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★★★★★

“What follows is a somewhat lengthy review of a The BMW...”

written by Big Dave Midlands on 20/01/2010

What follows is a somewhat lengthy review of a The BMW Z4 2.5i. I hope you stick with it and enjoy!



Introduction.



If you are reading this article you are probably already an owner of a Z4 2.5i or likely to be one so will need little or no convincing of the Z4's abilities. So I won't be writing piles of gushing praise and telling you how great a 2.5i Z4 is around the lanes, across the Alps, what a great holiday I had in it or referring to (and I quote a certain Mr J Clarkson, with tongue firmly lodged inside cheek) "my gear shift aggression strategy" ;-)



But even sticking to the facts, I find it very hard not to gush about the MK1 Z4. I recently took delivery of a 70K miles one owner from new FSH 2.5i se in silver with optional xenon headlamps, headlamp washers and the heated leather seats option. Some wouldn't touch a car that is perceived to be as complex or expensive to own or run with this mileage, but show some faith and that is how you can end up with a car that would have cost new in the region of 28ish K (with the options) and I picked it up for 8.5K! Yes that's right 8.5K for a barely run in 53 plate Z4.



At the time of writing, I have only owned my Z4 for a short time so you may be thinking I have little experience to offer with BMW ownership. Well for those that don't know (and that means practically everyone!), so far during my life I have owned a few BMW's none of them new, and all of them enjoyed, and so far I don't see the Z4 breaking that pattern. One of my previous BMW's was a 1996 E36 323i M52 engined 6 cylinder coupe which I owned approx 6 years ago (owned until 125K appeared on the clock with no problems and traded it in for a last of the line 1999 318is M sport) and the 2.5 litre straight six and the sound it made was one the most soulful vehicle noises on the planet. Its updated cousin the M54 unit which is found in the Z4 as well as many other 2.5 litre BMW's across all ranges (i.e. 325i\X3\525i etc...) is the same if not better in the Z4, and develops a useful extra 22bhp or so over its predecessor. As a result BMW launched a new 2.2 litre 6 cylinder motor engine filling that horsepower gap in the range until the Z4 range was revised in 2006.



Something 'interesting' I discovered whilst browsing for Z4 info on the world wide wait (after purchase I might add!) was the M54 6 cylinder unit was voted was voted International Engine of the year in the 2.0-2.5 litre class for 2003 & 2004 (More info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M54#M54B25 ) and now I own one I can understand why. Turbine smooth, torque & powerful, it delivers everything an engine should, and that it comes wrapped in a lovely two door roadster body is something of a bonus. It is worth noting (if these type of things interests you of course!) that since its inception in 1999, BMW has won 47 Categories in the annual International Engine of the year awards including the overall Engine of the year award 6 times. In comparison BMW's closest awards rival in the contest Honda, has only 23 awards and one overall winner award. Hmmm fascinating eh? Lets move on







The Comparison.



Correct me if I am wrong here but I suspect like many before and after me who have or will purchase a used roadster in the 2000-3000cc (ish) class, it is pretty much a three way contest between the S2000, Z4 and a Boxster, and will probably be so for quite some time to come.



Apologies and respect to fans of the S2000 but I dismissed it fairly quickly off my list. I know the V-Tec engined Honda's have an enviable and deserved reputation for reliability (and the cars are impeccably built), but the group 20 insurance was a shock (higher than the Boxster?!) And the emissions of 234 g\km (not that I am tree hugger you understand) unfortunately results in a road tax bill after April 2010 for a post 2006 model of a wallet melting £435 a year. Now if you are interested in a roadster, running costs are possibly not your main priority but you have to draw the line somewhere, and I didn't want an S2000 enough to justify an annual road tax cost which is equal to my insurance, or a quarter of my annual fuel bill. Now you and I as reasonably intelligent human beings both know that the emissions of an engine depends far more on how it is driven, maintained, the environment in which it is used etc... but unfortunately whilst we have an unfair road tax system in place which is blatantly biased towards derv burning, soot billowing, diesel engines and puny petrol engined cars, instead of efficiently made larger engined cars fitted with compliant Euro emissions technology, this is how much it costs and over £400 was just too salty a proposition.



My next gripe is the digital dash which is of a 'quality' not seen or found since the Toyota 2.8i Supra and Astra GTE of the 80's! So in a word, nasty and Amstrad (ok that's two!), and for me out of character with the rest of the build quality of the car. I also think the S2000 isn't aimed at me. The web is full of video's and forums boasting of ever higher power outputs and higher rev limits and some 'interesting' paint schemes. I think the S2000 is aimed at the Fast and Furious generation and that just isn't me!



Now I appreciate that looks are a personal and subjective topic, but the S2000, whilst a nice looking car, I don't think has aged very well, and I would struggle to call it pretty, and let's face it a roadster has to be good looking to its potential owner to even be in with a shout (I realise the Z4 isn't everyone's cup of tea but I will cover that later). Finally there is that important almost indefinable ingredient, soul. A car either has it or it doesn't and no amount of digital dashboard gimmick, engine trickery or technology can change that, and compared to the Boxster or Z4 (and to be fair this is probably the main reason I don't want one), the S2000 with its 4 cylinder rev hungry motor (if I want an engine I can rev up to 9000+ rpm on the road I will ride a motorbike) simply left me cold.





The 986 model Boxster on the other hand is a different Kettle of Cod. I really like the Boxster, and I mean really like, and came as close as the distance that my fingers are to the keyboard I am using to write this, to signing on the line that is dotted for a lovely Lapis Blue 2002 2.7 example. Speaking as somebody who has owned and occasionally tuned up classic mini coopers, MKII Golf GTi's and E36 Coupe BMW's of various ages, The Boxster is quite simply the best handling road car I have ever driven (I have also driven a track prepared Caterham Roadsport around my local track many times but to be fair they are an entity all of their own). The Boxster steering feel and grip are utterly sublime. In this category, the Z4 is a grade B+ but the Boxster for me is on another level entirely and almost defines for me how a car should behave on the road. For the everyday people like you and I, a Boxster is probably the closest that we will get to drive a car that feels like supercar exotica, and I would bet a day's wages would probably beat many of those too. You owe it to yourself to take one for a test drive to see what I mean, they really are that good.



I also love the styling, especially post 2002 facelift with its revised lamp clusters and front and rear bumper changes that just sharpened up the looks a touch, and also brought in the additional practical benefits of a glove box and glass hood window (ridiculous in my opinion that it took Porsche over 5 years to introduce these most basic of standard items found in their rivals). The engine note has more character than an entire car park of Astra's put together, and makes a fantastic wail as you put it through its paces (ok it was around the Coventry ring road but allow me to elaborate upon the memory a little to try to paint a romantic picture for a moment!) but...



I didn't buy one. Why?





Simple really, running costs. You see the Boxster whilst an undeniably pretty car and an astonishing technical achievement for the money, has very high maintenance costs due to the nature of its design. The irony being that its unique complex design that makes it good to drive, is the cars Achilles heel. I have spoken in person to Boxster owners and on the usual owner forums scattered around the web, and excluding insurance and tax even the most loyal owners reckon on a minimum of 2K a year for upkeep, and that is only if everything stays tip top, which it seems with a Boxster of a few years old or more they do not, and not necessarily mileage or history dependant either with electrical glitches seeming fairly common. For example, my neighbours year 2000 2.5 Boxster has been back to a specialist to investigate a reoccurring engine management problem 3 times in 6 months, and a colleagues pampered and almost licked clean 2001 Boxster 'S' has had problems with headlamp self levellers and central locking. Clutches are also reported to last an average of only 30K miles with a hefty £700+ bill for replacement as the whole engine has to be dropped and gearbox separated. There is also the ongoing design flaw with the oil seal between these two components being a weak point, and there is a risk at the price point I was looking at (admittedly of only 10-15% chance) of the engine main shaft failing or the engine suffering terminal cylinder bore lining failure, which requires a full engine rebuild.



Now you may regard this as par for the course and may be thinking that I scared myself away from the Boxster (and you may have a point) and are prepared to take the chance as it is a specialist car, but for my purposes as car I will use almost every day, driving about with the worry of a 6-8K engine rebuild in the back of my mind, plus 2K minimum additional running costs per annum was too much for me. The Boxster has not however disappeared from my list for ever, the driving experience of the Boxster has left an indelible mark on my brain reserved for such experiences, and there will be a day when a silver or blue Boxster 'S' will be on my drive, probably a 987 variant instead of the 986 version, and when that day comes, a top level but essential watertight bullet proof warranty will be in the back pocket just in case.



As a last little thing I also thought the interior of the Boxster whilst it has some nice touches such as the instrument binnacle design, the design on the age of Boxster that I was looking at has dated a little, with an almost early 90's VW Golf feel to the heater console and air vents. As Porsche and VW are related in Business, this isn't really a surprise, and some would argue that with a Boxster you are buying the engineering and not the interior, but none the less I was potentially going to be spending a lot of time inside the car, and I felt the Porsche for all of its external loveliness wasn't quite up to the mark inside and the standard audio was distinctly poor (front speakers on top of the dash pointing into the windscreen is not a good location!). Even with upgrades this is something even the most loyal owners admit.



You may notice at this point that I haven't gone into great depth about comparing boot space, BHP or fuel economy on either the Honda or Porsche, and I am not about to start now with the Z4. But for the record in brief they all develop between 197-240bhp and if you thrash them expect 25mpg and if you take it steady be grateful for 35mpg. Boot space? They can all carry a couple of bags, so if you want practical then buy a focus. Right lets move on to the main subject of this article.



So to my choice the Z4, and firstly well done for sticking with it and getting this far into my review! Like I said earlier if you are reading this review in the Z4 2.5i review section, the chances are that you are already sold on owning one or already own one like me, so I don't need to tell you a great deal about what you already know. But for those who are just browsing or only just began considering a purchase my summary of the 2.5i Z4 is as follows.





Good stuff: One of the finest engines in any car that money can buy, and you pick up a Z4 for the price of a brand new base model fiesta which represents incredible value for money. The transmission is tight and precise and has a gorgeous well oiled\engineered feel, and easily beats the Honda and Porker in this regard. The steering is intelligently weighted with a very light feel for parking and becoming weightier as speed rises. The system is so good that these changes are imperceptible and enhance the driving experience, hence why I used the word intelligent. Some reviews complain of an artificial feel, well to this lifelong petrol head and enthusiast it feels good to me. Not as good in this area as a Boxster, but then to be fair not much is, at any price level.



The Z4 also enjoys a good interior ambience with good matching of materials and textures, the dials at night are lovely with Orange needles floating over the clocks and the cabin definitely feels a special place to be. In my opinion the Z4 again beats the S2000 and 986 Boxster in this area, and the SE spec brings a good level of standard kit.



The handling is excellent and predicable, with minimal body roll and a superb natural and spacious driving position (I'm 6'2" and I fit!) which again is guess what? that's right better than the Boxster and S2000. You will also find a superbly engineered hood mechanism. No cumbersome levers to pull or knobs to twist, just one button and it is done.





And lastly to the looks, oh yes the looks. Genuine apologies for using a worn clich but the Z4 is a unquestionably a marmite car in this department. Personally I love the looks which are modern and contemporary (perhaps a modern take on a TR6 or e-type jag?), and in my humble opinion the Z4 MK1 is definitely a future classic, if not verging on one already and my better half agrees 100% (who was initially unsure). I personally don't think the Z4 photographs very well, and it is only when seeing one in the flesh so to speak that the design details really stand out. The line that follows from the edge of the bumper and headlamp round to the door into the door line, the intersecting windscreen pillar crease that breaks up the flank and the edge that flows from the top of the headlamps to form the waistline of the car, and lets also mention the tight shut lines and exquisite way the boot shuts without intrusion into boot space. Beautiful in the eye of this beholder anyway.



Personally I think a bit of controversy with a design is a good thing. If you look back over the years at cars that were initially considered questionable such as the original Mini, the Jaguar XJS and the Ford KA (to name but three), they went on not only to have a long shelf life for their respective manufacturer, but as time moved on it became clear they had been ahead of their time when launched, and became increasingly desirable in their own way as the years passed. If something is designed too much for the moment then it will date very quickly and I think the Z4 is beginning to mature nicely (no clich fine wine comments required!). I admit I am generally not a fan of the much criticised Chris Bangle styling on some of the other BMW models, but I think the Z4 and also to a certain extent the 1 series are his best design successes at BMW. Even the 5 series has softened up after a facelift or three, and is pretty much the default choice of middle management everywhere. Whatever you think of the Bangle designs, at least we are talking about car design again. For me rather that than yet another bland Euro box in the vein of the soon to be released MKIII Ford Focus, the current Leon and just released Astra, where if you covered the rear lights, front grill and badges you would be hard pressed to tell them apart.



Not so good stuff: The pointless stupid gimmicky sport mode button (why?) for me it doesn't need it or contribute much extra to the driving experience other than slightly sharper steering, and snappier throttle, but in my view this makes the car less predictable and nervous when negotiating a corner or roundabout especially in the wet. I played with this button for the first three hours of ownership and haven't bothered again since.



When the roof is up in colder weather (which it will be), the cabin steams up too easily which means the aircon is in use too often. Also because I am a lofty so and so, I find the seat back squeaks against the rear bulkhead with the seat in it's fully back and lowest position. I praised the interior earlier but even so, imho some of the interior plastics such as the air vents and stereo unit are not up to the standard I have come to expect over 10 years of owning various BMW's, and the seats took a bit of getting used to and are not immediately comfortable. Whilst on the subject of build quality my late 2003 car has the odd bolt furring up with corrosion under the bonnet, and on the boot hinges, which again is not up to the quality and standard I have come to expect over 10 years of BMW ownership.



I didn't buy the car for its stereo especially with the gorgeous engine to make its own soundtrack, and I bought it used, but bearing in mind the original price of the car the sound quality of the standard business audio unit is pretty average in my opinion.



Lastly it's time to mention the suspension and run flat tyres. Yep Google a search on BMW run flats and there are literally hundreds if not thousands of forums and threads with various opinions and facts on the matter. I have read some of them, and understood why BMW fitted them, but a general opinion even amongst those who are converts seems to be that they can compromise the ride quality, and the standard fit Bridgestone run flats don't offer enough grip especially in the wet. The Z4 2.5 comes with a choice of three wheel sizes depending on spec, with optional sports suspension. I think the 16" wheels look like coasters, the 17" about right and the 18" a bit too in your face. My car has a beautiful set of factory 10 spoke 17" alloys which suit the car very well and standard suspension.



As for my own view of the run flat tyres, this is one area of the Z4 that I cannot possibly cover in massive depth here (no value in repeating the numerous other forums) but so far from my own experience of them I can say yes my car has Bridgestone run flat tyres, yes the ride is a touch harder than I would like (and mine has the non sport suspension so that sport setup must be back breaking!), and yes after a recent roundabout experience on a damp day they do not offer the type of grip I would like either. Once they are worn I will be replacing them with standard rubber, filling them with a puncture seal solution and carrying a foot pump and can of puncture sealant in the boot, because by the way no spare wheel in the Z4 sir.



Faults with the 2.5i Z4 are refreshingly few. The engine is strong and chain driven so provided they are regularly maintained there shouldn't be any issues until the miles are well over 100K. The main areas to check for are cracked rear springs, hood operation and seals (the motor can suffer water ingress and fail, and the hood has to be removed to replace it!) and the bonnet catch which has a habit of sticking and you can't get the bonnet open which has happened to me. A few quirts of WD40 up and through the grill usually resolves it though. This design was modified on post 2006 facelift cars, and some owners have found adjustment of the catch springs on pre facelift cars can help too. It is also worth checking for front bumper damage as the bonnet is a very long affair from the drivers seat and the corners can be hard to judge. Other than that, the same rules apply as for any car, pick a strong and popular colour (black, silver and grey are, bright red, dark red metallic and light blue metallic are not) get a data check done, don't buy without full service history and if you have any doubts and your instincts tell you not to purchase then walk away, as your instinct was probably right. The Z4 is reasonably rare but not that rare, so other examples are sure to become available if the one you have seen is not quite right.





Conclusion.



You can probably tell by now that I am a fan of the Z4. It offers a soul that the Honda cannot hope for, an everyday user friendliness and running cost affordability that the Porsche struggles to match, and a reliability and handling package that hovers somewhere between the two. You may yet be undecided if you are a lover or a hater of the looks but one thing cannot be denied, Z4 ownership feels special and for me I hope continues to feel special for some time yet.



Funny I never thought I would use the word compromise in a review about a sports roadster but I guess the Z4 by nature of its strengths is just that when put up against it main rivals. But let me assure you as compromises go the Z4 is one the best 'compromises' I have ever made ;-)



Thank you for reading! BDM - 2010.

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