page--didn't realize that this was an old thread

Originally Posted by Patrick Gent

To me, there is no issue. The M is a monster, and I love it. However, I live in Florida. If I lived near any big city in the North with lots of potholes and pavement patches, the car would drive me nuts as a daily driver. But you are looking for a weekend car, get the best of the choices. Then, unless you will ditch it soon, get the Lifetime Maintenance Schedule from Mike Miller at BMWCCA and follow it. The S54 engine is amazing, but needs care, and more care than BMW calls for when, at most, BMW is responsible for 100,000 miles.

Patrick, I fully agree! The M is a different TYPE of a car although it looks almost the same as the non-M versions. Have driven both (and own a 2007 Z4 M Roadster) - there is little to compare.

Concerning the potholes - after a harsh winter here in the Swiss mountains, the potholes are nearly everywhere, not to mention many roads are rather bumpy. So care should be taken when driving on those but this is somewhat a part of the fun

Originally Posted by diesel_d66

I've been reading this forum and other related sites for information on the '06-'08 Z4 roadster. I'm leaning towards this car, especially the 3.0si, as my weekend / sunny day car. It will be my first roadster. I'd love to own the M, but a) i dont want to pay that much and b) i'm not into racing or tracks, so i'm thinking it's too much engine for me. I think the 3.0si will be the right balance of horsepower and comfort. I'm going to continue to read and may even contact some of you directly for your opinion. thanks in advance.

btw, i thought EdCt's point of "Think of the 3.0 as the upscale, better built Miata, the Si as the upscale, better made and more luxuriously appointed S2000 and the M as the Boxster fighter and you'll get the idea." is very interesting as I am also interested in the S2000. I would love some comments comparing the S2K to the SI.

Diesel,

I had been tempted by the S2k many times, but just couldn't pull the trigger - I loved its raw nature, like a motorcycle on 4 wheels - but it was raucous to the point of being tiresome for anything other than a spirited couple of hours of driving - and "drive it" you did, this was not a car for loafing around, the engine needed to be kept in its high rpm sweet spot and it revved high on the interstate even in 6th gear.

Great shifter, sharp steering, too, but cramped and the steering wheel wasn't adjustable, as I recall, a real bummer for me.

The M Roadster is a great car, but it eats gas compared to an Si - for me, the lack of a limited slip wouldn't be of concern. Si's are a nice all around package - lots of power, style and amenities. Z4's, all of them, are built to a much higher standard of fit, finish and materials than either the S2k or Miata - for example, its top is insulated, the seats more comfortable and the interiors (especially in extended leather), more luxurious. They're solid and safe, too - if you want to see how they hold up in crashes, visit "wreckedexotics.com" and search Z4's

Lots of nice ones out there, enjoy the search!!

"Eats Gas" - 20 mpg is pretty good for the horse power the M gets. I know my 3.0 got about 28-29 which was nice, but we are talking almost a 100 horses more under the hood, so there really is no comparison.

But heck what's that old saying: Once you go M, you never go back.

Originally Posted by STIHLBOLTS

"Eats Gas" - 20 mpg is pretty good for the horse power the M gets. I know my 3.0 got about 28-29 which was nice, but we are talking almost a 100 horses more under the hood, so there really is no comparison.

But heck what's that old saying: Once you go M, you never go back.

I should've said it "uses more gas"

Couple that with the already smallish tank and it could be a factor for some - it's worth knowing about.

M's are nice though, you'll get no argument from me.

Well the all the Z4's have the same 14 gallon tank. But after a couple of hundred miles of riding I don't mind a stop if for nothing else to stretch the legs and toping off.

20mpg!!! If my computer is right, I am averaging 16.5. Just don't ever tell my wife.

When was the last time you had your valves adjusted? Changed your plugs? But then if your in a high traffic area with stop lights and such then that maybe correct. I head out of town when I drive, my drive into Tally is 30 miles of open highway, so the car sees very little of stop and go traffic.

i dont think im going to consider the M if it averages less than 20 mpg. i get that from my 4L '09 exterra with city/highway mixed. do all of you M drivers average less than 20?

I drive 26 miles each way to work. 15 on the surface streets and 11 on the interstate. I average anywhere from 18 to 24MPG depends on how I am driving and traffic.. Traveling on pure interstate, I get 26-27MPG at 70MPH.

Originally Posted by Patrick Gent

20mpg!!! If my computer is right, I am averaging 16.5. Just don't ever tell my wife.

Your computer every once in a while...mine said the same thing for a couple weeks before I found the reset now it's around 21 or 22. Out of sport mode and driving somewhat 'normally'

Stihl - at 67,000 miles I am just climbing out of the BMW "scheduled maintenance" haze and moving onto Mike Miller's Lifetime Maintenance. Valves were done at Inspection II 23,000 ago, so I am in limits with them. Plugs never done to my knowledge. And I will reset the computer--never have done that. My drive to work is probably 80% Interstate, but I do tend to play and keep it in a lower gear than I necesarily need.

Change the plugs and do the shims. Should see some improvement. But if you drag the ought the gears, I am sure that has a good bit to do with your average. Interstates are boring, I'm in 6th by the time I'm off the on ramp and locked in 5 over for the cruise to where ever I am going. That usually puts me around 24 @ 75 mph.

I have two short stints on an Interstate--maybe four miles and four miles, with a big sweeper from one to the other. Sometimes I am beat and just sit in the right lane, but others I make a game of it. I go home late enough that traffic isn't bumper to bumper, but there are cars to get by.

Tomorrow, I have to dirve across Aligator Alley--70 miles with only two curves. I will set the cruise at 80 and listen to Car Talk on the Ipod. Usually rent a car for that per company policy, but Enterprise doesn't open early enough for me to leave here on time.

Do the shims? Meaning adjust the valves? Isn't every 30 enough, or are you sugesting that because of the mileage?

By the way, I enjoy your insights on this board--have read many good things from you!

The valve adjustment suggested by Dr. Forbes is around 15k, mine svc 1 got done at 20k and because the dealer would not do a 2nd one prior to my warranty expiring I did it at 38k. And I will do one every 15-20K, next one up will be at 55k or at the end of the year, which ever comes first.

But to do a test, I reset my MPG and drove around town for 30 minutes. Sat in DQ line, drove slow through several parking lots slow and got stopped at red lights. By the time I got home my average was 19. When I first left the house the indicator showed 15-16 and steadily climbed as I drove.

I certainly would agree that a M is not for someone looking for a daily driver type car to and from work. The SI is the best possible compromise as well as being a outstanding ride.

Valve adjustments are performed at Inspection I and II. They are not based on any mileage criteria. They are based on fuel flow through the engine. 660gal. tripping point. How hard you drive you car will determine when the Inspection needs to be performed. (INPA reports in liters and defaults to 2490liters)

This is not saying you cannot have a valve adjustment performed at regular intervals.