Z4 Coupe vs E30; Which to keep

[funcrew]

Update. The day of reckoning has been delayed, because my wife grabs the Z4 to go to work every chance she gets. Once she figured out how to turn off the stability system, I never see the car anymore. At the same time, I retired, and have been whittling away at the usual long list of fixit stuff on the E30. Latest upgrade is a new HVAC blower that pushes lots of ice cold R12 air at fan setting 4. Now leaning toward selling the Z because parts on the E30 cost 20% across the board. I only put maybe 5K a year on my daily, so the E30 should be good for another 50 years or so before it wears out. The N52 on the other hand scares the hell out of me. The hydraulic lifter ticking is really annoying, and there's no known reliable fix for it. Also to clarify, the Z is much much faster and more hoonable than the ragtop. Will update again if either of them gets sold.

[mr2peak]

Do you need 4 seats? This is really the only important detail.

[Varinn]

I feel like I'm in a position to comment on this, but both mine are a bit different.

Neither of my cars are stock, and my e30 is the more modified of the two but in a comparative sense I find I tend to enjoy the e30 more as a drivers car. It's not as fast but it certainly FEELS like it is. My sedan has an S52, mid-lock LSD, manual steering rack, no AC, and H&R sports. MCoupe has Bilstein B12, VMR v810's with 275 and 245, motor/trans mounts, Stromung cans, and some minor addons here and there. The S54 has balls and the car drives great but even with the Stromungs the sound doesn't compare to the S52 in the e30. The chassis is too isolated and driver feedback is great, but not AS great as the older e30 which tells everything.

I would not exactly call either car comfortable, the M coupe definitely less so but I've never sat in a non M to compare. It's tolerable for an 8 hour day but you do feel it after.

I agree with the guys above that the Z only really looks good from the back and in the case of the M's I find that a good set of fat wheels and tires makes it that much better. The front is a bit bulbous for my taste, and personally I think the bumper and hood are made acceptable only by the hood ridges and the aggressive lip on the M model. In my mind an e30 almost always looks cooler, so long as it's well kept and has nice wheels and tires.

Both get an equal amount of attention, while the coupe gets me more of a "WOAH DUDE JAMES BOND CAR!" reaction that can at times be real annoying. The e30 gets tons from real car guys that would love to stop and talk and it doesn't make you feel like a popped collar douche like a Z4 does.

All that in mind my choice would be to keep your vert. Maintenance in mind you're right about the pricing. The e30 is cheaper to drive, more entertaining, more interesting, and the values are only going up. I don't know the market on a Z4 coupe non-M but if it matches the roadsters you don't stand to gain anything back as they are likely dropping. The M roadsters are depreciating slowly, but luckily (for me) the M coupes are holding in most cases or even rising. If your values are doing the same it might, MIGHT be worth keeping but keep in mind the mileage from a daily driver use will murder any returns.

[Dagamus(NM)]

Z3 M Coupe is pretty decently priced. Get an s52 based and then turbo it when you want more.

you can get a well sorted rare variety with low miles for under 30K. I got mine last year at this time, low miles, clean title, Dinan extras, full super sprint exhaust. The interior was not original so it wasn't a true collector car. $15K. Got ran over by a semi truck in the canyon two months later after a tire blew out in the rear. Insurance paid me more than I paid for it. I am getting ready to do a house remodel and some other things so I need to tend to my remaining e30s before acquiring another. When I finish my Ph.D it will be a gift to myself I believe.

Lack of interest in the Z is an issue. Another reason for getting a Z3M, it is a cross between an e30 and an e36 m3. Take a look at the mcoupe buyers guide before ruling them out.

[funcrew]

Also, I'm 53 and squarely in the "asshole BMW driver" demographic perfect for the Z. People in traffic don't even blame me, I'm just a stereotype.

Another factor though is forum quality. The Z guys mostly don't know shit about the guts of the cars. From R3V, I feel like I know the E30 mechanical bits intimately, whereas I don't have the remotest knowledge nor interest in how the Z works.

Keep the ideas coming, this is good feedback.

[funcrew]

Sell them both and get a good clean Z3 M Coupe.

Who the fuck can afford one of those nowadays? The non-M M54 model is still within reach though, and way cooler than the Z4, coupe or not. Hmmmm.

[Zeemz]

Your clean E30 is appreciating, your Z4 is depreciating....

[Javier h]

Easy

Ditch the e30 and cash in on the appreciation. They is always an e30 if you ever want back in.

[c0rbin9]

Tough choice man, that's all I got to say.

It's a lot harder to find another E30 in that condition if you sell it and decide you made a mistake, so consider that. If you think you'd never get back in the E30 game though, doesn't matter.

[TobyB]

Sell them both and get a good clean Z3 M Coupe.

this. A z3 coupe drove by me yesterday, and I started drooling...

Or ditch the E30- the Z4's much prettier.

t

[UlrichFennec]

Ditch both, get a minty E39 M5.

[varg]

I'd have a Z4 coupe over an E30 convertible any day, especially as a DD. It's really ugly from any angle other than the back, but it's faster, more comfortable, and probably handles way better. I'm biased though, because even though I really like E30s, I dislike the convertibles. I think the E30 looks wrong with a soft top, and the convertibles are painfully slow and lack the road manners of the coupes and sedans.

[E30 Wagen]

keep Z4

[Dagamus(NM)]

Sell them both and get a good clean Z3 M Coupe.

[dnguyen1963]

If I were to get rid of my E30, the Z4 coupe is next on my list. Why can't you keep both? The E30 costs practically nothing beside the normal PM stuffs...unless you are running out of parking space.