BMW Z4 trounces 981 Boxster in internet connectivity! Laz - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 3:10:00 pm |
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 |
Re: Dadgum it. 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.
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.
Re: Dadgum it. Roger987 - Wednesday, 3 July, 2013, at 8:15:05 pm |
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.
Beginning of the end Roger987 - Thursday, 4 July, 2013, at 12:34:23 am |
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?