The third year starts at 228,000 miles. My project thread.

[alexandre]

Today marks the beginning of the third year of my experience with my high-mileage ZHP. I figured it was time to make a project thread.

What initially threw me into the idea of buying a BMW was when I was a kid. My front neighbor had a 2002, Orient on Natural Brown, 6-speed E46 M3 vert, and I was always excited when I heard him drive around. After driving a friend's 5-speed ZSP 325i, I was attracted to the overall feel of the car - it had 139k miles, albeit it showed some wear it definitely didn't feel like a 10-year-old car. Doing some more research I realized that the BMW maintenance nightmare was nothing more than a myth if I used common sense and didn't cheap out on preventative maintenance. I started looking around for ZSP 325's until I stumbled on a 152k 330i that had a nice body kit and nice wheels. This particular car was garbage, but upon further research I discovered the ZHP package. The quest was on.

I initially set a 140k limit for mileage, and alcantara was a must. As I was searching for cars I was also researching every aspect of E46 ownership. I knew I'd be OCD and replace everything anyway... so I ditched that criteria. I finally found an imola/alcantara/manual sedan in central PA. It had 204,xxx miles, but had a great maintenance history, with some perks such as FX-R projectors, and the fantastic Borla exhaust. It had some other mods I wasn't a fan of (painted OEM wheels, unwanted CAI), but I could swap back to stock for most of them for break-even (or even profit in some cases). A couple emails were exchanged, and 2 days later, I was on the road with a bank draft to go get this:

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I was absolutely thrilled by my first drive. I just went all out for an hour - redlining at every opportunity, brake-checking, basically testing out my gut feeling about this car. I was immediately sold, and was arrested 20 mins after officially taking ownership for driving to the AAA to get a temp tag with no tags. :rofl

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Over the past 2 years, I've been mainly focusing on getting the drivetrain, suspension and interior up to my standards. I've replaced most of the rubber on the car that hadn't already been done. I'm gonna be doing much less maintenance from now on as most issues are addressed, so I'll be reducing this significantly very soon, probably after my yearly October inspection.

First detail:

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First ski trip:

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Off the top of my head, this maintenance budget has allowed for replacement of the following - most of it was preventative, apart from the rear shocks and window regulators, which actually failed. All using OEM parts. It's a lot of money, but most of it was spent getting the car up to my standards, which I would've done on a low-mileage car anyway. I expect to be spending much less from now on.


Rear shocks & mounts
RTAB
Front left and rear right regulators
New console and storage cubbies, windshield cowl
BMW SSK and shift bushings
Struts & hats, tie rods, control arms, control arm bushings, sway bar endlinks
Radiator
Oil filter housing gasket
Fuel pump
Rear tires, wiper blades, 2 alignments
3 oil changes, 1 tranny flush, 1 diff flush
Both camshaft sensors, VCG, VANOS seals and rattle kit
Engine and cabin air filters
O2 sensors
License plate delete, new hub caps, new speaker covers for rear deck, power steering flush and reservoir replacement
Sunroof clips


What's left to do:


Driveshaft flex disc and CSB (already have the parts, it's my next project)
Cat replacement (I got low mileage cats for a steal - might sell them if I ever decide it's not worth it)
Oil pan gasket + motor mounts... one day
CCV - already have the parts


After that, the car will have been mostly renewed throughout the drivetrain. Now the paint in the front is faded, and this will be the next step - I need to have the entire car from the front to the B pillar resprayed. I've been putting this off as it still passes the 4-foot test, but now I'm starting to consider having it done.

It's been a terrific learning experience, and it's a great feeling to know you've done the job properly and with the right parts. This is an awesome car, and I've been enjoying it thoroughly. Living in a city with great transit I've always thought that I'd either own a fun, kinda cheap car, or no car at all. The ZHP has filled these expectations extremely well.

After driving an M-Sport 135i on German Autobahns this winter I've had a very light itch for one, surprisingly not because of the power (it's useless for a daily driver, IMO) but because I loved the modern amenities in the car. iDrive was fantastic, despite the critics, and push-start ignition has always made me giggle like a kid - no idea why. Interior was refined, sound system was amazing, and N54/5 exhaust note = eargasm. But it makes absolutely zero sense for me at this time, so it's only a distant dream.

So there you got it - this is my ZHP story. Do I wish I gone with a lower mileage car ? A bit, if only because my biggest grip with the car is the faded front-end paint. Extremely high-mileage cars are also harder to sell. But I have less money in this one than if I had bought a CPO yaris, and most of the wearable components are new, so there's that. I'd drive my ZHP across North America tomorrow without a doubt about its ability to make the trip.

I'm gonna keep driving this car for at least the next two years, when I'll be done with school. As such, I'm opening this project thread, which will mostly chronicle DIY maintenance stories, as I'm an OEM+ kinda guy... It's been a great journey!

As she sits today:

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[Avetiso]

:drool

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Pip]

A great read and looking forward to the next journey this year will bring.

[johnrando]

Very nice. Looks great. Are your license plate bulbs purple or is that just the light?

[alexandre]

Very nice. Looks great. Are your license plate bulbs purple or is that just the light?

They have a 6,000k tint. Cheap $1 eBay LED bulbs :shifty

[NoVAphotog]

Great read and it was nice meeting you and seeing this fine automobile in person at the reunion Alex! Also seeing you do that suspension work the night before and then driving down was impressive to say the least!

My favorite picture here is the one of the first ski trip, what does your snow/winter setup look like for the car? And how is driving it up there in the winter?

[slater]

good stuff alex! looking forward to an imola sedan get-together. :)

peter

[mbeckel]

Good stuff buddy. Car is beautiful especially considering the miles it has

Sent from in the bushes

[alexandre]

Great read and it was nice meeting you and seeing this fine automobile in person at the reunion Alex! Also seeing you do that suspension work the night before and then driving down was impressive to say the least!

My favorite picture here is the one of the first ski trip, what does your snow/winter setup look like for the car? And how is driving it up there in the winter?

I'm running Nokian Hakkapeliittas on gunmetal style 44's. Every other car we have in the family is AWD so I needed some adaptation at first, but now I take it out in major storms without an issue. When I took that pic I had just driven 2 hours through a storm that dumped 2 feet in 4 hours - I was literally plowing the highway.

[slater]

I'm running Nokian Hakkapeliittas on gunmetal style 44's. Every other car we have in the family is AWD so I needed some adaptation at first, but now I take it out in major storms without an issue. When I took that pic I had just driven 2 hours through a storm that dumped 2 feet in 4 hours - I was literally plowing the highway.

awesome. we're going to have to discuss your techniques as if i end up keeping the imola ZHP as the solo family hauler, winter traction is my main concern.

peter

[NoVAphotog]

I'm running Nokian Hakkapeliittas on gunmetal style 44's. Every other car we have in the family is AWD so I needed some adaptation at first, but now I take it out in major storms without an issue. When I took that pic I had just driven 2 hours through a storm that dumped 2 feet in 4 hours - I was literally plowing the highway.

Awesome. Definitely adding those to the list.

[cakM3]

Alex, it's about time you posted your build thread :p Your car looked great when I met you at the reunion meet. :thumbsup Looking forward to seeing more as you continue on your ZHP journey....car looks great! :biggrin

[Vas]

Love that mileage.

Imola FTW

[alexandre]

Ordered lower rear control arm bushings and bolts - rear camber cannot be adjusted right now as it's rusted stuck. Probably gonna have it done at my local shop - they quoted $150 flat fee for the job. Small price to pay IMO to avoid a week's downtime chiseling out rusted crap and showering in PB blaster.

[Avetiso]

Yeah. I usually don't go to shops but certain jobs are just not worth doing.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Pip]

Ordered lower rear control arm bushings and bolts - rear camber cannot be adjusted right now as it's rusted stuck. Probably gonna have it done at my local shop - they quoted $150 flat fee for the job. Small price to pay IMO to avoid a week's downtime chiseling out rusted crap and showering in PB blaster.

I fully support that fee. Seems decent. I paid en exhaust shop the other day because it wasn't worth it to take the car apart for 1-2 hours when they could do it in 20min and I could have my weekend back.

[brettbimmer]

Great thread Alex. Car looks pretty good in person for her mileage, and you are continually improving her which is fantastic. Keep up the good work with her.

Sent from my pineapple under the sea.

[fredo]

Well done, car looks fantastic !

[QC_ZHP]

Car is looking great. Loving the mileage, too

[derbo]

Ordered lower rear control arm bushings and bolts - rear camber cannot be adjusted right now as it's rusted stuck. Probably gonna have it done at my local shop - they quoted $150 flat fee for the job. Small price to pay IMO to avoid a week's downtime chiseling out rusted crap and showering in PB blaster.

FULLY support this. My camber arm bolt is stuck too. However, I would lose the balljoint and the camber arm in order to remove it cleanly. The Shop manage to break it loose so I could adjust it, but that bolt is stuck in there forever.

[alexandre]

FULLY support this. My camber arm bolt is stuck too. However, I would lose the balljoint and the camber arm in order to remove it cleanly. The Shop manage to break it loose so I could adjust it, but that bolt is stuck in there forever.

Wait, which balljoint ? I just ordered the 4 bushings, 4 bolts and 4 nuts. Shop replacing all those and aligning after.

[alexandre]

Put my clears (cf. carwash gone wild (http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?11918)) back together today. My housings were destroyed, and chrome paint is useless, so I took my ambers apart and used the good housings I had for them.

I used this DIY (http://www.e46zone.com/forum/topic/40836-rear-fogreverse-light-clust-makeover/). Drying up right now and will be reinstalled tomorrow.

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My 50,000-dollar vehicle is being protected from the rain with saran wrap. :rofl

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Final product:

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[alexandre]

Replaced blinker stalk today. The tab on mine was sticking out, causing the steering wheel to click at every turn no matter if I had the blinkers activated or not. A couple bucks from the local scrapyard and it's as good as new.

[TigerTater]

Great to see people keeping these cars alive and on the road for others to envy!


Sent from my iPhone 13

[alexandre]

Was gonna replace CCV today, but I was happily surprised to see it was done 3 years ago so not necessary. Put the parts up for sale.

So instead, I detailed the interior and gave the exterior a much-needed wash & wax.

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[ELCID86]

Was gonna replace CCV today, but I was happily surprised to see it was done 3 years ago so not necessary. Put the parts up for sale.

So instead, I detailed the interior and gave the exterior a much-needed wash & wax.

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Glad you had a pleasant surprise and were able to spruce her up a bit. Mine needs a bath. Hopefully later today when it cools off.

[alexandre]

Installed a Gruppe M Ram Air Intake last week. Amazing sound.

And yesterday, changed the oil and filter with Mobil1 0W40 and Mann OEM filter.

[Whammy]

Win! Welcome!

[Simmsled]

Great read!
Really enjoy reading stories of people that get their ZHP in the snow as well.

[alexandre]

So a couple weeks ago I met a BMW Tech at the local dealer who does jobs on the weekends for $52/hr with a couple friends. I went to their garage today and wow! They were working on several E30 projects, and the 3 owners were driving a) dropped E90 330i, b) E30 Hartge (imported from Germany) and c) mint manual E34 M5. They are very meticulous with their work and their prices are very reasonable!

Hartge left, E34 ///M5 on the right

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All the other E30 projects

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So maintenance today:

- strut hats and hardware (plates, pads, reinforcements)
- fuel filter
- camber arm bushings

The camber arm bushings were seized so it took a lot of grinding to get them off. Total labor for everything was 5.5hr. All in all it feels good to check a couple things off!

I also replaced my passenger mirror glass with the one Shawn sent me. It was all rusted out. Thanks again Shawn!! :thumbsup

My dealer is having a pre-winter deal, 55-point inspection deal for $29.95. Comes with a bonus $20 gas card so it's a no-brainer. I'll take it in next week and try to have the airbag recall done at the same time.

[alexandre]

Finally figured out how to code my VIN to my 4.0 LCM (BMW Scanner was buggy). So I'm finally setup with a proper triple-blink LCM with rear fogs and euro features!

[Avetiso]

Nice!

[ELCID86]

Finally figured out how to code my VIN to my 4.0 LCM (BMW Scanner was buggy). So I'm finally setup with a proper triple-blink LCM with rear fogs and euro features!

I had trouble with that on my last car. BP finally worked his magic.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[johnrando]

Nice. Love triple blink.

[cakM3]

Very nice Alexandre!

[alexandre]

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/09/d2237a62a531be467f3b447af78d2a46.jpg

Alignment today :thumbsup

[yura]

230k miles / 370k km? Whoa!!! And it still looks phenomenal. A testament to a well-maintained E46!

[alexandre]

It gets a lot of TLC, but fully worth it ;)

[alexandre]

Did the airbag recall and $10 55-point inspection today. Had an ///M breakfast wrap at the ///M Cafe. Not much to report:


rear main seal - would love to see a dealer bill at $134.95/hr for that job :rofl
diff input shaft seal
rear brakes (need to clarify if just pads or rotors needed too)


I got my first 37°F warning of the season this morning. Winter is coming! :biggrin

[az3579]

Did the airbag recall and $10 55-point inspection today. Had an ///M breakfast wrap at the ///M Cafe. Not much to report:


rear main seal - would love to see a dealer bill at $134.95/hr for that job :rofl
diff input shaft seal
rear brakes (need to clarify if just pads or rotors needed too)


I got my first 37°F warning of the season this morning. Winter is coming! :biggrin

Yeah, first 37 degree warning here as well this morning. :facepalm

The rear main seal is a massive job, isn't it?

[slater]

Did the airbag recall and $10 55-point inspection today. Had an ///M breakfast wrap at the ///M Cafe. Not much to report:


rear main seal - would love to see a dealer bill at $134.95/hr for that job :rofl
diff input shaft seal
rear brakes (need to clarify if just pads or rotors needed too)


I got my first 37°F warning of the season this morning. Winter is coming! :biggrin


nice! i got my first warning last thursday night - it got down to 2.5ºC here! i fired up our pellet stove when we got home. :)

rear brakes are easy peasy - good time to adjust your handbrake too. :)

peter

[alexandre]

nice! i got my first warning last thursday night - it got down to 2.5ºC here! i fired up our pellet stove when we got home. :)

rear brakes are easy peasy - good time to adjust your handbrake too. :)

peter

They're at 25% (after 100k km) and apparently the brake warning lights up at 14%. So I probably have a good 6-8 months before they're needed! I'll try to address the ebrake before then.


Yeah, first 37 degree warning here as well this morning. :facepalm

The rear main seal is a massive job, isn't it?

Yup. Requires dropping the tranny. Not happening until I require a clutch change (but I have a feeling it will outlive the car). I'll just top up my oil in the meantime.

[ELCID86]

Did the airbag recall and $10 55-point inspection today. Had an ///M breakfast wrap at the ///M Cafe. Not much to report:



rear main seal - would love to see a dealer bill at $134.95/hr for that job :rofl
diff input shaft seal
rear brakes (need to clarify if just pads or rotors needed too)



I got my first 37°F warning of the season this morning. Winter is coming! :biggrin

Code that annoyance off!

I have a slight leak on my rear main as well. Mechanic said to leave it until the clutch goes also.

[az3579]

Code that annoyance off!

I keep trying to do it myself but the damn thing stays! I can't get that damned beep off!


I know the rear main seal will be getting done when I do my clutch, which I expect to be soon. I have 205k on my clutch now and who knows how it was treated the first 75k of its life, so we'll see...
Recommend anything else "while in there"?

Thinking clutch, flywheel (if needed, really expensive), throwout bearing, rear main seal, tranny mounts.

[Vas]

Slave cylinder, new clutch line maybe upgrade to a ss unit.

[az3579]

Slave cylinder, new clutch line maybe upgrade to a ss unit.

Those don't require the tranny to be remove, do they?

[Vas]

No. Both are on the outside.

Are you having any weird noises from the trans ? Sometimes the output shaft or input shaft bearings go bad. But otherwise just the clutch, flywheel and rear main seal assembly

[az3579]

No. Both are on the outside.

Are you having any weird noises from the trans ? Sometimes the output shaft or input shaft bearings go bad. But otherwise just the clutch, flywheel and rear main seal assembly


No, just thinking up a list that Alex may also use when it comes time to drop his tranny.
We're both probably gonna have to do it at some point in the future, him for the leak and me for the clutch.

[alexandre]

Washed it today!

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[slater]

nice!

[danewilson77]

Schwing!

"No flamesuit required"

[alexandre]

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It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

I need to put on some winters :shifty

[az3579]

16550

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

I need to put on some winters :shifty

I'm shocked you haven't yet...
It's effing cold down here. It was in the teens this morning, and it's only November still. WTF?

[slater]

16550

It's the most wonderful time of the year!!!

I need to put on some winters :shifty

yes, you do alex!! :) got mine on already - the end of last week. new xice3's!



I'm shocked you haven't yet...
It's effing cold down here. It was in the teens this morning, and it's only November still. WTF?

two words - polar vortex, man. haha.

same here, it is about -5ºC (~22ºF) here this morning but it is supposed to be 10ºC (~52ºF) on monday - weird!

peter

[cakM3]

I'm shocked you haven't yet...
It's effing cold down here. It was in the teens this morning, and it's only November still. WTF?

Not surprised to see it being so cold already this year....I have heard it was going to be a cold bitter winter in New England this year....so far predictions have been spot on. Alex, be careful up there!

[alexandre]

We're within normal averages up here! I realized I have all seasons a couple weeks ago so I'm not spinning performance summers all over the place. It'll get done this weekend most likely :thumbsup

[az3579]

We're within normal averages up here! I realized I have all seasons a couple weeks ago so I'm not spinning performance summers all over the place. It'll get done this weekend most likely :thumbsup

Still on the tires from the previous owner?

[alexandre]

Still on the tires from the previous owner?

Yup. They're not too bad!

[BADCLOWN]

you say its a wonderful time of year.............i say hell on earth. thanks for the polar shitstorm of cold weather canada/arctic circle.


what tires are you on from the PO and how long?


when i bought my 04 ZHP, it had contis on it and i didn't have to change them out for 3 years up until close to selling the car i put two rears on it. such a good tire manufacturer

[alexandre]

Maxxis MA-V1. Budget performance all season. Approx 30k on the set, I went through a pair of rears already which I replaced with the same as I didn't want to waste the good fronts and I was on a limited budget after replacing my entire suspension. They're fairly cheap, IIRC $100ish a corner. I'll go for a higher quality tire on the next cycle though.

[BADCLOWN]

hows the road noise levels/how long did your rears last you?


i found out i have a small nail in the rear inner cup of one tire and the two fronts have slight camber wear due to a bad alignment, contemplating an entire new set vs. buying just one tire

[alexandre]

hows the road noise levels/how long did your rears last you?


i found out i have a small nail in the rear inner cup of one tire and the two fronts have slight camber wear due to a bad alignment, contemplating an entire new set vs. buying just one tire

Rears were at 22k ish, but one side had camber wear down to the chords. I'd say the other one had 25% left in it. Nothing to say re: noise, it's similar to BP's car having ridden in it. Not sure what he's running though!

[BADCLOWN]

gotcha, if i can find a cheaper set of performance all seasons it may push me to just get a new set altogether.

[az3579]

you say its a wonderful time of year.............i say hell on earth. thanks for the polar shitstorm of cold weather canada/arctic circle.


what tires are you on from the PO and how long?


when i bought my 04 ZHP, it had contis on it and i didn't have to change them out for 3 years up until close to selling the car i put two rears on it. such a good tire manufacturer

You obviously didn't drive it much. lol



Rears were at 22k ish, but one side had camber wear down to the chords. I'd say the other one had 25% left in it. Nothing to say re: noise, it's similar to BP's car having ridden in it. Not sure what he's running though!

When you were in my car, I had literally just mounted the Bridgestone Potenza S-04 Pole Positions. They were pretty much brandy new, and am happy to report that despite the tires already being end of life (have to replace once the winter season is over), they are almost as quiet as the day I mounted them. No cord yet, so I'll get my money's worth by driving them till they cord on the inside, at which point they'll still have enough tread to evacuate some water, so it won't be dangerous to drive on at least. Once cord hits, I'll have an official mileage number.

[BADCLOWN]

i actually drove it almost every day (spotty use of my m52 e30 when i did have the two at the same time). the tires held up REALLY well and i never really beat on the car or took it through its paces hard. i wish i remembered the model name but they were contis

[alexandre]

Repping the ski tractor mode in 18". Gonna mount the winters this week. I wish I was rolling 135M's year round!

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[az3579]

I wish I was rolling 135M's year round!

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Buy another set of 135M's and mount winter tires to them



:biggrin

[Gnip Gnop]

Beautiful! Keep up the good work.

I'm curious how it went importing the car from PA to Quebec? Are the laws not very strict?

[alexandre]

Buy another set of 135M's and mount winter tires to them



:biggrin

If the right deal came along I'd jump on it :shifty


Beautiful! Keep up the good work.

I'm curious how it went importing the car from PA to Quebec? Are the laws not very strict?

It's not that bad. There's quite a list of fees to be paid, but the car itself was eligible (not all are - eg. MKIV Golf R32 can't be brought in) so it was mostly a matter of filling out the paperwork, paying the fees, and going through the two required inspections. Took about a week from when I drove down to having it fully registered.

[Gnip Gnop]

It's not that bad. There's quite a list of fees to be paid, but the car itself was eligible (not all are - eg. MKIV Golf R32 can't be brought in) so it was mostly a matter of filling out the paperwork, paying the fees, and going through the two required inspections. Took about a week from when I drove down to having it fully registered.

Not bad!

[az3579]

I wonder if it works the other way around... Canada to US. Hmm...

[slater]

I wonder if it works the other way around... Canada to US. Hmm...

you wonder if what works? importing a car from canada? it can be done. but there is an eligible/ineligible cars list.

peter

[az3579]

you wonder if what works? importing a car from canada? it can be done. but there is an eligible/ineligible cars list.

peter

Just looked it up. OF COURSE a S50B32 M3 can't be imported. :facepalm

[alexandre]

Well today is a day of misfortune. Some of you guys might know that my serpentine belt shredded last Sunday while I was in the country. Symptoms seemed to point to the AC belt having come off and undone the serpentine one. I replaced it and the car ran flawlessly on the drive home. Then this morning my power steering pump decided to annihilate itself.

17334

The pump seems crooked - I really wonder what the hell happened there. I hope it didn't cause any other damage...

I had the car towed to my trusty BMW mechanic who does jobs on the side in his garage, and rented a boring-ass Chevy Cruze for the next couple days.

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[johnrando]

WTF? Wow. Hope it's not TOO bad.

[ELCID86]

Dude! So sorry. I hope you have CAA!? Still coming to Baltimore?


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[slater]

alex, this sucks. do you have any news on it yet?

based on the pump being incredibly cock-eyed in there, either the pump mounting points sheared off, or the giant aluminum bracket that it bolts to (the OFHG bracket) cracked and broke... if either was cracked, this would explain your shredded serpentine belt.

i hope you get it back on the road soon!

peter

[alexandre]

Dude! So sorry. I hope you have CAA!? Still coming to Baltimore?


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

Yep! The tow didn't cost me anything. I'm in Baltimore now. In a chevy. [emoji51]


alex, this sucks. do you have any news on it yet?

based on the pump being incredibly cock-eyed in there, either the pump mounting points sheared off, or the giant aluminum bracket that it bolts to (the OFHG bracket) cracked and broke... if either was cracked, this would explain your shredded serpentine belt.

i hope you get it back on the road soon!

peter

I forgot it attached to the OFH and not the block. At least that's a cheaper fix as there's plenty of OFH on the spare market... I'm crossing my fingers and hoping it's the pump that's destroyed.

I'll post an update once I hear back from my tech - he's looking at it tomorrow.

[Rovert]

Seriously...you and BP. This is so humbling. :hi

#ImolaBros

[alexandre]

Tech followed up. Turns out the oil filter housing is indeed cracked, but pump and alternator are both OK.

[Vas]

Tech followed up. Turns out the oil filter housing is indeed cracked, but pump and alternator are both OK.

Would a kind soul be able to look for a used OFH on car-part.com either close to 21218, 06460, or somewhere else along the I-95/I-87 corridor between DC and Montreal? I'm currently in the US (without a laptop so I can't search) and parts are cheaper here, so it'd be very appreciated!

Any idea what it might be listed under?

[ELCID86]

I think it's this: Aggregate support with oil filter 11421713838 $345.60

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=EV53&mospid=47725&btnr=11_2201&hg=11&fg=30&hl=20

[ELCID86]

New (I can't tell where they are): http://www.ebay.com/itm/Genuine-BMW-Oil-Filter-Housing-E46-E39-E53-E83-11421713838-NEW-/250997465751?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a709d6297&vxp=mtr


another near 06460 http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-OEM-99-02-Z3-Engine-Oil-Filter-11421713838-/221565011740?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item33964dc71c&vxp=mtr

[alexandre]

Thanks a lot for the help guys. I ended up finding a good one on eBay for $45 shipped. I'm throwing in a cooling system refresh at the same time since my water pump was done for (and close to the mileage where PM is needed anyway).

I picked up most of the genuine stuff I needed from BMW of Morristown, they have outstanding pricing - eg. $17.86 for the gallon of coolant, and I drove by FCP to get my OEM components (pump, thermostat, hoses, etc) - their offices are absolutely beautiful!

If everything goes according to plan, the car will be off the lift Friday.

[Hornung418]

:hi:

Glad you made it home with some goodies in tow. Wishing you a speedy repair job!

[alexandre]

A stalker picture I took of the 944!

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FCP office:

17434

[Just_George]

Always thought the 944 was a nice looking car! Still do...good luck with the repairs!

[Hornung418]

Thanks, George :)

The FCP offices are gorgeous!

[ELCID86]

Glad you are getting it all sorted out Alex.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[az3579]

...and I drove by FCP to get my OEM components (pump, thermostat, hoses, etc) - their offices are absolutely beautiful!




FCP office:

17434

Hey, that looks EXACTLY like the FCP in Milford, about 15 minutes from my house... Where is this one located?

[alexandre]

Hey, that looks EXACTLY like the FCP in Milford, about 15 minutes from my house... Where is this one located?

In Milford. Crap, I completely forgot you lived in the area. :facepalm

I drove I-95, CT-15 and then I-91 up to Montreal!

[az3579]

In Milford. Crap, I completely forgot you lived in the area. :facepalm

I drove I-95, CT-15 and then I-91 to Montreal

:rofl

Oh well...

CT-15 was a nice drive, wasn't it? :)
It's definitely better on the southern end going into New York though; it's a lot twistier down there. Otherwise still a beautiful drive when the trees actually have leaves on them.

[alexandre]

:rofl

Oh well...

CT-15 was a nice drive, wasn't it? :)
It's definitely better on the southern end going into New York though; it's a lot twistier down there. Otherwise still a beautiful drive when the trees actually have leaves on them.

Yeah it looked nice! Unfortunately I was there at rush hour so there was no space to have fun. Plus I was driving an automatic Chevy Cruze while my car was being dismantled... Not exactly "the ultimate driving machine".

[Rovert]

LOL. Then Cruze had it's ultimate moments with Alex.

[alexandre]

Car is back on the road. My blower motor decided to die on me on my way out so I had to go back - thankfully they had one in stock so they swapped it pronto. Total cost for OFH replacement, full cooling system and blower motor: 6 hours!

Pics of the damage on OFH:

17495

[Rovert]

Can't wait to see the 2015 Saga of Alexandre's ZHP. The story continues....

[alexandre]

17941

As I'm closing in on my 3rd year of ownership, I think my car is starting to test my loyalty to her... $5 part but still!!

[Rovert]

I think it ran away because it didn't want to be that dirty. LOL

[alexandre]

I forgot to update this in the last couple months.

Two weeks after the cooling system disaster chronicled above, my CCV decided to freeze up on me, so I had to have that replaced as well. It was definitely a rough winter.

My cats have started throwing codes (I've been waiting for that for a while - already have all the parts).

More recently, I just replaced my dead pedal (it was trashed) with a new OEM one for $13. I also received the parts for my upcoming rear brake + ebrake job, hopefully I have the time to install them this week.

20393

Mileage today: 241,639 miles.

20384

[alexandre]

Performed a much, much needed rear rotor/pads and full ebrake service today. Pretty straightforward.

20486
20487
20488
20489

[ELCID86]

Nice job. Hubs come off easily?


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[alexandre]

Nice job. Hubs come off easily?


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

Yep, no issues. Took about 1h30 from start to finish for both sides. The rears generate less dust so less rusty and seized in general.

[ELCID86]

Good. I've just seen ppl need an impact driver or even drill on the hub screws.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[alexandre]

Oil change last weekend. 244572 miles. Apart from that it's running like a dream.

My neighbor also backed into my newly replaced driver's door 3 days ago :facepalm - thankfully only the door was damaged, and their insurance is covering everything.

21708

[BMWCurves]

Damn, that sucks about the door. Glad to hear insurance will cover it. Those miles though :applause

[Rovert]

What?? It didn't get written off? LOL Glad your car fared better than my 330. [emoji55]

[az3579]

Oil change last weekend. 244572 miles. Apart from that it's running like a dream.



I am soooooo catching up to you... :biggrin

[cakM3]

Nice to see these cars handle the mileage you guys are putting on them :thumbsup


Sent from my iPhone5S using Tapatalk

[alexandre]

Mounted my winters today! I also powerwashed the inside of my wheels - there was a ton of brake dust and other crap.

I also found out my tires were basically one pothole away from blowing out. I knew it was their last season but I didn't think they were that bad. I'm gonna treat myself to some DW's in March!

22682

22683

[ELCID86]

Hey bro. Good to see you around. Snow there yet?!


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

[alexandre]

Only this so far, on Saturday! For once I managed to get ready before the first snowfall.

22684

[ELCID86]

Close enough. Good call. Hope school is going well.


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

[alexandre]

Close enough. Good call. Hope school is going well.


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

Yep but it's busy. Took a 54h/week courseload this semester to finish in April instead of next December. The end is near!

[ELCID86]

Awesome. Hope you find some time to stop by here too!


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

[anandoc]

Yep but it's busy. Took a 54h/week courseload this semester to finish in April instead of next December. The end is near!

McGill? Which program are you in?

[alexandre]

McGill? Which program are you in?

Yes sir! Software engineering.

[anandoc]

Yes sir! Software engineering.

Nice! I hope you have something lined up after graduation. We are always hiring developers if you are looking to move to Ottawa :)

[slater]

Mounted my winters today! I also powerwashed the inside of my wheels - there was a ton of brake dust and other crap.

I also found out my tires were basically one pothole away from blowing out. I knew it was their last season but I didn't think they were that bad. I'm gonna treat myself to some DW's in March!

22682

yikes, alex! looks like you've got some alignment/bushing issues to address as well...



Nice! I hope you have something lined up after graduation. We are always hiring developers if you are looking to move to Ottawa :)

hahaha. good idea! :)

[alexandre]

yikes, alex! looks like you've got some alignment/bushing issues to address as well...

I had very bad ones indeed when I bought the car with these tires. I fixed that in May 2014 - the damage was already done but they wore more evenly after that.

[slater]

I had very bad ones indeed when I bought the car with these tires. I fixed that in May 2014 - the damage was already done but they wore more evenly after that.

the car is going to feel even better with proper-wearing tires! driving on oddly-worn tires with sorted suspension definitely feels a bit weird.

[danewilson77]

Awesome. Hope you find some time to stop by here too!


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.
+1

Glad you're ok.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

[alexandre]

Today I installed a passenger seat mat sensor bypass. Quick installation and seems to work great. Glad to clear out the christmas tree on my dash.

I also checked out a ZHP for sale locally. Imola, 6MT, 130k, $6k. Was completely trashed. Paint was worse than mine and I have double the mileage. One kidney grille was missing. Tamper dot on. Reeked of burnt oil (VCG must've been due for like 50k). Owner was a regular smoker. Clutch was slipping. However, the suspension had just been redone and it was surprisingly tight. Crazy how some people treat their cars.

[ELCID86]

Nice work. Keep her.


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior."

[az3579]

Today I installed a passenger seat mat sensor bypass. Quick installation and seems to work great. Glad to clear out the christmas tree on my dash.

I also checked out a ZHP for sale locally. Imola, 6MT, 130k, $6k. Was completely trashed. Paint was worse than mine and I have double the mileage. One kidney grille was missing. Tamper dot on. Reeked of burnt oil (VCG must've been due for like 50k). Owner was a regular smoker. Clutch was slipping. However, the suspension had just been redone and it was surprisingly tight. Crazy how some people treat their cars.


I don't think I've seen a ZHP that bad before... is there a link or is it local only?

[Vas]

Where did you get the bypass?

[az3579]

Where did you get the bypass?


They can be found all over the place. eBay has a ton of them.
Search for "E46 occupancy bypass"

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xe46+occup ancy+bypass.TRS0&_nkw=e46+occupancy+bypass&_sacat=0

[Vas]

I had bought one in the past and it was a dud

[alexandre]

Nice work. Keep her.

Not selling it. The 130k one was a potential flipping project with a buddy of mine!


I don't think I've seen a ZHP that bad before... is there a link or is it local only?

http://m.kijiji.ca/autos-camions/ville-de-montreal/bmw-330i-2003-zhp-m-pack/v?adId=1125097132

The pictures must be a couple years old because it doesn't look anything like that. And looks like he's updated the listing since I went - it dropped by $1k and he added mention of getting hit on his passenger door. Didn't think it could get worse - at least he's throwing in a bonus E46 door :facepalm


Where did you get the bypass?

http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/272015069636

This is the one I got. I cleared the SRS light with BMW scanner and it hasn't come back yet.

[az3579]

Wow. The interior looks damn near new in the pictures. Talk about misleading.


I had bought one in the past and it was a dud

Guess you got unlucky. I bought a random one off eBay when I still had my alcantara interior and it worked just fine.

[slater]

Wow. The interior looks damn near new in the pictures. Talk about misleading.

well, that's also a US car in those pics - so i'm guessing they're not pics of the actual car in question. yes, misleading... false advertising, whatever you want to call it... it ain't good. :)

peter

[alexandre]

well, that's also a US car in those pics - so i'm guessing they're not pics of the actual car in question. yes, misleading... false advertising, whatever you want to call it... it ain't good. :)

peter

It's a US car, but it was imported in 2010. Pictures probably date from then...

[az3579]

well, that's also a US car in those pics - so i'm guessing they're not pics of the actual car in question. yes, misleading... false advertising, whatever you want to call it... it ain't good. :)

peter

Most of them are US cars. :)
A ZAM is pretty rare.

[slater]

It's a US car, but it was imported in 2010. Pictures probably date from then...

ahh, gotcha.



Most of them are US cars. :)
A ZAM is pretty rare.

no kidding. but alex and i are in canada, so i have to assume that a car he's looking at, in canada, is a canadian car. :)

happy to have my ZAM. :cheers

[az3579]

i are in canada, so i have to assume that a car he's looking at, in canada, is a canadian car. :)


Yours is the only ZAM I've seen on the forum... :dunno
Alex's car is a U.S. car.

[Vas]

Not selling it. The 130k one was a potential flipping project with a buddy of mine!



http://m.kijiji.ca/autos-camions/ville-de-montreal/bmw-330i-2003-zhp-m-pack/v?adId=1125097132

The pictures must be a couple years old because it doesn't look anything like that. And looks like he's updated the listing since I went - it dropped by $1k and he added mention of getting hit on his passenger door. Didn't think it could get worse - at least he's throwing in a bonus E46 door :facepalm



http://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/272015069636

This is the one I got. I cleared the SRS light with BMW scanner and it hasn't come back yet.

No airbag light still?

[alexandre]

No airbag light still?

Nope!

[alexandre]

Photos of subframe overhaul done 2 weeks ago.

23420

23421

23422

[alexandre]

Oil pan gasket in progress! I also replaced the oil pump nut with an OEM ZHP one for peace of mind, but the original one wasn't loose at all which is reassuring.

23423

23424

[johnrando]

Nice werk

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[ELCID86]

All back together now Alex?


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46f member

[alexandre]

All back together now Alex?

Yup! Drove 100 miles to VT for a ski weekend right after without a hitch. Job took 2.5h with 2 guys working on the car. Hope the repair will cure some of my oil loss.

[ELCID86]

Yup! Drove 100 miles to VT for a ski weekend right after without a hitch. Job took 2.5h with 2 guys working on the car. Hope the repair will cure some of my oil loss.

Awesome. Hope skiing was good. It appears we are in for some colder weather here in NOVA this week.


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46f member

[alexandre]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160115/7ed8238be3fd4ead47812782a4f59627.jpg

Alignment today. $60 under the table at the dealer!

[san]

$60! Nice...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Rovert]

That's like $40USD. Real nice.

[ELCID86]

Wow. Great price.


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - an e46fanatic

[johnrando]

Def!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Vas]

Nope!

Thanks for the suggestion. I bought the same bypass from ebay and installed it today. No more airbag light :)

[alexandre]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160201/744cf926d7094cb4428f47709fdb5e9c.jpg

400k mileage pic.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160201/8f3aae139d0585133c6965e3b6ee1e83.jpg

And a preview of its current state... Gonna treat it to a bath tomorrow for its special day!

[Rovert]

Toast to 500k. Drive it to the west coast. [emoji12]

[johnrando]

Nice!

[ELCID86]

bump :confused

[alexandre]

Installed new DWS06 at 400,750km. Very pleased so far.

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160413/27ca99c926abe058155a1658dd25852f.jpg

Took notice of a big tear in my driver's seat last week. Can't believe I had never seen it. Less pleased about that one...

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160413/76dd23a6ff21953c3d469cf9e0aedeeb.jpg

[yura]

Awesome 400k pic! M54 4eva!

[az3579]

How on earth did you not notice that tear?? lol

[ELCID86]

There he is. Great tires. Try to find an Alcantara seat bolster and get that fixed!

[Vas]

Hmm tires

[ELCID86]

Hmm tires

That needs to be behind you....

[alexandre]

How on earth did you not notice that tear?? lol

No idea hahaha. It's the outer side of the driver's seat and the way I have it setup you really have to look at it to notice.

[alexandre]

Passed 6 years of ownership and 430,000km last month. Over the last 2 years I blew a tire, a fuel pump, and a rear bearing. Nothing else to report :)

[RUS_ZHP]

Passed 6 years of ownership and 430,000km last month. Over the last 2 years I blew a tire, a fuel pump, and a rear bearing. Nothing else to report :)Just glanced through your thread since I didn't see it before.
Great work and serious mileage. I am glad to see that you keep it and driving.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[johnrando]

+1, keep it going.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[dannyzabolotny]

Wow, 267,000 miles! That's pretty awesome, especially for a car that gets driven all year round in Canada. Any rust on the car at this point?

My car is only at 192,000 miles, but I'm trying to pump those numbers up... I put 2500 miles on it in my first two weeks of owning it.

[alexandre]

Just drove it across the continent again with no issues at all. The washer fluid pump started leaking before I left and I cracked an eBay fog light but that's it. I think the thing will outlive me!

This was my itinerary, I took a few detours so it was ~4,000 miles over 2 weeks.

35368

Approximately halfway, in the Badlands National Park in South Dakota:

35369

The resulting mess on arrival:

35370

Car has ~275k miles now!

[Will]

Wow! Amazing mileage and condition. To your next 400k, km.

[johnrando]

Wow! Amazing mileage and condition. To your next 400k, km.+1

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[ELCID86]

Great googlie mooglie you can do some driving! Thanks for sharing Alexandre.

[alexandre]

Passed 444,444 km yesterday. One of my coil packs died for the occasion. Replaced all 6 with Eldor #12138657273, car feels new!

35722

[Fried_Chicken]

These cars really should be designed to go 300k miles at least.
I know for a fact they're designed to go 200k km, anything beyond that is beyond the life expectancy of the cars..... assholes. Bad for the environment.

[johnrando]

That's cool, good catch too!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[alexandre]

Finally found the right ski bag for non-folding rear seat sedans (PN 72608215262) after having had an eBay alert for almost 3 years.

35804

Shipped it to France. Will pick it up when I go there for work next month.

[fredo]

Good find, sir. Congrats.

[alexandre]

Failed inspection today. Got 48h to replace front brake lines, one control arm, trunk handle assembly, and to solder off a crack in my floor. Gotta love it!

[BMWCurves]

Failed inspection today. Got 48h to replace front brake lines, one control arm, trunk handle assembly, and to solder off a crack in my floor. Gotta love it!

Woof. That's rough. I will say that I think it's a good idea in the world to have some safety requirements for vehicles; Oregon basically only checks emissions, and that's only for the Portland area (maybe Medford too?). But it's a complicated issue; people rely on their cars for transportation, and maintaining a car to certain specifications can be prohibitively expensive. Add on the 48 hour time frame and it can be a serious burden for some people.

[alexandre]

Woof. That's rough. I will say that I think it's a good idea in the world to have some safety requirements for vehicles; Oregon basically only checks emissions, and that's only for the Portland area (maybe Medford too?). But it's a complicated issue; people rely on their cars for transportation, and maintaining a car to certain specifications can be prohibitively expensive. Add on the 48 hour time frame and it can be a serious burden for some people.

In my case it's just because I'm changing provinces so it's a whole ordeal. We don't have any yearly inspections at all, but I agree the 48h timeframe is crazy. Most people who aren't handy probably end up paying a fortune for this last minute work.

[alexandre]

Loving the Hakkapeliitta 8 + Style 68 winter setup!

36198

[alexandre]

Curbside front brake job @ 447,925 km while swapping in summers. Perks of living in the city.

Used OEM Zimmermann rotors + Jurid pads.

36518

[johnrando]

Wow!

Sent from my SM-G988U using Tapatalk

[alexandre]

Car turned 450,000km yesterday (~280k miles) during a 500mi road trip. Running super smooth. SES is a vacuum leak I can't bother to track down.

37214

[Will]

Wow, congrats on 450k kms!

[t.er]

Congrats, by any chance do you have a shorter final drive in your car? Nearly 3k RPM at 115 km/h is pretty high revs if you're in 6th

[alexandre]

Congrats, by any chance do you have a shorter final drive in your car? Nearly 3k RPM at 115 km/h is pretty high revs if you're in 6th

Yes, it's a 3.46 installed by PO. I really like it around the city but yeah it's definitely a bit louder at higher speeds!

[Will]

Congrats, by any chance do you have a shorter final drive in your car? Nearly 3k RPM at 115 km/h is pretty high revs if you're in 6th

Good eye!

Funny, because that's about what the e46m3 runs... just a hair under 3k at 120 km/h. I wish 6th was a tad taller for MPGs.

[alexandre]

Sold today at 452,510 km, after 9 years as a daily. It's been a good run, what an awesome car!

Final picture right before its departure voyage.

38117

[t.er]

Sad to see it go - trunk "filler panel" aside it still looks good!

[fredo]

Congrats. Agreed, looks good at 281k miles. Hope you continue to visit this forum.

[alexandre]

Congrats. Agreed, looks good at 281k miles. Hope you continue to visit this forum.

New car has Performance Package, so it’ll get a project thread when I decide to mod it even if it’s a few letters off! (Z7W vs ZHP)

[Rovert]

Will miss that car. It has provided memories being the result of meeting Alex when I was working a job in his city and met me to buy a ZHP part that I brought with me in my luggage. When it came time to install that part didn’t even fit his car. [emoji23] History has been made and we’ve been close friends ever since, meeting each other in our own cities to meeting up overseas to have a bite to eat next to the grand Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. [emoji56] What a ride our ZHPs have given to all of us!

[cakM3]

Awesome run with your ZHP Alex! As other's have said... sad to see her go but congrats on your new ride! Can't wait to see more on her :cool

[johnrando]

+1

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

[Will]

New car has Performance Package, so it’ll get a project thread when I decide to mod it even if it’s a few letters off! (Z7W vs ZHP)

How about a ownership thread? I'm really digging the diesels lately, would love to hear more about your experience with it, even if it's just random photos. Even in stock form, your car is siiiick.

[Rovert]

One of the best looking ones in stock form. Most things with full M performance package goodies look baller nowadays. BMW has got the branding good with that package.