[Peakster]

My friend and I traded cars for 24 hours this weekend. I loved the Z4. It's the current gen one with the inline 6 (twin turbo I think). It is a German muscle car with lots of low-end torque, fast, and luxurious. The power hardtop is amazing.

I wondered what he would think about the Elise. Three texts from him:
Cam kicks in at 6500 rpm.
What a hoot.
Car makes you feel alive.

Now he wants an Elise!

So, hypothetically would you trade your Elise for a Z4? My mind says yes, but my heart says no.



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[TCAR]

My friend and I traded cars for 24 hours this weekend. I loved the Z4. It's the current gen one with the inline 6 (twin turbo I think). It is a German muscle car with lots of low-end torque, fast, and luxurious. The power hardtop is amazing.

I wondered what he would think about the Elise. Three texts from him:
Cam kicks in at 6500 rpm.
What a hoot.
Car makes you feel alive.

Now he wants an Elise!

So, hypothetically would you trade your Elise for a Z4? My mind says yes, but my heart says no.



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Never drove a Z4, nor a Z3. Can't compare the 2. Drove a Z1 many, many moons ago, but that one obviously didn't even come close to 111R performance.

 

[bri3d]

For what I use the Elise for, fun weekend cruising and the track, I would never trade for a Z4, logically or emotionally. Emotionally I feel like the Z4 is a lot more "pedestrian" and logically running costs would be a lot higher. The car weighs over twice as much meaning it would rip through consumables in comparison, and the N54 isn't exactly a low maintenance powerplant.

If I were looking for a fun DD, though, I might consider an E89 Z4. Power hardtops on any car are sweet, I like the styling, and the N54 pulls incredibly hard. A coworker has a 335 which is even heavier than the Z4, and when it's running right it's still amazingly quick. There's no substitute for torque snapping you back into the seat.

 

[addertooth]

/begin discussion
/begin analysis
BMW Z4 (including M) B stock class in SCCA rule book for 2014.
/end analysis
/end discussion

 

[oldmansan]

Heavier than my C6 with 100 fewer horses. I'd have to pass.

San

 

[Coyne]

Heavier than my C6 with 100 fewer horses. I'd have to pass.

San

Good point. Also, it has electric steering ( unless it's the M), which is not very good (speak from experience).

If you bought a Z4 though, it would give you and the old ladies something to talk about. Haha

If say get a Cayman S if you want something similar to the Z4. All the benefits, lighter, amazing steering, and the same ridiculous maintenance costs (also from experience).

 

[oldmansan]

Good point. Also, it has electric steering ( unless it's the M), which is not very good (speak from experience).

If you bought a Z4 though, it would give you and the old ladies something to talk about. Haha

If say get a Cayman S if you want something similar to the Z4. All the benefits, lighter, amazing steering, and the same ridiculous maintenance costs (also from experience).

"oldmansan" is a nickname I got in Japan, while I was in the Air Force. I was racing mountain bikes and consistently winning despite being older than the competition. One of the kids said "oldmansan beat me again" and I started using it as a screen name. I-Club, NASIOC, Corvette Forum, ZX-10R and here all have "oldmansan". Not into old ladies.

Sorry for the hijack.


San

 

[Twizzstyle]

For me, no, but it really depends on what you want the car for and how it makes you feel.

If I wanted something more comfortable, luxurious, quiet, I'd go for the BMW. Heck, if I wanted something "fast", I'd go for the BMW. Compared to the car I replaced with my Elise, the Elise feels slow - it's quick, just not "fast". It's also not comfortable or luxurious, the plastics inside feel cheap, it's noisy, etc etc. But every time I look at it, I get excited, seeing the bright orange fenders from inside the car get me excited, every turn of the steering wheel makes me smile. I've had the car 3 or 4 years and the excitement and joy I get out of it has never faded. I don't think I would get that from a BMW, even if it was super fast.

Also Elise prices are going up, and the same probably can't be said for the BMW Think of the Elise as an investment!

 

[ulao]

Apple to oranges. The Elise is an over glorified kit car designed to fit a true driver that just loves the road. That does not mean a 1/4 mile dash, or a stalk-car racer.

The Elige's are:
Very fast cars to 100-ish
Very nimble, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound ( well you get the idea ).
Very maneuverable and loves tight turns.

The Elige's are not:
Luxurious
muscle cars
noticeable on the road in many mirrors ( small cars ).
Cost of a normal exotic car.

Personally I dont think anything compares to the Elige's or at least nothing I have driven.

 

[Coyne]

"oldmansan" is a nickname I got in Japan, while I was in the Air Force. I was racing mountain bikes and consistently winning despite being older than the competition. One of the kids said "oldmansan beat me again" and I started using it as a screen name. I-Club, NASIOC, Corvette Forum, ZX-10R and here all have "oldmansan". Not into old ladies.

Sorry for the hijack.


San

I appreciate the background. The reference was for OP since mostly old ladies drive Z4s in my region of the country.

 

[oldmansan]

I appreciate the background. The reference was for OP since mostly old ladies drive Z4s in my region of the country.

I used to live in Phoenix from 1982-1987. Married a girl from there. I had to learn to cook the Sonora style food from there as you can't get it here in So Cal.

San

 

[4380r]

The car weighs over twice as much meaning it would rip through consumables in comparison...

Huh? While I generally agree with your assessment, the Z4 isn't nearly twice the weight of a Federal Elise, let alone OVER twice as much. The heaviest Z4 is about 3400 lbs ( some are significantly lighter). A stock 111R is a bit over 2000.

 

[4380r]

Also Elise prices are going up, and the same probably can't be said for the BMW Think of the Elise as an investment!

The Elise is an investment only if you keep it very low mileage and don't drive it much. But then, what's the point?

 

[bri3d]

Huh? While I generally agree with your assessment, the Z4 isn't nearly twice the weight of a Federal Elise, let alone OVER twice as much. The heaviest Z4 is about 3400 lbs ( some are significantly lighter). A stock 111R is a bit over 2000.

You're completely right - I have no idea where I got my wacky math for the Z4's weight from. I forgot that the Elise weighed that much stock as well - the boat anchor battery and exhaust definitely add up. The Z4 is still heavy enough that I think it'll go through consumables pretty quickly, but it's no Fisker Karma.

 

[glb]

I wondered what he would think about the Elise. Three texts from him:
Cam kicks in at 6500 rpm.
What a hoot.
Car makes you feel alive.

Now he wants an Elise!

I recommend lowering cam changeover to a lower rpm so you avoid the valley of death and the switchover is > progressive.

Call phil @ BOE, for one source.

Makes it a faster and nicer car to drive.

 

[dmbarnes]

I have a 07 exige and a Z4 my wife drives both are great cars but are very different one is a pure drivers car yet most owners don't drive them, go figure:shrug: I don't really care about mileage on a car so drive the sh#* out of mine. The other car is sports car luxury, both have there places. It just depends
On needs. Fun= lotus , < fun > luxury= Z4

 

[me73]

The Z4 would be way down on my car list. Even below the Z3. It was Bangle-mangled when introduced and it's not much better now. So many real sports cars and better GTs to choose from.

 

[road racer]

hell.no.

I owned a Z4M. Bought it new and sold it in 3 months.

It is a heavy pig of a car, noisy with dull steering and mushy brakes. Forward sight lines were not very good. One of the worst cars BMW has ever made. It's not a driver's car.

Thinking about it now, I may try out an S2000. I'm sure it's orders of magnitude better.

I have to agree with coyne, get a cayman s. I had a cayman R for awhile, now THAT is a nice car. Get the 987.2 while you can!!! The 981 may be technically quite superior but I vastly prefer the utilitarian and direct interior of the 987. Much more Lotus-like. And of course the 6 speed, which is lovely.

 

[LotusCC]

"oldmansan" is a nickname I got in Japan, while I was in the Air Force. I was racing mountain bikes and consistently winning despite being older than the competition. One of the kids said "oldmansan beat me again" and I started using it as a screen name. I-Club, NASIOC, Corvette Forum, ZX-10R and here all have "oldmansan". Not into old ladies.



Sorry for the hijack.





San

Is that back when they had kamikaze pilots?
Lol.


You're not that old.


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[forkmeupscotty]

I 'like' the older Z4M.
I'd almost say it's a German interpretation of what they think American sports car is. Big. Heavy. Powerful(for its time).
The sound of the S54 engine at full song is intoxicating in its own right.
Oh, and I loved the steering wheel it fit rather nicely in my hands. The Lotus, however, forces me to wear gloves.

It is a fun car to punt it around town. And, you can kick the tail out and go POWAAAAHHHH like Jeremy Clarkson. It is not, however, the tool to carve around corners like a scalpel.