My MZ4 test drive
 

Lease rates are great and the supply is aplenty, so i thought I'd try out a brand new Mz4.

This car had only 22 miles on it and the salesman implored me to not overdo it, so most of my impressions are daily driver kind of stuff (except for one blindingly fast exit off the Merrit Parkway).

First things first: This car was optioned midway, premium pack, heated seats, but that was about it. Great nappa leather smell and I liked the carbon fiber-look dash.

Start it up: Civilized, really civilized, I wasn't expecting that. Nice mechanical sound, though - you get that real sense of highly oiled machinery out there in front of you - not as smooth as either the 3.0 powerplant in my 05 nor the new Si 3 liters (but it's a brand new engine).

Steering wheel's really fat, I wonder how this would feel in my hands after a couple of hundred miles.

Great seats.

Biggest surprise: This car has the best ride quality of any of the Z4's I've driven, better than the new Si and ten times better than my 05 go-cart ride! Nice, could be the non run flats, but I think BMW's done some more work on chassis reinforcement - my 05's really solid, but the new Si feels more so and this car feels like a coupe.

I think people make too much of the steering feel, yes, the M car's hydraulic assist is weighted more heavily than the standard model's electric assist, but otherwise, it feels the same. I think the Z4's standard steering feel is terrific anyway, a bit light, but pressing the sport button cures that.

Great brakes.

Notchy shift and heavy, long-throw clutch with a high engagement (although not nearly as bad as the standard Si shift/clutch).

I liked it, but I'm not certain it's different enough from my 05 to prompt a payment schedule, at least not for the everyday kind of stuff. My car has pretty high limits and I get good gas mileage!!

So for now, I'm staying put, at least for today, or for a couple of hours.....

Ed

Here's a semi-related Z4 Coupe 3.0Si review

Good write up.

I've driven the roadster Si's and although I do love the new engine and vastly improved ride, the new cars feel a bit soul-less to me, almost too refined. The older 3.0 engine has a more brutish, more intoxicating feel and my car, though twitchy at times, feels connected to the road.

I disagree with him wrt to the shifting - one of the reasons I'm considering replacing my Zed is I miss having a manual, but these BMW gates and clutches are not satisfying to me, perhaps because I'm comparing them to Honda S2k's and Mazda Miatas :dunno:

Ed

good info, Ed.

it's interesting that the M ride quality isn't as harsh --but you're spot on, i think, it could just be that non runflats crash less over bumps; easier to damp their motion being much lighter tires.

i don't think shifter motion/feel/preciseness has ever been a BMW strong suit. same for the clutch. it's usually the suspension tuning at speed and the engines. :dunno:

anyone expecting the precision of an s2000 or the alltime greatest: miata are confused about what they're buying.

Grass is always greener, 'spose.

Fifth Gear - Audi TT vs BMW Z4 3.0si

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6T7nR-bPLc