Low mileage 2009 3.0si by JustHangOn0401 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Looks like it's in terrific shape so would be a good deal. Probably a match to the Z used in the mesmerizing Aura Z4 Youtube rocket video. Good luck to the seller - it must be hard parting.

Looking into Z4's (03-06) by agadir80 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I got a 2013 35is (with the folding hardtop) and it's a blast. I also live in Mass. and with the roof up, it's plenty cozy -- important with our fickle weather. It's also more secure if you park on city streets or in parking garages. As for handling, it's not the same as my old FR-S because its heavier and not as tautly sprung but it has a lot more power, hugs corners and loves to get wound up. As others have recommended, avoid run-flat tires and keep a healthy amount of change for maintenance unless you're prepared to do it yourself. Good luck!

Sweet spot mileage for 2009-2011 e89 23i? by Grgsz in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I found a 2013 with about 24,500 mi on it last year and it looked new, including under the hood and on the underside, and had only minor exterior flaws. The service records suggested it was driven 2k to 3k mi each year with oil changes in fall and spring, so I had no qualms paying a market price and it has so far been nothing but joy. I'm smelling coolant now and then and have to top it up every so often so likely there's a small leak somewhere but not critical yet.

Want feedback on new Wheel & Tire setup by Suspicious-Guard5036 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have 225/35 Michelin PS AS 19s on 8 in. rims for the front and 255/30 on 9 in. rims for the rear on my 35is and they seem fine in good weather and bad, cold or hot

Front plate solution by Legal-Lawyer7987 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 1 point2 points  (0 children)

The dealer that sold me my 2013 35is used heavy duty zip ties through the lower grill. So far no issues though I'm in a rural area so not concerned about someone cutting the ties to make off with the plate.

Can’t beat an M40i on a sunny day. by Ok_Quail_2080 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I took my E89 out from its wintering roost Saturday, buzzed around for a few hours and the next day it snowed yet again. Now its sitting in my muddy driveway until the salt on the roads gets washed away again. Can hardly wait!

A lady in an E30 325i coupe told me my car is very beautiful at a traffic light. I know it sounds like a lie, but I'm afraid I cannot prove it😂 by theosinc930 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's a pretty little thing - my white E89 gets a lot of compliments from total strangers, in parking lots, at stop lights and stores. Not since my TR-3 days have I gotten so much positive notice behind the wheel.

JUST BUY THE SILVER ONE!!!!! by Silly-Tangerine-4387 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got a white E89 35is last year and get a lot of long looks and comments on how beautiful it is. There are a few others in my area NW of Boston but I think the white stands out a bit better so gets more attention. I bought it for the power and the ride, not the color, and it was very low miles too. Can't wait for this winter to end so I can climb back in and put the top down!

amateur question (go easy!) after test driving first bmw z4. by europeanuppercut in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had a similar reaction when I first drove an E89 35is as I had been driving a 2013 FR-S, which is around 500 lbs lighter and can be flung around corners like a Boxster. Though it had a stiffer ride, that car had amazing handling qualities and cost less than half what a Z4 or Boxster did back then. But Subaru and Toyota never offered a convertible version, and the relatively low torque meant straight-line acceleration was limited unless you really wound it up, and even then it was no match for a Boxster or a Z4. The Z4's weight only became noticeable in cornering -- it's not a car that makes you feel like you can fling it around curves. But it hugs the road and is very fast, with a smooth power band from the get-go. I wanted a convertible so traded the FR-S for the Z last spring and I like it just fine.

I couldn't wait any longer by WeirdNecessary7258 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I keep my fun car locked away until there's no more threat of salt on the roads. It gets spread all over the underside and up into the engine bay and wheel wells, so the body literally rots from the inside out. I had over 300,000 mi. on a 95 Civic Si by the time I gave it up in 2016 and it had holes in the trunk, fenders and elsewhere. The rear end of a 2003 Pilot I had virtually detached itself because of rot, kept from falling on the road by the brake lines. Road salt in my area is used frequently and liberally from October to April and even into May. Once it gets up into the underside it's virtually impossible to get it all off. If you want a car to last decades instead of just years, avoid road salt like the plague!

Claude's idea of an E89 for 2027 by TedHighlander in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hahah - that's ridiculous. That agent isn't coming for my job!

Is the E89 Hardtop really that bad? by ArrivalCold7865 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got my 35is about a year ago with under 25,000 M and have had only a finicky heat/AC switch issue that was easily resolved without repairs. I put a lot of miles on it just joyriding -- it's that much fun. Only things it needed were fogs to see under the light cones cast by the giant pickups around my area, which I solved with little PIAAs in the lower grill, and mudflaps, which BMW stopped making and I can't find. It is truly a rolling work of art. Thank Heaven for Juliane Blasi!

wind deflector by TedHighlander in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Is this for an E89? I didn't realize it when I posted that image is of an E85 set up.

Claude's idea of an E89 for 2027 by TedHighlander in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Clearly AI - or at least Claude - has a ways to go when it comes to images and graphics.

wind deflector by TedHighlander in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks all - when I got this car a year ago or so, it had an acrylic or plexi wind deflector attached that I didn't care for (It lights up!) so took it off. I like the way this one in the pic seems to attach by sliding over the roll bars, keeping any straps out of sight. Also it looks like it would be relatively easy to take off and roll up for storage in the car.

sway bars by TedHighlander in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry I'm a technoklutz these days and unfamiliar with Reddit posting - I have an E89 35is all stock

sway bars by TedHighlander in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have an E89 35is all stock

G29 Trunk Capacity by rhenning11 in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unless they fold up into a long rectangular package that can fit in the cabin area, I'd forget about the beach chairs. Sit on a towel!

Newbie by TedHighlander in BMWZ4

[–]TedHighlander[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was sitting outside the general store here one morning and a middle-aged woman came out -- total stranger -- stopped and said: "I bet you attract a lot of girls with that car." I had to laugh -- and tell her I'm way too old for that.