Looking for Opinions on Which Car to Buy

[HEY32G]

I'm going to post this question on this forum because of all the forums I go to, you guys are the most mature, level headed group who I'm hoping will offer some good thoughts. I keep flip flopping on what car to buy and I need some of your thoughts. Here's the situation, I've always had sports cars and I'm a very capable driver. Right now I am w/out a sports car, because I'm driving an SUV that my oldest will get when he gets his license in a few months. I'm 50 yrs old and work from home, I'm in the process of starting a software company, so I don't want to spend a lot of money. I'm working about 12-14 hours a day, including weekends and really, really need a car to go out and blow off some steam in. If the business works out like I think it will, I'll be able to buy a lot more car in a few years. So I'm trying to stay around $25k. I keep going round and round on the following cars:
M Roadster - I love it, but I worry about the maintenance costs. The engineering on them is amazing.
Z4 3.0si - less car than the M, but maybe a bit easier to own.
C5 Z06 - this is what my wife wants me to get, but I'm a little concerned above rumbling all over town every time I go somewhere. Do I really want to thunder up to my kids schools in that thing all the time. Plus, to me it looks a bit dated.
370Z - Nice, but they're a dime a dozen and really look mass produced to me. Value will drop like a rock.
Nismo 370Z - Nicer than the Z, but more expensive and can be a bit "ricer" looking.
Boxster S - Great car, but I've had 3 Porsches and they've all been a pain in the rear to own. I'd only get one with a good extended warranty, but good ones are expensive on that car.
S2000 - they're a blast to drive, but I'm 6'5", it's a really tight fit. Cheap and reliable, though!
Audi A5 - very pretty car, but really borin......zzzz zzz zzzzzz

I hope some of you took the time to read all of this, any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Finnegan]

Just cross off the Audi and the Nissans. One you hate, the other isn't tickling your fancy. Boxster S before the DFI engine? Maintenance crosses that off IMO.

S2000, a great choice but if you don't fit? Not fun.

That leaves the two Z4's and the Z06. What do you want more, brute power or handling and precision? The BMWs are more at one end of the spectrum and the Z06 the other.

Assuming you fit in the Z roady.... No question that the 3.0 is a great car. Lower maintenance. Hell of a car. In most driving situations it's going to be the equivalent of ///M. But if you're accomplished driver, and you want the best steering that BMW has to offer on any recent car, larger brakes, an LSD, plus one of the best engines ever (IMO) then the ZM has an advantage. If you're going to extract those advantages then it's worth it. If not, I'd say 3.0.

Bottom line blow off some steam test driving. And test sitting! All is theoretical unless a car is driven. Since this is a car for stirring the soul and restoring the mind emotion and feel should be decision priorities. If what you're buying doesn't achieve that I don't see a point. In that case I'd just save the 25k. YMMD.

[KevinC]

From that list? No brainer, go for the Z4MR. Don't worry about the maintenance costs, I'm 7+ years into my coupe, the last 3+ out of my pocket, and as long as you find a reasonably priced indy mechanic (which they all are, compared to stealerships), you'll be fine. These are stout cars with very few trouble areas.

[pungo]

I'm 6'1" and just barely fit in my Z4MC. I have power seats and have tried adjusting it every which way. It's all the way down and back and I just fit. Maybe the roadster has more room. If I was 4" taller, I'd never consider a Z4. You should spend some time it one before committing.

[johno8888]

M

[8nthatk]

Love the Z4M’s…at 6‘5” you’ll be hard pressed to fit, better sit in one first. At 6’ 1” I barely do as pungo states.

[seank]

I havent spent much money except a lot of mods.

[pokeybritches]

How much seat time have you had in sports cars?

If it's not a lot, I would go for the 3.0si. I work 60-80 hours per week, so I can relate to having a car to blow off steam. You need something you don't worry about... something that removes more stress than it creates. If maintenance costs concern you, the 3.0si is an easy choice. It's less noisy ("is that noise normal?") and pretty bulletproof. The N52 is a great engine without the threat of catastrophic failure due to VANOS or rod bearings, cheaper oil, better gas mileage, and no valve adjustments.

As a taller guy myself (6'3" and 240 lbs), I find the standard seats of the non-M to be more comfortable for 90% of the driving I do. You actually get a little more legroom, though some of it could be that the seats don't go quite as low. Regardless, I'm more comfortable in a non-M. My dad is 6'6" and fits in the non-M but not an M.

It took me 3 years to "outgrow" my 3.0i to where I would actually notice the lack of a LSD. The 3.0si has 80% of the performance of the M with 20% of the worry. The M is without a doubt a more capable car, but it may not be the better car if you are concerned with the time or money it takes to own the M.

[Francisco4]

Originally Posted by pokeybritches

How much seat time have you had in sports cars?

If it's not a lot, I would go for the 3.0si. I work 60-80 hours per week, so I can relate to having a car to blow off steam. You need something you don't worry about... something that removes more stress than it creates. If maintenance costs concern you, the 3.0si is an easy choice. It's less noisy ("is that noise normal?") and pretty bulletproof. The N52 is a great engine without the threat of catastrophic failure due to VANOS or rod bearings, cheaper oil, better gas mileage, and no valve adjustments.

As a taller guy myself (6'3" and 240 lbs), I find the standard seats of the non-M to be more comfortable for 90% of the driving I do. You actually get a little more legroom, though some of it could be that the seats don't go quite as low. Regardless, I'm more comfortable in a non-M. My dad is 6'6" and fits in the non-M but not an M.

It took me 3 years to "outgrow" my 3.0i to where I would actually notice the lack of a LSD. The 3.0si has 80% of the performance of the M with 20% of the worry. The M is without a doubt a more capable car, but it may not be the better car if you are concerned with the time or money it takes to own the M.

This sounds like great advice!

FDR

[Huz-Z]

The decision on M versus SI should also consider which car has been treated best, was properly maintained and is in the best shape.

I drove my SI to work Friday morning and I have to say, I gleefully let the back end kick out just a little bit coming around a corner in the office district here. DTC and all that stuff was on so no safety worries but you can have a blast in an SI even commuting to work.

However, don't fret too much about the M maintenance issues. The guys here can advise on what to watch for and how to avoid the VANOS issue. If you are only weekend driving the car, you'll accrue miles at a lower rate and the higher fuel consumption of the M won't be a daily pain.

When deciding on an M versus an SI, I would say that if you plan to track the car or expect to frequently be driving at speeds over 70mph, that's where the M shines. Below those speeds and around town, the SI keeps right up with the M for the most part. Now of course if you can get an M for the same or similar price as an SI, and both cars are in equal condition, go with the M.

[NickyC]

Get an 08 135i with the N54. They can be had in really nice shape right now for sub $20k. Drop about $3-4k in mods to it, and blow the doors off a Z4M or M3. They are wicked fast little cars that respond incredibly well to mods. I absolutely adored mine.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by pungo

I'm 6'1" and just barely fit in my Z4MC. I have power seats and have tried adjusting it every which way. It's all the way down and back and I just fit. Maybe the roadster has more room. If I was 4" taller, I'd never consider a Z4. You should spend some time it one before committing.

That's really weird because I am also 6'1" tall and I have plenty of leg room and head room in my roadster with the top up. Do you still have 70's John Travolta platform shoes and 80's hair perhaps?

[inTgr8r]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

That's really weird because I am also 6'1" tall and I have plenty of leg room and head room in my roadster with the top up. Do you still have 70's John Travolta platform shoes and 80's hair perhaps?

...or seat laid back in the coolio position

[tiltmode43]

Originally Posted by pokeybritches

How much seat time have you had in sports cars?

If it's not a lot, I would go for the 3.0si. I work 60-80 hours per week, so I can relate to having a car to blow off steam. You need something you don't worry about... something that removes more stress than it creates. If maintenance costs concern you, the 3.0si is an easy choice. It's less noisy ("is that noise normal?") and pretty bulletproof. The N52 is a great engine without the threat of catastrophic failure due to VANOS or rod bearings, cheaper oil, better gas mileage, and no valve adjustments.

As a taller guy myself (6'3" and 240 lbs), I find the standard seats of the non-M to be more comfortable for 90% of the driving I do. You actually get a little more legroom, though some of it could be that the seats don't go quite as low. Regardless, I'm more comfortable in a non-M. My dad is 6'6" and fits in the non-M but not an M.

It took me 3 years to "outgrow" my 3.0i to where I would actually notice the lack of a LSD. The 3.0si has 80% of the performance of the M with 20% of the worry. The M is without a doubt a more capable car, but it may not be the better car if you are concerned with the time or money it takes to own the M.

Excellent advice, +1 to this.

Search this forum for VANOS and rod bearing issues as both are inevitable over time and must be preemptively sorted. Depending on mileage and known history of how the Z4M was treated, it may feel like a ticking time-bomb.

edit:
Also, be sure you fit in the Z4M! For what it's worth, the previous owner of my car sold it for an S2000. I've had a few friends own S2000s and agree, they're great little cars, almost like the Japanese equivalent to the Z4M roadster.

[HEY32G]

See, this is why I asked you guys. You all have provided some great information and thoughts, and it's greatly appreciated.

As far as my size, I must be proportioned right because I fit better in smaller cars than would be expected. Either that or I've just learned to deal with it because of my love for sports cars. I test drove an S2000 a couple of months ago, and was comfortable enough that I could live with it. I had a go-cart growing up, which I was a mad man in, and the S2000 reminds me of that experience.

I've had a bunch of different sports cars, which I tend to get bored with. The only ones I seem to want to keep or really miss now that they're gone are the ones that were a handful to drive. I had a '93 RX7 that was tuned by Pettit Racing in Ft Lauderdale, that required constant concentration - I loved it, it was a challenge. For this reason, I'm really attracted to the M or the C5 Z06 Vette, and that's why my wife wants me to get the Vette. She thinks it will hold my interest the longest. She's probably right, she knows me very well, but I just don't really care for the looks of that car.

I really need to go drive a 3.0si again, I drove one a while back. I feel like I'm bragging when I say this, but I truly am a very good driver, I can drive the living crap out of anything. Usually when I test drive something like the M, the salesman is grinning ear to ear when we get back, and I usually hear something like, "damn, you can drive".

Finnegan, you're right Z06 vs M is between brute power and precision. Unfortunately, both those aspects appeal to me.

Pokeybritches, you hit the nail on the head about wanting to blow off steam, yet not wanting to worry about maintenance - that's exactly how I feel. Also, I loved the 80% of the performance with 20% of the worry analogy - great way to think about it.

NickyC, the 135i was an interesting idea, I had a 335i with a manual transmission and loved that engine. I might have to go look at one of those, I know the 1M is supposed to be amazing.

For the record, I was ready to buy an M Roadster about 8 months ago, and backed out at the last minute because I suspected a VANOS problem because of a faint rattle I could hear around 3500 RPM, it pained me to walk away.

You guys have given me a lot of interesting input, and I need to continue to think it over. Problem is I just need a 991 GT3, and I'd be happy. Unfortunately, that one will have to wait a few more years.

Thanks again, any more thoughts, please share.

[mtownerman]

Originally Posted by HEY32G

See, this is why I asked you guys. You all have provided some great information and thoughts, and it's greatly appreciated.

As far as my size, I must be proportioned right because I fit better in smaller cars than would be expected. Either that or I've just learned to deal with it because of my love for sports cars. I test drove an S2000 a couple of months ago, and was comfortable enough that I could live with it. I had a go-cart growing up, which I was a mad man in, and the S2000 reminds me of that experience.

I've had a bunch of different sports cars, which I tend to get bored with. The only ones I seem to want to keep or really miss now that they're gone are the ones that were a handful to drive. I had a '93 RX7 that was tuned by Pettit Racing in Ft Lauderdale, that required constant concentration - I loved it, it was a challenge. For this reason, I'm really attracted to the M or the C5 Z06 Vette, and that's why my wife wants me to get the Vette. She thinks it will hold my interest the longest. She's probably right, she knows me very well, but I just don't really care for the looks of that car.

I really need to go drive a 3.0si again, I drove one a while back. I feel like I'm bragging when I say this, but I truly am a very good driver, I can drive the living crap out of anything. Usually when I test drive something like the M, the salesman is grinning ear to ear when we get back, and I usually hear something like, "damn, you can drive".

Finnegan, you're right Z06 vs M is between brute power and precision. Unfortunately, both those aspects appeal to me.

Pokeybritches, you hit the nail on the head about wanting to blow off steam, yet not wanting to worry about maintenance - that's exactly how I feel. Also, I loved the 80% of the performance with 20% of the worry analogy - great way to think about it.

NickyC, the 135i was an interesting idea, I had a 335i with a manual transmission and loved that engine. I might have to go look at one of those, I know the 1M is supposed to be amazing.

For the record, I was ready to buy an M Roadster about 8 months ago, and backed out at the last minute because I suspected a VANOS problem because of a faint rattle I could hear around 3500 RPM, it pained me to walk away.

You guys have given me a lot of interesting input, and I need to continue to think it over. Problem is I just need a 991 GT3, and I'd be happy. Unfortunately, that one will have to wait a few more years.

Thanks again, any more thoughts, please share.

Don't hear from too many rotorheads on this forum. Please share your thoughts on how the Z4 compares with the FD. I've owned 3 FDs (the second being a garage queen CYM). If I could find a good rotary repair shop I'd still own one. I've got a 2006 3.0i - love it but miss the "sprited off the line" acceleration of the FD. The FD does seem lighter and a little more tossable, while the Z4 is more sure footed and predictable. Still amazed by the build quality of the Z4 ...

Dave

[HEY32G]

Originally Posted by mtownerman

Don't hear from too many rotorheads on this forum. Please share your thoughts on how the Z4 compares with the FD. I've owned 3 FDs (the second being a garage queen CYM). If I could find a good rotary repair shop I'd still own one. I've got a 2006 3.0i - love it but miss the "sprited off the line" acceleration of the FD. The FD does seem lighter and a little more tossable, while the Z4 is more sure footed and predictable. Still amazed by the build quality of the Z4 ...

Dave

I've been found out! Yes, a bit of a rotorhead. I've had an FC and an FD, plus two RX8's, the last RX8 was an R3 (pic attached). I have to be honest, I absolutely love rotary engines, they're a whole different driving experience. In addition to the cars I've mentioned in this post, I do still check for any extremely low mileage R3's. Still a temptation. They have such a reputation for being slow, but if you stay above 6,000 rpms, they can provide some good fun. The great thing about the rotary engines is their weight and size. The engine is so small and light, the handling is incredible. Plus the sound is really cool. Heck maybe I'll just get another RX8 R3 and let Pettit turbocharge it. I've owned about 25 sports cars, and that RX7 is the one I wish I still had. It was a handful, you just couldn't get on it much unless you were facing straight forward or you'd spin. My wife is a very good driver and has never had any problem driving anything I've owned, she drove that RX7 once and said never again. Mine was tuned by Pettit Racing, they're the best when it comes to rotary engines, and luckily I have a great rotary shop where I live as well. There are a lot of horror stories with the engines, but you just have to know how to maintain them. Always check the oil level and use a fuel additive every time you fill it up. Plus, let them warm up and even more importantly let them cool down before shutting them off. I never had one problem with any of my rotary powered cars. They all ran perfectly.