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Thread: Opinion Poll On Owning A Winter Car / DD

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
    Location
    South Berwick, Maine, USA
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    17
    My Cars
    2004 BMW Z4 Convertible

    Opinion Poll On Owning A Winter Car / DD

    Hey All,

    I'm relatively new to this forum, though not so new to the BMW Community as a whole (a great community!). If this is inappropriate to ask here or should be moved please let me know.

    To preface this, I live in Northern Maine most of the year, so we get a pretty steady deluge of snow for 3-4 months a year, and often times I need to be on the move even when it's snowing (which is often during the winter). The roads are typically plowed and salted, but where I go to college tends to become pretty pitted with decently sized potholes during the winter especially, and there is always a slush of salt/mud/snow that exists on the roads. It's not uncommon for me to come out in the morning to drive around and there to be a blanket of snow on the ground, and often times after a deep snow it can be quite a challenge to get the Z4 out especially since it gets beached. I also recently bought a motorcycle, and had to move, and I realized just how inconvenient it can be to not have a car with more practicality for those events.

    I bought the Z4 in Southern California, so it is utterly rust free, and I cleaned it meticulously for the few storms we had this past late spring to keep it that way. Ideally, I'd like to keep the Z4 for use during the summer, and have something with more utility (storage, 4 doors, towing ability, etc) for the winter or the occasional trip where the aforementioned is needed. I imagine this is not an uncommon thing for Z4 owners.

    I know you can run snow tires, and I'm not opposed to it, but seeing as I have begun doing my own work and what the prices are I think a mid 2000s X3 (model years after they fixed the suspension) or maybe an X5 would make a nice complement, though I'm open to suggestions! So, my question is simple, what (if any) do the rest of you drive as a DD or for when the weather gets nasty?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Seneca, SC
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    364
    My Cars
    2007 750i BMW; 2003 Z4 3.0 BMW; 2002 Lexus LS430;
    Get a front wheel drive "beater" like and old Camary or so for the winter.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    New Jersey
    Posts
    119
    My Cars
    2008 Z4
    The Z is a 3rd car for the wife and I. We have a 2014 Pathfinder and I DD a 2011 Caddy CTS wagon. Before that I had a 2002 Subaru Impreza wagon and wife had an older model Pathfinder.

    Depending on financial means Im not sure an X3 would be best option. Although it would be fine with awd bimmers tend to be expensive to maintain, especially in the NE with the weather that increases wear compared to SoCal.

    Why not find a fwd Camry or Accord or a Subaru which are all easy and relatively less to maintain and can do well in the winter? Plus styling on the X3, X2, X1 isnt my thing.

    You have a budget? Specific needs other than snow/rain?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2018
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    South Berwick, Maine, USA
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    2004 BMW Z4 Convertible
    Personally I’m not against getting a econobox, a fwd Japanese car wouldn’t be a bad compromise.

    While I do have a budget, I’ve begun doing my own work so costs have been kept down pretty well. I bring in a good amount (I’m about to graduate as an Engineer, and work during breaks as an intern that pays quite well). I spend pretty frugally, so my savings is always quite high. Ideally I’d like to keep it under $10K, I know I could buy a used Honda or Toyota for $3K that would get me from point a to point b all day, but after having owned a mid 2000s BMW 530i and now a BMW Z4, both which have treated me very well for less than $8K each, I could justify spending more for another BMW and running it for several more years. I really like BMWs from the mid 2000s, the new ones are objectively better but after growing up with my dad driving a mid 2000s 3 series and having had my own, I personally enjoy them more, and the depreciation is a massive bonus.

    My specific needs if I buy a second car are the following:
    -4 Doors
    -AWD/FWD
    -Good ground clearance (we have potholes and snow drifts here in Maine, don’t want to get beached)
    -Basic towing capacity, at least enough to tow my motorcycle (~1000 lbs with trailer)

    My wants:
    -Large vehicle in case of a more likely accident in the winter
    -AWD/4WD
    -Larger towing capacity, ideally able to tow the Z4 should I move cross country, but at least enough to tow furniture, my motorcycle, etc
    -A bed if it can’t tow a lot (the old Ford Ranger would work)
    -Storage, room in the back to fit large furniture if I need to move houses, even if it can’t shut all the way
    Last edited by TitanUcheze; 08-04-2018 at 05:58 PM.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    Highlands Ranch, CO
    Posts
    40
    My Cars
    2006 Z4 ///M
    When I got my Z4, I kept my Honda Pilot. The Pilot has been very dependable, low maintenance, and is good for hauling and in the snow. Whenever I get the chance I drive the Z4, but if the weather is not good, it's the Pilot that gets driven. The Z4 is definitely a fair weather garage queen.
    2006 Z4 ///M - Interlagos Blue/Beige


  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    Southwest, Ohio
    Posts
    213
    My Cars
    2007 Z4 3.0Si
    I have a 2008 Honda Fit we bought used in 2009 for $11k.
    That was ~134k miles ago and I have had zero driveline issues and zero rust. I perform maintenance religiously.
    It's lived a rather harsh driving life with my lovely mrs and my son driving it through 4 years at OSU.
    Used GD3's are pretty cheap, they hold allot of stuff and they drive like any other fwd car out there. Plus, the added bonus is it fits in just about any parking spot you an find.
    Last edited by cdsweet; 08-09-2018 at 03:40 PM.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Location
    Dayton, OH
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    2005 BMW Z4 3.0i
    I know this is an old post but... You CAN NOT have a Z4 as your only car. I drive an Elantra as a daily and I need it when it snows or if I'm going to make a Costco run.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2010
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    Portsmouth, NH
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    2007 E86 3.0si

    Crazy Talk - cars are meant to be driven

    Quote Originally Posted by SSJH5862 View Post
    I know this is an old post but... You CAN NOT have a Z4 as your only car. I drive an Elantra as a daily and I need it when it snows or if I'm going to make a Costco run.
    Of course you can. I've had an E86 as a DD since 2010. I live in New England, and 4 studded Nokians make it a winter beast. One of my favorite car quotes came from my days in the VW world - courtesy of Dick Shine (SRSVW - Shine Racing Services): "You can either drive your car, or touch yourself looking at it."

    Our cars are meant to be driven.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
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    Arida Zona
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    z3
    Quote Originally Posted by SSJH5862 View Post
    I know this is an old post but... You CAN NOT have a Z4 as your only car. I drive an Elantra as a daily and I need it when it snows or if I'm going to make a Costco run.
    Maybe not where you live, I daily drove a Z3 M roadster for 4 years...

    No snow in AZ

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  10. #10
    MauiM3Mania's Avatar
    MauiM3Mania is offline Observer/Master Skeptic Moderator
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    Quote Originally Posted by f1fork View Post
    ..... One of my favorite car quotes came from my days in the VW world - courtesy of Dick Shine (SRSVW - Shine Racing Services): "You can either drive your car, or touch yourself looking at it."
    Excellent. Veiled apologies to my Cars and Coffee friends.
    04M3 TiAg 69k slick-top 3 pedal
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  11. #11
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
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    Miamisburg, Ohio
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    1997 328iC, 2003 Z4
    With a budget of $10k you can get a 3 series with x drive. With winter tires they can go about anywhere you need to go.

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