Z4 sale for new M3?

[Vintage]

Help,

I am actually thinking of selling the Z4 to order a new M3 for ED. Thoughts and opinions please. A little infomation to help form your opinion: our Z is paid for and has 35k miles, runs like a champ with no problems, and is LOADED (sapphire black with ivory napa). The M3 order would be for leather and DCT as the only likely options.

[nicknaz]

Hi, I'm planning to replace my Z4 with the F80 for euro delivery too, except I am waiting for my lease to end next year to do the replacement.

I think this one is going to come down to your personal preferences and priorities.

The two extreme user profiles I think are "cruiser/top down motoring loyalist" (keep the Z4) and "track junkie" (replace with F80)

I personally skew towards "track junkie" so switching the Z4 out is a no-brainer for me.

Either way, fun decision to be making!

[Vintage]

well, I am no track junkie - done it once on a Porsche day on an invite from a salesman fried - great fun but just do not have the time; the M3 would be my wife's grocery getter

[nicknaz]

That would make a nice grocery getter daily. no reason not to do it.

if the usage is just for status symbol (i.e. no track use) then other peoples' opinions are almost irrelevant. i.e if we were talking watches only you can say if a datejust is sufficient or if you need to step up to a daytona

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by Vintage

well, I am no track junkie - done it once on a Porsche day on an invite from a salesman fried - great fun but just do not have the time; the M3 would be my wife's grocery getter

We're doing ED in May on a Q5 TDI. That will be my wife's new grocery getter. Talk about a torque monster! Fuel efficient too.

[Alext]

I'm in a similar boat. Z is fully paid and cautiously looking to upgrade....almost went for a C63 507. The new M3 does not interest me. I'm sure it will perform well though. Might wait for the new C63 due out at end of year or the F-Type coupe.

Bought a new C250 coupe as a daily recently and love it. Benz really make a quality automobile.

[tranquility]

Are you referring to the M4? Those 3/4 series are nice cars but I always have a prb w/ a platform that is really made for 4 doors being converted into a 2 door coupe.

[Vintage]

nope, the 4 door M3 (confusing) is our preferred of the 2 options. my daughter is 13 and we now haul teenage girls around on occasion so 4 doors is better. we love the Z but just thinking the M3 might be fun

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Vintage

nope, the 4 door M3 (confusing) is our preferred of the 2 options. my daughter is 13 and we now haul teenage girls around on occasion so 4 doors is better. we love the Z but just thinking the M3 might be fun

Oic. Yes, it is confusing. If it's out of necessity that you occasionally need rear seats, then it's a no-brainer.

[Vintage]

Well, not a necessity as the Z is our 3rd car and the X3 goes back off lease in May. So, my choices are 1) keep the Z and buy a new or used car in the $30-40k range (keeping 3 cars total, including the Z), or 2) sell the Z and buy an M3 when the X3 is turned in (now only two cars but it has 4/5 seats and goes real fast).

[Hujan]

I think the F80 M3 is going to be excellent. I suspect I'll be trading in my E92 M3 for one someday, but ideally we'll always keep a Z in the stable. My ideal stable is a Z, a four-door M, and an X5.

If your Z is paid for, why not keep it and get the M?

[Alext]

Depends how much enjoyment and utility you get out of each car. Trade in the least desired. I would run with 2 cars just for efficiency.

There is no doubt the M3/4 will be very enjoyable and also practical.

[tranquility]

Originally Posted by Vintage

Well, not a necessity as the Z is our 3rd car and the X3 goes back off lease in May. So, my choices are 1) keep the Z and buy a new or used car in the $30-40k range (keeping 3 cars total, including the Z), or 2) sell the Z and buy an M3 when the X3 is turned in (now only two cars but it has 4/5 seats and goes real fast).

Did you say what your other car was...? I guess it depends on what that one is... If I had more than 1 car, I'll definitely not want a similar one and ensure that each fits their designated role.

[Asbjorn]

I recently learned that they are finally starting to import the corvette to China. Previously we haven't been blessed by the presence of this important piece of American automotive culture. But soon we will. And from that point on, I shall avoid all roads with traffic lights installed.

I mean, everyone says it is such a performance bargain, and who wants to loose to a car that apparently costs less to buy new, than the depreciation experienced after 3 months of owning a similar performing BMW.

But then it turns out this is not actually the case. Not the case at all... Because in China the new corvette will cost almost twice that of a new BMW Z4 35i!

Because in China the new corvette is a 245k USD car.

http://jalopnik.com/the-new-corvette...ina-1135359468

So make your pick. You can either get two Z4s, both with 400hp and a DCT... OR one 460hp Corvette with a slush box (assuming that its NA engine cannot be ecu tuned)... because of course they wont import the MT, because this is China. And remember, if you have two Z4s, you can give one of them to your gf, and she will be very happy. On the other hand, if you only have one corvette, you cannot give it to your gf, because she won't like it. If your drive a Corvette, your only passengers will be male friends, and they will all start to hate you, because it isn't their car, and you won't let them drive it, because it has turned into your only gf.

I assume the Chinese already know this, and that is why the tax has made the price take off. In China, apparently we don't like to see boys driving around in sports cars. We want to see girls, lots of beautiful girls cruising around, playing with their iPhone while driving and parking badly.

The new M3 will probably hit a price somewhere in between, just above one million RMB / 165K USD, which is still insane. Especially when you can tune the N54 to almost the same power, and track days aren't an option anyway.

But the new M3 and corvette are clearly built to be compete in completely different legislative environments, and although I own a Z4, apparently I can't join the discussions and considerations you face at any level of relevance.

Lets take another example. Here in China the Z4 28i is almost half the price of the old M3 convertible. That is, with the 28i you save 90k-100k USD over buying the M-car. I don't know about you, but to me this is a lot given the Z4 28i actually makes sense as a dedicated tool for at least one thing, whereas the old M3 convertible just doesn't (why cruise in a car built for the track, that isn't built for the track).

In China, the combination of the N54s unique tunability and the tax system makes it very hard to find any reasonably priced competition for the Z4.

[nicknaz]

Vintage, I was casually feeling out the pricing for the F80 and it seems like it will be tough going to get the ED invoice + $500 type deals at launch. Have you had any luck getting a good deal?

[Vintage]

I have not tried to get a deal on the ED yet but maybe I should start in earnest. If I cannot get normal ED pricing I will not buy it. Waiting always makes things cheaper.

[Vintage]

2012 Jeep Wrangler is my daily
2011 X3 35i is my wife's daily
2010 Z4 35i is our "date" car

The X3 goes back to BMW off lease in April/May

[HerrK]

Originally Posted by Vintage

I have not tried to get a deal on the ED yet but maybe I should start in earnest. If I cannot get normal ED pricing I will not buy it. Waiting always makes things cheaper.

Originally Posted by nicknaz

Vintage, I was casually feeling out the pricing for the F80 and it seems like it will be tough going to get the ED invoice + $500 type deals at launch. Have you had any luck getting a good deal?

Just a thought, have either of you PM'd or emailed any of the following;

John W.@ South Beach Fl
Adrian A @ South Atlanta
Jon S @ Santa Barbara
Greg P @ Pacific

They will probably offer the best deals for your locales and be properly informed as to the availability and ED pricing of the upcoming F80/F82's.

[Vintage]

no HerrK, but thanks for the suggestion - I will fire off a couple of emails and see what happens

[Vintage]

Originally Posted by Hujan

I think the F80 M3 is going to be excellent. I suspect I'll be trading in my E92 M3 for one someday, but ideally we'll always keep a Z in the stable. My ideal stable is a Z, a four-door M, and an X5.

If your Z is paid for, why not keep it and get the M?

I agree 100% on your BMW "stable."

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by HerrK

Just a thought, have either of you PM'd or emailed any of the following;

John W.@ South Beach Fl
Adrian A @ South Atlanta
Jon S @ Santa Barbara
Greg P @ Pacific

They will probably offer the best deals for your locales and be properly informed as to the availability and ED pricing of the upcoming F80/F82's.

Thanks. I have corresponded with Grep P in the past, for US deliveries, Ray I @ Pacific is my go-to (he was the sales person for my current Z4)

Good to know who the other dealers are.