Sometimes I regret the purchase.

[otto99]

I mean, I really liked my E34 535i; it had four doors, it was zoomy enough as well as practical, it had a stick, it was mostly as gorgeous as an E34 can be, especially with 17" Style 5's, and I really miss it. The ZHP rides like crap, the tires are expensive - my Pilot Sports are also magnetic, attracting every loose nail on the roads in Memphis - i HATE the auto which I thought was a good idea at the time, my steering wheel looks like it has some fungal disease... and then I have it detailed, stand back and look at it. And I say to myself, I say self, dat's a bad ride.

Here's my old love:

http://members.roadfly.com/otto99/ms1.jpg

[Marcus-SanDiego]

The ZHP looks fantastic. I'm also a fan of the E34 5er.

Believe me, I understand your plight. There are days when I wish I didn't have my 335. Two failed HPFPs. But then I jump on it and it just goes -- fast. Makes me forget about the failed pumps I've had.

We take the good with the bad, I guess. I would not trade the 335 in.

And I love the ZHP. It's one of the prettiest cars, out of the box, I've owned.

[danewilson77]

That is one of the cleanest rides I've seen.

[pleasecorrupt]

Sell and reignite old flames buddy.

[kaboom]

I feel you man. I like my ZHP but I like the way my E39 5 looked a bit better, and I'm really, really missing the sound and torque of the V8 with that six speed. The steering and interior of the E46 is nicer, to me, though.

Your E34 looked great!

Ian

[static667]

The E34 is classic. Great style and an awesome car. Just pinch your pennies and buy one as a project car or Sunday driver one day.

[Mike V]

I really like the E34s, especially the 535 and 540. Too bad the late 80s / early 90s BMWs are getting too old... I really liked them. I would still love to own a red/tan 5-spd 89 325is.

[az3579]

I can add a little bit to this thread.

My E30 had a personality that I've bonded with over the years. It's had its moments where it was mad at me, but not mad enough to strike me out of it's life (also known as a breakdown), and plenty of times where it was perfectly content (track days where nothing bad happened). Some days it would feel under the weather, while other days it was happier than a little terrier bouncing around you at your feet. It looked "boring" from the outside (relative to a human, it always had a serious face on), but on the inside it was tickled with imagination. I've had about 95% of my car-learning experiences in/with that car, nearly everything I know today about mechanical and electrical components came from the box from the 80's.

With my E46, I have mixed feelings on its personality. It sure likes to giddy up and go, almost as readily as the E30, but in a way it feels more grown up, very much like a mid-life romance. The passion can still be strong, but it probably isn't as "wild" as an early-life romance, where hormones are raging wild. The E46 feels like an older woman; experienced and still affectionate, but lacks the spontaneous passion the E30 had. Das E30 was more raw and had more feel.

When you "grow up" with a car like that (it was my first car), you tend to form an "understanding" with the car, and if you're a car person, develop a connection with it in a sense that you know if something is wrong before it actually happens and try to doctor it when it does. For you, it may not be your first car, but you've developed that "connection" that many can arguably say can only be made with an older car that has more feel and "experience".

I believe what you are feeling is normal. I still miss my E30 in a sense, despite all of its little issues that bugged my OCD enough to the breaking point, but I have the comfort of knowing that I can drive it any time as it's very close to its former home.

I also believe that you will learn to grow with the E46 and learn to love it as well in its own way. Perhaps you aren't "understanding" it properly. Try to listen to what it's saying and try to adapt your driving behavior in an attempt to please it. Who knows, perhaps you'll find that it may be a different car, but it also has its own personality that you need to connect with. If this happens, it may even please you.

[johnrando]

I really like the E34s, especially the 535 and 540. Too bad the late 80s / early 90s BMWs are getting too old... I really liked them. I would still love to own a red/tan 5-spd 89 325is.

Agree, but I LOVE ME SOME '06 ZHP, WAAAAYYYYYY better than my 540. As for BP's post, totally understand that feeling about a car... the new one can never replace the old, just as you alluded to. You never forget your first. The ones after are different, they won't replace the first. (And yes, that's the same for cars and girlfriends). It's just a different experience, and enjoy it for what it brings.

[gr330zhp]

I love my ZHP, but if honestly I wouldnt mind an E34 535i

I wish I was old enough to have bought one fairly new, with a 5 speed manual, I love them. The M30 is one of my favorite engines from BMW, and the E34 with a good set of wheels is timeless

Enjoy the clean ZHP

[Mtnman]

i havent read enough of your posts to know how long you've had the car, but the auto grows on you. it took me 6 months to get used to its shifting points.... but now, 1.5 years later, i can drive it smoothly. it still likes to downshift to 4500+rpms down a hill if you tap the brakes, but the car want to go....all the time. as far as the tranny goes, that is my 2 cents. it gets better, and you and it will adapt to each other. hang in there my friend.

[otto99]

Oh, it's not going anywhere, and I've had it nearly two years. I go in fits and starts on the steptronic, and would like it better if the steps in the 335's weren't so vastly superior (I get to drive a lot of stuff for the club newsletter, and I am impressed with the later automatics). There are days when I don't even notice, then days when I know what a mistake I made in not getting the stick. The ride sucks, but it also allows me to pull near 1g laterally, so I should just shut up about that. ;-)

The 5 was a great car, and was in magnificent condition, something for which I can only take a little of the credit. It had been pampered it's whole life, then I got it and started driving it like it was meant to be driven. But the wife couldn't drive it - well, could in an emergency, but not regularly - and I was tempted by a shiny new fender. I do love it, and will drive it with a smile most of the time. But I still look at the classifieds for a clean manual E34 535i. In black. With Style 5's!

[johnnye23]

So buy another E34 and keep em both problem solved !

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/4/572/829/38927914013_medium.jpg

[otto99]

Is that Flint's car in your sig?

[johnnye23]

So buy another E34 and keep em both problem solved !

http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/4/572/829/38927914013_medium.jpg

Nope its mine Greg . Not as nice as Flints but its getting there.:mafia

[kaboom]

Agree, but I LOVE ME SOME '06 ZHP, WAAAAYYYYYY better than my 540. As for BP's post, totally understand that feeling about a car... the new one can never replace the old, just as you alluded to. You never forget your first. The ones after are different, they won't replace the first. (And yes, that's the same for cars and girlfriends). It's just a different experience, and enjoy it for what it brings.

Was your 540 a six speed with the sport package or auto without?

Ian

[johnrando]

Was your 540 a six speed with the sport package or auto without?

Ian

Good question, auto without... which I know makes a huge difference.

[kaboom]

Kinda like a ZHP 6sp to a 323i auto. Either way your vert looks beautiful!

Ian

[static667]

I can add a little bit to this thread.

My E30 had a personality that I've bonded with over the years. It's had its moments where it was mad at me, but not mad enough to strike me out of it's life (also known as a breakdown), and plenty of times where it was perfectly content (track days where nothing bad happened). Some days it would feel under the weather, while other days it was happier than a little terrier bouncing around you at your feet. It looked "boring" from the outside (relative to a human, it always had a serious face on), but on the inside it was tickled with imagination. I've had about 95% of my car-learning experiences in/with that car, nearly everything I know today about mechanical and electrical components came from the box from the 80's.

With my E46, I have mixed feelings on its personality. It sure likes to giddy up and go, almost as readily as the E30, but in a way it feels more grown up, very much like a mid-life romance. The passion can still be strong, but it probably isn't as "wild" as an early-life romance, where hormones are raging wild. The E46 feels like an older woman; experienced and still affectionate, but lacks the spontaneous passion the E30 had. Das E30 was more raw and had more feel.

When you "grow up" with a car like that (it was my first car), you tend to form an "understanding" with the car, and if you're a car person, develop a connection with it in a sense that you know if something is wrong before it actually happens and try to doctor it when it does. For you, it may not be your first car, but you've developed that "connection" that many can arguably say can only be made with an older car that has more feel and "experience".

I believe what you are feeling is normal. I still miss my E30 in a sense, despite all of its little issues that bugged my OCD enough to the breaking point, but I have the comfort of knowing that I can drive it any time as it's very close to its former home.

I also believe that you will learn to grow with the E46 and learn to love it as well in its own way. Perhaps you aren't "understanding" it properly. Try to listen to what it's saying and try to adapt your driving behavior in an attempt to please it. Who knows, perhaps you'll find that it may be a different car, but it also has its own personality that you need to connect with. If this happens, it may even please you.

That's very beautifully worded and rather touching. I miss my E36 now. :(

[johnrando]

Kinda like a ZHP 6sp to a 323i auto. Either way your vert looks beautiful!

Ian

Many thanks! John