its deff the clutch as you can learn to adapt around it, its one thing i think BM should be ashamed of its just not good enough in a car in this price range
still Kangarooing through junctions like your L plates have fell off is a small price to pay and it makes the tools in the Helled up astras feel superior, so a bit of comunity care as well.
im told removing the CDV from the hydraulic line improves it no end

 

Last week Surrey BMW dealer quoted 'cost to change' of £10k against a £21k 3 Series 320SE auto gearbox hard top convertible.

Going forward I fear that fuel guzzling low spec. high road taxed sports cars such as the S2000 will suffer the worse in depreciation.

Be curious as to the CTC when viewing next week a 100 mile nearly new top of the range MX-5 priced at £16k, and a new A3 cabriolet later in March.

 

Drove a Z4m coupe last saturday.

First impressions:

Much more refined than the S2000. Internally it has all the bells and whistles that the S doesn't and as a coupe it is much quieter on the road in normal driving. I got the impression it would be a more relaxing daily driver as if you want to overtake or just speed up you can use the extra torque and not have to rev it like you do the S.

The gearbox is not as good as the S2000's, but i thought it was fine.

Much more torque lower down, but still quite a peaky engine. It makes a great noise when you use the revs

It was quick enough for me.

Brakes seem very strong, possibly over servo'd.

Didn't get much change to experience the handling but it felt very planted and gripped pretty well on the 2nd circuit of a roundabout at both front and back.

As an overall experience i really liked the car.

Its going to be more expensive to run than the S2000, but doesn't seem too bad. Servicing alternates between an oil service and an inspection 1 or inspection 2 with service intervals of 12500-15000 miles depending on use. I do around 10k miles per year so worst case would be an inspection 2 and an oil service in 2 years which would average at £675 per year service cost.

I want one now.

 

Get one bought then.

One final thought. If you do a track day in it, it will massively reduce the service intervals as it's fuel based servicing. I know you do track days in caterhams now, but I just thought you ought to know.

I do like the Z4M Coupe though.

 

Nearly bought one last weekend. Unfortunately when i actually came to finalise the deal the dealer reduced the price i'd negotiated with them for my car in part ex from £11k to £9k.

So i told them to go forth and multiply and i'm looking for another at the moment.

I don't think i'll be tracking it to be honest.

 

Well, i've just had one in for servicing/brakes - what a palava! Person bought it to me because Porsche charge £120 a corner labour (Whereas I charge £0).

Step one in designing a brake bracket - aluminium, steel, salt = no chance of getting that out. Worse, Porsche supplied the completely wrong sensors, but were certain they'd given the correct ones. I also then had to drill the pads to fit the sensors in, and the sensors themselves.... They tell you to replace with about 35-40% of the friction material left. Oh, and good luck removing the caliper hose with the 10mm spanner that is supposed to fit it

Absolutely a great car to drive though, really is

 

If you use the car and put anything like average miles on it, then you need to treat those figure as starting prices only. I would budget at least £3K a year to maintain it properly over say three years (including a BMW warranty). If you don't maintain the warranty you always risk Armageddon.

 

Warranty is £900 per year.

If i buy privately i will be putting a warranty on it.

But i will be doing circa 8k miles per year. So yes, servicing costs are servicing only. I am aware of and expect significantly higher running costs than the S.

I suspect that i'll keep it for 2 years at most.

But i think i'll enjoy those 2 years

 

It's the //MSurprises you have to watch out for.

An MOT has just cost me just shy of £700 - and some of the parts/work were under warranty.

I don't know if it applies to the whole network but the service I've had from two different dealers so far has been absolutely top notch. They bent over backwards to accomodate me in an awkward, last minute situation this week

Go for it, and take the pain

 

335i with some good mods.
All the way.
19k servicing if you like too.

Have had the car almost a year and zero intention of selling it.
Cost so far one service and brake fluid at the dealer to keep warranty circa ££270 inc.
And a set of tyres at £550.
Not bad, did a track day and 12k on it too.