[NISFAN]

Wonder how often this happens?

I had my car go in for some car park damage (teach me for meeting up with some dodgy geezer at 6 in the morning ), and was put into a 65 plate 430d convertible as a hire car whilst mine was being sorted. It felt great driving away in a nearly brand new highly specced 4 vert. Even though verts aren't my cup of tea, I did giggle with the mechanised roof and used it very often for the laugh. Must say I'm not so nearly anti vert as I was. It doesn't feel a tight as a saloon/coupe but isn't that bad, still wouldn't get one, but can understand the attraction. Work on my car took longer than expected together with Easter meant I had it for a couple of weeks.

Anyway, I was curious to what I would feel on swapping back to my car. Just to elaborate, mine has 80k miles on the clock, has Bilstein PSS10 suspension, PPK, Michelin PSS on 19" alloys, Quaife LSD and stiffer rear anti roll bar.....and I was enjoying the difference of the new car. Would I like my old car back?

Resounding yes, my old 80k mile 330d felt awesome to have back, still tight and fresh and the PPK certainly ensures it is raring to go. Good to have it back and repaired perfectly.

Maybe a ban from this forum needed for me.

[Tengocity]

Interesting reading Gordon.... What if your own car was just a standard 330d? How much would the vert lose out to a standard car do you think?

I do like drop tops, as so often the road and traffic doesn't allow for spirited driving anyway, but being able to put the roof down really adds something else to the driving experience instead.

When I think back to my most memorable drives in the Z4 they all were times when I had the roof down- something about it just sears the memory in to the brain. Never sure why but I suspect it's just a more sensory experience with more noises and smells to remember and the sun on your face.

Have to say that the warmer the weather gets the nicer the drive is getting on the car, not sure if it's the tyres or the suspension reacting differently, suspect it's the tyres most probably.

[JustChris]

Nothing like some time away from your car to make you appreciate it. Holiday rentals usually for me!

[MarkG_M5Comp]

Originally Posted by MCarChris

Nothing like some time away from your car to make you appreciate it. Holiday rentals usually for me!

....too true, which is the main reason I drive when we visit Spain! They see me coming and 'upgrade' me to a Picasso every time. Ar$e.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Interesting reading Gordon.... What if your own car was just a standard 330d? How much would the vert lose out to a standard car do you think?

I do like drop tops, as so often the road and traffic doesn't allow for spirited driving anyway, but being able to put the roof down really adds something else to the driving experience instead.

When I think back to my most memorable drives in the Z4 they all were times when I had the roof down- something about it just sears the memory in to the brain. Never sure why but I suspect it's just a more sensory experience with more noises and smells to remember and the sun on your face.

Have to say that the warmer the weather gets the nicer the drive is getting on the car, not sure if it's the tyres or the suspension reacting differently, suspect it's the tyres most probably.

The vert is a great car, I love the pillar less view you get from it. Even with the roof up, it feels more airy than the F30 (which annoyingly has a great big b pillar right besides my head), and whereas my car has a pretty awful blind spot needing some head craning to avoid (that you totally get used to subconsciously) there is no such problem in the vert.
But my post wasn't really about type of car, more about how my car has faired as it has aged, vs a brand new ( but run in) car. We often get the feeling a new car is required, as we get used to our own cars....and initially I loved the newness and difference of the vert, but to be fair to BMW, their products do age exceptionally well. Back in mine and the drivetrain is still just as smooth, as is the rest of the car.
If I was asked if I wanted to swap cars, apart from the obvious value difference, the answer would be no. Quite surprising as the other week I was eyeing up an m235i to see me through to the M2. ......not necessary.

Back to the vert as a type, it is a bit compromised on boot space, as you might expect, but it does have a really neat trick in loading the boot (with roof down you can half raise it to get luggage into the trapezoidal shaped load area.
The roof takes too long to operate, when doing it at a red light, you get nervous about the light changing green leaving you stranded doing walking pace speeds until it completes the operation.
I was surprised at how insulated it was as motorway speeds with the roof down ( needs windows up and even better with rear screen in place, but even when cold you could drive with heater full pelt and be quite comfy. This car didn't have the neck scarf heaters.
The car had xenons but not adaptive, wow what a difference. Not good.
The long doors do make it trickier to get out of in a tight car park.
I missed active cruise, nearly ramming others off the road in the process
The non PPK is quite flat, but OK power wise for the type of car. You even catch a glimpse of the exhaust noise on occasion with the top down, and must say, very impressed with the sound and weather insulation with it up.
So the vert has changed my opinion of the type of car, as said still not for me, but I totally get why someone would like one. The folding hard top as opposed to a soft version makes it just like a coupe in most respects, with a smaller boot space. Not too much of a compromise.

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by MCarChris

Nothing like some time away from your car to make you appreciate it. Holiday rentals usually for me!

Yes Chris, you could save yourself a fortune my friend, just hire a car for a week in the uk every time you have that itch

[Kal101]

Big difference is I assume you've looked after and upgraded your car.

Try driving an 80k dog of a car that's been ragged and abused

Also as a premium car you'll find it's probably screwed together better ( ps it is a premium car honest. )

Only time I've driven and enjoyed a vert was in Hawaii a few years back - Mustang. But the weather and scenery was awesome. Totally justified and amazing experience

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by Kal001

Big difference is I assume you've looked after and upgraded your car.

Try driving an 80k dog of a car that's been ragged and abused

Also as a premium car you'll find it's probably screwed together better ( ps it is a premium car honest. )

Only time I've driven and enjoyed a vert was in Hawaii a few years back - Mustang. But the weather and scenery was awesome. Totally justified and amazing experience

Yes and No, I suppose many of those miles have been motorway miles, but the car hasn't had an especially un-abused life, I do drive my cars hard. It has done a few trackdays and quite a few torque braked launches and burnouts at Santa Pod for example. It even gets washed by the dealer or the local Polish crew.

A Mustang vert in Hawaii on holiday? Yep a little different to the rat run in a chilly UK March.

[Tengocity]

Agree with you on the high mileage robustness of BMWs. I've had 4 that have gone to 90k before I sold them and one that went to 157k when I sold it 6 years ago. I know the guy I sold it to sold it with 180k and that guy still has it with 200k+.
My own 335d will shortly hit 70k and I've no concerns over it. I'm also enjoying that now that it's no longer new I've stopped being so precious over it.

[philiper1]

Apparently BMW are going back to canvas roadsters in the Z5 (G29) and 4 series!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by philiper1

Apparently BMW are going back to canvas roadsters in the Z5 (G29) and 4 series!

I liked the folding hard top Z4 but apart from knife attack resistance I'm not sure what the real benefit was. A decent soft top can be easily as good with proper noise insulation, much quicker to go up and down, take up less room when down, and lighter with it. With the Z4 it was road noise that was biggest issue.

[teaston]

When I got my new one the only things that felt fresher is the brakes are much sharper & the steering wheel is much nice, my old steering wheel had become shiny and horrible!

[philiper1]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

I liked the folding hard top Z4 but apart from knife attack resistance I'm not sure what the real benefit was. A decent soft top can be easily as good with proper noise insulation, much quicker to go up and down, take up less room when down, and lighter with it. With the Z4 it was road noise that was biggest issue.

Completely agree, as with softtop you had the same amount boot space regardless of roof being up or down!

[deebee]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Agree with you on the high mileage robustness of BMWs. I've had 4 that have gone to 90k before I sold them and one that went to 157k when I sold it 6 years ago. I know the guy I sold it to sold it with 180k and that guy still has it with 200k+.
My own 335d will shortly hit 70k and I've no concerns over it. I'm also enjoying that now that it's no longer new I've stopped being so precious over it.

I love hearing this type of feedback

My e92 was still very tight at 72k I wish I'd kept it, it prob had loads of life left in it

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by The Doctor

I love hearing this type of feedback

My e92 was still very tight at 72k I wish I'd kept it, it prob had loads of life left in it

To be blunt, if a BMW isn't still solid as it adds mileage and ages, we are really wasting our money on them.

What impressed me with BMW from years back, was the way they drove at age and mileage, compared to most cars of the period. My father used to own some pretty high mileage models, always felt there was much more life left in them. I remember driving my E12 along the Andover bypass, on my last trip in it, delivering it to its next owner. Thinking how good it still was to drive at over 10-years of age. Interior was just like new at that age and over 120k miles.