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      12-03-2012, 05:50 PM   #1
snowmirage
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New (to me) 03 Z4 3.0i owner checking in

After a lifetime...

(no literally I've been dreaming of owning a BMW since I could tell the difference between a 3 series and a civic at about age 7...)

I finally own my very own!!

Well technically the bank does for the next several years but close enough!

2003 BMW Z4 3.0i

Going to pick it up tomorrow evening! I can't wait.

52,600 miles and I picked it up from a BMW dealer who had taken it in on trade the week before for ~$13,500 after trading in my very worn 03 Chevy Trailblazer (and I mean very worn 110k miles... transmission was on the way out along with most of the suspension and steering)

As long as I get home before it gets dark tomorrow I'm sure I'll have pictures to share.

Only other decision for me to make now other than if I want to take the LONG way home from the dealer or the REALLY LONG way home, is if I want to purchase the Extended Vehicle Protection for $2900 (3years/36,000 miles if I recall)... hmmm think I'll sleep on that one.

I look forward to spending the next week reading a few million threads on the new toy
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      12-03-2012, 08:01 PM   #2
GamblerHydra
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Congrats , this might help your decision on the warranty . I bought my 2003 Z4 with 59,000 miles . I now have 70,000 . So far I have had to replace the spark plugs, valve cover gaskets, expansion tank , power convertible top and upper and lower radiator hoses . The washer fluid motor just went out too. This is all mostly to just old age. The gaskets were leaking and hard as rocks. The plastic expansion tank cracked and leaked and hoses were old etc .

I fixed this all myself, and am about $1,000 out of pocket . I did get a quote for the top from BMW and it was $1400. I suspect t if BMW did all the work I would be north of $2500 easy .

If you can turn a wrench , and I am usually bolt on only , forgo the warranty . These cars are really easy to work on. I mean even the dreaded power top was fairly easy.
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      12-03-2012, 08:14 PM   #3
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Congratulations!

A couple of things to add on top of what GamblerHydra said (good stuff there). Extended warranty money is usually better put in a self-funded reserve fund. If you don't incur any large repair bills, you can carry that over to the next car, and the next car, and the next car. Put it in the monthly payments or in a lump sum on purchase and it's gone forever.

If you haven't had a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) done by an independent shop, and haven't sealed the deal, I'd highly recommend you have one done. They'll identify any trouble spots that might cost down the road--things that aren't covered by an extended warranty such as rotors, prior damage, suspension component wear, etc. These usually run less than couple hundred bucks and are worth every penny and then some. If you find things that will need replacement 5-10k down the road, they're good for negotiating a lower price too.

Enjoy, and welcome aboard!
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      12-03-2012, 08:26 PM   #4
snowmirage
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Thanks for the advise both of you.

As I thought more and more about it I started to come to that conclusion Finnegan. One of the things that turned me to getting the Z4 instead of some of the 330's and a 545 I was looking at was the space in the engine bay. I mean your not going to stand up in there or anything but by comparison with most of the rest of BMW's line it has to be a pleasure to work on!

I'm also a firm believer that in order to really know your car you really do have to turn the wrench yourself now and then.
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      12-03-2012, 09:00 PM   #5
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Congrats, z4 3.0 is a great car. I had one for about a year, if you have a decent level of mechanical aptitude you're better off without the warranty. Some of the common fixes can be done on your own without too much expense, getbmwparts.com usually has awesome prices on OEM parts

My 2004 3.0 had 21k when I bought it and 38k when I traded it in last week. I had to replace the starter, hydraulic pump for the power top, expansion tank, DISA valve, the bum relay in the GM5, and a few other minor things. I was able to do all of those on my own with minimal tooling, I credit the fantastic online community of Z owners for much of the help. Saved a ton of $$$ vs taking it into the stealership (especially for replacing the power top pump).

Congrats again and welcome
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      12-03-2012, 09:36 PM   #6
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welcome to the ranks Snowmirage, congrats! I'm sure you'll love the car as much as I do mine. As the others have said, it's easy working on these cars and the experience is really fulfilling, i'd skip the extendo too, I did exactly the same in may when i bought my 3.0. The only real downside with the Zed is the incessant urge to keep thinking of really long detours just to get more seat-time in. I once took an 8hr drive "just" to go get ice cream (well that was the excuse I'm sticking to anyway)
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2005 Z4 3.0 steptronic | TiSilver on Black | sport & premium package | 108s | Msport seats | wind deflector
OMP strut bar | blacked out emblems | de-french-fried | sound gen | DIY aux input | custom speedo logos | stubby antenna | polished exhaust tips
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      12-05-2012, 01:46 PM   #7
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Congrads....You'll love the car. I know I love mine...wish it was a M roadster, but its my DD so couldn't justify the cost difference. I would skip the warranty and start a car fund for maintenance. This is a great site to DIY almost any project you have the time, patience, and tools.

If you have the run flats change them out if you have AAA. No spare so its a toss up, but the car will ride better. If its a convertible clean out the drain tubes for the top every 6 months. Do a search and there is instructions. Well worth the time instead of a new top motor. Also try and get BMW to do a service II as part of the deal. I'm sure you'll find out about the cooling system. Not a big deal, but needs to be looked at. Other than a few small things the car will last a long time.
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