Goodbye Z4

[Doctor Jeff]

I hate to say it, but I am no longer a member of the Z4 club. It was time to trade in the 2004 3.0 for something different, i.e., more practical.



I went with a 2012 Subaru WRX sedan. Kind of hard to find the one I liked, but persistence paid off. I had the Z (nicknamed Zed) for 2 years and drove 30,000 miles with it, mostly with the top down. It was a fun ride - the purest expression of driving I think one can find, at least for under $50k. I found the handling to be the absolute most accurate of any car I've ever driven, and the peppiness and linear acceleration to be more than acceptable for daily driving. And I liked the styling both interior and exterior. But, it had 110k miles, would only seat 2, and winter is coming - shades of Game of Thrones! In the Midwest the market for convertibles shrinks every day past the 4th of July. (I have a CRV I previously drove in the winter I am giving to my daughter.) I won't tell you how much I got for it from an independent dealer, but it was pretty lousy. Sigh.

First impressions of the WRX: nice engine and handling. There's a bit of turbo lag, but when it kicks in at 3-4000 rpm it's like a rocket taking off - accelerates much faster than the Z's 3.0. However, 5th gear (only STI has 6 gears - for various reasons I decided the WRX Premium would do the trick, no need to shell out $9-10 extra for the STI) is pretty useless for anything but highway cruising, unlike the Z4 which would go from 60-100 in 6th gear in a coupla seconds.



The steering in the WRX, which I've nicknamed T Rex, is great in the corners, possibly the equal to the Z4, but on straightaways it has an annoying drift that takes some getting used to. Better than my fiancee's truck though. It's actually pretty low to the ground, so the handling feel is on a par with the Z4.

The cockpit is not nearly as nice as the Z4, but it's roomier, has iPhone integration, Bluetooth, a decent stereo, a moonroof, kick*ss climate control, heated seats, garage door opener, etc. And of course a functional backseat and huge trunk with fold down seats. The exterior - dark gray - has a slightly edgy, all-business appeal to it - I realize it won't turn girl's heads like the Z4. Though I did have a guy in an Accord want to race me at the light when I was driving it home.

So for now, I think I've got a great all-around car that will get me through winter as I put on the miles between hospitals here in the Midwest, and drive to Minneapolis and Madison and Boulder to visit my kids. And will go from 0-60 in 4.7 seconds. Come next spring, my fiancée and I are going to look at getting a totally frivolous fun car, almost certainly a convertible. The prime candidates right now are BMW, Mini, Miata.

BMW, if anyone is interested in a used Z4 in the Omaha area, mine will be for sale at Quest Auto in a week or so after detailing and painting, I'm guessing $10-12k. There's also a white 2004 3.0 Z4 for sale locally for $17k with only 17,000 miles on it - that's 2000 a year!

[Sephiroth]

That's a nice color on the wrx! Congrats!

[Phishman]

Did you get a good deal on your Subaru? I considered buying a used Impreza to use as a commuter car but the prices people wanted were ridiculous, even with 150k+ miles on them.

[Finnegan]

Congratulations! Nice Scoob! Fun cars, and I like the updated style.

[ricanbandit]

What I liked the most of this thread is the fact that the OP is a enthusiast! Enjoy that Boxer engine