2008 BMW Z4 M Roadster

Pros

Performance Great

Cons

It is not a Porsche

Purchased As New

I traded my 2001 boxster S and bought this car.
This is car is very fast but I feel my Porsche is as fast and much easier to drive and hugs the curves better. Will keep car for a few more years and get a 911 Turbo which is my dream car.
This car the M would have been outstanding if Porsche does not exist. Porsche makes the best German sport cars....read morehide

Pros

Excellent fuel economy, great performance

Cons

Rides a little rough, but that works well at high speeds

Purchased As New

Great performance in this little 6-cyl. roadster. A real treat to drive. Excellent acceleration from 0-60 and from 60-100. Speed tops out at around 165 mph. Car holds the road extremely well -- especially in tight curves. Love the automatic top -- it's up or down in about 10 seconds. Outstanding sound system! Amazingly, they've crammed 10 speakers into the cockpit....read morehide

Pros

Great overall performance and mpg.

Cons

Seat shoud go back 3 more inches. Needs better lumbar support.

My biggest gripe is there are no performance up grates availabale like the other BMW's. It is almost like nobody like BMW or after market tuners cares. I guess it is because they sold very low volume of the Z4M Roadsters. By the way I own a red on red 2006.

Pros

Racing feel, powerfull and fast

This car is nothing more than BMW M POWER!!! Oh yeah... The sport mode turn this car into something really scary, drive seriously.. the look of the car is "muscle look"... I definetly enjoy mine, it has a little bit of luxury, the soprt seats are awesome. As far as the engine 330hp no need for stupid gadgets....read morehide

Pros

Driver position is fantastic and very adjustable. 26mpg if you want it (boring), 22mpg is my ave.

Cons

Ride is stiff but expected with a track suspension. Competition level brake dust.

Got my Z4 M roadster September, 2006 and the honymoon is'nt over yet! The car will drive as smooth as a Toyota Camery (got one of those to), but you have to drive it for a little while and get some practice in order to shift and accelerate smoothly. With 330 honest hp and 3100 pounds, you gotta work at smooth. But when you want the hammer to drop, it can make a grown man giggle like a school girl.

Probably the most addictive things about this car are the sound of the engine at a 3000 rpm cruise speed (about 80mph in 6th), the driver position, acceleration, turn in speed, grip and comfort on a long cruise over decent freeway tarmac. I have throtle steered it a couple of times and it behaves like there is a cable attatched at its center. Very light understeer that converts to neutral with throtle. I usualy drive pretty civil and probably will get 30k miles out of my Contisport tires.

The car is comforable because there is absolutely no vibration. Hard to explain but actually more comfortable than the Camery (this is saying alot) on long trips, and good roads, because of better driver position with regards to hand, foot and butt position. I find the high bolsterd seats to be really very comfortable.

Get on a really bad road though and you'll worry that you are going to crash your track suspension. Slowing down does the trick around potholes, but remember that the air dam up front is low and track friendly, so drive it with respect off road and when parking near the curb or front tire stops.

I've lost track of how many people have said "Beautiful", or "very nice" or younger ones say something like "that car is sick man!". I think Chris Bangle started something because the "controversial" styling cues are showing up on Toyotas, Lexus, Ford, etc., and BMW's sales have been going up big time while the others have actually fallen a little. Including Porch, which seems to be owned by alot of the test drivers and auto magazine reviewers that labled the styling "controversial" in the first place.

I love everything about all of the Porches and respect the brand too much to bad mouth them, but I got Porche Caymen S performance (a little more in a straight line) for a lot less money. For the difference in price I could have bought a 34mpg 2006 Toyota Corolla just for the back seat and gass mileage. It must have the prestige of a Porche because most people think it cost between $80,000 and $100,000.

No problems of any kind yet either. I've used 2 different dealerships because of my own location requirements, and both have been absolutley first rate. Oh, and so far free....read morehide

Pros

Get's looks from everyone especially with optional hard top on it. Drop the top with the keyfob.

Cons

Very low and can hit curbs. Expensive when you do! Runflats are expensive.

Excellent sports car and amazingly fun to play with on curves and mountain roads. Responds immediately to braking and accelerating. There is a massive amount of brake dust (probably because you use them frequently.

Service is first class in every BMW facility and you get what you pay for!

Are there other cars that can be this fun? Yes. But once you can move up to this level, you won't want one of them. It is that much of A DIFFERENCE in performance!...read morehide

Pros

Looks great, decent seats, excellent brakes, torque is amazing

Cons

Little storage inside, a LOT of brake dust, be careful with low front end

If you're looking at the Z4 and don't get the M, you'll be kicking yourself later ("I could've had an M"). Amazing car overall, plenty of power and pulls like a banshee at 4000 rpm which is great for overtaking. Not the quitest car with the top up, but not terrible. Excellent, thick steering wheel and the driver's position is fantastic. When new it is a little jerky coming off the line due to the clutch delay valve breaking in - a well known issue, but nothing major and mine went away after 5000 miles. You can't really use the sport option in town as it really makes smooth take-offs tough, but on the open road it is amazing. Instantaneous throttle response.
The Conti tires are ok, not great, and are not run flats (thank God) but you actually do get a lot of mileage out of them (expect 15-20,000 rear and maybe 30,000 front, depending on driving style). (When they wear out, switch to Michelin Pilot Sport PS2.) For the price, this one is tough to beat - head and shoulders over an SLK, and it's not one of 10,000 Corvettes you see every day....read morehide