rich337

[QUOTE=Dr. WOT,Feb 24 2010, 11:30 AM] This is ultimately what frustrated me about the S2000.

waltk88

The Z4M Coupe is a less expensive alternative to a Cayman S. The Porsche offers similar performance in a better balanced package. I think the Porsche beat the BMW in pretty much every comparison test, with driver confidence being a consistent factor in the wins.

However, the Z4M has a quirky quality to it. It's not the obvious car to buy or recommend to a friend who's in the market for a sportscar. It looks a little weird but is strangely attractive. It's an intriguing car, and much more exclusive than the Cayman.

David1

Maintenance is not to bad. You have to remember that the motor is basically a detuned race motor. There is nothing like that motor, it's so visceral! Its just the big service around 60K miles. (or the serviceII) That's the biggy with the valve adjustment. And you can not do it yourself unless you have the BMW tools and the whole shim kit. There are some guys that have this stuff on the M boards and rent it out and charge you for the shims you used. The whole service/inspection valve adjustment plus whatever else they find runs about 1200 to 1600 bucks.

herminator

you could just put an SOT blower on your S and call it a day,

the powerband would be similar with the S being a good bit faster, but no awesome BMW sound.

rich337

Yeah I looked into the Cayman S also. They were slightly more expensive (for the price I paid for my '08, I would have gotten an '07 CS), but I did find some stripped cars that were cheaper.

I agree the CS is more balanced and offers a great driving experience. However, it was almost too sublime. I like the explosiveness/raw edge of the Z4M. That and the overall quirkiness won me over. I'd probably prefer the CS if it was my only car though.

Also in terms of reliability, I'd rather take a risk with the Z4M over a CS. I think the S54 has gotten over its early production woes and has proven to be a solid powerplant.

tarheel91

Yeah, every comparison I read except for one gave the Cayman S the advantage because it's easier to drive. That one comparison that liked the M better was by a guy with considerable race experience, so I guess how easy to drive it is doesn't really matter.

For me, the Z4 M is to the Cayman S as the ZR1 is to the Audi R8.

Edit: In terms of performance only. That analogy falls apart when it comes to looks.

tiger1964

Not the word I've have used, but YMMV.

steviec

No, it is ignorance. People with no first hand experience furthering their own agendas with anecdotal and often simply made up data.

With the prices dropping as much as they have the only worry I would have is that a bunch of young kids are going to end up owning enough of the cars to drive up the rates as they wreck them.

rich337

thankfully theyre arent as many for that to happen.

and for the record, the Z4M is cheaper to insure than my S2000 was

[DT]

I always really dug on the M Coupes. Kind of quirky from a design standpoint, but still attractive. Great power, exclusive, nice interiors.

re: maintenance and repair costs

After owning three [new] BMWs and seeing the potential costs out of the service/warranty period, I can say that some concern is not unfounded.