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Old 10-15-2003, 06:08 PM   #1
The HACK
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Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: So. Cal
Posts: 1,114
Z4 impressions...

Where do I start?

There's this notion that the Z4 is just a much lighter version of the later E46 Cics are way wrong. The Z4 is NOTHING like the E46 dynamically. They may share a lot of suspension parts, but whatever BMW did to it, they must have put in different springs and shocks.

The blue Ci drives like it's on rails after all the modifications. The Z4, right out of the box, drives BETTER than the blue Ci. You push and push and it just keeps looking back at you like "is this all you got punk? I get a better work-out sitting in the garage." The limit on this car is the TIRES. They are heavy and they don't grip all that well. I've gotten them to squeal like a pig easily, and they tend to transmit way too much vibration into the car.

I remember how noisy my Z3 was now. The Z4, despite better insulation, is noisy as hell with the top up or down. In a way I've gotten spoiled by the Ci. It is so quiet I can't hear the Remus exhaust when the windows are all closed. The Z4 on the other hand is all about visceral grunt and sheer pen*s extension, much like the Z3 was if it had a bigger engine.

Balance on this car is like all other BMW, neutral with a touch of understeer. Steering is the biggest surprised. I hear all this complaints about the electronic assisted steering. The Z4 steering is actually heavier and more precise than my Ci's steering, and it's got the old, good steering wearing fat sticky boots up front (235s). And its smooth as butter, but sharp as a knife going through corners. No dead spot. Returns to center quickly and easily. It IS a touch light when manuevering in the parking lot, but not enough to throw me off.

Now to the bad part. Ergonomics SUCKS in this car. The window buttons are hard to reach. The DSC button and the top up/down buttons are hard to reach. The seat adjustiment buttons are hard to reach. The small door pouches are hard to reach. The Z3 was much better in this regard. The material used in the Z4 is also a big step back...Although the extended leather part of it is very, very nice.

Not much new on this car that I haven't expected though.
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