The is my first post so let me first start by offering a short greeting. Hi. :)

As the title says, I am new to BMW cars but not BMW motorcycles. I haven't ridden in a while, life got in the way, but I will tell you that I wouldn't ride anything other than a BMW bike. Well engineered, can jump on one and ride it 3,000 miles to the west coast and not get so beat up that you couldn't turn it around and ride it right back.

I have not yet owned a BMW car, don't know why to be honest, but the M Coupe has always interested me because it is so form follows function in it's design. In other words, ugly but hard core. :) BMW bikes are the same way to my eye, not necessarily beautiful to look at but beautiful to ride. I assume the M Coupe is like that too.

I have recently found a nice, low mile 07 M Coupe that I'd like to buy but I just learning about it. What should look for? What should I stay away from? What options are a must have? What options are a waste of money? You get the idea.

Also, I am 6'3" and 235#, will the interior be too confined after a while?

Any and all opinions are encouraged and welcomed.

I look forward to becoming a, how do you guys put it, a Z4M owner.

Thanks for your help.

Welcome to the forum!

Form following function--I think the ZMCoupe is breathtaking, not ugly at all. One of the most strking cars BMW has ever come up with. A unique car, and one you won't see five of every day on your way to work. But eye of the beholder, of course.

At six-three, you should fit just fine. Putting a helmet on may be problematic, if you're planning on tracking the car, tho. Check before you buy! Weight-wise, no issue. Some people feel a bit 'snug' inside the cabin--I've even heard 'claustrophobic' bandied about. I thought of it as fitting like a glove, or slipping into the perfect running shoe, had no issues there. YMMV, try before you buy.

Issues. Motor mount failure/cracks have popped up a few times, but these are apparently quite rare. Be sure to have a pre-purchase inspection done to avoid that issue. Keep up with a good maintenance regime (not BMW's) and the car should give you minimal trouble.

Options--the fewer the better. If you don't have it, it can't break. Nav is nice, but if you don't leave your home area much, probably not worth it. Heated seats, absolutely. And get a set of snow tires, unless you're planning not to drive during the winter.

The stereo gets a few complaints--apparently the small cabin space doesn't allow the bass wave to generate properly, so the sound isn't quite up to snuff. Again, YMMV. If you're a real audiophile, put in your own system.

Ride quality is an issue for some (not all) people. It's a sports suspension, and somewhat harsh (I'll be kind) on less than stellar roads. If you're planning on using the car as a daily driver, be sure to test drive it over the roads you commute on. If you're just a weekend warrior tho, shouldn't be an issue. The roads in our area are like Guatamala's, except not as good. I myself found the ride too unforgiving to use the car on a daily basis. Again, that's on you.

Otherwise, a great car, and possibly the most fun you can have legally!

Good luck!

Tree,

Thank you for your responses. I have been up to the northeast many times and hope to retire to Mystic one day.

I plan to use the car for a summer only, semi daily driver so the ride will never be an issue. Actually, I have a bad habit of modding the suspensions on my performance cars with coil-overs or lowering springs with sport shocks so I am very used to a kidney bruising, teeth chattering ride quality. I am not looking for a luxury car ride with the ZMCoupe.

As for its looks, I did say it was ugly but I find it very unique, not something that you will pass on your way into work very often. Some people thought that the first generation M Coupe looked like a Pinto with a body kit but I liked that one too, maybe even more than the second generation. Both are great looking cars IMO, sorry if I sounded like I didn't like the way that they looked. I do.

I view the Z4M as a pure sports car so the fewer options the better. As far as I am concerned, it doesn't even need a radio. Or A/C. I'm old school I guess.

I'll be sure to have the engine mounts checked so thanks for the heads up.

CVGolfer

Glad I could be some help. I see the occasional Z4 Roadster on the way to work, and always give them a wave. I've yet to see a Z4Coupe or Z4MCoupe anywhere other than the dealer's lot. So it definitely has the rarity factor going for it. And if you don't mind a rough ride (and it's fine on the highway) then you'll love the car.

OT, you'll like Mystic, tho the Northeast probably isn't the cheapest place to retire. Go visit the Gillette Castle, next time you're in the area. A great day trip for your new ride.

BTW, where's Mason? Don't know the town. I'm a Buckeye born and bred, left for New England thirty years ago, after OSU had enough of me. Still have relatives in Cincinnati and Grove City, outside Columbus.

Mason is in the area of I-71 and the Fields Ertel Road exit, a few miles from Kings Island. I grew up in Montgomery, five or so miles away.

Yeah, up east is big bucks (I lived Columbia, MD for three years and it wasn't cheap in the mid Atlantic region either!) but we can all dream can't we? :) Nothing against the west coast as they have a lot of great vistas but I still prefer the east coast.

Thanks for the help. A nice white with red interior MCoupe deal fell through (too late) during the past week but I will keep looking.