Jason Plato Picks E85 Z4 as Best Daily Driver Used Sports Car for Under $7000

[Jason]

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Jason Plato Picks E85 Z4 as Best Daily Driver Used Sports Car for Under $7000

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The latest airing of Fifth Gear had Jason Plato searching for the best daily driver used sports car buy for under $7,000 (£5,000). He narrowed his choices down to the E85 Z4, Boxster S and RX-8.

This particular Z4 had 80,000 miles but was still in excellent condition, garnering it Plato's pick as the best daily driver and practical choice with the best interior, most refinement, best build quality and gas consumption.

The segment provides some tips on what to be wary of when shopping preowned E85 Z4s - listen for a rattling noise from the upper valve train assembly, which could mean that the VANOS unit requires replacing (cost is approximately $1500 for such a fix at the dealer). Also be sure to check the electric hood, which could cost more than $4,500 to replace.

The segment starts at 18:16 of the episode below.

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[v3.2mc]

very cool! thanks for sharing.

[mike519]

$4,500 for top repair....that would be the day! 2.5k max and that's if a BMW dealer does everything.

[yousefnjr]

Originally Posted by mike519

$4,500 for top repair....that would be the day! 2.5k max and that's if a BMW dealer does everything.

+1, or $450 if you're handy and can DIY

I remember hearing that Plato actually owned a Z4?

[psygnosis]

Originally Posted by mike519

$4,500 for top repair....that would be the day! 2.5k max and that's if a BMW dealer does everything.

UK prices are weird, It'd be pretty hard to find a 3.0i Z4 for under $10k in the US

[mhughett]

He didn't pick the Z4 as the best of the 3. He said if it were his money he preferred the RX-8 because it could be bought for about 1,500 quid ($2,250). He said the Porsche Boxster was the best sports car of the 3 and that the Z4 was the best for a daily driver.

[jrainlay]

Originally Posted by mhughett

He didn't pick the Z4 as the best of the 3. He said if it were his money he preferred the RX-8 because it could be bought for about 1,500 quid ($2,250). He said the Porsche Boxster was the best sports car of the 3 and that the Z4 was the best for a daily driver.

+1^

[Huz-Z]

Thanks for sharing this!!

Its great to hear that Z4 growl, particularly while I wait for the snow to melt and let me get my own car back in the driveway.

Y know, I think I like this show much better than Top Gear, which gets a bit too silly sometimes. And I confess that Clarkson's constant insults to Z4s and their owners is growing more offensive to me as time goes on.

Does 5th Gear commonly post it's episodes on YouTube?

Thanks again!!

[mhughett]

I think the Velocity channel is starting it's new season for Fifth Gear in the next couple of weeks. I think it (Velocity) is owned by the Discovery Channel people.

[Diver]

$4500 to fix an electric hood, yikes!

[Teemo Panda]

i wonder how much the maintenance would cost for a z4 or any BMW with no warranty.

[DarkTrigger]

Cheapest Z4 I found on carmax was a 2004 2.5i for 17k. Yuck!

[snowmirage]

Just bought my Z4 a month or so ago, so thanks for the reassurance 5th gear but I'm way ahead of ya

[hwelvaar]

best "practical choice" = Z4

Eh, LOL. I think a 3-series touring would be just that

[WhoU4]

Nice!

[bimmerjph]

Originally Posted by Teemo Panda

i wonder how much the maintenance would cost for a z4 or any BMW with no warranty.

Not that bad if you do the work yourself.

If you go to the dealership for everything bring lube and condoms.

[Ka razy]

I loved my 04 Z4.

[Hayir]

Originally Posted by Ka razy

I loved my 04 Z4.

I had a 03 Z4 and it was the most fun to drive car I ever had. I still miss it.

I guess thye meant the soft top with electirc hood. The hydraulic motor gets corroded because of ht clogged drains. I got it repaired for $1300 just before selling the car

[ZStig]

sounds like the z4 had the sound generator foam taken out

[cuiter23]

I wish I could get a Z4 for under 7k.....

[M3 Adjuster]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

Thanks for sharing this!!

Its great to hear that Z4 growl, particularly while I wait for the snow to melt and let me get my own car back in the driveway.

Y know, I think I like this show much better than Top Gear, which gets a bit too silly sometimes. And I confess that Clarkson's constant insults to Z4s and their owners is growing more offensive to me as time goes on.

Does 5th Gear commonly post it's episodes on YouTube?

Thanks again!!

Sounds like you haven't watched top gear In a while. Clarkson more often makes comments about Porsche owners than BMW owners.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by M3 Adjuster

Sounds like you haven't watched top gear In a while. Clarkson more often makes comments about Porsche owners than BMW owners.

Not really. In fact I've got seasons Ten through Eighteen on DVD, and I've watched them all save for episode 7 of Season 16, which I'll watch one night soon.

Clarkson doesn't say much about BMW owners generally, but he seems to have a special disdain for the E85/86 and its owners. And their magazine continually disses it in the ratings section in favor of the Boxster.

By contrast, 5th Gear always liked the E85/86 but panned the current E89 because they thought it wasn't a proper sports car like the E85/86. Having said that, any 5th Gear reviews that I have seen always seem to be fair and balanced, in my view anyway, whereas Top Gear commonly goes for theatrics and cheap laughs. While undoubtedly highly entertaining and fun, that errodes their credibility as a serious car show.

In fact, as I recall, they may have escaped a law suit from one of the big electric car manufacturers recently (Tesla, I think?) after dissing the car by claiming that they were in fact an entertainment program and not a car show. And thus, they should not be taken seriously.

http://www.teslamotors.com/teslavstopgear

FRom Wikipedia:

"The comments were made following Clarkson showing a limp windmill, and complaining that it would take countless hours to refuel the car, using such a source of electricity. A BBC spokeswoman said several times in an interview that Top Gear was "an entertainment programme, and should not be taken seriously."[30] After several weeks, Clarkson wrote a blog for The Times, acknowledging that "the film we had shot was a bit of a mess", but defending the film's claims.[31] In the months following Clarkson's acknowledgement, the original episode, including the mis-statements, was broadcast on BBC America and BBC Australia without any edits being made. It has been reported that the BBC is still looking into the show's journalism standards.[32] In March 2011 Tesla Motors filed a suit accusing the BBC of libel."

Of course, if you accept this, it means that Clarkson's comments about the E85/86 are all in good fun and we should all just laugh at them!!