New member from CA

[bloodspatteranalyst]

Hello all

Stumbled across this forum while researching my first car purchase. Still having trouble deciding.

I've loved cars for as long as I can remember even though I only just got my license at age 21 (I went from learner's permit to license in 4 weeks). The inner me really wants this 2005 A/T ZHP I've been looking at but I honestly don't know if I deserve it as a first car, especially with the whole "you're x% more likely to get in a car accident in your first year of driving" statistic. It would kill me to get into an accident with a ZHP. The 2006 Accord V6 just seems so much more practical as a first car...

Anyhow - this looks like a great community and I look forward to (finally) deciding which car to get. Let me know what you guys think about my situation.

-bsa

***EDIT***

Here is my new ride. Trying my best not to get into accidents but the ride height is a little low. I've already scraped the underside of the front bumper and the metal plate underneath the car just going in and out of my parking lot. Nonetheless a great car that I consider myself lucky to be driving as my first car.

http://i.imgur.com/BwGT0c8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/yrTNgw4.jpg

[Avetiso]

Not wanting to crash a ZHP, you'd be more careful not to crash it. I keep telling my dad to buy me a Ferrari for that reason, but he's not buying it.

Welcome!

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[danewilson77]

Welcome. If your name is Dexter, your stay here might be short :)

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[Don Adolfo]

Benvenutto a la famiglia.

Congrats on your DL. I would tell you to go for the ZHP...you will NEVER regret it. You cannot go into it thinking you are going to have an accident...and if you do, you can always fix it or get another one.

[SoDelBMW]

Welcome

[ELCID86]

Welcome. Good luck on the decision. My 16 yo just totaled our '04 Accord. I'd love to find an '06 MT to replace it with.

[oldzilla]

Welcome, well done on the DL, I say get the ZHP accidents happen all the time and stats are stats, so roll the dice and enjoy driving your first car and a ZHP to boot...

[Oli77]

Welcome. BMWs are safe cars, that look absolutely great. Just putting that out there.

[Johal E32]

Welcome. If your name is Dexter, your stay here might be short :)

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HAHA.

Welcome.

[imola red zhp]

Welcome

sent by new technology DA

[04330i]

Grats on the DL! You are quite lucky to have the chance to have a ZHP as your first auto. Mine was an old, rusted 79 GMC 1ton 4X4 454. I would have given anything to have a BMW. I say go for the ZHP. You know what they say, you never forget your first!!

[fredo]

Welcome !

[bloodspatteranalyst]

Thank you all for the welcome. And no, my name is not Dexter! I loved the show though.

[danewilson77]

Thank you all for the welcome. And no, my name is not Dexter! I loved the show though.

+1

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[mbeckel]

Welcome. If it were me, I'd go with the ZHP, the I6 is far more fun to drive than any fwd v6

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[johnrando]

Welcome. If you can, get the ZHP. The Accord is more practical, but drive them both, and you'll feel the difference... it's not even close....and I've driven both. Plus, the ZHP is fast but it's not extreme by any means... so you're just as likely (or unlikely) to get in an accident in any car. But, the ZHP handles and brakes better than most, plus it's got an excellent safety rating. GL. And, Dexter was a great show.

[Johal E32]

Welcome. If you can, get the ZHP. The Accord is more practical, but drive them both, and you'll feel the difference... it's not even close....and I've driven both. Plus, the ZHP is fast but it's not extreme by any means... so you're just as likely (or unlikely) to get in an accident in any car. But, the ZHP handles and brakes better than most, plus it's got an excellent safety rating. GL. And, Dexter was a great show.

yep the 50/50 weight distribution and zhp/330 steering rack makes the driving feel very enjoyable, power is more than enough!

[bloodspatteranalyst]

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/cto/4376132530.html

This seems like a good deal. I asked him for details, and he said it's a clean title and has been regularly maintained. When I asked him what kind of maintenance he's done, he said "oil changes" and "a 100,000 mile tuneup", whatever that means. I'm assuming he hasn't maintained this car that well - is this still a good deal?

[ELCID86]

Could be a great deal. Check it out and/or get a PPI and run the vin.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[bloodspatteranalyst]

Could be a great deal. Check it out and/or get a PPI and run the vin.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

Just called the guy. Said the driver side window motor doesn't work, so I guess there are some electrical issues with the car. He also said the "tuneup" involved replacing spark plugs, engine oil. He doesn't seem to know too much about the car since it was his daughter's.

[Avetiso]

Driver side motor is a common thing. It doesn't mean there are "electrical issues," it probably just needs replacing.

[fredo]

Are we talking about the window regulator ? If so, no biggie. Two went bad on my e46 on 5 years of ownership.

[bloodspatteranalyst]

And here it is! This was a pretty quick purchase. PPI was relatively clean. It's a 193k mile A/T Sparking Graphite Metallic 2005 ZHP coupe. For $5,500. I love this thing :)

http://i.imgur.com/BwGT0c8.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/yrTNgw4.jpg

[Avetiso]

Clean!

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[slater]

nice find! looks like (from my computer screen) like you got a great deal.

peter

[Oli77]

Looks absolutely great!

[danewilson77]

$5500. Nice pickup.

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[bloodspatteranalyst]

there are definitely some minor issues with the car

- oil level sensor, wheel-speed sensor, tank level sensor.
- right front inner tie rod (minor)
- rear differential bushing broken
- front rotors heavy wear
- dirty cabin air filter
- streaky wiper blades
- transmission selector shaft seal leaking
- motor/engine mounts are getting worn (but I revved the engine to see if it moved, but it seems fine)

I have 2 Bosch wiper blades and a new cabin air filter coming in the mail right now. For the rest of the repairs, I may have to take the car to the mechanic. My friend has a front ramp but that's about it.

I'm thinking about doing the front brakes and an oil change before it hits 200k.

Does anybody know how to install an AUX input cable in the glovebox? Right now he has a ipod cable coming out of the glovebox, but it doesn't work. I'm hoping its the cable that's faulty and not whatever unit is within the glovebox.

Nevertheless, $5500 seems like a good deal to me. It's a blast to drive and I'm lucky to have this as a first car.

EDIT:

PS, shoutout to dane for helping me with the purchasing process. It's good to know there's a community out there for this car.

[NorCal-Dimitri]

Welcome, gorgeous car! If there's an ipod cable running out of the glove box, chances are that the car has a dice unit. If you remove the glove box you should be able to plug an aux into the unit itself.