That is an insane deal!

 

Wow, what an insane deal. Very cool car, especially given the price and power it makes. Enjoy and good luck!

 

I've got an E36 328I with 142k miles that's been bulletproof and my brother had an E36 M3 with 150k before he sold it so I'm not as worried as you. The engine in the z4 has been evolving for decades and they've got it pretty much down pat. You regularly see the previous iteration at over 150k on the E36/E38.

 

That's why you've got to wait and see what else is comparable.

Nice find, OP. Congrats on picking up a really nice Z4.

 

I would drive that.

And, like any BMW, I would upgrade the head/tail/sidemarkers to whatever clear iterations the final run cars used.

Oh, and those wheels...

 

Headlights don't change, sidemarkers and tail lights do, but tail lights require a whole rear bumper conversion.

Wheels look chrome in the pictures, but they're actually silver alloys. I'd prefer the 5 spoke M wheels, but they're a bit pricey.

 

BMW engines are pretty solid. Even BMW detractors won't touch that. There were a few hiccups with the ECU, but the previous owner got them sorted out, and ESS is one of the most knowledgeable companies outside BMW when it comes to the Z4. So, realistically, I expect to have to replace supercharger components after 25-30k miles, but they're pretty cheap. Other than that tires are probably my biggest concern.

@ikeyballz: Nah, an extra 2k rpms isn't enough to make me give up 380 horses. I'm already addicted. [/QUOTE]
Yeah the engine and trans are stout, I've seen numerous cars go well over 100K and going strong, unlike rotaries jk jk.
Me, I'm more worried about the little stuff that break, like my friend's E46m the other day just needed a, what was it, like a fuse for his smg pump (?) I believe, but when it went out, it was the equivalent to the blue screen of death, every warning lamp flashed, car started to act erratically, and then the diagnosis was a $1500 or $15 fix, and then you gotta cross ur fingers (and im very risk averse and pessimistic in these types of situations), fortunately for him it was just the fuse. But aside from that though, he tracks his car and drives it pretty hard, but the engine keeps going just fine over 100K.
So much so that it's even making me consider a bmw... but I'm too cheap for that .
I took a quick peak at used prices on z4 and was amazed to find that, year for year, they're abotu the same price as an s2000... and they're not all modded out or owned by younger kids too. Man, Z4M coupe, mmmm.
Awesome pick up though, I'm sure you'll have tons of fun, I wish I had the nuts to pull the trigger on such a purchase.

 

The '03s/04's had amber in the headlights vs...



And these tail lights aren't interchangeable?



They look the same, except, in usual BMW fashion, they ditched the amber after a couple years.

The wheels aren't hideous.. they look like Hartge's, but a set of Hamann PGx, Work Meister, or really anything would look better IMO.

I've always wanted a "JDM" BMW (before the E46 crowd went crazy with TE/LEs). A set of CE28Ns would look nice in silver/black/gunmetal/bronze, especially since you can run lower offsets than say, S2000 (and not look like a hellaflush idiot).

But thats what I would do - which means nothing. What are YOUR plans for the car?

 

Can't see the headlights picture.

Those rear tail lights aren't the facelift ones. They're modified pre-facelift ones.

http://www.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=407937

That thread shows the difference between the two. The tail lights are differently shaped. I like the facelift lights better, but I like the pre-face lift bumper better.

The wheels are OEM BMW wheels. I forget the Style #. I'd really like to get some Style 269 wheels but they're pretty pricey at $2k.



If I do change out the headers in the future, I'll most likely also do an exhaust cut out. Thus, earth shattering roar when I feel like it (and it should give me a dozen or so horses if done right), stock sound when I don't. Clear sidemarkers are a very likely addition, though.

 

No they're not.

In 2005 BMW used cleared versions of the 03-04 lights. In 2006 the restyled lights appeared. Also in 2005 BMW ditched the amber in the headlights for clear as well as the BMW roundels on the side.







Not be confused with the rice-o-roni all-cleared accessory tails.

I've toured the Z4 plant a few times