2004 Excellent BMW Z4 E85 3.0i 6 Speed Race / Track car For Sale

2004 '53' plate 3. 0 6 speed manual model with Full Service History.

It is in fantastic shape throughout and would make an ideal track or race car with minimal work. I looked at a few cars such as the E90 330i, 130i and FN2 Civic Type R but ended up chosing the Z4 3. 0 due to its light weight (1, 250 kgs), responsive chassis, powerful and durable drivetrain, excellent build quality and ease of access to parts.

The plan at the outset of the build was to be able to be driven from the UK to the Nurburgring, spend time lapping then be driven home again with no issues and l'm pleased that this is exactly how the car has turned out. As you can imagine, it has wanted for nothing with any items renewed as required.

The suspension and steering felt great but I wanted to make some improvements to reduce the effects of age on the suspension components and bushes as well as making it even sharper and more durable on track without damaging refinement and ride quality too much. Firstly the tired original springs and dampers were replaced by new uprated BC Racing coilover kit front and rear. BC are known for their high quality construction, adjustability and durability so were an obvious choice and also came with new drop links and adjustable top mounts to provide more alignment options. The rear trailing arm and anti-roll bar bushes have been upgraded with Powerflex purple units which work brilliantly on track and far more durable than the standard BMW items. The overall track has been increased 24mm front and rear to provide a wider footprint, helping grip and stability on track. The bodyshell is supported by a 3 way Raceline strut brace and the original genuine BMW hardtop to improve the already excellent Z4 torsional rigidity.

Uprated rear camber arms were included along with Powerflex off-set lower front bushes to provide more negative camber and once this work was done a full fast road / track geo suspension set up was conducted by renowned BMW specialist Darren Wood in Bredbury to ensure the effects of the modifications were maximised without ruining the drive ability on road and prematurely wearing out the tyres in normal usage. Since the coilovers are easily adjustable you can run them on a softer setting on the road then stiffen them virtually instantly for track use. This range of measures means it's perfect for both road and track usage. With regards to wheels it is now running a 8. 5J four square set-up with 255 40 17” Federal 595 RSR tyres front and rear. The wheels themselves are genuine BMW M Sport versions that are the lightest available helping to reduce un-sprung mass and have just been powder coated black to an excellent standard.

The engine, always a centre piece of a BMW does not disappoint; there are no rattles, leaks, creaks, smoke or other noises as you would expect from such a well cared for car. This 3. 0 unit is known for its durability (far better than the later 265PS version) and efficiency as well as its performance, being able to return 37mpg on a run and cover vast mileages with ease. It sounds glorious and smooth and everything works exactly as it should with no warning lights or service reminders. Due to the higher mileage than some (though still below average) the compression's were checked when I bought it and were all found to be as new. The Z Cars Championship demonstration car is running on its original engine and has completed 145k trouble free miles even though it has been driven hard on track for some time now. My car uses no fluids other then super unleaded fuel (I've only ever used Tesco Ultimate 99 or Shell Optimax) and is completely leak free. The only modifications fitted here are a bespoke induction intake and K&N filter to provide extra breathing at high speed. To maximise the effectiveness of this it’s also had a professional BluFin remap which increases low-range torque and makes the car overall more driveable on-track especially when used with the standard-fit Z4 3. 0 Sport mode button on the dashboard.

The later higher HP 3. 0 265PS Si models have various reliability issues and if there is a significant engine failure used units are hard to get hold of and far more expensive. Good used 3. 0i 231PS engines are very easy to source as they were fitted to the 3 Series, 5 Series and X5 and you can get one for only around £300. Swapping one over is also a straight forward task meaning you can drive this car as hard as you like knowing that if a (very unlikely) failure occurs it will be easy and cheap to fix.

Transmission-wise the gearbox and clutch are in great shape with no whirrs or rattles and the clutch operates fine. The gearbox and engine are now mounted to the body with bespoke polyurethane bushes to reduce movement under heavy acceleration. This is helped by a shorter ratio differential and new fluid which makes a huge difference to the driveability – acceleration is significantly improved but it’s not so short that it drones on the motorway (70mph is 3, 000 rpm in 6th) Top speed wise it is still geared to do 150mph. A genuine Z4 M weighted and shorter shift lever has been fitted to improve its already great shift quality and precision - this really is a must-have improvement for any Z4 owner.

An uprated big brake kit is included and is fitted with new high quality Pagid discs and Ferodo DS2500 racing pads. This is a fantastically powerful set-up that is also used in the race series and provides excellent retardation even after many laps - There was simply no fade at any point during its trip. The system has been bled with race fluid and the rear discs and pads are very healthy also.

Outside the body is in good shape with only a couple of minor imperfections that are not noticeable. The front bumper has been repainted at some point and not to the best of standards but as a track car it hasn't bothered me. All the exterior trim is all intact.

Inside a high quality Sparco race seat with a bespoke mount to provide more comfort and support on track. The entire interior has also been removed to save a considerable amount of weight but key things like the upper dashboard, centre console and door cards have been retained as they are required to house dials and controls and do not weigh much anyway. The original audio system, cruise control and power socket are also retained to help on longer journeys

The standard specification includes a lovely M Sport 3 spoke Multi-function Leather steering wheel, Climate control
(Works fine and recently serviced – It was also left in due to the systems relative light weight), ABS, Switchable ESC Stability control, Trip Computer, Remote central locking with alarm, Electric windows and electric mirrors.

Further options fitted at the factory on this car include extended range Burgundy paintwork and Rear parking sensors. It was the ideal spec for me when I was looking for an E85 Z4 and didn't have the shockingly bad SMG automated gearbox or fully automatic gearbox option.

It has a full 12 months MOT, is HPI clear and also qualifies for cheap road tax and classic car insurance. It has just had its full service so won't need another one for some time (and then it will just be the minor inspection 1 oil service). The underside of the car was in great shape when I bought it and to help preserve this condition long into the future I have had it professionally undersealed to reduce the risk of any corrosion forming in future.

This is certainly one of the best track Z4’s on sale and makes a great alternative to the heavier, more costly to fix / run and less engaging 6 cylinder BMW’s. Any inspections would be welcome. If you have any questions or would like to discuss further please do get in contact. Thanks for looking.

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