2007 Z4 2.5 or 3.0

[BDO]

Looking to pick up one of these, will be in the region of 40-50k miles. What are the problems/issues one can run into with these cars, and how expensive would maintaining them be?

Thanks!

[G80indy]

That N52 had lifter issues.
I would get a manual tranny too

do some searches, plenty of info out there.

[RevsPlease]

In the US, they didn't sell a 2.5 in 2007. Last year for the 2.5 was 2005. 2006-2008 they had either a 3.0i or 3.0si. For 2003-2005 cars the thing to look out for is leaking Vanos seals. For 2006-2008 look out for hydraulic lifter issues ( excessive ticking noise). Also, like mentioned before, you really want a manual tranny. Stay away from SMG and Triptronic.

[Huz-Z]

The N52 engine in the 2006 - 2008 non M Z4 is actually a very reliable engine. typically, if any N52 equipped car ever had a noisy lifter issue, it was corrected very early on it's life under warranty. You can confirm that by asking a BMW dealer to run the service history from the car's VIN number. even if the lifter noise issue has not been corrected, it is my understanding that it is more of an annoyance while the engine is cold, and should not be expected to result in catastrophic engine failure. Once the noisy lifters are addressed by BMW, the engine is as reliable as any engine can hope to be.

Similarly, the BMW Z4's automatic transmission is not known to have an excessively high failure rate. And the paddle shifter equipped gearbox shifts very quickly.

SMG gearboxes are not that common. I understand that if they fail, repairs can be pricey. That is the only gearbox that I would personally avoid.

[Finnegan]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

The N52 engine in the 2006 - 2008 non M Z4 is actually a very reliable engine. typically, if any N52 equipped car ever had a noisy lifter issue, it was corrected very early on it's life under warranty. You can confirm that by asking a BMW dealer to run the service history from the car's VIN number. even if the lifter noise issue has not been corrected, it is my understanding that it is more of an annoyance while the engine is cold, and should not be expected to result in catastrophic engine failure. Once the noisy lifters are addressed by BMW, the engine is as reliable as any engine can hope to be.

Similarly, the BMW Z4's automatic transmission is not known to have an excessively high failure rate. And the paddle shifter equipped gearbox shifts very quickly.

SMG gearboxes are not that common. I understand that if they fail, repairs can be pricey. That is the only gearbox that I would personally avoid.

I totally agree with Huz-z's post about the engine, and about the likelihood of the automatic transmission actually failing. He's spot on, and it's a solid and reliable car and engine.

There is one issue to be aware of with the automatic transmission: the Mechatronic sealing sleeve on 2006+ cars is a weak point. Now, we're not talking about the internals here, it's a sleeve, and by no means the end of the world. It's a 17 dollar part, and if you are good at wrenching your own car you can fix it; otherwise a good indie shop can do it for a few hours labor. See The Hack's post in this thread and this other thread.

It's not a reason to be put off--and we're not talking about the transmission itself failing--it's just something to know about.

[BDO]

Thanks guys. I will do some more searching. Looking for a manual in any case, as this will be more of a weekend car than a DD. Any other comments regarding maintenance, when it comes to suspension etc?

[RevsPlease]

Originally Posted by BDO

Thanks guys. I will do some more searching. Looking for a manual in any case, as this will be more of a weekend car than a DD. Any other comments regarding maintenance, when it comes to suspension etc?

If you can get the sport package, it has better suspension and bigger sway bars. it's not a deal breaker if the car you are looking at doesn't have it though.

[gigtime]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

SMG gearboxes are not that common. I understand that if they fail, repairs can be pricey. That is the only gearbox that I would personally avoid.

I've got the SMG and mine failed just south of 100k miles. If the relay fails, it's a $20 part. If the pump fails, it's $1,000 for a new one or $600 for a rebuilt part. In my case, both failed and it was an $1,100 repair at the stealership, which was my only option at the time.

I'd rather have the SMG than an automatic. It's convenient if you're stuck in traffic to flip it over to auto mode and to be able to shift with the paddles on curves but, if I had it to do over again, I would have gone with a manual.

I've got the 2.5 engine and would much rather have the 3.0.