Z4MR to F80 M3

[Finnegan]

I'd say hang on to the Roadie if you can and find a reasonably priced practical car (like an E9x 3 series with lower miles). Keep the Roadie for fun. You'll miss it. (Several folks have left the car only to come back to it later.)

There's never going to be anything practical about the Z4 series, and I can only really comment on the M not having driven other versions, and to me it has a singular purpose and exists for one reason: fun.

I've driven and owned quite a few cars, and the Z4M is still my reference point for fun and engagement. That's stacking it up against various 997 - 991 versions of the Carrera (including the Turbo), various generations of Cayman, quite a few BMWs E9x 335i, E92 M3, 1M, Z3M, E36 M3. There are faster cars, better handling cars, easier to drive cars, and more powerful cars. But fun and engagement? Hmm. Maybe the GT3, but that's not a practical car either, and there's no top down fun.

Comparisons aren't what it's all about though: the car never ceases to put a smile on my face, lets me forget any troubles I might have, and enjoy driving and simply "being".

Borrowing a few lyrics, it's kind of like this:

....I fire up the willing engine
Responding with a roar
Tires spitting gravel
I commit my weekly crime

Wind
In my hair
Shifting and drifting
Mechanical music
Adrenaline surge...

Well-weathered leather
Hot metal and oil
The scented country air
Sunlight on chrome
The blur of the landscape
Every nerve aware

- Rush "Red Barchetta"

[deemo319]

Originally Posted by SlickShift

Love this thread. I'm going to bookmark this and reread if I ever get the itch to sell my Z4MR. Excited to hear how the M4 test drive went...

If you consider selling your M Roadster I will write something about why you shouldn't sell it, again.

Long live the two-seat M car with a 6-speed manual and loads of passion to keep the fires burning bright.

[krnnerdboy]

Good to see some old faces still owning the z4m! It's been about 5 yrs since i had one, and unfortunately I don't have room for another 2 seater, but I did want to chime in about the f80.

It's a great daily/track car. And with 2 kids it's pretty much the only sports car that gets driven regularly from my garage, which in my mind makes it priceless that I can share motoring memories with my entire family and not just me on my own. It nearly keeps pace with my c6z, has all the safety and tech you can ask for, gets 28 mpg on my highway commute, and has a warranty. The biggest con for me is the depreciation. Where the z4m is mileage dependent, the f80 loses about $1k a month whether driven or not for the first 36month. Seems steep, but the smiles/memories you will make as a family will be priceless. But on that note, why not just consider adding an e46 m3 and have 2 cars that are at its end in depreciation and have the best of both worlds.

[Aries326]

Keeping my si. But definitely looking into an F80 M3 in about 2 years - one that is coming off lease. I've been thinking of maybe getting into an MC but I know I'd miss having a convertible. I can't justify having both. I need something to take the kids in.