yasalexis

When I first decided to get a roadster convertible, my first instinct was the Z4. I found the design to be interesting. A couple of friends at work pulled photos of the ZR and compared them to the Z4 - we decided that the ZR seemed to have a more elegant profile, but that's a matter of personal opinion. After heading down to the BMW dealership and taking a test drive, there were a few things that just didn't compare to the S2000 or the ZR. The Z4 I test drove seemed to have more body roll around turns than the S2000 or the ZR. Options (e.g. Xenon headlamps) were very pricey for the Z4. The car soon was priced over the $45,000 mark. The S2000 and the ZR seemed to be better deals and overall I liked the lines better of the ZR (matter of opinion though). Since I was going to make this my daily driver, I also considered that the ZR felt like it gave me the most room.

albailey

first, to the sales guy that said the z4 is a woman's car -
does this sort of tactic work often for you?

hrohawg:
thoughtful response - here's my take:

1) 10k more for comparable z4? my 3.0l was 39k with every option but nav, and i'm
getting old and soft, so loaded was what i was after. (47.6k sticker)
2) wind control: there are 2 bmw accessory windscreens available, one a nylon 'net'
type, and the other a clip in framed version whick is more substantial.i
honestly have not found a need for either, as i can easily carry on a
conversation at highway speeds.
3) controls: i'm a big fan of toyota/lexus's control layout - but that's just what
i'm used to. it didn't take me long to become accustomed to the bmw's.
4) local dealer: i'm with you there - 70 miles to the nearest dealer would definitely
rule that brand out for me, especially for a first year model!
5) hard toneau?: the front portion of the z4 top is solid and its own tonneau, so it
doesn't require a separate piece.
performance: i went with the 3.0l, not based on performance, but on options that
came standard, rather than, well, optional .the 2.5l was plenty peppy for me, but then
i don't street race (find street racers to be too afraid of *real* competition at the track),
and i'm coming from literbikes, so just about any car pales in comparison.
6) fit and finish?: the 350zr that i checked out was very well put together. i haven't found
any issues with my z4, so i'm happy.
7) interior room: 6'2" and long waisted, and i wasn't able to find a comfortable seating position in the
350zr, or the g35 sport coupe.
8) roll bars: i think the z4 roll bars reflect the overall design well. they are pretty big
though, and now you've given me a complex
9) safety: i don't think nhtsa has done a crash test on the 350zr, but the z4 was tested, and did very well.
the high beltline of the 350zr was exactly the reason i ruled out the sc430 as well - if i tried to rest
my arm on the top of the door, it was uncomfortably high.

myInfinitig20: ?

theSmoothDome: latch thing - yeah, ya gotta be pretty lazy to not want to deal with even *one* latch, BUT,
there's a mod in the works for the z4 to operate the top remotely with the key - slick!

Rushguy: why price out a z4 when you don't even like the way they look? your liking the more
feminine lines of the z8 jives perfectly with your preference of the 350zr.

so, here's my reasons for getting the z4:
*love* the design! that more than anything made my decision for me.
other convertibles considered/driven: boxster s, audi 3.2tt, lexus sc430, and the 350zr.

i'm not a bmw fan, except for their bikes. you couldn't pay me to have a 3 or 5 series (blah), and the
cult of the //M seems really ridiculous, but the z4 just hit me right where my hopped up '63 mg midget did, only
gussied up to fit my mid life crisis perfectly.

there's other reasons i could come up with, but it just felt *right*, and that was that.

so, to the original poster: get some seat time in several cars - you've gotta *love*
a roadster. you can jerk around with performance stats and all that crap, but it's
gotta be about how it makes ya feel, rather than numbers or what your pals think...

good luck with your Z's guys, they're great cars! - al.

Hogstar

Hi guys, I'm new to this site. I just bought a Chrome Silver Roadster and I agree with "Whataguy". I preffered an AC cobra but it's out of my reach. I'm not dissappointed. This is a great car and a great attention getter. I prefer it to the Beezer and I think some Boxer owners are a little jealous. Anyone seen this car with racing stripes?

Tony04

I drove four cars before deciding for the Z. I drove the S2000, Boxster, Z4 and the 350Z. The S2000 is too small, the Boxster too expensive, the Z4 too much of a nose. The decision was easy. By the way, my second car is a 2001 325i!!!

To350ZorZ4

Thanks everyone for the great info! Is it foolish to even consider an automatic? Seems like a shame to get an automatic in any of these cars. You know how it is, you get so spoiled with the ease of an automatic that a stick seems like a hassle, especially with cell phones these days.

Anyhow, I'll be hitting the dealerships with all your good info in mind. Wish me luck!

theSmoothDome

Now you gone done start another new argument . The automatic/manual argument happens here every few months. I'm not sure about the Z4, but the 350z 5AT has a manual shift mode so you can have the best of both worlds. I've never owned an automatic sports car before, but I'm glad I bought one this time around. Others will tell you that it's "not a sports car" if it's an automatic. . Do what makes you happy and be ready to have some uhhh, mature people, question your manhood if you opt for the 5AT.

To350ZorZ4

I was hoping someone would have good things to say about the auto trans. I'd like to go auto if I can get close to the same thrill.

I see you are a san diegan too. What dealer / salesman did you buy your ride from? Do you want to recommend them or were they just another dealer.

albailey

i've never driven the z4 with steptronic, but another big reason i went with the z4 was the sequential manual gearbox (smg). i love manuals, but have a daily stop-n-go commute of about 30-45 minutes, and was not looking forward to clutching along in gridlock every day. the smg was the perfect compromise, having the 6speed gearbox mated to a hydraulically-actuated clutch (don't quote me on this!). an automatic and a manual mode give me the best of both worlds, and the shift paddles on the wheel are really convenient. the one (minor) drawback with the smg is it's not quite as smooth as an automatic's torque converter.
- al.

theSmoothDome

The only dealer in San Diego who has a decent selection of Z's at all is Mossy Nissan. You can see their inventory here. http://mossynissan.com/list.asp?model=350z

Mossy's one of those no-haggle shops, so you know exactly what you're going to pay. Currently, they're knocking of 1k off of MSRP on roadster.

Due to some strange circumstances, I ended up making my purchase at Mossy of Escondido. Salesperson was Therese Ochoa. If you live up in that area, I'd definately recommend her. I would also recommend Enrico at Modern Image if you're planning on putting a clear bra on.

350tre

i just purchased a 04 enthusiast coupe, cs, i have auto also, some of my friends have been given me the line ïts not a sports car"f that. i read a lot about the 350z and heard a lot of people having problems with the gears and the clutch so i decided to get the auto. i also live in philly and there is always stop and go, plus the auto shift mode is fun as hell, and as said earlier it is the best of both worlds..

straderp

I faced exactly the same dilemma.

I did quite a bit of research on both cars. I liked the way both looked, I liked that I could get a convertible in either. I liked the features and options available on both. The Z had better performance, but the Z4 was more rare/precious. Apart from the price difference (irrelevant when you love the car you're buying), I couldn't find any distinguishing factor between the two.

Then I actually saw both cars together in traffic. My reaction to seeing the Z was far more visceral and moving than my reaction to the Z4. The Z4 looked great, but the Z was astounding to me. That moment, by itself, was pretty much the clincher.

I did a little more research, however, and I ran across the Edmunds.com road test of the vehicle. (http://www.edmunds.com/new/2004/bmw/...content...BMW*) The major point that caught my eye in the article was the reaction that folks had to the exterior of the car. People loved it or hated it. People that hated it on first sight, didn't change their minds, as they usually do, over time; they still hated it after seeing it the 100th time. The review also pointed out that the exterior was designed by Chris Bangle, who also did the 2002 BMW 7 series. That particular model was the shortest-lived body style in BWM's history. Needless to say, I began to be very concerned about not only my own impression of the car's appearance (fair to middlin'), but also how other people would react, and how that would affect my resale value--and my long-term satisfaction with the car.

I have to say though, that despite my reservations from my research, my reaction to seeing the two of them together was the deal-maker. I loved the Z, and the Z4 paled in comparison.

Make your choice wisely.

shimz350z

cmon...the automatic it's very impressive for an auto. I drove stick for a while and out of certain reasons...had to get an auto. I test drove both and I thought I'd be dissapointed BUT i was wrong. As far as the steptronic is concerned I don't really used it much(especially in a straight line you'll probably better off letting the auto switch for you since it will take you to redline. I guess the electronic throttle(i think that's what it is) reacts fast enough. If you read some posts here there are some auto's stock hitting high 13's 1/4.

Chasw1269

Dome,

I went with the 5at too & think I made the right choice(even though I originally ordered a I have the best of both worlds. Mine is a daily driver, so I didn't want to be shifting in traffic. With this tranny though, I can drop it into manual shift & hold my own with a lot of cars. If you don't have it yet, I recommend putting on a 4 gauge grounding (earthing) kit. You'll get some debate from people on this mod, but it's helped mine. The first thing is, mine now idles around 400-500 RPM when in neutral. Maybe it's my perception, but it also seems to shift a little crisper when in manual mode.

azjimbo

I own a BMW and a Track Z.BMW makes great machines.But the bottom line is I think the Z4 is downright ugly.Add in the fact that it is way overpriced the Z Roadster would be my choice.

To350ZorZ4

Thanks for the referral. I live in Carmel Mountain so Escondido is not too far. Do you want me to give her your name? If so, let me know what it is. Did she let you do a long test drive, like a couple of hours or was it the usual 20 minutes with her in the car. I want to take my wife, but I don't want to make her sit at the dealership while I go have fun.

theSmoothDome

That's good to hear as I was considering this next. Who did you get yours through?

theSmoothDome

Well, I actually drove it down at Kerny Mesa. The salesguy there wouldn't let me take a roadster out, made me test drive an 03 coupe. When we got back, the leasing manager and I were talking and salesdude got his butt chewed out for not letting me take an roadster. Next thing I know, I'm in the roadster . It was only like a 10 minute test drive and afterwards, salesguy didn't want to take a deposit. He just said he'd call if one arrived like wanted.

I ended up calling Therese up at Escondido and did the deposit over the phone. My only test drive with her was when my car arrived (well another that matched my specification...6 weeks earlier than mine was due in), she drove down to Kerny Mesa where it arrived and let me drive it up to Escondido to do the paper work. Funny thing was, I ran into the same salesguy who didn't want to take my money. Boy, was he feeling stupid. Let a guy walk away and order from someone else.

Anway, if you use Therese, feel free to tell her Terry sent you.

Good luck with the purchase! You'll love the car.

Chasw1269

Actually, my buddy copied it from another friend's kit. We used Phoenix Gold 4 gauge power cable & gold plated ends. After all is said & done though, If you find one with 4 gauge, gold plated ends, and diagram instructions for $100 or under, I recommend buying it! I ended up spending $80+ on the cable & ends. At the time I did mine though, they were still going for upwards of $200. I've seen them on some of the websties for $80-$100 now. I can't remember which sites though. I usually check: courtesy nissan, hop up racing, or zcarparts.com & compare prices.

To350ZorZ4

Thanks Terry, I will contact Theresa. You're right about kearny mesa. They suck. We went there today for a test drive and stood around for 15 minutes. Apparently no one wanted to help us. Salesmen walked right on by and didn't even acknowledge that we were there or that someone would be with us shortly. So, we left and went to Pacific Nissan in PB. They were great. Low key no pressure. The salesman was pretty weak though.

Test drove both the Z and the Z4. I was surprised that the Z was not that much faster than the Z4. On paper, the Z has a whole lot more hp. The Z4 has a better feel as far as build quality and I like the way it sounds better. The two cars are very comparable otherwise. The Z is a lot more bang for the buck. It's hard to justify an extra 12k for the Z4.

Really hard to make decisions with these short test drives. I read on this board about some dealers that will give you the car for the day or for hours at a time. I'd like to know where to find those dealers, because I don't think they exist around here.

Well, I got some thinking to do. My gut tells me I want the BMW, but the Z is damn close and a lot less $$. Thanks for you help!

To350ZorZ4

What's the benefit of this mod? Does it effect the warranty?