Z4 coupe none M?

[Exist]

I'm surprised there are only 2090. Didn't think my car was that rare lol.

[vachss]

Originally Posted by Exist

I'm surprised there are only 2090. Didn't think my car was that rare lol.

Part of the reason they seem rare around here is the much stronger participation of the Z4MC crowd on this forum. The non-M folks seem a bit less into modding and racing (and hence posting). Just driving around the LA area though I'd say I see non-M coupes at least as much as M's.

Whatever the relative rarity it does seem as if the cult-like devotion that has maintained the value of used Z4MC's has failed to become a factor for the non-M's. With 118K miles on my vanilla Z4C I'd probably be lucky to get $15K for it. Then again, I've never sold any vehicle with less than 250K on the clock and expect the same to be true of the Z.

[jmilt13]

Originally Posted by pungo

Now I feel like the my new to me (Fully loaded E86 M w/8K miles) is not as rare as the (fully loaded E86 6 speed 3.0si w/13K miles) I sold to get the M. Now I'm thinking I made a mistake

Lol, trust me, I would take a M any day over a 3.0si. Just weird to have a special edition of anything, but have similar production, at least in NA. I'm guessing it has something to do with Americans requirement for HP...

1815/2090 46% MCs in NA
2460/10,729 23% MCs rest of world

[papitosabe]

sorry, but how I always feel what M owners think about themselves. Not all obviously, but sometimes you see these little digs just because they are M owners.

[3002 tii]

Now that's someone mentioned it does seem true than most if not all 3.0si coupes I've seen have been auto. I bought my car in 08 and knew nothing about BMW's. Coming from a 1.8T with every bolt-on imaginable and more, I was happy to have landed BMW's latest and most modern straight 6 with a 6mt at the time.

I totally bought into the marketing hype of the lightweight magnesium aluminum crankcase (which I believe makes this car even more balanced than its s54 brother - something something from BMW product development once told me) and the new valvetronic system. I found the power band and good low end torque to be very useable for everyday but still robust and responsive enough to have fun at the track. I just wish it produced 80 more horses lmao.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by 3002 Tii

Now that's someone mentioned it does seem true than most if not all 3.0si coupes I've seen have been auto.

That's not the situation in europe:
In germany there are currently about 160 (3.0si) coupes for sale and 100 of them are manuals. So definately more manuals.

I don't know if that ratio is higher or lower for the roadsters.
Maybe a bit lower for roadsters as roadsters are available with smaller engines and that is mostly an economic choice (and an automatic is more expensive than a manual, so there might be a money factor in that)

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by GuidoK

That's not the situation in europe:
In germany there are currently about 160 (3.0si) coupes for sale and 100 of them are manuals. So definately more manuals.

I don't know if that ratio is higher or lower for the roadsters.
Maybe a bit lower for roadsters as roadsters are available with smaller engines and that is mostly an economic choice (and an automatic is more expensive than a manual, so there might be a money factor in that)

More cultural, Americans are lazier!

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by 3002 Tii

More cultural, Americans are lazier!

Maybe, but what I'm experiencing is that in europe the preference is shifting completely to automatic transmissions (the last few years). They are cosidered more luxureous, and maybe faster (bmw/zf 8 speed)(especially if you're a bad shifter of course) etc.
Whereas in the us manuals are often considered to give a more sportive and engaging drive.
It maybe has something to do with that in europe everybody starts with a manual (where I live if you don't get your license in a manual, youre not allowed to drive a manual), so a manual is nothing special, and in the us it's probably the other way round.
So you end up (in europe) that only the purists that have a really technical driving style see a real benefit in a manual box, and that americans associate manual gearboxes more with sportscars in general. A manual gearbox is lighter for that matter...

MAybe the US driver who wants a manual more automatically chooses a z4m. In Europe there's a very large price difference between those two (z4m is more than 50% more expensive than the 3.0si), a large part of that is taxes (and roadtax, insurance etc etc is also considerably more, as is fuel consumption (currently $9.12/gallon...)

[francophile]

Having just bought my Z4, it was very difficult to find a manual. I usually found 1 manual for about 4 automatics. Of course, whats the point of having this car in an automatic trans. For me, half the fun is shifting. And my wife, who is from northern France, laughs at automatics. I suppose it is what you are used to in a car.

[jmilt13]

Originally Posted by francophile

Having just bought my Z4, it was very difficult to find a manual. I usually found 1 manual for about 4 automatics. Of course, whats the point of having this car in an automatic trans. For me, half the fun is shifting. And my wife, who is from northern France, laughs at automatics. i suppose it is what you are used to in a car.

Which one did you get? I just purchased mine also. I have a feeling we were competing against each other lol. Couple were sold locally before I could get the papers signed.

[Incompatible]

Originally Posted by 3002 Tii

.... I found the power band and good low end torque to be very useable for everyday but still robust and responsive enough to have fun at the track. I just wish it produced 80 more horses lmao.

Absolutely. I looked for a long time to find my coupe. I want the lightest and simplest car combined with the available performance options. 6mt, sport package, M sport seats, and zenons. No nav, power seats, .... I have since added Eibachs, lighter/wider wheels, and adjusted the suspension settings. More horsepower would be nice, but the car handles well, is easy (and fun) to drive, gets good gas mileage if I'm reasonable with my foot, and is inexpensive to maintain. I will always have a little Z4M envy, who wouldn't? For me, I made the right choice and would do it again.

[francophile]

I found a manual 3.0 in Tennessee ( not far from where I live). I love the 6 speed and this one had relatively low mileage.

[GuidoK]

Originally Posted by Incompatible

I will always have a little Z4M envy, who wouldn't?

Well... every time you get that feeling look up one of the numerous topics here about changing the rodbearings or seizing up the engine....
Not that the s54 is a bad engine (au contraire), but it should be considered more like a Ferrari engine or a TVR speed eight
From those kind of cars people expect to get real quirks and obnoctious service intervals. The s54 is just like that. In its design there are numerous changes to the standard bmw sixes (even small ones, like how the front crankpulley is bolted on the crankshaft) which are sometimes very elegant, sometimes expensive, unreliable and maintenance hungry. The S54 doesnt have a hydraulic valve train, so you have to check and adjust your valve clearance. That is something you do on an 80's fiat.. (or my dad does that on his old campervan.....). Alas it's also required to rev high...
But kudos for BMW to 'dare' market an engine like this. Most other brands would just turbocharge to get the same performance.
And don't foreget: your engine is light....really light and the s54 is heavy, really heavy. That counts for something too (if you can see what a lotus can do on a twisty track or so).

[jmilt13]

I did some research, I thought it would be best to start a new thread

I believe there were 828 Z4C 3.0si Manuals made for North America.