[Boulder]

Which one should I get?

- Z4 m40
- m440 / M4
- m850 / M8

Also considering Miata, Lexus LC500, Porsche 718.

Audi's and Mercedes' offerings don't seem that great compared to what BMW has :)

This is mainly for driving around the local roads and mountains. Not planning on tracking it. Maybe once or twice in the future. I already have a track motorcycle.




The backstory:

I used to have a '20 Honda Civic Si Coupe - my first car. Great car and incredible value. But it was pretty rough for longer road trips which I did a lot of. Wanted something quieter and more comfortable. m440 coupe wasn't great, m850 coupe & LC500 only a bit quieter (LC500 sounds incredible though). 7 series and X7 were closer to what I was looking for. The M760 V12 was out of my budget at the time, and the X7 M50 seemed like a more sensible purchase than the 750 sedan.

I had the X7 in for service recently and got a "lease special" 3 series as my loaner. A 330i with no options and Alpine White paint (nonmetallic - doesn't cost extra :). It sucked in every way compared to the X7... except for one: it was actually fun to drive. Like, a lot of fun. That's not a feeling I've experienced for a while now, with the X7. And at this point I'm fortunately able to afford a weekend car.

[aktif8]

A boxster or a miata will trounce all of the above named cars in the fun factor. This is said as a present g83 owner, and a former s2000 owner (had that one as a weekend toy)

The m4 vert is an all around amazing car, that's exceptionally fun to drive. I think it's a perfect dd. If I were to go back to 2 cars, though, I'm pretty sure it would be a boxster in the third bay. The z4 is nice, but can't hold a candle to the p car. The m4 is big, and a huge part of the weekend car point for me is zero compromises- no need to account for much beyond driving enjoyment.

Drive a boxster and you'll likely end up buying one

[RigaTony1982]

FWIW, I have a Z4 M40i on order. I looked at the 718, but a comparably equipped model was about $20K more at MSRP (which I didn’t pay for my Z4), and that’s the base model, not even the S. I think I’d get the M4 over the 718 at over $90K.

I’ve also driven the M440, and while it’s a great car I liked the looks better of the Z4, especially since the back seats are useless.

I’m also 6’4”, so unfortunately as much as I like the Miata, I literally cannot fit it in.

Z4 was a good blend of performance and comfort with top down driving. Since I don’t plan on taking it to the track, this made it an easy choice over the 718.

[Coi]

So I've driven most of the cars on your list, though for some of them not in convertible form so I'm extrapolating a little bit. Also I haven't driven a 718 but have spent time in 981s. Also haven't driven the new M4. I've tried newer 911 convertibles (997, 991) and they're extremely capable but below the limit didn't find them that fun. Could also consider a F23 M240i (good value, small back seats but better than no back seats), C63 AMG Cabrio (great engine, transmission superior to any automatic), or C8 Corvette (haven't driven one of these but you can look up reviews).

Ranking is a little hard because some of these are fun due to the handling and some are fun because they're very powerful despite being heavy. This would be my ranking purely in terms of fun (and not as vehicles in general):

1. E85 BMW Z4M Roadster (overall most fun convertible I've driven so had to include it, good sweet-spot in terms of speed, feels less insulated from driving experience than newer cars, good steering, intake sound is great, great manual with a SSK installed, reliably is a sore spot especially with how old these are)
2. NC/ND Miata (with a manual transmission these are incredibly fun, you can have an awesome time at any speed, great steering feel, engine isn't much of an experience but you can rev out all the time, slow and noisy on the highway, ownership costs are basically nothing)
3. 981 Boxster S (awesome handling, super direct steering with ok feel, both transmissions are good though manual is more fun, sounds good when revved out, odd pedal placement, I think the 4 cyl turbo in the 718S would drop it down some spots in terms of experience even though it's faster, 981S is expensive on the used market)
4. E93 M3 Convertible (heavy and not quite as fast as you would expect, better chassis stiffness than expected, handles surprisingly well, excellent steering feel, sounds absolutely amazing especially with mods, both transmissions are fun and manual is more fun despite shifter just being ok, questionable reliability)
5. F83 M4 Convertible (heavy but very fast, handles surprisingly well, super slick DCT transmission but I haven't driven the manual, doesn't sound very good, I don't know about reliability, harsh ride)
5. Z4 M40i (sounds good and is pretty quick, can throw it around and it feels small but at times drives more like a luxury car than a hardcore 2 seat roadster, slightly too insulated from the road, no manual transmission)
7. M8 Convertible (very heavy but crazy fast, crazy expensive, not enough theater for the amount of power so not exciting at normal speeds, uninspired transmission compared to DCTs, hard to even use the full performance without a traffic lawyer on retainer, harsh/jittery ride)
6. LC500 (sounds great, looks gorgeous inside and out, heavy, not that exceptional in terms of performance or dynamics)
8. 981 Boxster base (surprisingly slow, surprisingly low-quality interior, solid dynamics, shockingly supple ride, imprecise manual transmission but still more fun than an auto, base 718 is significantly faster and probably more precise but won't sound as good)
9. M440i (not as fun as the Z4 M40i, not as good dynamics and not as fast as the M4, lighter than the 8 series, more practical and well-rounded but that leaves it low on this list, ugly front end on the newest generation)
8. M850i (Very heavy, more of a luxury car, should have a softer ride than the M8 at least, probably too insulated to be fun, I've never driven the M850i convertible but I've driven an M550i and it was quick but otherwise pretty boring and lacking character, I'm a bit of a hater because these are so overpriced)

Obviously a lot of what I said is extremely subjective so you really have to make your own list and go test drive the cars. There's also a huge range of prices here. I'd say a good first step to narrowing it down would be to figure out if you want a smaller, lighter car that's better on winding roads or a big, heavy car that's faster.

[eluded]

S2000

[ppointer]

Originally Posted by PinkNinja400Guy

Which one should I get?

- Z4 m40
- m440 / M4
- m850 / M8

Also considering Miata, Lexus LC500, Porsche 718.

Audi's and Mercedes' offerings don't seem that great compared to what BMW has

This is mainly for driving around the local roads and mountains. Not planning on tracking it. Maybe once or twice in the future. I already have a track motorcycle.




The backstory:

I used to have a '20 Honda Civic Si Coupe. Great car and incredible value. But it was pretty rough for longer road trips which I did a lot of. Wanted something quieter and more comfortable. m440 coupe wasn't great, m850 coupe was only a bit quieter. 7 series and X7 were closer to what I was looking for. The M760 V12 was out of my budget at the time, and the X7 M50 seemed like a more sensible purchase than the 750 sedan.

I had the X7 in for service recently and got a "lease special" 3 series as my loaner. A 330i with no options and Alpine White paint (nonmetallic - doesn't cost extra . It sucked in every way compared to the X7... except for one: it was actually fun to drive. Like, a lot of fun. That's not a feeling I've experienced for a while now, with the X7. And at this point I'm fortunately able to afford a weekend car.

I have an '01 Z3M that I love with the top down. With the top up not so much. If I needed another convertible right now, I would look at an e93 because of the folding hardtop. I would also consider a C8 non-convertible, since the top can be removed and stowed. Having been in an e93 for an extended time, it is just as quiet as their sedan or coupe equivalent, which is an important quality for me.

[///MPhatic]

As unlikely as it would seem, the most fun convertible I've driven was a Miata.

[10"]

IMO the most basic convertible is the most fun—probably a Miata. It’s pointless to buy a big fat bloated one—whole purpose is to feel a bit more free, not to look like a mafia dbag! Lol

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by aktif8

Drive a boxster and you'll likely end up buying one

Have you ever driven a Z4 M40i? There are many threads in the G29 forum where the comparison has been made to the Boxster, people have test driven both and the vast majority of the posters had selected the M40i.

The OP should check out the many youTube videos on the M40i, the car doesn't disappoint.

Also in my opinion the rear seats in the 4 and 8 series are useless and only good for small children and packages.

It should be noted that the added cost of the Porsche has also been a major factor in their decisions. The OP will get a great bang for the buck with the M40i.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by PinkNinja400Guy

This is mainly for driving around the local roads and mountains. Not planning on tracking it. Maybe once or twice in the future. I already have a track motorcycle.

I used to have a '20 Honda Civic Si Coupe - my first car. Great car and incredible value. But it was pretty rough for longer road trips which I did a lot of. Wanted something quieter and more comfortable.

As an owner of the M40i I can assure you that it is a fun car to drive, especially in Sport Plus mode. I have taken long road trips and have found the car to be extremely comfortable. Other G29 owners have said the same thing about the comfort level after their long trips, go to that forum and check out the threads.

With the top up it is pretty quiet and I can really enjoy listening to my music.

[Boulder]

Thanks for all the feedback!

I've narrowed it down to the Miata and Z4. I'm going to test drive those to make a decision.

The Porsche 718's manual transmission has weird gearing. 2nd gear goes to over 80 mph and 3rd gear goes to 115, so it's not really ideal for street use. I'm sure it would be awesome on track. I'm almost afraid of test driving one out of fear that it'll make everything else feel bad in comparison...

The other models are all big GT luxury boats... they may be good as DDs, but not ideal for a second car where you can sacrifice comfort & practicality for a better driving experience. Though the LC500 is still somewhat of a contender here - it's just such a special car. If you ever get the opportunity to drive one, do it!


The Z4 is in a bit of a weird spot. It's still relatively compact and lightweight, yet is a lot more isolated and less raw than a Miata (and probably also a Boxster). Though I've never been in one, it seems like a pretty good balance of driving experience and practicality.

The engine decision is also an interesting one on the Z4. You can option the 30i to be identical to the M40i, aside from the engine and $9k for that engine difference.
The 4 cylinder was more than quick enough on my 330 loaner, it had no problems getting to triple digit speeds. But it did have quite a bit of turbo lag at low RPM - the high altitude here doesn't help with that.
On the other hand, the I6 sounds better but it might be overkill. These cars aren't about going super fast, and a slower car lets you have some more fun while staying out of legal trouble (that's definitely a big problem on my X7 M50).

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by PinkNinja400Guy

Edit: I see the recent posts praising the M40. Maybe it's worth a try.

The odds are against you finding a dealer with both the 30i and M40i in their new car inventory so I suggest that you find a dealer with both models in their used inventory and test them on the type of roads you normally drive on. Try driving in both Comfort and Sport Plus mode, there is a difference.

[br438]

Being 6' tall, the miata was not comfortable with the roof on/up and even felt wonky with the top off/down. I drove the a convertible as well as a targa - whatever they call them.

I did not like the miata... just did nothing for me. It doesn't help that I was cross-shopping 997.1s before the great price inflation of COVID.

Combine the lackluster feel (I was ALWAYS wanting more from the miata) with the ergonomics that didn't fit our family, and the miata was out.

I'm a huge fan of the Z4 and the B58.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by br438

Being 6' tall, the miata was not comfortable with the roof on/up and even felt wonky with the top off/down. I drove the a convertible as well as a targa - whatever they call them.

I did not like the miata... just did nothing for me. It doesn't help that I was cross-shopping 997.1s before the great price inflation of COVID.

Combine the lackluster feel (I was ALWAYS wanting more from the miata) with the ergonomics that didn't fit our family, and the miata was out.

I'm a huge fan of the Z4 and the B58.

The B58 engine does not disappoint!

The Supra also has it and although Toyota publishes identical specs to the M40i they are faster.

[tturedraider]

Originally Posted by aktif8

A boxster or a miata will trounce all of the above named cars in the fun factor.

Drive a boxster and you'll likely end up buying one

^ this

[murderspice]

I vote LC500

[mizzourahslim]

Lest we forget, Pontiac Solstice.
It is a riot to drive on back twisties.
Took it up and down Mount Evans in Colorado once. Unforgettable experience.
It only comes out on sunny weekend day trips. Back roads only. It is a lot of fun!

[Joy15779]

Originally Posted by Coi

So I've driven most of the cars on your list, though for some of them not in convertible form so I'm extrapolating a little bit. Also I haven't driven a 718 but have spent time in 981s. Also haven't driven the new M4. I've tried newer 911 convertibles (997, 991) and they're extremely capable but below the limit didn't find them that fun. Could also consider a F23 M240i (good value, small back seats but better than no back seats), C63 AMG Cabrio (great engine, transmission superior to any automatic), or C8 Corvette (haven't driven one of these but you can look up reviews).

Ranking is a little hard because some of these are fun due to the handling and some are fun because they're very powerful despite being heavy. This would be my ranking purely in terms of fun (and not as vehicles in general):

1. E85 BMW Z4M Roadster (overall most fun convertible I've driven so had to include it, good sweet-spot in terms of speed, feels less insulated from driving experience than newer cars, good steering, intake sound is great, great manual with a SSK installed, reliably is a sore spot especially with how old these are)
2. NC/ND Miata (with a manual transmission these are incredibly fun, you can have an awesome time at any speed, great steering feel, engine isn't much of an experience but you can rev out all the time, slow and noisy on the highway, ownership costs are basically nothing)
3. 981 Boxster S (awesome handling, super direct steering with ok feel, both transmissions are good though manual is more fun, sounds good when revved out, odd pedal placement, I think the 4 cyl turbo in the 718S would drop it down some spots in terms of experience even though it's faster, 981S is expensive on the used market)
4. E93 M3 Convertible (heavy and not quite as fast as you would expect, better chassis stiffness than expected, handles surprisingly well, excellent steering feel, sounds absolutely amazing especially with mods, both transmissions are fun and manual is more fun despite shifter just being ok, questionable reliability)
5. F83 M4 Convertible (heavy but very fast, handles surprisingly well, super slick DCT transmission but I haven't driven the manual, doesn't sound very good, I don't know about reliability, harsh ride)
5. Z4 M40i (sounds good and is pretty quick, can throw it around and it feels small but at times drives more like a luxury car than a hardcore 2 seat roadster, slightly too insulated from the road, no manual transmission)
7. M8 Convertible (very heavy but crazy fast, crazy expensive, not enough theater for the amount of power so not exciting at normal speeds, uninspired transmission compared to DCTs, hard to even use the full performance without a traffic lawyer on retainer, harsh/jittery ride)
6. LC500 (sounds great, looks gorgeous inside and out, heavy, not that exceptional in terms of performance or dynamics)
8. 981 Boxster base (surprisingly slow, surprisingly low-quality interior, solid dynamics, shockingly supple ride, imprecise manual transmission but still more fun than an auto, base 718 is significantly faster and probably more precise but won't sound as good)
9. M440i (not as fun as the Z4 M40i, not as good dynamics and not as fast as the M4, lighter than the 8 series, more practical and well-rounded but that leaves it low on this list, ugly front end on the newest generation)
8. M850i (Very heavy, more of a luxury car, should have a softer ride than the M8 at least, probably too insulated to be fun, I've never driven the M850i convertible but I've driven an M550i and it was quick but otherwise pretty boring and lacking character, I'm a bit of a hater because these are so overpriced)

Obviously a lot of what I said is extremely subjective so you really have to make your own list and go test drive the cars. There's also a huge range of prices here. I'd say a good first step to narrowing it down would be to figure out if you want a smaller, lighter car that's better on winding roads or a big, heavy car that's faster.

Hello dear, I have the M4 F83 and it' s the best toy I' ve ever had.
Honestly speaking It is hard to find defects. You' ve mentioned the weight, Yes it's heavy but believe me you cannot feel it. Mine is having 800 hp and I swear the reliability is amazing. The only trouble I got was oil pump problem that broke a bearing and the relevant connecting rod unfortunately. Or luckily cause I had the opportunity to switch into Carillo Pistons and Arrow connecting rods!v

[diablo2112]

Originally Posted by eluded

S2000

This. +1. Still one of the best convertibles ever made.

If you’re willing to compromise on the convertible part, then my vote is the Supra. Amazing car, with a completely different feel/personality compared to the Z4. Tail happy and a blast to drive.

[evomike]

Originally Posted by eluded

S2000

This is the only answer

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by diablo2112

This. +1. Still one of the funniest convertibles ever made.

If you’re willing to compromise on the convertible part, then my vote is the Supra. Amazing car, with a completely different feel/personality compared to the Z4. Tail happy and a blast to drive.

The OP, PinkNinja400Guy asked for "the most fun convertible" so I really don't think he would be interested in a Supra which is a Z4 in sheep's clothing!

[HBC]

Z4M. Does it all for me with spring and fall long runs with the top down and track days which are a blast.