To Z or not to Z

[DailyGuy]

Hey guys. I would like to get your thoughts.

I have a 2016 Honda Pilot. Nice family SUV.
Single dad of two kids 12 and 6. I have them 50/50.
Bored driving the Pilot when I don't have the kids.
Thinking of getting a second car for fun. Would use it only about 3-5k miles per year.

Ive been thinking of getting Z4 for quite sometime. Ranging from $10k-26k.
For the same price, I can get a sports sedan like G37, Q50, Lexus Gs350. This would be more practical and still get the performance...but not a Z4 . Spending $26k for such little usage seems too much for an occasional use.

What are your thougts? What would you do/pick and reasoning? I'm torn between the pros and cons of both.

[pbpbpb]

I too, was a dad with a Pilot. Oldest is driving, so I needed to buy another car...

...until I figured out that I could stick him with the E350 and buy myself a z4 for the six miles through the woods that I drive each day. Thrilled with my decision, and wish I did it sooner. Who wants practical anyway? With four kids in my family, two seats is a feature, not a problem.

Do it.

[CTHuskyinMA]

Another dad with a Pilot (2015) and while it is a great, reliable vehicle, I find it a bit boring. I had a Z3 that I sold three years ago and last year the itch got me into my '03 Z4. For $10k plus tires I find it satisfies my impractical side.

[DailyGuy]

Thanks guys. I'm looking at Z4s from '06-'13 and trying to justify the higher cost of hard top and more tech. I tend to over analyze things to its a bit painful. hah!

[BimmerBreaker]

Get an 03-08 z4 for ~6-8k

[4jacks]

The hard top is not worth more money. Soft top is life. If you said you like the headlights or modern features, then okay.

$26k will get you a really really nice Z4. If you have $26k set aside for this purchase and want to find the newest nicest Z4 you can find, no one would fault you, but honestly you will likely be just as satisfied with an 03-08' 3.0i for less than half of that.

I bought my 03 with 29k miles on it for $11k. It's out of warranty. There are items that need to be maintained from age, so I understand the desire for newer cars for people who don't wrench, but the value is outstanding.

[cdsweet]

If you're only driving it 3k-5k per year then buying a $26k version would be a waste of money to me. These cars do not appreciate or maintain their value unless it is the M.
I would say the same as BimmerBreaker above. Find a nice clean documented 2003-2008 for $6k-$8k and plan on spending a few dollars to get its issues worked out.

[gpraceman]

If you're only driving it 3k-5k per year then buying a $26k version would be a waste of money to me. These cars do not appreciate or maintain their value unless it is the M.

You can get an M for $26K or less. I paid $19K for my 2006 a couple of months ago. It had 56K miles on it. Mine is certainly a garage queen, so it will not be getting a lot of miles put on it.

BTW, my daily driver is a 2007 Pilot. The Pilot is great for hauling the family or a boat, but I enjoy driving the Z4 far more.

[DailyGuy]

The hard top is not worth more money. Soft top is life. If you said you like the headlights or modern features, then okay.

$26k will get you a really really nice Z4. If you have $26k set aside for this purchase and want to find the newest nicest Z4 you can find, no one would fault you, but honestly you will likely be just as satisfied with an 03-08' 3.0i for less than half of that.

I bought my 03 with 29k miles on it for $11k. It's out of warranty. There are items that need to be maintained from age, so I understand the desire for newer cars for people who don't wrench, but the value is outstanding.

wow, that's a great find. When did you buy that? Most of low mileage I see here in phoenix are in the way above the carfax or kbb. Granted they are on Craigslist for a while.

Spending 26k, inwas trying to justify it with hard top, new body, tech...it's just a different car inside and out.

If you're only driving it 3k-5k per year then buying a $26k version would be a waste of money to me. These cars do not appreciate or maintain their value unless it is the M.
I would say the same as BimmerBreaker above. Find a nice clean documented 2003-2008 for $6k-$8k and plan on spending a few dollars to get its issues worked out.

How do you define low mileage? Lower than 50k? For 06-08, they are asking 15-19k with about 35k miles. It sounds like you guys are getting it much lower.

Im assuming you don't buy warranty on your Z4 at this age? What max mileage is good guideline?

Thanks...I'll take the 03-08 route. As much as I love newer car, really having a hard time justifying 26k...which the seller just called yesterday and dropped it to 25k (2013 z4, 45k, 30i with M sport pkg ). Actually a great deal compared to market that's why I've been tempted.

[toddhunter]

If its not going to stretch you financially then I would say go for it.

I just bought a 2008 Z4 convertible last Saturday. Sunday washed it and we took it out for a day in the country with the top down. Had a great time stopping in small towns, a roadside vegetable stand, and eating lunch at a mom and pop seafood restaurant. The car really made the day.

Car is huge fun to drive, very solid and planted, throttle response is nice.

I was looking for a standard but ended up with a auto because it was hard to pass up. I am old school so to me a sports car should always be a standard, but I have to admit the auto trans in this car is a joy to drive. I have not messed with the sport of manual shifting but in normal mode it adjusts nicely and I dont mind it at all.

[cdsweet]

For me, low mileage is 5k-7k/yr... but remember, that could be hard miles and ones with more could have all been highway which is supposedly better for the car?
Just make sure you get documentation on services. Have a trusted shop do a pre-purchase inspection.
I look for single owner versions.
Also, I check under the seats to see how clean it is. If it's full of fries, fur balls and cup lids I tend to walk away... Because this to me, leads me to believe if the owner is like this about the garbage they bring in and leave makes me wonder how bad they are with maintenance. Just a sign of not treating an automobile properly.

[4jacks]

wow, that's a great find. When did you buy that?

I bought mine in February. There is actually a guy on this board who bought a similar low mileage 03' Z4 the day before me. The perfect find is to get someone's garage kept baby. Something with 3k-5k miles per year on it. But the main thing will always be doing a thorough inspection.

If you go on Autotrader, set the distance to any, and sort by lowest miles, you will see a few Z4's. Some look a bit expensive, But there are some decent priced ones on there too. A big challenge, is that once you've narrowed it down so far, you may have to drive very far just to look at it. Then if you drive 2+ hours to look at it, and it's a lemon, you will be cursing my name forever. I drove about 5 hours up and back for mine.

[montaillou]

A z4 is not a particularly practical car. If you're worried on that front, and you have the room consider another car to serve for your practical needs. I used to have a Subaru wagon that I used for snow days, running to the dump and picking up lumber, etc.

Now I have a cargo truck as my second "car", both cars are wildly impractical but I can do anything I want between the 2. What I'm getting at is, get what makes you comfortable, you can make things work if you want to.

[wdb]

For $26K you could buy an E85 M, drive it 3-5K a year, and sell it for what you paid for it. You'd be out maintenance costs, and M's are spendier than non-M's in that regard. PPI is a must.

For half that you could have a clean, low mileage E85 3.0si. As reliable as BMWs get, 97% as much thrill as the M, and you still might get what you paid for it when you sell it.

[tombrhill]

I bought an 03, 2.5 in April. Paint looks great as well as interior, 9 year old tires look new. I got it with 55,000 miles , way under KBB. Seller had 3 other vehicles and only drove it to the golf course. Otherwise it stayed in the garage.

[montaillou]

...9 year old tires look new.

Might be some concern about tires that old.

[BimmerBreaker]

You should absolutely not be driving on 9 year old tires regardless of appearance. The tire compound degrades in time and tires that old can not be trusted...

[Dubbedown]

Get an 06-08 coupe, many would argue it looks better and won't have to deal with leaks from soft top. Find one without navi and you'll have a nice interior that won't feel too outdated. Then it's just matter of choosing 3.0si or M. If you need auto you're then limited to the 3.0si. You should be able to find one for under 15k.

[tombrhill]

Your so right, I'm taking steps to remedy that. I've bought 18 inch wheels to replace the old tires. I wanted bigger tires anyway. I just don't know if I want run flats or noy.