Z4 as a four season car??

Ti335 · 08-03-2010, 11:05 AM

Seeing that I live in Canada, am I crazy for even considering the Z4 as an all-season daily driver? (I live in a condo and have no space to store a second vehicle).

I figured that the combination of relatively low weight, RWD and low ground clearance makes for a rather impractical winter car, even with winter tires, but I'd like to hear other people's opinions.

Ground clearance is of particular concern to me...how low to the ground is the Z4 compared to, say, E90 3-series?

tranquility · 08-03-2010, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ti335

Seeing that I live in Canada, am I crazy for even considering the Z4 as an all-season daily driver? (I live in a condo and have no space to store a second vehicle).

I figured that the combination of relatively low weight, RWD and low ground clearance makes for a rather impractical winter car, even with winter tires, but I'd like to hear other people's opinions.

Ground clearance is of particular concern to me...how low to the ground is the Z4 compared to, say, E90 3-series?

I'm similar to your situation and this is my ONLY car. I was deciding amongst the 3-series sedan, S4, TTS and finally bought the Z4. I went for it and figure unless the winter gets really bad, I should be able to drive it w/ winter tires. Some fellow Canucks here drove it during winters w/ no prbs.

Saery · 08-03-2010, 11:58 AM

Just registered, and I don't own a Z4 but hoping I will some day

I've read on this forum for a few weeks, both the Z4 and the 3/M3 section, and the question of how well the car works in the snow is quite frequent. I live less then 100 miles from the polar circle, and I never really had a problem driving my old e36 316 (student + swedish car prices = bad combo), which is RWD and have no electronic aids. So to answer your question, I don't think you're crazy unless the ground clearance is significantly lower than on a 3, but I doubt that.

mcbeee · 08-03-2010, 01:06 PM

Folks, get real.... look at the car. I had to buy a special floor jack to go underneath it, I can only get in my driveway on an angle or the air dam scrapes. Of course it is low. I tried it a couple of times and got stuck four times in front of my driveway. There's barely room to get a shovel underneath to dig it out.....

Sure, people can put winter tires on it but that only helps if the snow has been cleared. So to answer the question: NO, not a four season car in Canada unless you live in Vancouver or Victoria.

juhap · 08-03-2010, 01:12 PM

Had the previous generation Z4 as an all-season daily driver with no major problems, although I wouldn't want to park it uphill in snow. Wide tires cause understeer when there's enough snow, but all the electronic aids should keep you on the road unless you do something really stupid.

My E85 had about 100 bhp less than my E89, so I'd except it'll be easier to get unwanted wheelspin, but using higher gears should compensate....I hope.

msimon18 · 08-03-2010, 01:17 PM

I live in Central Flori-DUH. It is a GR8 4-season car !!!

tranquility · 08-03-2010, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by msimon18

I live in Central Flori-DUH. It is a GR8 4-season car !!!

Why you.....

tranquility · 08-03-2010, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcbeee

Folks, get real.... look at the car. I had to buy a special floor jack to go underneath it, I can only get in my driveway on an angle or the air dam scrapes. Of course it is low. I tried it a couple of times and got stuck four times in front of my driveway. There's barely room to get a shovel underneath to dig it out.....

Sure, people can put winter tires on it but that only helps if the snow has been cleared. So to answer the question: NO, not a four season car in Canada unless you live in Vancouver or Victoria.

...but hey, Calgary winters are much diff than Toronto winters, I suspect.

mcbeee · 08-03-2010, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tranquility

Why you.....

But MrSimon, you don't have 4 seasons there......so it don't count

We only have two seasons here out west, 6 months of winter and 6 months of poor snowmobiling.

tranquility · 08-03-2010, 02:17 PM

^

How bad are the winters there btw?

ChuckB · 08-03-2010, 02:31 PM

Drive mine all last winter, and if the roads have been cleared [less than 2-3 inches left on the ground], then no problem with snow tires, but have to qualify this, any build up on the road and you start having problems - you can't get into an uncleared parking space with more than 5 inches of snow, and if there is a crust on the snow then best back into it. The handling of the Z4 in snow is great, and the DSC really helps keep it under control, but the build up between lanes, or crossing the leftovers from a plow will cause some damage to the front bodywork and it hard/high enough will affect the inter-cooler in the front. So it depends on how much snow you get, and how clear the roads stay.

HerrK · 08-03-2010, 02:47 PM

Great for all 4 seasons in SoCal.

Seriously I would ride my cycle with my heated jacket liner before I took out the Z out in any flakey or icy weather. At least I can put my feet down. It was a real crack up at the Welt doing the simulator on a snowy mountain pass with traction control on/off. Cargo pass thru for skis what were the marketing people thinking?

alan64 · 08-03-2010, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ti335

Seeing that I live in Canada, am I crazy for even considering the Z4 as an all-season daily driver? (I live in a condo and have no space to store a second vehicle).

I figured that the combination of relatively low weight, RWD and low ground clearance makes for a rather impractical winter car, even with winter tires, but I'd like to hear other people's opinions.

Ground clearance is of particular concern to me...how low to the ground is the Z4 compared to, say, E90 3-series?

im in winnipeg, much much worse than toronto.. put the recommended winter wheel and tire package on and its great in the winter with the heated seats and steering wheel. Unless its an all out blizzard, its just fine. Especially in toronto.

tranquility · 08-03-2010, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan64

im in winnipeg, much much worse than toronto.. put the recommended winter wheel and tire package on and its great in the winter with the heated seats and steering wheel. Unless its an all out blizzard, its just fine. Especially in toronto.

So how about the ground clearance that I'm reading about: cause for concern?

alan64 · 08-04-2010, 05:37 AM

no absolutely not. As I said yes, in a snow storm I wouldnt drive it, but I drove it all last winter and as long as you have winter tires on it its more than fine. Whenever im in toronto its always nicer in the winter than winnipeg as you know. You will enjoy it as much in the winter as the summer. I do. I used to have vettes and always put them away in the winter, I like driving cars not staring at them. I wouldnt drive the z if I thought it was dangerous. When I spoke to the guys at bmw about the winter tires and driving the car, they told me that there was a lot of winter testing on the car with the winter tires and its fine for winter driving.

msimon18 · 08-04-2010, 07:18 AM

Actuially you are correct. We only have two seasons - SUMMER and CONSTRUCTION
!!!!

Mr. ///M3 RD · 08-04-2010, 09:02 AM

Hello fellows from SoCa where I am right now about 180 miles from LA on the wonderful US 1. What else with my Z4 of course. When I get back I'll write a nice report.

Anyway, an all season car. Hmmmm don't like to think about winter right now. However, I can say this. I drove my original 2008 Z4 30is in the winter last year. I did so of course in London, Ontario. Then I only drove it when the roads were clear of snow.

So my advise to the question would be .... 1) It all depends where you live in Canada. 2) If when the roads are not suitable you have other means of transportation then get one and leave the Z4 in the garage until the roads are clear. 3) My BMW Service manager has a old winter car he uses when there is snow on the roads. Also 4) if you like the Z4 and want one, then get one (you only live once and life is short) get a second car for winter and store the Z4 in winter you be glad you did when April or May rolls around .... remember the Z4 is really 2 cars in one and I am loving it

Bottom line, one needs to make that call alone based on some of the points I've made above. I use my wife's AWD in the winter time and only take my toy for a spin if the roads are clear and dry in little old London town.

my 2 cents anyway ...

cdeslandes · 08-04-2010, 10:42 AM

My previous car was a Lexus IS350 - similar torque, power and RWD.

I used it as a 4-season car in New England for 4 years. Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 tires did the trick.

However the car was garaged at night, and I didn't drive it in the middle of a snowstorm if I could help it.

Definitely not as great as a 4x4, but usable in Winter. I never got stuck.

Still debating what to do with the Z4, thinking of getting a used Jeep as my winter car...

JohnT · 08-07-2010, 12:42 PM

I let the car decide, if the windows don't open, I don't get to drive

Arizona Z4 · 08-07-2010, 01:51 PM

It is for me in Arizona. My only question is should I have the top up or down.

BlueZ4AZ · 08-07-2010, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arizona Z4

It is for me in Arizona. My only question is should I have the top up or down.

That about sums it up.

For me it's generally top down 50 - 102 degrees, depending on humidity. Top up all other temperatures, or whenever my girlfriend is in the car and makes me put the top up. Her top down range is only 75-90 degrees. I do 80% of my driving without her in the car though.

..and the 5-7 times a year it rains, I don't drive the Z4. I use her EX35.

MDLFCS · 08-09-2010, 11:55 PM

I would get a second vehicle with at least higher ground clearance for winter.

Because the Z4 is a low slung car, I have had a couple of times this summer where people could not see me driving my Z4. One was a large Bonneville and another was a compact SUV. The Bonneville was attempting to change lanes when I was in their right rear corner of their bumper. The compact SUV attempted to make a right turn from stop sign with me going in that direction coming from their left. I had to honk my horn to get their attention in both instances.

I would imagine the situation would get worse in the winter time with the snow berms and long dark days.

08-03-2010, 11:05 AM	#1
Ti335 Lieutenant 35 Rep 427 Posts Drives: E90 335i Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	Z4 as a four season car?? Seeing that I live in Canada, am I crazy for even considering the Z4 as an all-season daily driver? (I live in a condo and have no space to store a second vehicle). I figured that the combination of relatively low weight, RWD and low ground clearance makes for a rather impractical winter car, even with winter tires, but I'd like to hear other people's opinions. Ground clearance is of particular concern to me...how low to the ground is the Z4 compared to, say, E90 3-series?
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08-03-2010, 11:58 AM	#3
Saery Registered 0 Rep 2 Posts Drives: BMW 316 e36 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sweden iTrader: (0)	Just registered, and I don't own a Z4 but hoping I will some day I've read on this forum for a few weeks, both the Z4 and the 3/M3 section, and the question of how well the car works in the snow is quite frequent. I live less then 100 miles from the polar circle, and I never really had a problem driving my old e36 316 (student + swedish car prices = bad combo), which is RWD and have no electronic aids. So to answer your question, I don't think you're crazy unless the ground clearance is significantly lower than on a 3, but I doubt that.
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08-03-2010, 01:06 PM	#4
mcbeee Lieutenant 5 Rep 446 Posts Drives: '09 Z4 s35i & '03 Z4 3.0i Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Calgary iTrader: (0) Garage List 2003 Z4 3.0i [5.00] 2001 Z3 3.0i [0.00] 2009 Z4 s35i [7.00]	Folks, get real.... look at the car. I had to buy a special floor jack to go underneath it, I can only get in my driveway on an angle or the air dam scrapes. Of course it is low. I tried it a couple of times and got stuck four times in front of my driveway. There's barely room to get a shovel underneath to dig it out..... Sure, people can put winter tires on it but that only helps if the snow has been cleared. So to answer the question: NO, not a four season car in Canada unless you live in Vancouver or Victoria. __________________ Member ZSCCA 2009 Z4 s35i with Dinan Stage II software, Sport and Exec packages, 19" 296 rims , a stubby and mud flaps '03 Z4 3.0i Sterling Grey (Hers) '01 Z3 3.0i Sapphire Black, M sport package (Mine)
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08-03-2010, 01:12 PM	#5
juhap Lieutenant 14 Rep 530 Posts Drives: sDrive35i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Finland iTrader: (0)	Had the previous generation Z4 as an all-season daily driver with no major problems, although I wouldn't want to park it uphill in snow. Wide tires cause understeer when there's enough snow, but all the electronic aids should keep you on the road unless you do something really stupid. My E85 had about 100 bhp less than my E89, so I'd except it'll be easier to get unwanted wheelspin, but using higher gears should compensate....I hope.
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08-03-2010, 01:17 PM	#6
msimon18 Retired 19 Rep 868 Posts Drives: Z4 s30i Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Villages, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 1965 Isetta 300 [0.00] 2004 1/5 Scale M3 GTR [10.00]	I live in Central Flori-DUH. It is a GR8 4-season car !!! __________________ M3 GTR - 1/5 scale - 4.2 HP w/ Collari hydraulic brakes - would you believe ~80 MPH on straightaway !!
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08-03-2010, 02:17 PM	#10
tranquility sportscars only 3244 Rep 3,195 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 sDrive 35i Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montréal iTrader: (0)	^ How bad are the winters there btw?
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08-03-2010, 02:31 PM	#11
ChuckB Lieutenant 17 Rep 448 Posts Drives: 2020 X2 2.0i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Hockenheim, Germany (APO) iTrader: (0)	Drive mine all last winter, and if the roads have been cleared [less than 2-3 inches left on the ground], then no problem with snow tires, but have to qualify this, any build up on the road and you start having problems - you can't get into an uncleared parking space with more than 5 inches of snow, and if there is a crust on the snow then best back into it. The handling of the Z4 in snow is great, and the DSC really helps keep it under control, but the build up between lanes, or crossing the leftovers from a plow will cause some damage to the front bodywork and it hard/high enough will affect the inter-cooler in the front. So it depends on how much snow you get, and how clear the roads stay.
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08-03-2010, 02:47 PM	#12
HerrK Captain 42 Rep 640 Posts Drives: 21 X5 40i, 77 R100Rs Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: AZ iTrader: (0)	Great for all 4 seasons in SoCal. Seriously I would ride my cycle with my heated jacket liner before I took out the Z out in any flakey or icy weather. At least I can put my feet down. It was a real crack up at the Welt doing the simulator on a snowy mountain pass with traction control on/off. Cargo pass thru for skis what were the marketing people thinking? __________________ HerrK - 2021 X5 40i M Sport l PCD l Atlantis Blue/Ext'd Tartufo Merino l M Sport w/blue Calipers l Matt Popular l HK Sound l 740's l Exec & Drive Pro Pack Sold w/Great Memories - E89 Z4 l ED 2010 l 2011 35i l Crimson/Ext'd Coral Red w/Alum l 6 sp MT l Prem Sound l Sport Pack l 296's Last edited by HerrK; 08-03-2010 at 09:37 PM..
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08-04-2010, 05:37 AM	#15
alan64 Lieutenant 19 Rep 484 Posts Drives: z4 Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: canada iTrader: (0)	no absolutely not. As I said yes, in a snow storm I wouldnt drive it, but I drove it all last winter and as long as you have winter tires on it its more than fine. Whenever im in toronto its always nicer in the winter than winnipeg as you know. You will enjoy it as much in the winter as the summer. I do. I used to have vettes and always put them away in the winter, I like driving cars not staring at them. I wouldnt drive the z if I thought it was dangerous. When I spoke to the guys at bmw about the winter tires and driving the car, they told me that there was a lot of winter testing on the car with the winter tires and its fine for winter driving.
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08-04-2010, 07:18 AM	#16
msimon18 Retired 19 Rep 868 Posts Drives: Z4 s30i Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: The Villages, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 1965 Isetta 300 [0.00] 2004 1/5 Scale M3 GTR [10.00]	Actuially you are correct. We only have two seasons - SUMMER and CONSTRUCTION !!!! __________________ M3 GTR - 1/5 scale - 4.2 HP w/ Collari hydraulic brakes - would you believe ~80 MPH on straightaway !!
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08-04-2010, 09:02 AM	#17
Mr. ///M3 RD Happy Camper 612 Rep 7,869 Posts Drives: C63 AMG & 280 SL on Weekends : Join Date: May 2010 Location: GTA, Ontario - Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 1969 Restored Merce ... [7.50] 2011 M3 Coupe TRADED [7.34] 1987 BMW 535is [1.00] Cars from the Past [6.50] The ///M3 Engine S65 [9.59]	Hello fellows from SoCa where I am right now about 180 miles from LA on the wonderful US 1. What else with my Z4 of course. When I get back I'll write a nice report. Anyway, an all season car. Hmmmm don't like to think about winter right now. However, I can say this. I drove my original 2008 Z4 30is in the winter last year. I did so of course in London, Ontario. Then I only drove it when the roads were clear of snow. So my advise to the question would be .... 1) It all depends where you live in Canada. 2) If when the roads are not suitable you have other means of transportation then get one and leave the Z4 in the garage until the roads are clear. 3) My BMW Service manager has a old winter car he uses when there is snow on the roads. Also 4) if you like the Z4 and want one, then get one (you only live once and life is short) get a second car for winter and store the Z4 in winter you be glad you did when April or May rolls around .... remember the Z4 is really 2 cars in one and I am loving it Bottom line, one needs to make that call alone based on some of the points I've made above. I use my wife's AWD in the winter time and only take my toy for a spin if the roads are clear and dry in little old London town. my 2 cents anyway ... __________________ Cheers, Rolf-Dieter Life will take us to some interesting places, fortunately The ///M3 will too with a many of us know this very well, now my C6.3 AMG with 487 HP does it too ---> Click here for some good stuff I found
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08-04-2010, 10:42 AM	#18
cdeslandes Captain 27 Rep 676 Posts Drives: 2010 Z4 s35i Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Connecticut iTrader: (0) Garage List 2014 Jeep Wrangler ... [0.00] 2013 Volvo XC90 [0.00] 2010 BMW Z4 sDrive35i [8.67]	My previous car was a Lexus IS350 - similar torque, power and RWD. I used it as a 4-season car in New England for 4 years. Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 tires did the trick. However the car was garaged at night, and I didn't drive it in the middle of a snowstorm if I could help it. Definitely not as great as a 4x4, but usable in Winter. I never got stuck. Still debating what to do with the Z4, thinking of getting a used Jeep as my winter car... __________________ 2010 BMW Z4 s35i 2014 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 2013 Volvo XC90
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08-07-2010, 12:42 PM	#19
JohnT Private 4 Rep 79 Posts Drives: Z4 sDrive23i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Yorkshire iTrader: (0)	I let the car decide, if the windows don't open, I don't get to drive
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08-07-2010, 01:51 PM	#20
Arizona Z4 New Member 2 Rep 15 Posts Drives: 2011 Z4 35i Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paradise Valley, Arizona iTrader: (0)	It is for me in Arizona. My only question is should I have the top up or down.
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08-09-2010, 11:55 PM	#22
MDLFCS Private First Class 14 Rep 168 Posts Drives: 2009 Zee Four 35i Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Alaska iTrader: (0)	I would get a second vehicle with at least higher ground clearance for winter. Because the Z4 is a low slung car, I have had a couple of times this summer where people could not see me driving my Z4. One was a large Bonneville and another was a compact SUV. The Bonneville was attempting to change lanes when I was in their right rear corner of their bumper. The compact SUV attempted to make a right turn from stop sign with me going in that direction coming from their left. I had to honk my horn to get their attention in both instances. I would imagine the situation would get worse in the winter time with the snow berms and long dark days.
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