BMW Z4 trounces 981 Boxster in internet connectivity! |  |  |
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Laz - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 3:10:00 pm |
Although Porsche's nav system, which does have some relation to driving, is better. For actual hard driving or track work, it's a different story!
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[www.bmwblog.com]
| But the Boxster won the comparo.... jg wnc - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 3:41:54 pm |
| Dadgum it. Guenter in Ontario - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 3:51:39 pm |
Looks like I should have ordered a Z4. More HP and the extra 600 lb will keep it on the road on a windy day.
It's got that great single knob control iDrive to let me select / adjust everything while watching the screen on the dash. That's why I like to have a passenger so there's someone who can watch the road for me while I'm fiddling through the menu to adjust the heater.
I do have to give Chuck a lot of credit though. He's honest when it comes to comparing the handling of the two cars. Why do you buy a sports car anyway?
It's got that great single knob control iDrive to let me select / adjust everything while watching the screen on the dash. That's why I like to have a passenger so there's someone who can watch the road for me while I'm fiddling through the menu to adjust the heater.
I do have to give Chuck a lot of credit though. He's honest when it comes to comparing the handling of the two cars. Why do you buy a sports car anyway?
MikenOH - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 6:30:06 pm |
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Guenter in Ontario
It's got that great single knob control iDrive to let me select / adjust everything while watching the screen on the dash. That's why I like to have a passenger so there's someone who can watch the road for me while I'm fiddling through the menu to adjust the heater.
Guenter:
You're in the wrong business--you should be doing standup! That is funny...
And true--BMW seems to have their own ideas of providing info to the driver and complexity is one of those ideas. We have an 08 328i sedan with just the basic controls for HVAC and that works just fine. The upgrade that year was the iDrive setup and I specifically avoided it due to all of the negative feedback on the BMW forums; I think they've improved the system over the years but it continues to look like more of a gimmick than a leap forward.
Regarding the weight, I've got to wonder where that 600 lbs is; the top mechanism is probably part of it but this is a small car. By comparison, our sedan weighs in just under 3400 lbs but it has a manual and just a couple of options.
Regarding the mission of the Z4, it would seem it is setup for the poser or street cruiser; it's quick for sure and looks sporty, but don't expect sportiness when you start cranking the wheel.
| Re: Dadgum it. Guenter in Ontario - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 7:41:07 pm |
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MikenOH
Guenter:
You're in the wrong business--you should be doing standup! That is funny...
And true--BMW seems to have their own ideas of providing info to the driver and complexity is one of those ideas. We have an 08 328i sedan with just the basic controls for HVAC and that works just fine. The upgrade that year was the iDrive setup and I specifically avoided it due to all of the negative feedback on the BMW forums; I think they've improved the system over the years but it continues to look like more of a gimmick than a leap forward.
Regarding the weight, I've got to wonder where that 600 lbs is; the top mechanism is probably part of it but this is a small car. By comparison, our sedan weighs in just under 3400 lbs but it has a manual and just a couple of options.
Regarding the mission of the Z4, it would seem it is setup for the poser or street cruiser; it's quick for sure and looks sporty, but don't expect sportiness when you start cranking the wheel.
I guess I just like to drive the car. That means it has to be ergonomically set up. I figure I should be able to adjust the heater/AC, turn seat heaters on or whatever else without having to take my eyes off the road to look at a screen. There's just no way to do that with iDrive.
As to the weight. Just going by what they said. When I checked, Z4 was about 3285 lb, Boxster S 2910 lb. By my math, that's about 375 lb difference.
I agree about the Z4. It's a sporty cruiser, something like the Mercedes SLK. Certainly not in the same class as the Boxster in terms of handling.
| Re: Dadgum it. Roger987 - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 8:15:05 pm |
I think the Z4 is a very good looking car. Very. I know it's heresy, but if I'm truly objective, it catches my eye as much as a Boxster.
And, as sporting-type cars go, it's quite capable. And god bless BMW, they're still making manual shifters.
As Guenter mentioned, the metal roof was death to its trunk space. That alone is a deal-breaker, for me. I think that, to date, only Mazda got it right, with the Miata hard-top roof. (Of course, the Miata, once a modern-day MGB, is now pretty much a chick-car. Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
I think most people who buy the Z4 are delighted with it - the vast majority aren't looking for Porsche level handling. (Good thing, as there is no substitute.) They want a sporty looking, sporty-driving, well-engineered and well-built car. And like many Porsche owners, they like the cache. Would I trade my Boxster for a Z4? Not a chance. But that's why I, and we, have Boxsters, not Z4's
BMW's iDrive has come a long way since its inception. It's often regarded as the amongst the best of those systems. Now, whether those systems are a good idea or not, well, that's an entirely different question.
And, as sporting-type cars go, it's quite capable. And god bless BMW, they're still making manual shifters.
As Guenter mentioned, the metal roof was death to its trunk space. That alone is a deal-breaker, for me. I think that, to date, only Mazda got it right, with the Miata hard-top roof. (Of course, the Miata, once a modern-day MGB, is now pretty much a chick-car. Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
I think most people who buy the Z4 are delighted with it - the vast majority aren't looking for Porsche level handling. (Good thing, as there is no substitute.) They want a sporty looking, sporty-driving, well-engineered and well-built car. And like many Porsche owners, they like the cache. Would I trade my Boxster for a Z4? Not a chance. But that's why I, and we, have Boxsters, not Z4's
BMW's iDrive has come a long way since its inception. It's often regarded as the amongst the best of those systems. Now, whether those systems are a good idea or not, well, that's an entirely different question.
| Re: Dadgum it. Guenter in Ontario - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 9:45:07 pm |
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Roger987
I think the Z4 is a very good looking car. Very. I know it's heresy, but if I'm truly objective, it catches my eye as much as a Boxster.
And, as sporting-type cars go, it's quite capable. And god bless BMW, they're still making manual shifters.
As Guenter mentioned, the metal roof was death to its trunk space. That alone is a deal-breaker, for me. I think that, to date, only Mazda got it right, with the Miata hard-top roof. (Of course, the Miata, once a modern-day MGB, is now pretty much a chick-car. Not that there's anything wrong with that.)
I think most people who buy the Z4 are delighted with it - the vast majority aren't looking for Porsche level handling. (Good thing, as there is no substitute.) They want a sporty looking, sporty-driving, well-engineered and well-built car. And like many Porsche owners, they like the cache. Would I trade my Boxster for a Z4? Not a chance. But that's why I, and we, have Boxsters, not Z4's
BMW's iDrive has come a long way since its inception. It's often regarded as the amongst the best of those systems. Now, whether those systems are a good idea or not, well, that's an entirely different question.
I agree that the Z4 is a sporty looking car. The Boxster just looks lower and faster. And, of course if you want the handling, there's only one way to go.
You might have to check that blessing. BMW is ahead of Porsche. According to the website, the Z4 is only offered with an automatic. Reminds me of why I'm buying a 981 right now.
| Beginning of the end Roger987 - Thursday, 4 July, 2013, at 12:34:23 am |
You're right, the manual in the Z4 appears to have vanished. Yet, it remains available in the 5 series. That's weird.
It really IS just a matter of time, isn't it.
Young kids now will look upon manual transmissions in much the same way that we regarded, I dunno, engines that were started with a hand-crank?
It really IS just a matter of time, isn't it.
Young kids now will look upon manual transmissions in much the same way that we regarded, I dunno, engines that were started with a hand-crank?
| Re: Beginning of the end Guenter in Ontario - Thursday, 4 July, 2013, at 8:24:07 am |
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Roger987
You're right, the manual in the Z4 appears to have vanished. Yet, it remains available in the 5 series. That's weird.
It really IS just a matter of time, isn't it.
Young kids now will look upon manual transmissions in much the same way that we regarded, I dunno, engines that were started with a hand-crank?
It's hard to come up with a comparison. Hand cranking an engine is WAY more work than shifting gears - specially if the engine is cold.
You're right about it being only a matter of time.
It's not too hard to imagine, not too far in the future, people riding around in their Google cars (already legal in NV) and GooglePorsches, shaking their heads, wondering why anyone would want to brake and steer their own cars when the car does it so much better than a human. Luddites, I'm telling you. Luddites.
.....sigh.... but I love driving.
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