Z4M coupe vs 370Z coupe
 

Hi guys,

This is my first post on here, figured i'd get right down to business.

Situation:

I sold my 2004 M3 coupe. I loved the car, it had an amazing suspension and the motor was excellent. It was very easy and pleasant to drive. Prior to it i had a 2008 STI that was also quite fun, in a different way. I still miss that boxer rumble on occasion.

Anyways, now im in need of a fun car. I want a 2 seater this time with decent cargo room. Must be a manual, and i want to stay in the $30k range. 2 cars came to mind immediately, the M coupe and the 370.

So im wondering if there are any former M owners on here that would care to compare the 2? I have never driven the M coupe.

Thanks,
AJ

Z4
Standard Engine 3.2L 330 hp I6 3.2L 330 hp I6
Horsepower 330 @ 7900 RPM 330 @ 7900 RPM
Torque (lb-ft) 262 @ 4900 RPM 262 @ 4900 RPM
curb weight: 3230
0-60 4.9
Price Range: $45,750 - $51,900

370Z
Standard Engine 3.7L 332 hp V6 3.7L 332 hp V6
Horsepower 332 @ 7000 RPM 332 @ 7000 RPM
Torque (lb-ft) 270 @ 5200 RPM 270 @ 5200 RPM
curb weight: 3232
0-60 4.6
Price Range: $31,460 - $41,820

there ya go. Better performance, less money, seems like a no brainer.

haha of course on a 370z forum ur gonna get lots of support for the 370z. but i think z4 is more soft and more comfortable. it would be more of a luxurious option while 370z is a more hardcore car.

now just ask urself do u want more luxury for a higher price or more sportiness? if ur only driving on the street u probably wont push both the 370z or z4 to its max potential soooooo make a decision based on what u want.

they're 2 very different cars

storage space? don't buy a Z

consider a Cayman?

Have driven the old style Z4M but not the new design. The old design was more raw and viseral then the new compared to many. The Z4M seemed to have more torque then the Z but the numbers are about the same however the Z4M seemed to have more seat of the pants feel. For the money the 370 is the better deal for putting a grin on your face but the BMW felt more refined and expensive on the inside. Comparing both 2010 models, the BMW seems more like a small Astin Martin with nice luxury touches whereas, the 370Z seems more basic and down to business. Both are quick however, I am not sure the 370Z wiill average 0-60 in 4.6.

:iagree:
My brother has a 2007 Z4 M Coupe. Great little vehicle. Raw and visceral is right. The brakes are very touchy. I think the balance between brake and gas pedal pressures is much more even in our 370Z. Feels like the driver sits lower than in the Z. The 370Z is a little more civilized and I find it more tolerable as a daily driver. Yeah, the 370 is more like 0-60 in 5.0 s (there was only one source that I came across that stated 4.6 s). Both vehicles are very similar. Big difference in price. Don't forget the cost of ownership of a BMW is $$$ as well. Also, typical problems with electrical gremlins and little items like easily breakable cupholders. Don't get me wrong, I like the feel of my brother's car and I would be happy to own one. I have lots of respect and admiration of that car. Of the two, I would still choose the 370. If you could find a used Z4 M Coupe in good condition that's great. However, I don't like the new Z4 for several reasons: bigger dimensions, tamed down for mass appeal (styling, sound, suspension stiffness, etc), and a price increase...therefore I would definitely steer clear of that one. My $0.02.

i'm also not sure the Z4 will average 4.9 either.

We had a last generation Z4 roadster, and have a '10 Z4 Sdrive 35i. The M coupe was a whole different animal. The Z4 is my wife's car and the 370 mine. Even though I haven't driven mine in the time that we have had hers because of the track mishap, I still think I enjoy the raw feel of the Z better, but like I said, the M coupe is a different beast, and it would be hard to compare.

If you aren't into modding, the fact that for the same price the 370Z will be new, could be a big factor with the warranty. I've voided the warranty on just about every car I have owned soon after delivery, so that wouldn't matter to me. You should try to drive them back to back.

^^ The Z4 sDrive35is is the real beast…….with 369 lb-ft at your command for short bursts!



2011 BMW Z4 sDrive35is First Drive

I think i should have clarified. Im looking at a 2006-2008 Z4M, the one that people say feels raw and visceral. They have dropped to the $30k range and are price competitive with the Z i think. Many of them can be had with BMW's CPO warranty so a 2008 model will have warranty till 2014.

I've got the Cayman S as a remote possibility since i don't know anything about Porsche maintenance cost or insurance cost. The dealership down the street has one in the low $40ks.

defnitely check out the Cayman S. That thing is way above and beyond both of these cars. My friend had one and it was pretty damn nice.

There's no new Cayman S selling in the $30k range. Not sure why that keeps coming up as an option.

As for Z cargo space, I find there is actually lots of space. I routinely drive around with a tool box, two large plastic containers of work supplies, a duffle, tire inflator...the rear hatch holds more than you would think. You can easily fit a weeks' worth of groceries in the back even with all the other crap i have back there. Could you put the luggage of a family of four back there? No. But I've found that it's quite capacious.

Red 370: If he's not convinced with your tale-of-the-tape, NOTHIN'will convince him, dude!

Update!
 

I got the chance to test drive a beautiful graphite 40th anniversary Z with sport package. I took a day to subconsciously summarize what i learned and felt about the drive, and Ill try to compare it to my old M3. Ill detail my experience here:

Dealership Experience

I don't know about you guys but every time Im shopping for cars i cringe at the idea of going to a dealership. Pushy salesman, the "we don't let people test drive our cars" line, and the lack of knowledge about what they are selling (and sometimes outright lies) are contributing factors. No so with this dealership. They were willing to find whatever car i wanted and trailer it if i wanted.

I've got to say my experience with the salesman, sales manager, and the dealer in general was very good. They asked me first if i was legitimately interested in the car. I showed them my company ID and told them i was serious and thats all that was needed. They drove it off of the showroom floor and gave me the keys. The salesman was an older retired gentleman who later told me he used to drive a Triumph, well what do you know, a fellow enthusiast! If i were to ever purchase a Nissan i wouldn't hesitate to go to him.

Car Impressions

I like the interior overall. I like the snug feeling in the cockpit; it has exactly the amount of room that i need and no excess. I didn't notice any cheap plastic on the dash, doors, storage compartment in the middle, or the audio and air controls. I felt the switches for the seat heaters were a little cheap, but no big deal. I didn't like the red color of the seats or the fabric material. I think i would go with black matched with a red exterior paint. The gauges were nice and clear, the tach where it should be and the pods are a nice touch. The most disappointing aspect of the interior was the exterior visibility. The blind spots are HUGE and I had to look several times to make sure i could change lanes. The cargo room was adequate for my needs.

Im still coming to grips with some aspects of the exterior, although generally the car looks good in person and in pictures. The rear quarter panel above the rear wheels looks odd to me at certain angles, and the generally high belt line of the car is weird. I love the wide fender arches for the rear wheels when seen from the back. I like the 19" forged wheels as well.

I didn't want to push the car too much due to break in so i kept it civil. I drove it briefly on the highway and then on some back roads. I've got to say im impressed with the suspension. It wasn't harsh at all and very composed with quick direction changes, minimal body sway, and even over bumps. Dare i say it was as good as my old M3 in that department.

The Synchro Rev Match feature is really nice, and the shifts felt short and direct. The M3 had longer throws and was a bit more lazy. The transmission was still new and i wasn't used to the clutch travel so i took it easy with the shifts, but i just love that the motor instantly responds to a downshift. One thing i did notice is i have the tendency to coast in neutral and when i do, i wiggle the shifter. Sometimes the car thinks im about to downshift so it'll try to rev the engine. Im not sure if there are any dangerous implications to this but luckily i was traveling at very low speeds so the car didn't rev high or anything like that. But it surprised me.

The motor is where i was the most disappointed. I felt it didn't have that presence of torque that i felt in my M. Right at 2000rpm is when the M3 would wake up and then it would pull strongly all the way to redline with the motor singing beautifully. The 370 im sure is very fast, but it didn't feel like it. The engine revs smoothly and the tach and speedo build quickly, but it didn't have a sense of urgency to it. I didn't have the heart to push it to anywhere near redline, but I suspect its behavior at the top of the rev range isn't too far from the 350Z Nismo i tested a few months ago. Its not the car's fault, i just didn't realize what a gem of a motor the S54 really is.

Generally when you drive back you instantly know if the car is right for you. I had that feeling when i drove the Nismo and the M3 back-to-back. But with this car i had mixed feelings. I loved the snugness and look of the interior, the super cool rev match feature, and the wide-body exterior and this is what brought me into the showroom. But when asked if i would walk away with the keys, i couldn't honestly answer the man. I had to think about it, and we all know that usually means 'no'.

Now its a matter of finding a Z4M and seeing how i feel about it.

Thanks for reading.

I hear you about the engine.