Diamond Motorworks and questions on 2011+ E89

[puma1552]

Hey guys, I'm still considering a Z4 come springtime. I've wanted one for-ever, since they came out in 2003. With a budget near $40k (but definitely not over), I would be looking at used/CPO.

A few questions:

1) Has anyone had any experience buying from an enthusiast dealership by the name of Diamond Motorworks in Illinois? Their prices seem great and they are plenty fine with taking any car in for a PPI at a place of your choice. I do not believe their prices are negotiable.

www.diamondmotorworks.com

I'm looking at the red '11 30i for $32,800 (I may have posted about that one a few months ago), which seems like a great price, but the car is not CPO since Diamond is not a BMW dealer. Does anyone have experience with this dealership (it's 500 miles from home for me), or, what are your thoughts buying a non-CPO car? Would I be better off just buying from a BMW dealer that took the car in on trade and saw no reason to reject it and send it to auction? Whenever I see a nice car at a non-BMW dealer, I always wonder how it ended up in an auction instead of on a BMW dealer's lot (granted a lot of time people just plain switch brands and the new dealer (say a guy traded it in on a new Ford Explorer) doesn't want the car on their lot so runs it through auction) and then I get skeptical, wondering if my skepticism is justified?

2) Anything to avoid on '11+ Z4s? Any models that have particular issues or that should be avoided? I know 135i owners are prone to $7k turbo replacements, are 35i E89 owners subject to the same? I know the 296 wheels should be avoided due to cracks, what else? Any reason to get a 28i instead of a 30i? Or should a '12 28i be avoided since it was the first year of the 2.0?

I know it's lots of questions, but I'd hate to shell out $30k-$40k for a car and find out it had been hit or get stuck with massive repair bills.

[army_men]

the 30i is the non turbo inline6 right? the motor should be solid even more so than the turbo version. water pump and other parts will wear out just like any other bmw. wish i can tell you more.

[CeEl]

Sometimes the cars end up on auction for one reason or another, and a BMW dealer actually grabs them. Not sure why / how. There is another dealer in IL (Patrick in Schaumburg, close to Chicago) that seems to have a load of 1 year old Z4's every now and then. When you do a title search you can see that they were bought at an auction. I guess what I am saying is that anybody could have bought a perfectly good car at an auction -- BMW dealer or not -- and buying a used car at a BMW dealership is no guarantee for everything being perfect. Z4's aren't plentiful ... I did buy mine from a dealer who always seems to have a couple on the lot (instead of just 1 "halo car" in the showroom) hoping that they have at least some experience with the car for after-sale support.

If you need financing, it probably makes the most difference there. I doubt BMWFS is available through non-BMW dealers.

[nicknaz]

Hi OP, I can't find the thread anymore, but I thought I read of someone on here buying from a Chicago area dealer and then finding out after the fact the car was salvage title. I personally would run multiple history checks (not just carfax) and go to a BMW dealer to check on the service and repair history of the VIN.

Personally, I would not get a non CPO E89 and have no plans to buy out the lease on my car, in part due to several minor issues that have come up recently (headlight leveling, rear deck rattle, squeaking top when closing, radiator fan malfunction)

Z has been in shop in 18 months more than the last three 3 series I've had for 60 months, so my personally take is Z is looking to be more problematic than other BMW due to its convertible top and low volume.

Fun car, love driving it but not a "keeper" for me.

[Fripp64]

'11 3.0 in my garage with 35k miles. No issues at all with mine and as the other poster said the engine is pretty bullet proof. I'd had an '08 335i and had the high pressure fuel pump replaced twice and the turbos once.
I decided to go back to an NA engine for awhile.

I would suggest a warranty if you get a loaded Z4 and you're keeping it well past the warranty. The nav screen alone is north of 2k if it goes out on you during your ownership.

Good luck with your decision.

J.

[puma1552]

Thanks guys, the scare of a turbo replacement alone almost scares me away from the 35i or the 28i, and towards a 2011 30i. In general I prefer N/A engines anyway for simplicity.

[ManiacGT]

Originally Posted by puma1552

Thanks guys, the scare of a turbo replacement alone almost scares me away from the 35i or the 28i, and towards a 2011 30i. In general I prefer N/A engines anyway for simplicity.

I know only one person that's ever had a turbo fail. Provided you service the car well, they should last a very very long time. Pushing turbos beyond spec however, well what do you expect. Most N54 issues have been rattles/noise from the waste gates, not actual failures.

[nicknaz]

Originally Posted by puma1552

Thanks guys, the scare of a turbo replacement alone almost scares me away from the 35i or the 28i, and towards a 2011 30i. In general I prefer N/A engines anyway for simplicity.

Based on all of the N54 threads I've browsed, it seems the injectors and fuel pumps will be the costly parts, not the turbo.

Going with the 30i obviously removes those from things that could go wrong.

It also removes a very noticeable amount of power...

[puma1552]

Thanks, maybe if I have a CPO that would be fine to have a turbo car.

I did have one other question, this on the stereo - is the highest option the HiFi system? I assumed HiFi was standard with HK being the optional stereo like on the 3 series, but looking at the builder for a new Z4 on BMW's site, the HiFi is the ~$900 optional stereo, so this must have a subwoofer as well? Just curious if the HiFi has been the creme de la creme stereo on the E89 all along.

[nicknaz]

top hifi definitely has the subwoofers under the seats. I am not sure about the 'hifi' base stereo

check out this info from an older thread

http://e89.zpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=628236

Originally Posted by GaryRudolph

So, after some research it appears there are 3 sound configurations in the Z4 (for the US market)
1) Base ("Base Sound" 2009-Early 2011)
2) 676 HiFi ("Base Sound" Mid 2011 - Current)
3) 677 Top HiFi ("Premium Sound" in All Years)

The confusion is Mid 2011 build dates the base sound was "upgraded" to the HiFi sound for the US market. The HiFi and Top HiFi both have an amp, albeit different amp. The base does not.

[Mick70]

Not sure about outside EU, but for the UK I have found this illustration:



Source: http://bit.ly/1dhL9It

Best regards

Mick