[Drarmy]

Need help deciding which Z4 to buy:
I have narrowed down my options to a 2005 Z4 2.5i with 17,500 miles single owner for $14k, and a 2014 Z4 sDrive 28i with 73k miles total and 3 owners but only 17k on a new engine for $17.5k. No reported accidents on either and both black exterior with beige interiors. Both are automatics.

I am torn between the cars: love the classic style of the ‘05, wood trim, low miles, single owner, great condition;
but also like the more contemporary body style of the 2014, hard top, sleek interior, pop up, nav screen and Sirrius radio.

Anyone have any insights or recommendations on which I should buy?

[tturedraider]

Easy answer. Inline six, 2005 single owner 2.5 with 17,500 miles. Regardless of price!!! Hands down!!! The E89 is without a doubt one of the most beautiful designs BMW has ever produced, but in this case the E85 is the only one to consider!!!

[Scionti95]

2005 all the way. One owner!! Most likely that car has been cared for with only 17,000 + on the clock.

[Drarmy]

Thanks!

[Drarmy]

Thanks and I appreciate the quick response from you both!

[StradaRedlands]

The one with the manual transmission!

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by tturedraider

Easy answer. Inline six, 2005 single owner 2.5 with 17,500 miles. Regardless of price!!! Hands down!!! The E89 is without a doubt one of the most beautiful designs BMW has ever produced, but in this case the E85 is the only one to consider!!!

Agree 100%.

[BMWbiker]

Do you know the driving history of the 2005? I’d be leery of it if the low mileage is because it’s been parked for a decade or more. On the other hand, if it was owned by the proverbial little old lady who drove it to church on Sundays (my first car was literally driven like that), then that’s less of a concern.

Also, check on details such as the airbags. Has their service life expired? If so, that’s a costly retrofit. Ditto if they were made by the company that delivered the bad ones, and if the upgrade was never performed. (Or maybe it’s still an open recall?)

It would be good to know more about the car with the new engine. I know someone who has a Subaru whose engine was replaced under warranty because it had a factory defect, or something like that. It works just fine. On the other hand, something catastrophic, or something not installed properly, could make your life miserable.

I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer. These are just things to investigate.

There is an older Z3 in my town. It’s Dakar yellow. I always admire it whenever I drive or walk past it.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by BMWbiker

Do you know the driving history of the 2005? I’d be leery of it if the low mileage is because it’s been parked for a decade or more. On the other hand, if it was owned by the proverbial little old lady who drove it to church on Sundays (my first car was literally driven like that), then that’s less of a concern.

Also, check on details such as the airbags. Has their service life expired? If so, that’s a costly retrofit. Ditto if they were made by the company that delivered the bad ones, and if the upgrade was never performed. (Or maybe it’s still an open recall?)

valid concerns for sure. It's the 2.5L variant of the M54. super reliable motor and very DIY friendly. OP if you do go for the E85, aside from the usual M54 service points I would highly recommend upgrading the DISA valve. without getting too into detail the stock design has been known to fail which will cause catastrophic damage. there's a company called German Auto Solutions (no affiliation) that sells an upgrade kit that's cheap and can potentially save your motor. I did it on my E60. other than that it's cooling system, valve cover gasket, oil change and plugs and let 'er rip. good luck with whatever you choose, E85 is one of my favorite BMW designs of all-time.

[Drarmy]

Thanks for the feedback! Very helpful. Its a single owner low annual mileage car; 1,755 miles per year, varied from 1k/yr to 3k/yr with a low of 11 miles as far as I can tell

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by Drarmy

Thanks for the feedback! Very helpful. Its a single owner low annual mileage car; 1,755 miles per year, varied from 1k/yr to 3k/yr with a low of 11 miles as far as I can tell

It’s very common for Z cars to be weekend cars that only get driven in nice weather. Low annual mileage is not uncommon. I think you found a gem!! Now, you realize this is the internet and if there aren’t pics it didn’t happen!! Plus, with a gem like this we want our car porn!!

[BMWCCA1]

Seeing that the 4-cylinder turbo required a new engine already is not uncommon. The engine as introduced is junk. The current "30" engine is a huge improvement. The 6-cylinder in the Z3 is bullet-proof. Add the huge amount of cheap plastic used in the Z4 and put that in the sun for a few years with the top down and you'll find what that interior costs to replace piece-by-piece. I prefer the driving of the Z4 but the quality of materials (such that is is) in the Z3 was better. Drive them both and see which one you like best.

[Emily172013]

I wouldn't recommend either one. The newer one appears to have had hard use, and the older one is coming on 21 years old. Expect a lot of costly surprises either way.

[Ohio Enthusiast]

Originally Posted by Drarmy

Its a single owner low annual mileage car; 1,755 miles per year, varied from 1k/yr to 3k/yr with a low of 11 miles as far as I can tell

Service records? Many low milage owners service the car based on milage alone and not time, so it may have had only 1 or 2 oil changes, for example. Also many of these cars are still on original tires (or at least very old tires) since nobody wants to replace brand-new looking tires every 6-8 years.
Finally, even with low usage things break down, particularly rubber and plastic items. Bushings, hoses, belts. Service history of parts replaced would go a long way to show good care of the car.

I would recommend deciding on which generation Z4 you want and which engine/trim combo you are looking for and be on the lookout for that car. Just choosing randomly between two examples you found doesn't make a lot of sense to me.