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      03-22-2017, 06:29 AM   #1
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Is It A Classic?

Or put another way, how do you think the e89 will be judged? Was it a great car or a flawed attempt that tried to be too many things (sports car/tourer)? Did the design age well?

There was a similar question posed to ZPOST members around a year ago, but now that the car has ceased production and there's not many left on the dealers lots across the country,
I thought it might be a good time to reconsider and share some thoughts on the Z's strong and weak points. Best year(s), color, interior, option must-haves.

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      03-22-2017, 09:28 AM   #2
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Years ago there was a video on DRIVE about what it takes to be a classic. Some points where great looks, or performance in a low production run. The right car made at the wrong time. I think the Z in general hits all those marks.
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      03-23-2017, 11:32 AM   #3
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to be frank about the car. I think they got the styling on this version close to perfect. the wide look from the front and the sleek feel from the side are complimentary to the vehicle. The only thing i think they could have done with this was to give the rear panels a bit more flare but i guess that is all in taste. As for being a classic. Who knows really it all has to do with how we view the vehicle after the production runs ends and we get a couple versions away from this model. I can tell you though that if they mess up the Z5 or Zx (x representing what ever number that will be) then this one will be an instant classic.
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      03-24-2017, 06:35 AM   #4
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Interior View

Name:  Z.jpg
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Last edited by Brookside; 03-24-2017 at 08:06 AM..
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      03-24-2017, 09:05 AM   #5
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Its going to be a classic tuner car for sure. Born ahead of its days.
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      03-24-2017, 09:29 AM   #6
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Some Are Still Left On Dealer Lots. I took this photo last week at one of my local dealers.
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      03-24-2017, 11:55 AM   #7
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In short, no.

The Z8 is a classic, looks/engine/rarity.
The Z4 is a low volume production car that will never increase in value. The only thing that would have been different would be a limited run Z4 M-version/CSL. As much as I love my 35is, it will remain timeless but not classic.
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      03-24-2017, 11:57 AM   #8
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timeless for sure, i think the e89 is such a great balance of style, performance, and luxury. it turns heads and is a blast to drive, i love mine!
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      03-24-2017, 04:18 PM   #9
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I third the above. Timeless, not a classic.
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      03-24-2017, 04:30 PM   #10
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Dark Interior/Extended Leather

Hockey Stick swoop
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      03-24-2017, 04:40 PM   #11
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Quote:
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Hockey Stick swoop
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      03-24-2017, 04:42 PM   #12
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Hockey Stick swoop
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      03-24-2017, 04:47 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by paris1 View Post

Sorry- Pretty cryptic I guess.
The aluminum accent that runs along the dash does a sudden turn upwards and looks like a hockey stick. The interior designer for the car, in interviews you can easily find on YouTube, Nadya Arnaout talked a lot about adding subtle visual clues about how the car related to sports in general.
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      03-24-2017, 06:04 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VailM3 View Post
In short, no.

The Z8 is a classic, looks/engine/rarity.
The Z4 is a low volume production car that will never increase in value. The only thing that would have been different would be a limited run Z4 M-version/CSL. As much as I love my 35is, it will remain timeless but not classic.
So for starters, BMW's drop like a stone ... so well before we talk about increasing value, let's just talk about holding value. Z4's are getting pretty cheap because they are a pedestrian car. Plenty of other BMW's have followed that curve, such as the relatively unimportant later generation M3's - they are pedestrian motorcars, that simple. The Z8 has held its value, on par with its new price.

So that said, plenty of normal cars have seen a price increase from a bottom - every M3, every 2002 (the old cars not the model year), the ugly Z3 coupe (limited prod, beauty is in the eye of the beholder), et cetera. Heck the Isetta's ... a useless, uninteresting vehicle if I've ever seen one. If the Isetta's can go for $30k, ANYTHING can be a classic for crying out loud :-)

The Z4 is no 507. Nor does it have E30 M3 heritage. Or M1. But I suspect it will do well, as a beautifully designed 2-door, in low production. Simple I think the Z4 will bottom like every BMW, but unlike every BMW, it will go up.

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      03-25-2017, 06:54 PM   #15
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      03-26-2017, 06:27 AM   #16
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Given that the car was designed what, 9 to 10 years ago (?), I think the exterior design aged very well and still looks great in the flesh. I still see one every now and then on my commute and I get that "should I have gotten another ..." feeling.

Depending on color & material choices, the interior does look dated to various degrees to me. Funny enough, the ivory white premium interior that was available the first couple of years still looks best to me. I had the brown interior - and it still was pretty and felt very premium inside. This thread made me look at a couple of old pictures -- and yes, even though I liked it, it would look dated on a current MY car.
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      03-27-2017, 04:49 PM   #17
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The word classic in car terms is very subjective. If you look at a car like DeLorean that says it all. The cars were not built very well and the motor stunk. Yet for some reason they are going up in value. It could be due to the fact that is because of the movie back to the future. Yet when you just look at it from a car stand point it was very unique for the time. So because of that reason it has become a collection item. Based off of its low production run and shap. So if you look at our cars in that time frame it very well could become a collection item. I would like to think so... I have had tones of people say how timeless the lines of the car are. These are people who don't even own the car. So I think you have to look at it from that point. What do people think of the car who do not own one. Is it something they in the future would want, and is the car a low production run.
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      04-01-2017, 10:28 AM   #18
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I had a 2006 E85 3.0i purchased in 2009 CPO.

When I first saw one in 2003 I thought it was uglier than the Z3 which at the time I hated but have come to appreciate the Z3 and loved the Z4.

The E89 I loved at first sight, the proportions are nearly perfect top up or down, the ride is much better than my E85 was. My only gripe with my 2015 35is is that there was no manual offered.

I think that eventually it will be a classic but probably not for a couple of decades, much like the mid 80s Merc SLs are now rising in value.
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      04-06-2017, 12:57 PM   #19
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Within 10 days of buying my 2011 35i I made the decision to find a newer one, as close to the production end date as possible. I personally don't care if they go up or down in value in the future... I still want to keep one for 5-10 years! There is not another car on the road that I find as stylish and comfortable as the Z4. I've owned BMW's for more than 25 years, and I have had several summer cars as well, including Porsches... I can't believe it took me so long to discover the Z4. I just took it out of storage the other day, and it put such a smile on my face.

It will endure. It is a classic.

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      04-08-2017, 06:58 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobmos View Post
Within 10 days of buying my 2011 35i I made the decision to find a newer one, as close to the production end date as possible. I personally don't care if they go up or down in value in the future... I still want to keep one for 5-10 years! There is not another car on the road that I find as stylish and comfortable as the Z4. I've owned BMW's for more than 25 years, and I have had several summer cars as well, including Porsches... I can't believe it took me so long to discover the Z4. I just took it out of storage the other day, and it put such a smile on my face.

It will endure. It is a classic.

Cheers
Completely agree with you. I had a 2011 35i. Got tired of it (didn't feel it had enough power) and went to a more powerful car . . . 2013 650i Coupe. Regretted that decision and finally decided to get a 35is with the exact options I wanted before production ended. It is a keeper.

I think it is often overshadowed by the Boxster in reviews, BMW doesn't promote it enough, and the SLK/SLC is generally cheaper (but driving dynamics not as good). The roadster class has not been in demand for many years already. Perhaps roadsters will come back. Most classics don't start off as classics. Classics are often "rediscovered" by future generations which drives demand. Either way, I didn't purchase the Z4 35is for investment; it's for my leisure and personal enjoyment.
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      04-09-2017, 01:08 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by t612 View Post
Completely agree with you. I had a 2011 35i. Got tired of it (didn't feel it had enough power) and went to a more powerful car . . . 2013 650i Coupe. Regretted that decision and finally decided to get a 35is with the exact options I wanted before production ended. It is a keeper.

I think it is often overshadowed by the Boxster in reviews, BMW doesn't promote it enough, and the SLK/SLC is generally cheaper (but driving dynamics not as good). The roadster class has not been in demand for many years already. Perhaps roadsters will come back. Most classics don't start off as classics. Classics are often "rediscovered" by future generations which drives demand. Either way, I didn't purchase the Z4 35is for investment; it's for my leisure and personal enjoyment.
With an MHD tune, I don't think I need much more power for a daily driver.
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      04-09-2017, 04:17 PM   #22
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If one is willing, the handling can be transformed with off-the-shelf M3 parts. For whatever complaints people have about the steering, I found spherical bearing tension strut inserts and a steel shock tower bar (triangulates the towers) makes the steering setup razor sharp. I'm pleased with my H&R spring and swaybar setup, though many say the KW coil-over is even better.

If one is willing, one can ostensibly create the "///M" version of the car that was never produced. It will blow the doors off the 650, both in a straight line and in the twisties. As so many of the 335i guys know, this era 3 series and Z4 are great platforms to have it all.

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