Here's Everything I Love And Hate About My BMW Z4 35i

I’ve always liked the idea of a front-rear roadster: engine in the front, power at the back and a folding roof to expose you to the elements. Just how it should be. To quench my thirst for top-down motoring, I’ve owned an MX-5 and a couple of S2000s over the years. These cars were great fun, but I always wondered what the next logical step up was from the Honda. Is it an E85 Z4 M, a Boxster S or an Elise, perhaps?

I spent years pondering what my ‘affordable dream car’ might be, and during that time my requirements changed dramatically without me even realising. Things like comfort, looks and low-end torque climbed up on my list while how the car feels at ten tenths now couldn’t bother me any less. Perhaps most importantly, I wanted a car that I couldn’t walk away from without looking back at least three times.

This is where the E89 Z4 came into the picture. Without any further beating around the bush, here are five things I love and five things I hate about my new car…

The N54 engine is a masterpiece

Often referred to as the modern day 2JZ, BMW’s twin-turbo N54 straight six delivers its 302bhp in a reasonably linear fashion. While there’s a tiny amount of turbo lag, you have 295lb ft available from as early as 1200rpm. Only at 6000rpm do you start to feel the engine running out of breath. Not as rev-happy as an F20C, obviously, but good enough from a turbocharged engine.

It’s actually based on the naturally aspirated M54 which comes with an aluminium engine block and dual VANOS (instead of valvetronic). In addition to slapping two low-pressure turbochargers on the engine, the N54 also comes with direct injection. This allows fuel to be injected straight into the combustion chamber at much higher pressures, for a more efficient burn.

The best thing about all of this? It turns out that BMW left an immense margin of power on the table. With a simple remap, owners can comfortably enjoy an extra 60bhp on stock internals.

It's actually possible to have fun with an auto

There’s a huge amount of stigma around having an automatic transmission in a sports car, but I don’t consider the Z4 a B-road weapon. Instead, I look at it as a mile-munching cruiser or entry level grand tourer, and for that the dual-clutch transmission is perfect.

The gear changes are lightning-quick and the burble on downshifts makes me smile like an eight-year-old every time. I’m not used to a computer changing gears without my explicit permission so I keep the lever permanently in the “Manual” position.

Oh my! Even with the stock system, the twin-exit exhaust plays a sonorous roar all the way through the rev range. As per the factory setup, one of the exhaust pipes is automatically closed on startups and low engine speeds to avoid upsetting the neighbours. Fortunately, with a simple trick (also known as the Golf Tee mod) both pipes can be kept open at all times.

The result is a bucketload of bass and burbles.

The driving position

This is probably my favourite thing about the Z4 and the reason I picked it over an E90 335i. You sit extremely low and have an enormous bonnet towering in front of you. Jumping into the M2 felt like getting on a bus no matter how low I tried to push the seats down.

It gives you the impression of driving a race car and makes long journeys surprisingly comfortable.

It makes passengers giggle like kids

Possibly the most fun thing about owning a car like this is sharing the experience with others. The combination of the torque, exhaust sound and folding roof is enough to make any passenger giggle like a child. Having the top down in the sun makes everything so much more special and lets you hear more of the straight-six symphony coming from the rear.

But... running costs are brutal

Okay, now you know the good bits it’s time to face the less convenient aspects of owning a Z4 35i. After surviving a year of E46 ownership, I knew exactly what I was in for.

Despite having only 48,000 miles on the clock, I allocated an emergency fund well before purchasing the car. Safe to say, it came in handy.

The intake manifold has been suffering from the notorious gunk build up in direct injection engines. Because there’s no fuel passing through the valves to wash them off, there’s a significant amount of carbon deposition from exhaust gas recirculation. A walnut blast takes care of the issue, but only after saying goodbye to £225 worth of fun-coupons. I’ve also had issues with a faulty wheel speed sensor and a leaking transmission only weeks into my ownership. Not great!

The ride is atrocious

The, ahem, synergy of the M Sport suspension and the run-flat tyres makes for an unacceptably harsh ride. This would be excused if the body roll was minimal and steering feel was crisp. Unfortunately you don’t get any of that, just a ride that makes you wish you opted for the softer SE trim.

To make things worse, the foldable top constantly makes all kinds of rattles and squeaks to forever remind you that you’re driving on something other than butter-smooth tarmac. Which, let’s be honest, is 99.9 per cent of the time in the UK.

Damn the open differential to Hell

While the electronic gubbins and traction control do an acceptable job at putting the power down, the open differential is a complete fun-killer. There’s nothing more disappointing than hearing the engine scream as the inside wheel spins up on its own. One-tyre fires for the lose. A Quaife LSD is high up on my mod list.

After MX-5s and S2000s I’m so used to having my foot connected almost directly to the throttle body that I’ve found the Z4’s throttle response extremely poor. There’s a couple of factors contributing to this, but the main villains are the electronic throttle and turbo lag.

If you’re used to driving modern, turbocharged cars you probably won’t notice. In fact, after driving the new RS3 the Z4 felt extremely responsive. Still a long way from a good old naturally aspirated engine, though.

It's still a 'hairdresser's car'

As much fun as it is to drive with the top down, I can’t stop thinking that I look like a bit of a berk driving a convertible BMW. Making things worse, driving with another man in the passenger seat takes the perceived awkwardness to a whole new level. Despite the aggressive styling and 300bhp on tap, the Z4 is still often seen as a ‘hairdresser’s car,’ so prepare for the inevitable poor taste in jokes when you arrive at the next car meet…