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.

I find the 1st-gen Z4 to be a chick car. get the Cayman S!!!!!!! Save up for your maintenance costs though :driving:

Because the OP said that an S in the low 40s 'might' be an option. My friend with the Cayman S, with the ceramic brakes sold his for 40 because he is a residential surveyor and had to dump it, unfortunately, he did it two weeks after we got our last Z4, or we would have had his instead.

Well,whatever decision you make, I'm sure it'll be the right one for you. Good luck!

get the 370Z, Its a better handling coupe, see video……


Huge bmw Z4M crash - MachoVideo.com

Thanks for the support guys!

What do you guys think of this, a rendering of the 2011 1M or M1:

http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/4...pe20081280.png

Looks like a retro BMW 2002. Not for me, thanks.

a guy that lives down the street from me traded in his BMW M coupe for a 370z...

thats not an M1, its a 135i with M package option, to class that car with a 3 or 5 would be blasphemy. Its like the cavalier of BMW and people know this.

could always get the G37S

Dont be in denial man, a true M car based on the 1 series is coming real soon and it will be measured against the 370, among others. There is news it will have a more unique customization program with matte paint options, all M paint options, CF options, etc. We will know for sure in Dec.

Nobody here in denial, i could give a shyt less what BMW offers, more of them on the street than mustangs. Especially, ESPECIALLY a 1 series bottom of the barrel bargain coupe.

is it me or are the headlights of the 1 series the worst part?

Mustache grill, stubby ass end, non existent back seats, cheap interior, its a "1" series, the list goes on.

Ditto. Maybe we just need FI haha jk. Or am I?

Z4'M' should be a different story :(

agreed, the 335i coupe is much better

http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-conte...SedanFront.jpg

0-60 in 4.6? I think even Corvette goes 4.3 or so...not sure the V6 can push that kind of time. I'd love to hear it can but does anyone know?

Actually, the 135 and the 335 share the same engine. Ive driven both, and the 335 is slightly nicer inside, as well as being slightly larger and slightly heavier.

Overall, however, the cars just aren't that different.

BMW has already been quoted as saying that there will be NO M1. Check out the article on Autoblog.com about it.

I honestly looked and the 135 and 335's when I was buying my Z. The front of the 135 looks like a retarded fish...It just DOES. The 335 was more refined and the coupe with all the options looks gorgeous on the outside, but again the interior is bland, their interiors honestly haven't changed since my first BMW(99 328i).

In terms of handling the 135 had decent handling but it was forgettable. The 335 felt more put together but in the end the price did not justify a purchase.

I will say this though: I love the engine. I have a soft spot for factory turbo-charged cars as you can gain SO MUCH performance with little investment.

I also have driven a 2008 Z4 3.0 and the handling was great(still not as good as a Z) but it didn't quite have the performance, obviously the new 2011 with the 3.5l TT engine is the REAL performer. If you must get a Z4 I would go with the new sDrive 3.5i option, but it's REALLY overpriced and honestly not worth it.

Here's hoping you get the car you want. :)

haha damn that's funny:rofl2:

Retarded fish anyone?

http://cryptozoo.monstrous.com/pictu...riche_1904.jpg

Hey nice 135-OH WAIT

I've got some little birdies at BMWNA - the M1 is coming, trust me. ;)

The M1 test mule was spotted recently at the nurburgring. No official body has been spotted, but the engine and suspension testing has already begun.

BMW M1 test car spotted testing on Nurburgring! - BMW 1 Series Coupe Forum / 1 Series Convertible Forum (M1 / tii / 135i / 128i / Coupe / Cabrio / Hatchback) (BMW E82 E88 128i 130i 135i)

I would LOVE to get my hands on a 135 w/ some weight loss + stiffer suspension... wouldnt even need any power increase... red370 - you are on crack dude... that car will be AMAZINGLY fun to drive... I am sure it will be more than comparable to our Zs... the 1series is the ONLY car that BMW offers that even comes close to competing w/ Zs and Gs (that is - in an enthusiasts eyes) ... why get a heavier same motor having car (335)?

The 1er is the only BMW that I would even remotely consider getting... go drive one... they are admittedly very fun in the corners...

Thanks for your input. However there is now enough evidence beyond mere magazine articles to suggest that an M version of the 1 series is on the way

That car is in the back of my mind for now since we know little about it. If it's anything like my last M3 I will wait for it.

Regarding the Z4, my interest is only in the M version with the 330hp straight six and tighter coupe version.