Moupe 55 Report post Posted March 21, 2021 (edited) On Saturday, I reached a turning point with the relationship I have with my Z4MC. And wanted to share this moment with fellow car peeps as trying to explain this to my girlfriend was pointless and involved lots of yawning and eye rolls 😂 So up until Saturday, I was still on the fence about my Z4 M Coupe (or Moupe as my GF calls it). After selling my beloved E46 M3 over two years ago (which I had a spent a lot of time and money bringing back up to near mint status - shout out to HellBM and OCD for helping with that), I bought an F80 M3. This was an amazing car but I never really fell in love with it. It looked the part, had performance up the wazoo, but it never had any soul. I missed what the E46 M3 was - analogue, visceral, and raw… After waiting for over a year with a saved search for another E46 M3 in Trade Me (and having my cheeky offer to the purchaser of my old M3, to buy it back with extra $$$, refused), I turned my search to something else. This is when I found my Z4MC. I knew of this car in roadster form, but I didn’t know much about the coupe version. So after a bit of research, decided that this would make a good replacement for my E46 M3. Especially given it is manual, has the same high revving and beautiful sounding S54, and shares a lot of parts from the E46 M3 and M3 CSL (basically a bit of a parts bin M). But it wasn’t all good news. After purchasing it…I just wasn’t sure I’d made the right call. I mean, compared to the E46 M3, I think it looks odd and borderline ugly in places (particularly the droopy front end). It also doesn’t drive the same - it’s very twitchy, not as composed, and suffers from understeer. My first few drives of it didn’t leave me with a feeling of excitement or elation. However… 6 months in (and many many weekend drives) I have come to understand and LOVE this car. As mentioned, it’s not as poised as the M3, so the biggest thing I had to get used to was that you can’t drive into a corner hot - it’s more of a slow-in/fast-out car. This took some time to get used to, but once I learned this, I found that the turn-in on the Z4MC is incredibly accurate and the car feels so planted (provided you turn TC off). Also, after changing the tyres from the OE spec to 10mm wider all round, this has removed some of its twitchiness (this was originally done because I hated the aesthetics of the factory spec with Michelin PSS’s on the front but the handling improvement was a silver lining). Additionally, it feels like a proper little sports car. You sit low and slung so far back (the bonnet is huge - and I once had a 3.0L Z3). There is a sense of occasion every time I remove the cover and disconnect the battery charger. The side profile, rear, and rear three quarters look incredible (the front is still a little weird but I’m getting used to it). And, no surprises, the S54 is sublime (even if the ZF transmission doesn’t feel quite as good as the Getrag in the M3). It sounds better than my old M3 (and 1000% better than the F80) and the odd interior styling has grown on me too (though I have always loved that go-kart-like steering wheel). So I finally think I can sleep at night now without waking up in cold sweats regretting the sale of my E46 M3. I think this Z4MC will have a home in my garage for a long time… Attached are some pics from Saturday (up South Head - which still remains my favourite road in Auckland after Woodcocks and Monument). Edited March 22, 2021 by Moupe 18 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 It's interesting to hear about the handling difference vs the M3. I imagined these would be more nimble and tossable but it sounds like it's fairly different. I think they look really cool, more unique than the M3 for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moupe 55 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 31 minutes ago, Matth5 said: It's interesting to hear about the handling difference vs the M3. I imagined these would be more nimble and tossable but it sounds like it's fairly different. I think they look really cool, more unique than the M3 for sure. On a smooth surface, they handle brilliantly (like a go-kart). But on NZ roads it’s a bit all over the place. My M3 on stock setup just never felt uneasy. The Z4MC does. That said, TC off (it’s very intrusive, much like the older versions of this) and the wider tyres definitely help. Plus you can easily fix this issue with geometry changes and new shocks/springs etc. However,  at this stage I’m happy how she is (though the latter is on the list as a future mod). Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moupe 55 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 (edited) Re the looks. They are definitely unique. I’ve actually never seen another Z4MC in person (though I know they exist - my cars twin lives somewhere in Auckland and is for sale on Trade Me right now). It definitely took a while to love the looks (which I do now - 70% there on the nose though haha). I still think the E46 M3 (and R32 Skyline) is arguably the best looking roadcar made in my lifetime (I’m a 70’s kid). Edited March 22, 2021 by Moupe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammo 2544 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 I think they look fantastic - not a traditionally beautiful car maybe but absolutely unique and very dramatic. Love Woodcock road as well - need to go for a blast up South Head sometime. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moupe 55 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 Just now, Sammo said: I think they look fantastic - not a traditionally beautiful car maybe but absolutely unique and very dramatic. Love Woodcock road as well - need to go for a blast up South Head sometime. "Not traditionally beautiful" - I think that sums it up really. The E46 M3 (again IMO as looks are subjective) is definitely traditionally beautiful. The Z4MC is not but yet it all works as a package. And the rear three-quarters is just awesome - especially when viewing it from a lower angle. Like Woodcocks, South Head Road has the perfect combination of everything. Not too much traffic, a few great straights, lots of decent corners, some good inclines, and it's a road that doesn't get munched by the trucks! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bandit 194 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 Chaps, you are comparing a two door four seater touring car with a sports car in the 4M coupe. Hardly an apples with apples comparison. The Anders Warming flame surfacing design on the coupe is unquestionably superior here. As for the suspension shortfalls, easily dialed out on the coupe Moupe, forgive the pun. And for  the front look, replace those black grilles with a set of the chrome surround originals for instant transformation. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moupe 55 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 (edited) 48 minutes ago, Bandit said: Chaps, you are comparing a two door four seater touring car with a sports car in the 4M coupe. Hardly an apples with apples comparison. The Anders Warming flame surfacing design on the coupe is unquestionably superior here. As for the suspension shortfalls, easily dialed out on the coupe Moupe, forgive the pun. And for  the front look, replace those black grilles with a set of the chrome surround originals for instant transformation. I'm actually comparing it with my old E46 M3...  But I think the point of my post has been missed... Also, I already mentioned about the handling fix (suspension/springs) further up. Plus it was I who changed out the OEM grilles with black as I didn't like the chrome ones (on this particular car - I preferred the original chrome on the E46 M3). Personal preference though eh P.S. Thanks for sending me down an internet-search-rabbit-hole lol. I always thought it was Chris Bangle's creation. I guess he just took the credit as the lead designer. Also found this great short video on the design of the Z4 by Anders Warming. Sexy Math FTW! Edited March 22, 2021 by Moupe 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 Glad you're lovin' it. And nice plate. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moupe 55 Report post Posted March 22, 2021 Just now, M3AN said: Glad you're lovin' it. And nice plate. Cheers! And yeah, I was going to get that for my E46 and never got around to it. Over two years later it was still available! Thought it would have been snapped up Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alexvier 0 Report post Posted March 23, 2021 you have the new Toyota Supra actually.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Moupe 55 Report post Posted March 23, 2021 (edited) 17 hours ago, Alexvier said: you have the new Toyota Supra actually.... 😂 Until now I never noticed the similarities! Edited March 23, 2021 by Moupe Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matth5 471 Report post Posted March 23, 2021 Pity they couldn't go full-M with the Supra/Z4. I guess it would upstage the Supra and maybe break an agreement with Toyota. A modern Z4M coupe with the current M3/4 drivetrain would be awesome. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
