2003 BMW Z4 Review

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Edmunds' Expert Review

by the Edmunds Experts

Pros

Superb road manners, plenty of standard technology and safety features, range of transmission choices, brand cachet.

Cons

Price shoots up when you add options, exterior design doesn't inspire lust.

What’s new

The all-new Z4 roadster picks up where the Z3 left off. Well, sort of. There's no coupe version this time around. And the jury is still out on whether the Z4's "flame-surfaced" body is a welcome replacement for its predecessor's sexy corporate styling. In other respects, the newcomer offers much to like -- a more rigid chassis, a real glass rear window and, starting in the spring of 2003, a Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) like the one in the M3. All in all, the driving experience is exhilarating -- so if you can get past the styling and come up with the requisite cash, you know where this one belongs on your test drive list.

Edmunds says

While it sacrifices some of its predecessor's sex appeal for the sake of "flame surfacing," the Z4 roadster is even more fun to drive.

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 BMW Z4 2.5i 2dr Roadster (2.5L 6cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Monthly estimates based on costs in Ohio

$258/mo

$179/mo

Avg. Compact Car

Calculate my fuel costs

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2003 BMW Z4.

5 (87%)

4 (11%)

3 (1%)

2 (1%)

1 (0%)

4.9

202 reviews

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Most helpful consumer reviews

Love this little car.

Edmunds Shopper, 04/26/2017

2003 BMW Z4 2.5i 2dr Roadster (2.5L 6cyl 5M)

Ok. I know it's not new, but it's totally fun. I love my little car. My friend calls it my go-cart, but that's because he's jealous. It has great pick up when I need to move or go up a hill, I know it will go swiftly. I feel safe in the car. Because it's older, it doesn't have a lot of the new technology that newer cars have. No blue tooth or navigation, but I don't need that where I …

Would be great if I could steer it!

Joe M, 05/09/2010

2003 BMW Z4 2.5i 2dr Roadster (2.5L 6cyl 5M)

Very nice and fun to drive, however when the temperature gets over 80 degrees the power electronic steering stops working. This is a known problem to BMW (bulletin # 4515500-02) and a safety issue but they want $3000 to fix it. - So much for German Engineering, maybe it never gets above 80 degrees in Baveria!

Bad ass 3.0

Jeff P, 03/21/2016

2003 BMW Z4 3.0i 2dr Roadster (3.0L 6cyl 6M)

I bought this car in May of 2015 with 55,000 miles for only $12,500 ( I now have 62,000 on the odometer). I cannot wait to drive each and every day and wow does the 3.0 automatic ever haul ass. The torque curve is steady throughout the entire ride from 0-100++. No lag, just ferocious power. My only complaint is the amber light cluster for exterior temp and mpg is partially burned out. …

2003 Z4 3.0 manual

Don Avirett, 10/24/2015

2003 BMW Z4 3.0i 2dr Roadster (3.0L 6cyl 6M)

I have driven this car on the highway at 80 mph for 50 miles to work each way for the last 4 years. I bought it with 107k miles and it now has 276 k miles and runs like new and looks almost new. I drive the car through hailstorms, snowstorms, and windstorms of the West Texas Panhandle, and it performs amazingly well. It gets about 27 mpg on the highway. This car has held up …

See all 202 reviews of the BMW Z4

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2003 Z4 Highlights

Trim:

2.5i

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$33,100
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	21 MPG
Cost to Drive	$258/month
Seating	2 seats
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Warranty	4 years / 50,000 miles

See all features & specs

Safety

Key safety features on the Z4 include:

Stability Control
Post-collision safety system

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver4 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
OverallNot Rated
Side Barrier Rating
OverallNot Rated
Driver3 / 5
PassengerNot Rated
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front SeatNot Rated
Back SeatNot Rated
Rollover
Rollover5 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of RolloverNot Rated

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Not Tested
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Not Tested
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2003 BMW Z4 Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 BMW Z4 2.5i 2dr Roadster (2.5L 6cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}

Consumer reviews

Read what other owners think about the Used 2003 BMW Z4.

Trending topics in reviews

Most helpful consumer reviews

Love this little car.

Would be great if I could steer it!

Bad ass 3.0

2003 Z4 3.0 manual

2003 Z4 Highlights

Safety

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2003 BMW Z4 Review

Edmunds' Expert Review

Pros

Cons

What’s new

Edmunds says

Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2003 BMW Z4 2.5i 2dr Roadster (2.5L 6cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.

Most helpful consumer reviews

Love this little car.

Would be great if I could steer it!

Bad ass 3.0

2003 Z4 3.0 manual

2003 Z4 Highlights

Safety

People who viewed this also viewed

Related Used 2003 BMW Z4 info

Vehicle reviews of used models

Shop similar models

Shop used vehicles in your area

Popular new car reviews and ratings

Research other models of Bmw

Research similar vehicles

Other models

Join Edmunds

Cost to Drive^{Cost to drive estimates for the 2003 BMW Z4 2.5i 2dr Roadster (2.5L 6cyl 5M) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $4.45 per gallon for premium unleaded in Ohio.}