1 Year with a BMW Z4 Coupe (E86) | Long Term Ownership Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 20 ส.ค. 2022
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foot.to.pedal
With the one year mark of ownership being recently surpassed on my E86 Z4 Coupe, I thought it was appropriate to give an update and provide my thoughts on the experience so far.
The car has been excellent and I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute with it. With the ever-changing car industry, I have grown to appreciate more and more the setup of a 3.0L N/A straight 6 upfront paired to a manual gearbox driving the rear wheels. It's safe to say it's a keeper.
Hope you enjoy the video!
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I agree, I just couldn’t afford the price when released. I ended up getting a Z3.
I have a 2007 Z4 coupe 3.0 si. Black manual and sports pkg. In my opinion the most underrated sports car of the 21st century. Timeless design.
Sounds like a great spec Rick, I would have to agree, seriously underrated!
I also have a 57 plate 3.0si coupe completely agree I've drove some seriously fast cars and nothing puts a smile on my face like my z4, what a forgotten legend
Had my 3.0 Si sport E86 for coming up to 2 years now and still in complete love with it. Ticks so many boxes and they are such great value for money.
I have changed gearbox and diff oils on mine (Redline MTL) and it did make a difference but still baulky when cold. The actual running costs for me have been extremely low IMHO. I do all the work myself but parts are quite cheap, even doing the big DISA valve wasn’t expensive.
Keep enjoying it and putting out content, good video.
Glad to hear you're enjoying yours! I may look at doing the gearbox and diff oils later this year. Good to hear your running costs have been low also, its all a bonus on top of a great ownership experience in the first place. As you say, parts are generally cheap too. Thanks for watching!
Like you, this car was first brought to my attention by Jay Emm’s video on it which was great. I’ve now owned mine for 3 months and just got back from a 700 mile road trip to Wales in it, didn’t skip a beat and was so much fun on mountain roads yet comfortable on the long drive back too, unbelievable value for money. Your content on this car helped make the decision to get one so thank you and so glad to see you’re keeping it, don’t plan on selling mine for a very long time. If anyone is considering getting one, just do it!
That's great to hear Joe, glad you had an enjoyable trip in it! And thanks for all your support too - absolutely great cars these!
I also bought this car down to yourself and JayEmm… had it since Feb and I fall in love with all over again every single time I get in it
Great to hear and so glad you're enjoying it!
Informative and accurate video.. The M is everything you demonstrate and so much more. Love it.
I’ve been looking for a Z4 coupe for a while and have watched most of your videos, which are great. I’ve finally bought one which I’ll pick up this week - and I’ve just realised it’s your car! 😊 It’s great to see that you took good care of it 😊
Ah thats really good to hear, I'm so glad it's made its way to another enthusiast! I really enjoyed my time with that car, I certainly hope you do too! Please do let me know how you get on!
Had mine over 5 years now and I'm still not bored.
Thanks so much for all the videos and attention that you bring to this gem of a car! Ive seen the Jay Emm videos on this one, but it was mostly your content that convinced me to pull the trigger and buy one. Absolutely love it and don't think I would need the M variant. Now on to upgrades! (Already have done a cone filter intake just for the sound, going to get a set of the sport seats and probably do the exhaust).
So great to hear Austin and thanks for watching them! I'm glad you also enjoy the car. Sounds like some great upgrades you have planned, I'm sure the cone filter must sound good! If there's one thing for sure, it's that the N52 has awesome intake sound 👍
Great video as always!!!
Love your Video about the e86. Im with an Automatik an it works very well compaired to other 07 build Cars and i dont have that problems with Clutch & Shift theme. Looking Forward for more content . Stay healthy ✌️
Yeah I've heard the automatic is pretty decent actually! Thanks for watching, appreciate it! All the best 👍
I had an MR2 Spyder on snow tires for 2 winters while i owned it in Spokane Washington. I was a little skeptical at first but it turned out to be an absolute winter beast.
Great video! Your earlier videos on this car definitely helped me take the leap. Drove from the South West to Dundee to pick up my 3.0 Alpine White 2009 E86. It had 60k miles on it and I’ve put 6k on it over the last 9 months taking it to Scotland and South-East France. So much fun but still reasonably practical and comfortable on long trips.
Absolutely love mine. Ticks so many boxes. The only reason to get out of it is to see it from the outside!
Agree with the steering comments though, I do find the feel a bit strange at time and hasn’t heard much about that before I bought. Maybe just never experienced electronic like this before. Actually putting sport mode on helps compensate a little.
I had slightly dismissed this variant as I fell in love with the M but as soon as I learned what this had to offer I understood.
Beautiful car and still think these are heavily undervalued. Perfect modern classic!
Awesome to hear James - sounds like a great example you have there and really pleased you've been enjoying it. Fully agree with your comments.
Yeah its interesting because I think the 3.0si is easily overlooked, but a lot of Z4 M owners have said they prefer the 3.0si, I think perhaps it's the better road car.
Indeed, absolutely undervalued at the moment and a modern classic no doubt. Thanks for watching!
Great work. Your passion for the car shines through. I've had mine a little over a year too and I think it's a proper petrol-head car we'll not the see the like of again. I don't see anything else I'd change it for.
Thanks Darryl, fully agree with you. Glad to hear you're enjoying yours too
Great review 👍
I just bought my 2004 Z4 e85 3.0i and changes the plugs, belts, fluids, tires, brakes, re-charged the A/C and it runs like a dream!
Hope you continue to enjoy it!
Nice video, even better road! It always tends to be quiet on that stretch.
Yeah its a favourite of mine for sure!
what a car bro !!!
Just discovered your chanel as I am gathering information for a Z4 M Coupe. I have to say the edit is high level ! well done
Thank you very much! I hope your search for a Z4 M goes well!
@@FootToPedal Just to thank you for the motivation you gave me to find a Z4 Coupe. I have signed yesterday for a M Coupe in interlagos-blau metallic and black interior with the famous "Carbon leather" Have a great 2023 !
@@thomaslcmt Sounds like an incredible spec! Hope you enjoy the car when you pick it up, thanks a lot for watching the videos :)
Welcome back! Good review. Best wishes!
Thanks man, hope you're well!
@@FootToPedal Indeed! Take care!
Currently own an '03 E85 3.0i 6MT with the M54 for the past 2 and a half years and it's honestly a great car that I was also thinking of swapping but don't regret keeping for a second every time I take it out for a drive and chase after its (lower) 6500 rpm redline or blast it through a tunnel !
Engine has always been solid and reliable overall and as long as you respect it, it will take care of you. Maintenance has been far from ruinous.
And not only is it a good sports car, it's also actually a good GT, even in the roadster form as mine is.
Drove an E86 with an auto a long time ago and that N52 is an absolute peach, it was my first time in a Z4 then and the memories of trying it out on the Paris ring road are still vivid... Probably what got me to get my current one 🙂
Thanks for the video mate 👍🏽
Great to hear of your experiences! Glad you're enjoying your E85, the M54 is a great engine.
I really love the N52 as well, it's a very nice engine to live with and use regularly. Also agree that these cars work very well as GTs!
Thanks a lot for watching!
Spot on as usual, I couldn’t agree more, wish we had those roads in Canada!
Thanks for watching Dennis! Yeah we are lucky with the roads here, Canada has some stunning scenery though!
Time for a road trip?
Would like to take mine to Europe soon!
You need to come to the coast of BC ;) Epic roads to stretch your legs out with this car!
Great Car super Design 🤩
the E86 might be the best bang for your buck car on the market right now, owned mine for 3 years now and driving it is still an occasion to me, great video mate :)
I would be inclined to agree! Underrated too. Glad to hear you're enjoying yours also, thanks for watching!
Over here in the states they've ticked up about 8-10k than pre-covid times. Very frustrating.
@@RaabsIn513 Yeah that's interesting, I think the E86 is definitely seeing some upward pull from increased demand, but here in the UK I'd say prices have softened by about £3k since the pandemic died down. Ultimately though I think prices are on an upward trend
In belgium they are expensive , starting from 20k 😮
Great to see you're loving the zed.
If you remember, I commented on your video when you bought it.
Would you go back to the mini from this beauty?
All the people that give it a second look too as you drive past. ❤️
Thanks Pete, objectively the Z4 is the more capable car and probably a lot more rewarding to drive. The JCW was a lot of fun but I wouldn't go back to one after the Z4, I would however own one alongside the Z4. Thanks for watching!
I have an E46. It's terrible in real snow even with DSC. But we don't get much real snow in the UK so I wouldn't worry about it.
Change the “lifetime” gear and diff fluid. Plenty of tutorials on TH-cam.
Get that car on a race track! You’ll love the car even more. You can track these cars completely stock however the one thing I’d recommend is to replace all of the brake fluid with a high performance one like ATE TYP200 so you can be confident that you won’t get brake fade.
Great video as always
Thanks Rob! I may look to change the gearbox and diff oils later in the year.
Yeah good point on the brake fluid too!
Have had mine 4yrs, awesome car. Very low running costs. Just had a service @ BMW, less than 100 pounds. I also changed to non runflat PS4's (thanks to your advice). I'm not EVER selling mine (is a 2nd car)!
Wow < £100 is great, not something you see too much on new cars! Hope the switch to PS4's was worthwhile. Continue to enjoy your Z4 👌
Cheers mate...am in South Africa, so could be more cost effective!
Yes quite possibly!
Bought mine after the Jay Emm video. Literally went into the garage this week, sometimes pierced the radiator. First problem over a year of ownership
Damn, yeah that's annoying but should be a fairly straightforward fix. Not bad for a year of ownership though!
@@FootToPedal I’m a mechanic so not exactly sweating it. I bought one with FSH, all gaskets and seals had been replaced, new water pump, refurbed abs unit, I had to replace the valvetronic motor gasket and clutch (it never had a new one recorded, at 140,000 miles I played on the safe side).
But I knew I’d be doing that before I put the money down.
Lovely car probably my favourite I’ve owned In 20+ years of driving.
Sounds like a great example, definitely got all the important stuff covered off there. Hope you continue to enjoy it!
@@darkchild130fsh what is that.?
@@stasn3715 full service history
Awesome video! What camera/mount setup did you use for the between the seat shot? I really enjoyed that central perspective looking out forward and it looked super stable
Thanks very much! It was the dji osmo action mounted to a delkin fat gecko dual suction cup mount.
Watched most of your Z4 coupe videos. Great review. I'm based in China where there were a total of 200 E86 Z4 coupes imported, EVER. I constantly observe the used market via popular mobile apps and throughout the country there are about 3-5 E86s for sale year round, scattered throughout the country. I am looking to make a purchase once I find the right deal. As it is 2023 these 2007 models are not too expensive, but being in China where the car culture surrounding some of these older cars is sorely missing I do not imagine the buying process is going to be easy; another problem with this is that well maintained cars are hard to find--I once test drove a 2009 z4 convertible (2.5L) and the thing felt like it was falling apart. Once I do become an owner of an E86 I suspect I will go to the Z forums for suggestions and likely need to leave questions for owners like yourself. This is going to be a challenge, but hopefully one that I will enjoy.
Wow thats really interesting to hear, sounds like car enthusiasts in China don't have it too easy then! I hope you manage to find an E86 at some point, they're great cars to own. The forums and TH-cam are a great resource with plenty of helpful people who can answer your questions. Wish you all the best with the search!
@@FootToPedal Thanks! We are few and far between here in China. The novelty of some of these cars wore off a long time ago. In fact it feels as though the two seat coupe/roadster market is currently dominated by Porsche. The likes of 350/370Z, Miata, and Z4 are only popular mong a VERY niche customer base--one that has the extra money to spend and the passion for something like the Z4. Whereas those who purchase Porsches don't really love the car as much as the glamor/prestige attached to being in one.
Yeah thats a shame, I'm glad you are keeping the passion going over there!
Check the market outside china, maybe even consider importing one. there is so many companies who specilized in importing the car from eu
@@stasn3715 Thx for the suggestion. I've semi given up on getting an E86 as recently they have become even rarer than before. Currently I am in the market for a 981 Cayman. Going through the trouble to import older cars from outside of China might no longer be an option as the emissions policy has become more strict than before.
Very informative - thank you. I’m currently torn between this and a Cayman 3.4s. Tough call??!!
Thanks for watching! If you're talking about the 981 Cayman S, that will absolutely be a better car than the Z4. The 987 Cayman S will likely be closer to the E86, but I'd still say the chassis on that will be better and it'll perform better when driven harder too
Just picked up an E86 after watching your videos many a time. I had a roadster a few years ago, and the Coupe is a much more different driving experience than I thought. Thanks for the videos mate, they played a large part in convincing me to go for one! This may have been asked before, did you take any of the foam out of the sound 'generator' pipe, the induction note on your video sounds great! I'm tempted to have a tinker and remove a bit of foam. Keep up the great content!
This is great to hear, thanks for watching the videos! Although I've never driven a roadster, I've heard quite a few people say the Coupe is a very different experience. I'm sure you'll enjoy driving the car, the N52 engine is awesome too!
Yes I removed one piece of foam from mine, made a big difference to induction noise. I tried removing two pieces but that was way too loud for my liking. I'd recommend trying it, you can hear the induction noise much better!
I think the key thing you notice is just the extra rigidity round corners and the added comfort with the lack of road noise etc which for me is kind of a good thing. I bought mine as a daily, so I wanted more of a 'Sports GT' feel so I actually wanted to feel kind of less vulnerable on the road and have less road noise on longer drives. I found the Coupe was a lovely place to be driving it back up the M1 after picking it up. I do miss having a bit more sound when giving it the beans that the convertible provided so I think added induction noise will be the perfect meeting point. I'm going to have to remove a bit of foam if it sounds anything like yours! I really missed the N52 engine
Yeah I can say from experience it works well as a Sports GT, that is pretty much exactly how I've used mine the past couple of years. Overall pretty comfortable on longer journeys and has enough storage space to carry luggage etc for longer distance trips. The N52 has to be one of BMW's best engines, so much torque down low, smooth economical, revs out to 7k RPM - what's not to love! I've sadly just parted ways with mine, I'm sure I'll be back in an E86 at some point in the future, absolutely brilliant cars!
@@FootToPedalifs been brilliant so far, really answered the brief as I’ve just come out of an S2000, which is absolutely fantastic as a “toy” but didn’t really suit my tastes for a daily. Sorry to see you’re no longer in one, but no doubt you’ll be back in one again. I’m on my third z4 now 😂 keep up the great content mate
I have a z4 coupe auto and sound is different compared to your car.
With manual gearbox ,engine sound is More deep at low rpm 3:42 it look like a M sound
i dont know if it is only on mine or on all auto box but my engine sound is not same at all however n52 is same with the 2 transmission i still wonder how is it possible as engine sound should be same regardless of transmision type
On realoem back box exhaust has different part number on auto and manual ) but not sure it is the culprit i have investigated but dont know where this problem comes from next step is to replace my sound generator .
Foot to pedal please if you can try to find an auto box z4 and do a test drive to compare it will help me a lot
Considering to buy one… great video! Would you ever change / alter the exhaust sound? Thanks
Thanks! I may do at some point but I don't think it's a necessity as they sound great from factory!
had one of these 8 years ago and had a itch since I sold it, currently in the process of buying a green one, 1 of 22 in the uk I'm told
Nice one, hope its as good as you remember. Yeah green seems to be very rare, I think I've only ever seen one of them for sale!
@@FootToPedal 🤞, hopefully I dont regret it
Thanks for video. One question: is that original factory exhaust? Asking because of that poping sound. I have automatic one but not that loud sound 👍🏼
Thanks very much! As far as I'm aware the exhaust is factory yes, as it appears to be a full original system. However I only really hear the popping sounds from the outside of the car
Hey, I noticed you're running M alloys on your coupe, just wondering what tyres you've got on the back? I've got the same set up on my roadster and the rears rub a little. Someone said its because the M cars had a slightly narrower back axle to accommodate.
Yeah I've got 255/40 tyres on mine, have found they rub occasionally on the upper part of the wheel arch liner, usually when the car is near to full suspension travel. Wouldn't surprise me if something was either different on the wheel arch liner or with the rear axle setup on the Z4M as you say! Worth the compromise in my opinion though as I prefer these wheels to the regular split-rims.
Put M bushes on the front arms... Better steering feel
What transmission fluid are you using... I think some people with m54s run 50/50 Redline MTL and Redline ATF... fact check me, but I use straight MTL because I never had an issue with the thicker stuff.
Yeah no this is a good point, I'm not sure what's in there currently but I've heard several people using ATF now and it apparently makes a noticeable difference. Perhaps worth considering! I'll see what it's like this winter I guess
@@FootToPedal Or just let it warm up like you are already doing. :)
Precisely, not too much of a hardship but would be nice if it was a little smoother on those colder mornings!
@@FootToPedal No doubt!
Can a 6’2” person be comfortable in this car? Beautiful car and love the set-up.
Potentially but would recommend driving one for a bit to make sure
@@FootToPedal I’m gonna do some test drives this spring, in part because of this cool video (I was heading towards a 300ZX TT) and I’ll let you know. Thanks for replying and the video.
@martindouglass3248 best of luck!
There is a 2006 bmw z4 si for sell near me. High mileage at 190,000. Selling it for $8000
What's the highest mileage youve hear on Z4?
Will the engine break down on me?
What is the worst thing could happen?
That's certainly pretty high mileage, I think I've heard of a few over 200k, if the N52 is properly maintained it can easily survive beyond that mileage.
Statistically there is a much higher chance that car will have issues, the list is potentially endless if you take a pessimistic stance on it. The most important thing to do would be to get a proper inspection, test drive the car and only pay a price which seems fair for any maintenance or repairs that would need to be done!
@@FootToPedalThank you!
That is extremely high mileage and for that price it’s a rip off. I looked at one in California with the exact same mileage and price and it drove like crap. Avoid it if I were you
Do you still own E30 Touring?
I sure do, very much enjoy that car!
Until the end... haha :)
Too right!!
I’ve owned a caterham and a couple of original minis.
Trust me the Z4 steering is fine.
I’ve experienced much worse.
Yeah for sure, I too have experienced much worse. I actually like the Z4 steering overall, just does a couple of weird things sometimes!
@@FootToPedal I think what you loose through the steering you feel through the seat anyway.
And yes, feels a little strange at times.
The first thing I noticed was the high speed sensitivity
@@GadgetMart I would agree with you!
While I definitely need a new steering rack, it’s comforting to see what I’m experiencing with the steering isn’t unique. The twitchiness does take some getting used to, but it doesn’t matter at all once you’re driving in the twisties. Still feels very precise and the handling is cornering is downright surgical.
Can anyone please answear me why these types of cars always has that bewitching antenna? It ruining my favorite car.
It's because they're 10 or 15 year old cars, some of them even older and that's just how it was done back then with the old FM radio units. You can get shortened antennas for these cars which make them only a few inches tall
@@FootToPedal T.y. for your reply. I wonder what Picasso chose to ruin this car. If I had a license, was stinky rich and it had no antenna, this would be my car. Just not an M though. That's too much power never used.
Fair enough 😂
@@FootToPedal Not sure if you are laughing genuinely due to fun, or condecendingly. Others after all, might find it laughable that I don't want too much power.
Nope, nothing bad about not wanting too much power, quite often that's better than having too much which you can't use on the public roads
can’t find a used one for nothing they only mad a handful
There's a few for sale here in the UK usually but finding an exact spec you want can be more difficult
Got a deposit on my 3rd coupe 👍
Great stuff Carl, I'm sure you'll enjoy once again
As quick as I wrote I have just realised it has no xenons ...I have had halagon and xenon on a coupe and no way I want non xenon ...think I have fkd up
Xenons are definitely better, but I think you'll have no issues with halogen lights, wouldn't worry too much about it!
@@FootToPedal cheers I have had both xenon was vastly better from memory