New car - Z4

[reRESERVEDFX]

Hi

I'm new to the forum but fortunately not so new to the BMWs. I'm looking to buy a new car and I looked up the Z4, 330i fully equipped, 545i, or an M3. From what I've seen and driven so far I like the M3 the most but my budget is in about $25000 max. It's hard to get a nice, not abused M3 for that money, so I decided I'm gonna go for the 2nd favorite, the 06 Z4 3.0i with about 12k miles sport/premium/cold weather/manual. Now, I'm just wondering what about the reliability of this car? What usually breaks the most (I heard that it's one of the most reliable BMWs and easy to fix) OR maybe I should go with something else like 06 40k miles 330i or 60k miles 545i?? The 545i is tempting because its got all the toys like sat nav etc and a V8 underneath but then it's got 60k miles and its probably gonna be very expensive to fix. At first I was thinking about 04 A8L but people told me to stay away from Audi's, especially that one because once it breaks I'm gonna have to get out 3 to 4 digit numbers out of my pocket.

So what would be best for me? It's gonna be an everyday commuter which should be nice looking, fun to drive and reliable, so that I could somehow fix most of the stuff myself.

Thanks for help!!

[kpsingh0]

I am in the same boat. i haven't driven all of them but they are on my list. I have done alot of research. I found that you souldnt get a m3 if your worried about maintenance. It like double on m cars. the 545i seems cool but gas is expensive.(not my biggest worry). the 330 just does seem fast enough. so i keep coming back to z4 unless i find a cpo.

[reRESERVEDFX]

Maintenance on an M3 wouldn't be a big deal for me (my brother had E39 M5 for quite a time and it didn't bother him at all) but it's really hard to find one in nice shape that's not abused.

[NoCouT]

Z4's are the best bang for the buck.. find another convertible better priced used. Why buy a CPO? If the car is under factory warranty, why pay extra for the CPO? CPO cars are just cars with extended warranty added in the price.

Originally Posted by kpsingh0

I am in the same boat. i haven't driven all of them but they are on my list. I have done alot of research. I found that you souldnt get a m3 if your worried about maintenance. It like double on m cars. the 545i seems cool but gas is expensive.(not my biggest worry). the 330 just does seem fast enough. so i keep coming back to z4 unless i find a cpo.

[Hawkeye]

NoCouT, CPO is Certified Pre Owned. It IS a 6 year 100K mile warrenty from BMW. It is only for cars <4 years old that have been traded into a BMW dealership. It is a great deal as they usually do not charge much more money for the CPO than they would a car without the extra warrenty.

I use my 3.0si as a DD and I love it. I would not trade it for even a 335i. The maintenance is really low. The only thing I have heard a bit of is if you get a convertable the motor in the soft top can go out. No problems on the coupes as far as I know though

Good luck!

[Pheonix]

Both you guys are correct! CPO is a type of Extended Warranty which add extra cost of the car (yes, the original could also pay to get the CPO if they meet certain criteria.) It adds extra 2 years and 50k miles to the original 4 years 50k miles (which ever come first) from the in-service date. CPO costs are vary depending on the car. I am in the process of deciding wether or not to purchase a 2007 Z4 M Coupe with or without CPO (the price different is $2800).

[nmulax]

Keep in mind that with a CPO vehicle there is a deductible for repairs, and there's some gray are regarding what's covered vs. not covered. Suspension for instance is listed under both categories.

If you can find a nice CPO car for a good price, go for it, but don't limit yourself only to those CPO vehicles. Talking with my Service Manager, he pointed out that I could get an extended warranty from a 3rd party vendor. He suggested GE, saying they're better about repairs then BMW CPO.
The other advantage is rather then pay the CPO premium upfront, you can hold off till just before the factory warranty expires. Gives you time to save some money, plus you could end up selling the car 12 months down the road.

As for the OP's question on cars:
• Yes, the M cars are known to be a bit more finicky and pricey to maintain/repair. That's just their nature, they're a high-performance automobile.

• The 545i is nice, but I'd be concerned with the cost of gas, especially if this will be your DD.

• '06 330i vs. '06 Z4. Really comes down to whether or not you need a sedan, or if you want a two seater. My first BMW was an '06 E90 330i. I bought it new and put 60k miles on it over two years. A pressure leak in the fuel system (that consisted of a hose that was replaced under warranty) was the only issue I had in that time. It was a great car, and I would have no issues in keeping it for years to come.
Both the Z4 and the 3er are fine daily drivers and reliable cars. It really depends on how much space you need. I traded the E90 for a Z4 M Coupe, because I have a Honda Civic as a daily driver, so there was no point in having two sedans.

[reRESERVEDFX]

I guess I will go with either Z4, 330i or M3. More likely the first one.

And BTW I heard that 04/05 5-series 545i was pretty unreliable (kept breaking all the time) true? Owners know best I guess oh and what's the average gas mileage u can get out of 545i because Z4 goes at about 20MPG combined and that's with heavy driving from time to time.

[Hawkeye]

Originally Posted by reRESERVEDFX

oh and what's the average gas mileage u can get out of 545i because Z4 goes at about 20MPG combined and that's with heavy driving from time to time.

Where did you get this? I have a 3.0si and I get AT LEAST 25mpg and I drive really hard. When I drive nicely (the speed limit) I get around 28-30 mpg city + highway

[reRESERVEDFX]

I think I've seen 20 that's why. I just bought an 06 Z4 3.0i manual, m seats, fully equipped except nav, gray with red leather for about 25,550. 100k warranty from Laurel BMW of Westmont first thing first, short shifter and I'm gonna go to best buy look for some decent high tech sat nav system. I love the car already Tomorrow I will post some pictures up!!!

[ATX750i]

Today is tomorrow from yesterday, PIX???