Looking at picking up an E85/E86. Few ?s

[HawkZ4M]

Hey all I am in the market for a Z4M Coupe or Roadster.

My first car was an E30 and I have had various E24s E28s etc over the years. I have an E24 M635csi Euro currently.

Anyways last time around car buying I made the mistake of buying an American car. I was seduced by the power and torque but once that wore off the build quality and driving dynamics drove me crazy.

I actually have considered a Subaru BRZ but the lack of power was bad and would drive me bonkers. By the time you supercharge etc you are in E90 M3 territory $ wise.

I have looked at a couple E46 M3s and to be honest I am horrified of the subframe tearing issue. I read more than one persons account that it cost over 8K to fix that is just nuts for what appears to be a design flaw. And several have said its come back and needed fixed again. The few E46s I have seen have been severely abused and modded poorly. I know some of them arent but seems like the norm. I am fine with some brakes wheels suspension etc. I have seen a ton of just garbage mods and I dont want to buy another project car haha! The red and green and purple angel eye crowd makes me worried lol.

I am going to look at a couple Z4s this week and am wondering where the problem spots are to look on inspection? I know the S54 has Vanos issues so I guess I will just try and find a car its been rebuilt on and hope for the best. Did BMW sort the rod bearings by the time these came out?

What options could these come with? Or were they all pretty similar?

I have seen a large gap in price between the roadster and the coupe? Is the roadster alot softer than the coupe? I prefer the coupe but locally the price gap is 10K+. I kinda may lean towards the roadster as I like having a sunroof lol.

I read the faq and saw that the engine bolts need done ASAP I guess they back out? But other than that these cars seem more bullet proof than the E46s?

Thanks for any help! I did my best to search and read the FAQs!

[NickyC]

I apologize as I don't have time to reply to everything you asked, but the Z4M will be the best car you've ever owned. I've had a ton of fun stuff over the years, and it's the only car I've come back to. It's my favorite car of all time. Roadster of course. ;P

[dschultz]

Vanos, rod bearings, engine mount bolts. All are well known and you should be able to get quotes for them if needed. Coupe is a very rigid chassis. Super fun on the track. Roadsters seem to have issues with the top motor failing due to water.

[GomboRombo]

M Roadster, the best drop top I've ever owned. I bought mine with 29k miles and found the engine mount bolts needed tightening. I will be ordering my 10.9 bolts from MacMaster in a 25 pack since BMW has discontinued the 35mm ones. If you need a couple PM me and I will put some in an envelope and mail them to you.

[KevinM]

Welcome. Most of you questions will be answered in this sticky:

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=377102

Another link, found within the sticky, that is very informative:

http://www.billswebspace.com/bmwmc.htm

In general, these are robust cars. The S54 was near the end of it's production cycle when the Z4M coupes/roasters were built, so most of the kinks had been worked out.

There were approximately 1800 Z4M coupes imported to North America vs. approximately 3000 roasters. That accounts for most of the difference in price and availability. The coupes seem to be going up in value - I personally believe they will become classics.

Happy reading!

[The HACK]

The roadsters and coupes were built entirely in the good ol US of A.

Unless you count the fact that the S54 engines were built in Germany then crated and shipped here. None of the E85/e86 Z4s were "imported."

Just a minor technicality. By all accounts the Spartanburg, North Carolina plant is a superb automotive manufacturing plant.

[HawkZ4M]

Thanks for the help so far! You guys have been very helpful so far! I think I am leaning towards the coupe but the roadster with the hardtop is beautiful too. Seems like there isn't a bad way to go.

Just wish there were a couple closer I could try out lol!

Is 25K a decent budget for a clean coupe?

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by The HACK

The roadsters and coupes were built entirely in the good ol US of A.

Unless you count the fact that the S54 engines were built in Germany then crated and shipped here. None of the E85/e86 Z4s were "imported."

Just a minor technicality. By all accounts the Spartanburg, North Carolina plant is a superb automotive manufacturing plant.

My bad...and I actually knew that, I just am so used to referring to the number of BMWs in NA as "imported."

Originally Posted by HawkZ4M

Thanks for the help so far! You guys have been very helpful so far! I think I am leaning towards the coupe but the roadster with the hardtop is beautiful too. Seems like there isn't a bad way to go.

Just wish there were a couple closer I could try out lol!

Is 25K a decent budget for a clean coupe?

Depends on the usual factors: milage, number of owners, condition. I haven't been paying too much attention to the market, but that is probably the lower end. I'd guess that $25 to 35K is the current spread. EAG always has some nice examples if you are more interested in time/convenience than price. They have a 2007 with 12k miles for $42K currently (as well as some Z4M coupes below - and one above - that price). http://enthusiastauto.com/qsearch/?f...4_0=1&x=20&y=9

GL!

[HawkZ4M]

Thanks for the help so far. I guess I cant seem to get a straight answer from my reading about the vanos problems. If you just rebuild the Vanos can you just move on or is it just always doomed to fail the same way and is just a matter of time again?

I read on DR Vanos theirs is up rated to last longer but no mention of if it doesn't just delay the inevitable again? Read about the other company but cant tell if it just fixes it and you can stop sweating it.

Not trying to make a bigger deal out of this than it is but blowing up an S54 isnt on my short list cause a wrecked Vanos unit.

[Vanne]

don't over think it too much mate, I've got 130k miles on my coupe, never had an issue with the Vanos yet.. (knocks on wood)

[Arsonism]

Originally Posted by HawkZ4M

Thanks for the help so far. I guess I cant seem to get a straight answer from my reading about the vanos problems. If you just rebuild the Vanos can you just move on or is it just always doomed to fail the same way and is just a matter of time again?

I read on DR Vanos theirs is up rated to last longer but no mention of if it doesn't just delay the inevitable again? Read about the other company but cant tell if it just fixes it and you can stop sweating it.

Not trying to make a bigger deal out of this than it is but blowing up an S54 isnt on my short list cause a wrecked Vanos unit.

Originally Posted by Vanne

don't over think it too much mate, I've got 130k miles on my coupe, never had an issue with the Vanos yet.. (knocks on wood)

Out of all the things that I've read most everyone either hasn't driven enough to find an issue or the issue has dissipated since the repair. 65k of some very mixed miles and I can't say that I've come across the issue.

In the later models I know for sure they placed a the updated bolts in the Vanos unit, but others have still had some minor issues. It's a matter of luck it seems more than anything else.

[StickMon]

Originally Posted by HawkZ4M

Thanks for the help so far. I guess I cant seem to get a straight answer from my reading about the vanos problems. If you just rebuild the Vanos can you just move on or is it just always doomed to fail the same way and is just a matter of time again?

I read on DR Vanos theirs is up rated to last longer but no mention of if it doesn't just delay the inevitable again? Read about the other company but cant tell if it just fixes it and you can stop sweating it.

Not trying to make a bigger deal out of this than it is but blowing up an S54 isnt on my short list cause a wrecked Vanos unit.

The Vanos itself doesn't hard fail. The seals will eventually weaken and performance will fall off.
The things that break are the exhaust camshaft sprocket hub, which drives the Vanos oil pump, and the bolts that hold the splined sleeves inside the ends of the camshafts.
Both have upgraded parts available that seem to be a permanent fix.

[Zamfield]

I've just picked up an 05 Roadster from NY and drove it 5 hours back to WV yesterday... What a blast! - Even with the top up (It was pissing it down!)
I'm going to enjoy this car, I can tell!
125k on the clock and it drove like a new car - no issues at all.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by Zamfield

I've just picked up an 05 Roadster from NY and drove it 5 hours back to WV yesterday... What a blast! - Even with the top up (It was pissing it down!)
I'm going to enjoy this car, I can tell!
125k on the clock and it drove like a new car - no issues at all.

There you go!!

I was recently tempted to look at an E89 with the folding hard top - sharp looking car indeed. But this past Saturday, the wife haad three garbage bags of old clothes to donate so we filled the trunk of the 3.0SI (E85), put the top down and went about our errands. If we had been in an E89 there's no way we would have been able to do that top down.

[Patrick Gent]

Maintain that S54 way better than BMW says. Get Mike Miller's Lifetime Maintenance Schedule from BMWCCA and follow it. There are lots of S54s in Z4s that are having rod bearing problems, but it is not a huge repair. Send your oil to Blackstone and watch the lead (first layer of wear on the bearings) and then copper (second layer). When my maintenance went from the dealer (free on CPO) to a very well like local shop for the work I couldn't do, he told me they just replace the bearings proactively at 60,000. I am at 92, my very high lead numbers are way down with just a little warmup when the engine is cold, and if I have to do the bearings I gather it will cost around $1500, not too terrible given the joy this car brings into my life.