MR_Y
Well-known member
Mega update....
Work done:
A day after taking delivery of the car from the dealership, the car was booked in with 357 for a full assessment. After their report, I agreed to get the major and medium level issues all fixed. The low priority issues will be tackled next year. I was keen on replacing the clutch and flywheel, given the car being 16 years old, but decided to budget for that later - it is still performing well and the workshop didn't note any issues when driving it. I also decided to live with manual locking/unlocking and no CD changer (it worked once but jammed and stopped working entirely). If you are keen on an E85 (non M) and want the full rundown of all work done, drop me a DM.
Valet:
357 were kind enough to add on a valet at a decent price after the work was done. Full interior deep clean and exterior polish. That weird smear on the passenger seat has disappeared and the leather now looks great for a 16 year old car. I declined ceramic coating, given that the paint condition is not 100 perfect and that added cost is not warranted. Anyway, white cars look good with minimal care. Paint touch ups may be on the cards in the future, if budget allows.
Niggles:
- There is a cubby between the seats. The light switch there has broken, so it stays on even after closing the cubby. A bit of Prestik has solved the issue, by jamming the switch to make contact to switch off when closing.
- The above mentioned CD changer and remote locking are both not working, but I don't care to fix them.
- The driver floor mat catches the stopper under the clutch pedal. I chucked out the mat and I may look for a replacement in future.
The Drive:
Even after all the suspension work done, new shocks, control arms, Eagle F1 non RFT tyres, alignment, etc., there is still a numbness/vagueness around centre point when driving at high speed in a straight line on the highway. No wandering, pulling, vibration. Just a numb/lifeless feel that does not instill much confidence when pushing higher speeds. A Google search shows that this is a common issue with the non-M E85, since the 2.5 and 3.0 cars have early technology electric steering. Pressing the Sport button does firm up the steering when turning, but does nothing to add feel to the centre point at higher speeds. At first, I was disappointed, but after some driving on the highway, I got to accept it and is not really a deal breaker because this car is not going to be used as a long distance, high speed cruiser.
The car really comes alive when tackling winding back roads. When turning the steering in Sport mode, it adds more weight, that helps you feel (even if it is artificially) what is going on with the front wheels.
Comparing the drive to my 2013 981 Boxster (that thread is elsewhere on this forum: https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/threads/2013-981-boxster-pdk.92475/):
- Even though the Boxster is a newer generation car, its size and style is similar, though it has a DSG instead of manual box and is mid engined.
- The 2.7 Boxster boasts better power and torque figures (195kw vs 160kw, 280Nm vs 250Nm), but the 2.5 Si Z4 produces peak torque lower down (2750-4250 rpm vs a high 4,500-6,500 rpm) and this makes the Z4 feel sprightly in traffic situations, even with a manual box. You will note in my Boxster thread from 2020, that I complained about lack of low down torque and how 1.0TSI Polos used to pull ahead quicker in traffic conditions. The 2.5Si has no such problem - the torque is easily accessible low down and the gearbox/clutch are easy to use to enable quick getaways. However, when pushing higher speeds, the Boxster is better and pulls stronger at higher revs.
- The mid engined Boxster is way ahead of the front engined Z4 in terms of handling poise and steering feel. However, is a 981 base Boxster really 4x better than an E85 Z4 2.5Si to warrant that 4x price difference? No, however a 987 for around 2x the price may be worth it, if budget allows (noting that maintenance is not as pocket friendly as BMW aftermarket).
- While not driving-related, the spec on the Z4 easily blows away that of the 981 Boxster. Auto dimming mirror, full leather interior, electric seats with driver side memory, awesome sound system and tyre pressure monitoring system. Also, the E85s seats are comfier overall over the standard 981 seats.
Fun factor:
The car is very chuckable. It has just enough power to enjoy yourself without losing your licence. The gearbox is a pleasure to use and that ZHP gear knob is a worthwhile upgrade.
The 6 cylinder motor sounds good when pushing it. I decided to keep the exhaust stock - it delivers a nice sound. Spending more money is not really worthwhile, for now at least.
I am happy with the car. It does what it needs to do. Apart from the dead steering at straightline high speed, there is little to fault on the car. With prices of the prefacelift E85 2.5i (5 speed, 141kw) creeping up, it bodes well for this LCI 2.5Si future resale value.
Here are some updated pictures.
Work done:
A day after taking delivery of the car from the dealership, the car was booked in with 357 for a full assessment. After their report, I agreed to get the major and medium level issues all fixed. The low priority issues will be tackled next year. I was keen on replacing the clutch and flywheel, given the car being 16 years old, but decided to budget for that later - it is still performing well and the workshop didn't note any issues when driving it. I also decided to live with manual locking/unlocking and no CD changer (it worked once but jammed and stopped working entirely). If you are keen on an E85 (non M) and want the full rundown of all work done, drop me a DM.
Valet:
357 were kind enough to add on a valet at a decent price after the work was done. Full interior deep clean and exterior polish. That weird smear on the passenger seat has disappeared and the leather now looks great for a 16 year old car. I declined ceramic coating, given that the paint condition is not 100 perfect and that added cost is not warranted. Anyway, white cars look good with minimal care. Paint touch ups may be on the cards in the future, if budget allows.
Niggles:
- There is a cubby between the seats. The light switch there has broken, so it stays on even after closing the cubby. A bit of Prestik has solved the issue, by jamming the switch to make contact to switch off when closing.
- The above mentioned CD changer and remote locking are both not working, but I don't care to fix them.
- The driver floor mat catches the stopper under the clutch pedal. I chucked out the mat and I may look for a replacement in future.
The Drive:
Even after all the suspension work done, new shocks, control arms, Eagle F1 non RFT tyres, alignment, etc., there is still a numbness/vagueness around centre point when driving at high speed in a straight line on the highway. No wandering, pulling, vibration. Just a numb/lifeless feel that does not instill much confidence when pushing higher speeds. A Google search shows that this is a common issue with the non-M E85, since the 2.5 and 3.0 cars have early technology electric steering. Pressing the Sport button does firm up the steering when turning, but does nothing to add feel to the centre point at higher speeds. At first, I was disappointed, but after some driving on the highway, I got to accept it and is not really a deal breaker because this car is not going to be used as a long distance, high speed cruiser.
The car really comes alive when tackling winding back roads. When turning the steering in Sport mode, it adds more weight, that helps you feel (even if it is artificially) what is going on with the front wheels.
Comparing the drive to my 2013 981 Boxster (that thread is elsewhere on this forum: https://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/threads/2013-981-boxster-pdk.92475/):
- Even though the Boxster is a newer generation car, its size and style is similar, though it has a DSG instead of manual box and is mid engined.
- The 2.7 Boxster boasts better power and torque figures (195kw vs 160kw, 280Nm vs 250Nm), but the 2.5 Si Z4 produces peak torque lower down (2750-4250 rpm vs a high 4,500-6,500 rpm) and this makes the Z4 feel sprightly in traffic situations, even with a manual box. You will note in my Boxster thread from 2020, that I complained about lack of low down torque and how 1.0TSI Polos used to pull ahead quicker in traffic conditions. The 2.5Si has no such problem - the torque is easily accessible low down and the gearbox/clutch are easy to use to enable quick getaways. However, when pushing higher speeds, the Boxster is better and pulls stronger at higher revs.
- The mid engined Boxster is way ahead of the front engined Z4 in terms of handling poise and steering feel. However, is a 981 base Boxster really 4x better than an E85 Z4 2.5Si to warrant that 4x price difference? No, however a 987 for around 2x the price may be worth it, if budget allows (noting that maintenance is not as pocket friendly as BMW aftermarket).
- While not driving-related, the spec on the Z4 easily blows away that of the 981 Boxster. Auto dimming mirror, full leather interior, electric seats with driver side memory, awesome sound system and tyre pressure monitoring system. Also, the E85s seats are comfier overall over the standard 981 seats.
Fun factor:
The car is very chuckable. It has just enough power to enjoy yourself without losing your licence. The gearbox is a pleasure to use and that ZHP gear knob is a worthwhile upgrade.
The 6 cylinder motor sounds good when pushing it. I decided to keep the exhaust stock - it delivers a nice sound. Spending more money is not really worthwhile, for now at least.
I am happy with the car. It does what it needs to do. Apart from the dead steering at straightline high speed, there is little to fault on the car. With prices of the prefacelift E85 2.5i (5 speed, 141kw) creeping up, it bodes well for this LCI 2.5Si future resale value.
Here are some updated pictures.
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