At 15,763 miles, we noticed a bulge in the sidewall of the left front tire (it turned out to be the result of a nail). The right rear tire had developed a slow leak. We had to replace both tires since they couldn’t be patched or repaired, and we got stuck for $666. Since the tires had not worn out, we did not include this cost in our final tally.
At 19,705 miles, we were greeted by the dashboard warning “Service engine soon.” As it turned out, this was the engine brain’s reaction to someone’s not tightening the gas cap securely enough. It happened again at 22,111 miles and 39,297.
The Z4 went in for only one other service during its 40,000-mile stay with us. At 31,061 miles, the computer called for an “Inspection 1.” The oil and filter were changed and the brakes and hoses were checked, along with lesser items. The windshield wipers were also streaking more than they were wiping, so we had new ones installed. And we weren’t charged for any of this.
When our 40,000-mile long-term date concluded, we took the Z4 back to the track, where it sprinted from 0 to 60 mph in a scant 5.6 seconds and covered the quarter-mile in 14.3 seconds at 98 mph. Surprisingly, those numbers are nearly identical to those of a six-speed manual-transmission car we tested in January 2003. But to get the long-term car’s numbers, we had to use the SMG’s launch-control feature, which involves depressing the Dynamic Stability Control button for three seconds, flooring the gas pedal, pulling the paddle or gearshift lever into first gear, and letting the computer select the optimal clutch-engagement point for maximum acceleration. Most owners wouldn’t drive this way on a normal basis, and neither do we.
There was no consensus on Hogback Road about the Z4’s looks. A few simply loathed its styling; most found it to be fresh and new without being trendy. The interior had an icy elegance to it that reminded many of the much more expensive Z8.
Our Z4 was a good roadster that was badly hurt by the incorrigible SMG and onboard computer system. We actually drove another Z4 identical to our long-termer, right down to the color, but without the complex nav system and with the base six-speed manual transmission. It was a joy to drive! Ordering this car without those two features would have made us a lot less angry and $3300 richer.
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