Z4M unknown outside our camp

[NickyC]

Originally Posted by The HACK

Hence I sit here and argue that the MZ4 Coupe is unique in that same vein. It takes skills to drive the MZ4 Coupe like it's meant to be driven. It's different. It's unique. And at the end of the day, the M2 and M3s may be faster, but it won't be as much FUN.

Simply couldn't agree more. The M4 and M2 I drove were very nice cars, but at no point did I ever think they were worth the money. If I'm going to spend $60k+ on something, I better really, REALLY want the car. They were nice to drive, but spending that much for something that I don't even like as much as my 12 year old paid off car? That would be absolutely insane.

Neither was nearly as fun as my Z4M either, and I drove both manual varieties (I'll never own a car with paddles, I hate 'em). The M4 obviously felt a bit quicker, but to me there wasn't much difference in acceleration between my Z4M and the M2. Just left the test drive shaking my head, no way I could justify the cost of those cars over my Z4M.

Time to save those pennies for an ESS kit! I'm really hoping they have a nice Black Friday sale, say 15-25% off superchargers or something.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by NickyC

The M4 and M2 I drove were very nice cars, but at no point did I ever think they were worth the money.

I think that's also one of the primary reason(s) I've held on to the MZ4 Coupe for so long. Amongst my friends I've been know as the guy who changes his cars as often as he changes his underwear (no kidding). And I have had about a dozen BMWs through the last 15 years.

But I've gotten into a long discussion with a buddy about his new purchase, a new 340i. As priced out it was a $60,000 car. For $60,000 I can get a lot of BETTER cars today that doesn't wear a BMW badge, and all of them will be faster, handle better, or have better interior.

Every time I think I want to pull the trigger on a new BMW, such as the new M2 or the M2 CS, I am reminded that for the same money I can buy:

Corvette C7 Grand Sport
Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (for M3/M4 money)
Cayman S
Mustang GT350

Sure, they don't always compete in the same exact bracket (Cayman S and Corvette C7 only has 2 seats. Camaro and Mustang 2 doors only), but they ALL offer same or better performance for less. And I'm not so much a brand snob to let "better interior" dissuade me from buying any one of the above.

Back when I bought the MZ4 Coupe, the only real question was, do you want to pay another $5,000 for the privilege of driving a Porsche Cayman S. (I imagine for the roadster folks, MZ4 Roadster or the Porsche Boxster S). There's really no other competition on the market that offers the kind of quality, performance, balance, and all out fun for roughly $50K.

And 11 years later, there still isn't (actually the C6 would have been pretty cool. Still pine for a Corvette but that's just the mid-life crisis talking).

[NickyC]

Exactly HACK!!

[86Zed]

Originally Posted by The HACK

But back to BMWs. I drove the M2 and M3/M4 at Thermal with a few CCA people when they invited the local chapter board members to attend, and there's no denying that this generation of the M is FAST. But it just doesn't quite feel RIGHT.

BINGO. Had the same experience driving a Z4MC and M2 (both MT) back to back on CA backroads - loved the M2 but it did not have me immediately opening my wallet.

It should be stated that the 1M is left out of this discussion - also MT only and a car whom's value has already determined it to be a classic. Given my experience with the Z4MC and M2 I reckon it to be a strong middle-ground of old-school feel and some practicality not present in the Z4 platform.

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by SaltyNC

I had no idea that few people in the US know how to drive a manual. Very interesting. I remember how I first learned. I was at the lake with a college buddy that wore contacts. He got something in his contacts from the lake and had to remove his contacts and was basically blind. He handed me the keys and said, you have to drive us back. I'll never forget the steep hill near the house. I was literally sweating. Used the parking brake trick, and other than a little too high of an engine rev, it was a smooth launch. I always think of that as the equivalent of throwing a non-swimmer into the deep end of the pool.

Thanks for the R8 correction, Twix.

If you can drive stick, then you're probably in one of these 3 categories:
1) people collecting social security
2) immigrants who learned to drive in Europe or Asia
3) auto enthusiasts

If the quoted percentage of people who knew how to drive stick in the US was 7%, then it's probably something like 1% of the rest of the US not included in one of the 3 categories above.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

If you can drive stick, then you're probably in one of these 3 categories:
1) people collecting social security
2) immigrants who learned to drive in Europe or Asia
3) auto enthusiasts

If the quoted percentage of people who knew how to drive stick in the US was 7%, then it's probably something like 1% of the rest of the US not included in one of the 3 categories above.

Ability to drive stick is so rare these days that folks hold you in awe, almost like you are some kind of jedi ninja kung fu master or something. Heck, there should be a Marvel tv show on Netflix about us. And if your wife can drive stick, and a bunch of her burly male co-workers can't, well the look on their faces is priceless.

[Twixboy]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

Ability to drive stick is so rare these days that folks hold you in awe, almost like you are some kind of jedi ninja kung fu master or something. Heck, there should be a Marvel tv show on Netflix about us. And if your wife can drive stick, and a bunch of her burly male co-workers can't, well the look on their faces is priceless.

LOL long story short, my wife's Audi ran into some issues this summer so she's been daily driving the Z4 to work this month. She works at an engineering firm that's about 80% male, so I should ask her what the guys think about her driving stick. She had been resisting driving it because she hadn't driven stick in years and was scared to get behind the wheel. After I finally fixed her car, she decided she wanted to keep the Z4 so I got the truck. Now the Q5 sits on our driveway all week and only gets driven on the weekends when we go out as a family. I'm kinda sad she took my Z4, but I'm also happy she enjoys driving it so much.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by Twixboy

LOL long story short, my wife's Audi ran into some issues this summer so she's been daily driving the Z4 to work this month. She works at an engineering firm that's about 80% male, so I should ask her what the guys think about her driving stick. She had been resisting driving it because she hadn't driven stick in years and was scared to get behind the wheel. After I finally fixed her car, she decided she wanted to keep the Z4 so I got the truck. Now the Q5 sits on our driveway all week and only gets driven on the weekends when we go out as a family. I'm kinda sad she took my Z4, but I'm also happy she enjoys driving it so much.

I bet they think she is amazing as I'm sure you do! And it sounds like you need to get a second Z4!

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by The HACK

It's hard. In the last 35 years only 2* BMW trims ever come ONLY with manual transmission.

Z3 M and Z4 M.

Wonderful post, as always. I do want to point out that the E39 M5 (MY 1999 - 2003, in the US 2000 - 2003) was also only available with a MT, as well as the 2011 1M coupe.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by KevinM

Wonderful post, as always. I do want to point out that the E39 M5 (MY 1999 - 2003, in the US 2000 - 2003) was also only available with a MT, as well as the 2011 1M coupe.

Holy crap you're right. I don't know why that got left off. the E39 M3 absolutely did not come with an auto or automated manual.

I thought a DCT was available with the 1M Coupe?

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by The HACK

Holy crap you're right. I don't know why that got left off. the E39 M3 absolutely did not come with an auto or automated manual.

I thought a DCT was available with the 1M Coupe?

Nope, the 1M is MT only. I almost bought one just for that reason (then all three fun cars I own would have been MT only) but that seemed kind of snobbish.