The weather is great, so we sought the right second-hand car.
What is a cool convertible? A Z4 is a nice option.
It looks good, a cool car to see.
I just told cameraman Martijn that even today it doesn't look dated.
It handles great, the engines are nice, and you can drive topless.
That's the case for all convertibles, but I think it's a pro.
For the engines we got to choose from a 148 hp 4-cylinder and 6-cylinders.
Those range from 168 to 338 hp for the Z4 M, the cherry on top.
There are manual and automatic gearboxes, so you can pick one.
ENGINES gasoline
About 150 cars are for sale on AutoScout24.
About 2/3 has leather upholstery, which is nice in a convertible.
If a bird shits at the wrong moment, it's easier to clean leather than fabric.
3/4 of the cars has a manual gearbox. About 40% has parking sensors.
We don't really need those in this car, but for those who want it:
you know they're easy to find. You drive a Z4 for 10,000 euros.
Prices start at 9,800 euros, for which you already have some choice.
If you want a younger car with less mileage etc.:
the youngest E85 cars, the one before the current Z4, are 35,000 euros.
PRICES minimum, average, maximum
Of course there's things to watch out for when shopping for a second-hand Z4.
We do our research partly on the Internet, but a warning:
if you search for BMW Z4, you'll see it's an active community.
A lot has been written about "problems" with the BMW Z4.
Some is true, but the rest-- Stuff breaks in all cars.
If you find 1 story about a broken air valve, so be it.
But that doesn't mean it'll happen with all Z4s.
Of course there are things to watch out for, more so with convertibles because of the roof.
It's complicated and can break. The electric windows may not close properly.
Check if they go up and down smoothly and close well.
With the roof closed, see if there's play between the glass and the roof.
Also check if the battery area under the trunk's lining is dry.
If not, there may be a leakage at the roof's motors, which then break.
That's a serious fix of a couple of 1,000 euros.
As with all BMW straight-6 engines, listen for ticking at the double-VANOS valve timing.
You both hate and love VANOS. It works great, then it breaks down.
Check if there are no clicking lifters in the N52 engine.
The only fix is a new cylinder head, which is expensive.
Then again, if they tick, it won't break right away.
You'll have to consider to keep driving or to fix it for a lot of money.
Choices, choices!
Then there's some issues with the chassis. A BMW has a more sporty suspension.
That causes more vibrations which break things.
Rubbers wear faster; bearings, ball joints etc. can break.
The older, pre-facelift models (2003-2005) suffer from sticky steering.
That feels like you need to keep making corrections and power steering fails, etc.
Check this, because it's an expensive fix. The whole wheelhouse needs replacing.
This car was collected at Vaartland.nl Apeldoorn.
A silver exterior, pretty wheels, black interior; a nice combination.
It has a lot of features, which is good for your quest.
For 17,000 euros this is a nice, affordable car.
It has run about 40,000 miles, so it's good for many more.
THIS CAR
Thanks to Vaartland.nl Apeldoorn
Subs - Maru
