2008 vs 2009 BMW Z4

2008

• Power top motor drowned by the roof drains All years

  What to check: Run the power top up and down several times. A slow or stalling roof points to a tired motor. Ask whether the motor has been moved into the trunk, and clear the roof drains.

  Eight owners in four threads on a British owners' forum say the power top's motor sits where water from blocked roof drains collects and fails; several had theirs moved into the trunk, which they call the fix. An Edmunds owner review says the same, and Euro Premium Parts lists motor failures on high-mileage roadsters. One forum owner says a US car may have had a manual top as standard.

  Edmunds, owners' reports (unofficial), a seller's guide (unofficial)

• Broken rear springs and worn suspension All years

  What to check: Look at the rear springs for a broken coil and listen for knocks over bumps. Ask when the springs, dampers and front control arm bushings were last renewed.

  Three owners in one thread on a British owners' forum say the rear springs break, one that it happens on most cars over five years old, and two owners in another thread say to budget for new dampers and a suspension refresh. Euro Premium Parts says worn front control arm bushings are almost universal past 70,000 miles.

  Owners' reports (unofficial), a seller's guide (unofficial)

• Cooling system failures All years

  What to check: Ask when the water pump, thermostat and expansion tank were last renewed, look for coolant leaks and watch the temperature gauge on a long drive.

  Euro Premium Parts says the plastic thermostat housing and expansion tank crack with age, and that the N52's electric water pump can fail without warning. Seven owners in two threads on a British owners' forum name the facelift cars' water pump or a leaking expansion tank or radiator.

  Owners' reports (unofficial), a seller's guide (unofficial)

• Oil leaks from the valve cover and oil filter housing All years

  What to check: Look for oil around the valve cover, the oil filter housing and under the car.

  Five owners in three threads on a British owners' forum report leaks from the valve cover or oil filter housing gaskets as the rubber ages, and Euro Premium Parts says the oil can drip onto the exhaust.

  Owners' reports (unofficial), a seller's guide (unofficial)

• Corroded brake lines All years

  What to check: Look under the car at the rear brake pipes, where the plastic cover ends and road dirt builds up.

  Three owners in three threads on a British owners' forum report rusted brake lines, one after a leak, and one says the rear pipes rot where dirt collects at the end of their cover.

  Owners' reports (unofficial)

• Failing window regulators All years

  What to check: Run both windows up and down a few times.

  Two owners in one thread on a British owners' forum say the window regulators fail often, and Euro Premium Parts says they fail on the roadster in particular.

  Owners' reports (unofficial), a seller's guide (unofficial)

2009

• Fuel pump, injector and turbo faults on the twin-turbo cars All years

  What to check: Ask for records of the high-pressure fuel pump, injectors, coils, plugs and water pump. Scan for fault codes and look for oil leaks around the turbos.

  Two owners in one thread on a British owners' forum had the high-pressure fuel pump fail. In a second thread an owner lists the injectors, the pump, the water pump and turbo leaks as faults to expect, and in a third an owner calls the twin-turbo engine's faults far more painful than the earlier car's. CarGurus says the turbocharged cars have had timing-chain or cooling trouble.

  CarGurus, owners' reports (unofficial)

• Water in the tail lights and the trunk All years

  What to check: Look inside the tail lights for mist or water, check that every light works, and lift the trunk floor by the battery for standing water.

  Six owners in three threads on a British owners' forum report water in the tail lights, several having them replaced, and one says a failed tail light seal lets water pool under the battery.

  Owners' reports (unofficial)

• Folding hardtop faults All years

  What to check: Open and close the roof several times with the engine off, by the key and by the switch inside. Ask whether the roof relays in the trunk have been changed.

  Four owners in three threads on a British owners' forum report roof faults, from cheap microswitches and relays to a large repair bill, and one names the roof wiring as a common problem. Others say most roofs give no trouble.

  Owners' reports (unofficial)

• Cracked wheels All years

  What to check: Look at the inside of each wheel for cracks or repairs.

  Three owners in one thread on a British owners' forum had wheels of the same style crack, a fourth saying their 18-inch wheels were spared, and an owner in another thread says to check the inside of the wheels.

  Owners' reports (unofficial)

• Oil leaks from the valve cover All years

  What to check: Look for oil around the valve cover and the oil filter housing.

  Two owners in two threads on a British owners' forum name valve cover leaks and oil around the filter housing, and Edmunds' owner summary for 2011 lists valve cover gaskets among costly repairs.

  Edmunds, owners' reports (unofficial)

2008

• Good find Coupe Body style

  The roadster outsold it seven to one in its first 13 months A published reference

  2,104 built for North America A published reference

  Why it is a good find: Euro Premium Parts calls the stiffer coupe a sharper driver's car and one of the more undervalued BMWs of its era. A seller's guide (unofficial)

2009

Nothing that 2008 lacks.

2008

Nothing that 2009 lacks.

2009

• 09V327000 2009

  A faulty crimp connector in a seat belt tensioner's wiring plug can raise the connection's resistance. Dealers repair the wiring. NHTSA

• 13V044000 2009–2011

  The positive battery cable's connector and its terminal on the fuse box can degrade, and the heat can break the connection and cut electrical power to the car. Dealers replace the connector and secure it better. NHTSA

2008

Engines

3.0L inline-six, higher output (2006–2008) Edmunds, a published reference

Body styles

Coupe (2006–2008) Edmunds, a published reference

2009

Engines

3.0L twin-turbo inline-six Edmunds

Transmissions

Seven-speed dual-clutch Edmunds, a published reference

Packages

Cold Weather Package Edmunds, Premium Sound Package Edmunds, Ivory White Leather Package Edmunds, Exclusive Citrus Yellow Package Edmunds, Canyon Brown Package Edmunds, Design Pure Traction Edmunds, a published reference, Design Pure Fusion Edmunds, a published reference

2008

• Titanium Silver Metallic 2005–2008 Edmunds
• Bright Red 2005–2008 Edmunds
• Jet Black 2005–2008 Edmunds
• Black Sapphire Metallic 2005–2008 Edmunds
• Alpine White 2005–2008 Edmunds
• Stratus Gray Metallic 2008 Edmunds
• Space Gray Metallic 2008 Edmunds
• Monaco Blue Metallic 2008 Edmunds
• Deep Green Metallic 2008 Edmunds
• Montego Blue Metallic 2008 Edmunds

2009

Nothing that 2008 lacks.

2008

• Black Leatherette, 2008 Edmunds
• Beige Leather, 2008 Edmunds
• Black Leather, 2008 Edmunds
• Dream Red Leather, 2008 Edmunds

2009

Nothing that 2008 lacks.

2008

• Sought after: A late first-generation car 2006–2008 One source so far

  CarGurus calls late first-generation Z4s arguably the best value of the line, and says the 2006 update brought markedly more power and torque. CarGurus

2009

• Sought after: The six-cylinder sDrive30i, for reliability 2009–2011

  In two threads on a British owners' forum, three owners name the non-turbo N52 cars, the sDrive30i among them, as the most reliable E89s, and CarGurus says the turbocharged first- and second-generation cars have had timing-chain or cooling trouble. CarGurus, owners' reports (unofficial)

• Avoid: A twin-turbo 35i or 35is without records or a warranty All years Less sought after

  Five owners in two threads on a British owners' forum say the twin-turbo cars have a long list of costly faults, and three of them advise against running one without a warranty. Owners' reports (unofficial)