What was your "I gotta have that!" moment?

[007MCoupe]

My 'Gotta Have It' story isn't great but, once I saw this badboy i HAD TO HAVE IT.

I went up to Dallas to look at a few M3s and at the dealer saw this and a couple hours later she was mine. I guess I'd have to say my GHI moment was when my wife went gaga over it. lol

[steveayd]

Good thread...I always wanted the previous generations "bubble" m coupe, but could never afford one while in college.

A few years ago, I was in San Diego, visiting my family. I was driving on one of the highways with my brother in law (who is a huge Porsche/car guy), and we saw this black car, with the white swirling markings all over it. Similar to the spy shots you see of cars on the auto blogs. It looked like a z4, but with more pronounced accents; it looked incredible even with the zebra attire. A few months later, I read an article on the Z4 M coupe, and promised myself one when I finished my graduate training. Alas, here I am...I love it.

[gcochard]

The first Z4C I saw. I was at a VW meet, and had always liked the Z3MC but I couldn't afford it at the time. Then I saw a black Z4C sitting in the parking garage where we were meeting, and it looked incredible. I knew I needed one.

I ended up with a roadster, but there will always be a place in my heart for the coupe. I will own one eventually.

[tikamak]

A guy i met came to my country 2 years ago in his car, Z4MC titanium silver, imola red.

I was hooked ever since, it was a revelation that I MUST own that car at some point in my life.

1 year later, i was cruising in a titanium silver/black Roady down the road.

[nemex12]

well, this one time I was driving around with my folks and my sisters and there it was, a beautiful brunette driving a z4 roadster with the top down wow , I was in love, I knew I had to have it and it didnt took long, when te e89 came out I remembered not feeling the same way when I looked at it so I bought one of the last brand new e85 z4s the dealer had and never looked back. wonder what happened to that brunette

[Nikki]

As soon as I turned the key.

I was testing out the new sDrive Z4s just to compare to my 3.0si and they had a CPO Black M Coupe on the lot. The salesman convinced me to take it out. I had been dreading this for years because I knew as soon as I got in it I'd want it....and I was right.

[z4mcoupe]

Lloyd: "The first time I set eyes on a Z4MC, I just got that old fashioned romantic feeling where I'd do anything to bone her."
Harry: "That's a special feeling, Lloyd."

[bdn3d]

Originally Posted by bdn3d

OK I guess its my turn, although my story is still taking place. I am a big believer that if you put your mind to something everything else will come. I have wanted a Z4m coupe since the first day I saw it in 2006. I had a 3 series at the time and would always go the the local BMW dealership to check out the new M cars and then all of the sudden I said what the hell is that????!!!! It was weird for me, becuase I saw the M badge and then looked at the sticker showing z4, and I was just puzzled. It was a weird moment for me because It was not that I thought the car was beautiful, rather, interesting...So I did some reasearch and saw the car in other colors (dealership was blue) After watching every video on the planet, and the infamous top gear review, I told myself I had to have one of these... BTW she is now very beautiful... I guess it took sometime for that to set in... anyway I had a BMW 3 series at the time of first sight, then I thought I would be more practical and by a 2006 Lexus IS 250, but every day I got in my car I felt disconnected and missed the BMW feel, I had pretty much given up all hope and thought an M coupe at this point was going to be something I would just have to forget about, so I started to look into a 370z and then all of the sudden on night one popped up on EBAY, it was a deal that I could not pass up.... So I can say now, that after having a z4 m coupe as my screen saver at work and at home for the past 3 years, there will be one in my garage this month. She is being shipped out tomorrow!!! May take 3 weeks to get here becuase it coming from cross country... I also must admit, I still to this day have never driven or even rode in one... I know I will love it... I definitely think these cars will become collectors items, not only because they are rare but because the design is timeless!

got the title today!!!! Its being shipped from California on the 13th!

[claritycheck]

Originally Posted by ongnoi

Lloyd: "The first time I set eyes on a Z4MC, I just got that old fashioned romantic feeling where I'd do anything to bone her."
Harry: "That's a special feeling, Lloyd."

I had been saving up for a LONG time. Working full time before wanting to go back to school, because I was itching to save up for a car. Naturally as a younger adult I wanted to get myself into something sporty. I ran over my options and it came down to a Lotus Elise, S2000, Z4 M, or continue saving for a future E92 M3. When it came down to it I just eliminated certain options that weren't practical. Lotus for insurance reasons, S2K didn't satisfy the power I wanted, and the E92 was just too out of grasp.

I ended up looking around for a Z4 M online and stumbled upon one in L.A. with only 5k miles. I couldn't believe the price tag at THAT kind of mileage. I quickly called Carmax to have them ship the car over for in-person look (only $150 from LA to Sacramento). The day it arrived I got the call and I was anxious as hell, but also skeptical on why such a low mileage car was being sold at such a ridiculously low price. Turns out the previous 2 owners had some bad luck with financing so it ended up sleeping in the void; waiting for someone to finally settle with. As soon as I finished test driving the car, I immediately told them I'd be back with cash. Here I am now, loving every moment of the car. Every time I open the garage I feel a grin creeping over my face.

[dekaliber]

Was driving in my dad's car one day over the summer in college and a red E36 M coupe drove by. I thought, wtf IS that? That probably planted the seed.

My first car out of college was a Mazda RX-8 and that's probably what first got me really into cars. I used to think there was nothing I could afford that I'd rather have, until one day back in 2005 or 2006 I came across the Z4 M Coupe concept on the interwebs, and fell in love right away. Hell, I had never even been interested in a Bimmer before this car.

How things have changed...

[BMW Maniac]

Love this thread, great stories!

I've always been the fan of the Z4M coupe, but never thought I would own a 2 seater because of practicality. So, for me, this is how it happened.

I was eating lunch with my boss and when we walked out of the diner, he saw my then, rusted out white '91 318. He turned to me and said, "what are you doing driving that thing???? You're single and I pay you well." When I got home that day, I decided that he was right and that I would look into either getting a Z4M coupe or a 335i. I had my 97 M3 that was always up on jack stands or getting worked on, so there was the practicality logic going again. I talked to the salesman at Perillo BMW in Chicago (I would only do CPO at this point) and he was like, if you can swing it, go with the Z4M. So, for my 30th birthday, or what I'd like to call my 1/3 life crisis car, I said screw the practicality and bought my CPO'd 2006 Z4M coupe with 21k miles for $30k out the door in January 2009.....

[ricanbandit]

Great stories, interesting to see the decision factors. The one commonality is that we all LOVE the way the car drives! Ragtop or Coupe this car is indeed special!

[MIKe86]

Originally Posted by ricanbandit

Great stories, interesting to see the decision factors. The one commonality is that we all LOVE the way the car drives! Ragtop or Coupe this car is indeed special!

Love these stories too. What's really interesting to me is how many of us ended up with a z of the same color of the one that caught our eye! Might be worth a poll..

Keep em coming.. Add your story.

[epbrown]

Mine was more of an "oh, never mind" moment. I had a 2003 Z4 2.5i and was planning to upgrade to the top Z4 model after the facelift; I was already mapping out the mods I'd get to increase the performance and individualize the appearance. T

hen BMW, who'd sworn up, down, and sideways since launch that there would never, ever be an M version or coupe, announced the M Coupe. There went my plans for a jet black 3.0si with dream red interior, hard top, and style 108 wheels modded to perfection.

[G80indy]

I always liked the Roadster and after reading the review in Bimmer mag about the writer saying that if he had hours to live and had one last drive in a BMW of his choosing, he would reach for those z4m keys above all others; my gosh I was enthralled...
....but when it was time to take advantage of the ridiculous dealer incentives (~ $15k off sticker) I told my wife I would forever regret it if I didn't jump on it. I drove an Si in Indy, an M-R in Lafayette, and the drives confirmed what I'd read, but I wanted silver gray; not titanium silver, not black, red or blue -- silver gray was it. And I found one reasonably close and the dealer was ready to deal. I ended up driving to Chicago from Indy for a never-titled silver gray, no nav, perfect combo with only 100 miles on her, for less than the standard new Z4. It basically stayed in the dealer's warehouse garage from June 2006 until I bought in Feb 2008. On delivery had all fresh fluids, detail, and new battery plus new car warranty.... It was a moment in time.... And no regrets since. And now it's paid for....
Wish I was that good with the stock market.
Ironically enough, it was a good thing I put my money in this car because it would have evaporated with investments in the meltdown of Sept 2008 anyways.
Today, I actually have something (of beauty) to show for it!!!

[BMW Maniac]

I guess one part of my story that I left out is that I never even test drove the Z4M coupe! I test drove the 335/135, but I didn't like the light feeling of the clutch. The salesman happened to own a Z4M roadster, let me just sit in it. I loved the seating position, loved the feedback of the clutch....flew one way to Chicago to pick it up and the 5 hour drive home was awesome! Except, even at 5'5" 165 lbs, that seat was NOT the most comfortable on HWY I-64 home!

[epbrown]

Originally Posted by BMW Maniac

I guess one part of my story that I left out is that I never even test drove the Z4M coupe! I test drove the 335/135, but I didn't like the light feeling of the clutch. The salesman happened to own a Z4M roadster, let me just sit in it. I loved the seating position, loved the feedback of the clutch....flew one way to Chicago to pick it up and the 5 hour drive home was awesome! Except, even at 5'5" 165 lbs, that seat was NOT the most comfortable on HWY I-64 home!

It took you 5 hours to get from Chicago to Lousiville? I've made it from Chicago to Lexington in 4!

[blender]

In early '07 I was walking down the street, stopped for a light. Saw an Imola Red Z4 waiting to turn left... on the arrow, he accelerated all the way through the corner with a brilliant exhaust note, chirped second gear, and never looked back : ) Don't know who it was, but the car looked, went, and sounded brilliant. I thought "someday..." (Now, mine chirps second and third if you ask her...)

[RedCellOps]

Was in the Marines, had my eye on a 2003 350z, deployed to Iraq and saved every cent I made. Once I got back to the states I walked in to the dealer and said, "I want that car, heres the cash" and drove home with it. Two years later, fresh out of the Corps, my car is wrecked in an accident. So went for the car I never had the money for in the Corps. Searched like a mad man till I found one I could afford. Moved on to the more refined Z, I say. Have a Jet Black 2003 Z4 3.0 with red interior Hope one day I can get a Z4MC

[mikeinsf]

Originally Posted by 330indy

I always liked the Roadster and after reading the review in Bimmer mag about the writer saying that if he had hours to live and had one last drive in a BMW of his choosing, he would reach for those z4m keys above all others; my gosh I was enthralled...
....but when it was time to take advantage of the ridiculous dealer incentives (~ $15k off sticker) I told my wife I would forever regret it if I didn't jump on it. I drove an Si in Indy, an M-R in Lafayette, and the drives confirmed what I'd read, but I wanted silver gray; not titanium silver, not black, red or blue -- silver gray was it. And I found one reasonably close and the dealer was ready to deal. I ended up driving to Chicago from Indy for a never-titled silver gray, no nav, perfect combo with only 100 miles on her, for less than the standard new Z4. It basically stayed in the dealer's warehouse garage from June 2006 until I bought in Feb 2008. On delivery had all fresh fluids, detail, and new battery plus new car warranty.... It was a moment in time.... And no regrets since. And now it's paid for....
Wish I was that good with the stock market.
Ironically enough, it was a good thing I put my money in this car because it would have evaporated with investments in the meltdown of Sept 2008 anyways.
Today, I actually have something (of beauty) to show for it!!!

Very cool story. I love alignment-of-the-planets situations like this. You really lucked out to find that hidden gem.

[THE JEDI]

I drive z4 like the rest of you guys..always wanted a z car but couldn't get one....then I saw the Z4 said yes I gotta have it so I waited for a while..then really got the bug bad lookng for one in my price range and brother Japan is not cheap for Bimmers...but I finally came in to some cash that made it affordable drove pass the Benz Dealer while I was just out one night and GWAD in heavn thier she was I still get Goose bumps..saw the price couldn't believe it..drove home got my wife and said look at this she saw it and to top it off there was a 3.0si coup right next to the drop top.Wife wanted the coupe she's japanese and doesn't like to tan....made her a deal lemme get the drop top and I won't drive it with the top down while your in the car during the day...she said okay and now I got her...I love my z car I mean when I walk out to the parking lot after the gym..I'm like F^&&* yeah....I figure I have decent job..awsome wife great kids and my health and my Z4....Life is good!!!!

[THE JEDI]

Originally Posted by RedCellOps

Was in the Marines, had my eye on a 2003 350z, deployed to Iraq and saved every cent I made. Once I got back to the states I walked in to the dealer and said, "I want that car, heres the cash" and drove home with it. Two years later, fresh out of the Corps, my car is wrecked in an accident. So went for the car I never had the money for in the Corps. Searched like a mad man till I found one I could afford. Moved on to the more refined Z, I say. Have a Jet Black 2003 Z4 3.0 with red interior Hope one day I can get a Z4MC

Dude you ever been to Okinawa..I'm a former Marine myself..makes feel good you got what ya wanted