2004 BMW 330i ZHP MT6 w/ 84k miles (Kissimmee, FL) - $8,900

[BMWCurves]

Found on AutoTrader. Not yet listed on the dealer website. No pictures. VIN decoder lists an Imola Red on Black leather interior sedan with No Cold Weather or Premium Packages.

http://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-sale/vehicledetails.xhtml?zip=97201&endYear=2005&modelCode1=330I&sortBy=mileageASC&showcaseOwnerId=66358521&startYear=2003&makeCode1=BMW&numRecords=75&maxMileage=100000&searchRadius=0&showcaseListingId=0&mmt=%5BBMW%5B330I%5B%5D%5D%5B%5D%5D&listingId=394281260&Log=0

[NYRhockey]

Terrific price. No way these guys know it's a ZHP.

[Barefoot-ZHP]

I wish you guys would leave my state alone for awhile, this time of year I am too busy to look and all these cars keep popping up and I can't get to them...
Stop it!!!

[madwolfa]

Dropped them an e-mail.. Hope to fetch more details.. and pictures.

[BMWCurves]

I talked to one of their reps before closing today, they're getting me photos, details, and a CarFax as soon as it's available.

[NoVAphotog]

Good cars coming out of Florida. Imola to boot! In for pics!

[Vas]

Looking forward to pics.

[madwolfa]

Hmm.


My name is Jon DeNapoli and I will be personally handling your request. Thank you for your interest in purchasing the 3-Series. I'm sorry but that vehicle has been sold.

[BMWCurves]

Damn, that was quick.

EDIT: This is the email I got two hours ago:

"We have just taken it in on trade which is why there aren't pictures yet. I'll head out back to take some and send them your way as soon as I finish up assisting another customer here."

[madwolfa]

I think there's some sort of miscommunication there... I got that e-mail 2 hours ago as well. It's kinda conflicting.

[fredo]

Interesting. Pls keep us posted.

[BMWCurves]

I think there's some sort of miscommunication there... I got that e-mail 2 hours ago as well. It's kinda conflicting.

I agree. I've only ever bought used cars from private sellers. So I didn't realize until recently how disorganized some dealerships can be. When I went to look at that supercharged ZHP in my area, it took us three salespeople and 20 minutes looking around the lot and the various shops to find it and decide whether or not it was sold. My guess is new inventory can cause some confusion initially between salespeople.

[BMWCurves]

Pics I got from the salesperson:

http://i.imgur.com/TmSgeio.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/OLDCby5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GTAn9DN.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/s1fSdkM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/g7JRsgr.jpg

[NYRhockey]

other than the tacky M badge it looks really nice.

[GE Geoff]

Looks like it's been hit on the left front corner- Look at the brake cooling duct inlet and the bumper trim/Bumper. interesting to hear about the carfax.

[fredo]

It will look much better after new headlamp lenses and a Coby re-wrap. But, yeah ... good price and good miles !

EDIT: and new roundels, of course.

[Vas]

Looks like it's been hit on the left front corner- Look at the brake cooling duct inlet and the bumper trim/Bumper. interesting to hear about the carfax.

Bumper trim is scratched up but the brake cooling ducts look fine. Maybe you are looking at that piece of grass hanging off the bumper?

Based on the pictures the car does look good. The gaps between the hood and fenders look even.

Things noticed

Steering wheel is torn
a-pillars have peeling fabric
Has a lame parking brake handle and M badge
headlight lenses are faded

Don't get why people just trade cars in like this. Low miles, great price. Just sucks it has no xenons

[GE Geoff]

Maybe you are looking at that piece of grass hanging off the bumper?
My Bad Vas, you're right, didn't see the shadow it was leaving on the bumper.



Don't get why people just trade cars in like this. Low miles, great price. Just sucks it has no xenons
Yeah, me either, Solid car, just needs a little TLC.

[NYRhockey]

Vas, good catch on the brake handle. It appears to have yet another M badge.

I don't know if i'm making too much of it, but with the wheel being as torn as it is, the 2 M badges and M front plate logo makes me think this was owned by some guy who wanted to show off his "M" and not necessarily take good care of it.

[BMWCurves]

Got another email back from the dealer:

"The BMW has a clean carfax and has been a florida vehicle from day one."

CarFax link: http://www.carfaxonline.com/cfm/Display_Dealer_Report.cfm?partner=VAU_0&UID=C439968&vin=WBAEV53414KM05746

Could be a great pick up if a PPI shows no glaring issues. I think it's a pretty good price for the miles. The small things like the roundels and the parking brake handle can be sorted relatively cheaply. It is a shame about lack of xenon headlights, but nothing's perfect. I'd be all over this if it had the Cold Weather Package (I need fold down rear seats).

Someone here should grab this before anyone else figures out it's a ZHP.

[fredo]

Some cars don't have cold weather package (mine for example, but it's 2005) and have folding back seats. Look in the VIN decoder.

[BMWCurves]

Yeah, that took me a little while to figure out. I check on every one I see.

[GE Geoff]

Some cars don't have cold weather package (mine for example, but it's 2005) and have folding back seats. Look in the VIN decoder.

How do you work them? Is there a handle or button? Just curious or too lazy I guess to check the VIN decoder. LoL


iPhone 5/meat hook hands/Tapatalk

[BMWCurves]

There are handle/releases on each side of the "roof" of the trunk.

Also, they updated their AutoTrader listing with two photos, but there car is still not even listed on their dealership website.

[fredo]

^ correct. Plus, the VIN decoder will say : 465 through-load system.

[GE Geoff]

Thanks Fredo!
Just looked it up....I don't have it :(

[FL116]

I havent lookes at ZHPs in a long time. Until the other day, a lady offered me $6500 for my current car. Then I was curious and was looking at ZHPs and found this one. Seems to be in good shape, and a great price. Ill be taking a look at it soon, just have to drive to the dealer

[FL116]

I have a deposit down for the car. The car is currently marked as 'Sold'. Going to look at it tomorrow. This is my first BMW, so is there anything specific I should ask about or look at on the car? I know the steering wheel is in rough shape. I spoke to the dealer earlier today and they are replacing the tires, valve cover gasket and the control arms. He said that the car may be driveable by tomorrow when I come in, but we will see. Dealer used to be a BMW tech, and said the clutch is good and it runs through the gears great. Since they just got the car, it was just inspected today, and interior hasnt been detailed yet. Just let me know of some stuff I should look at when inspecting it, thanks guys and wish me luck

[NYRhockey]

Did you get them off the list price when you put down a deposit? it seems they are changing quite a few things on it, which is nice but perhaps signs the car was not gently used?

[FL116]

I should have clarified better lol I am going to be putting a deposit down on the car tomorrow if I like it and I want to move further with the purchase. The deposit contract is going to state that the deposit is fully refundable if I do not purchase the vehicle. Also, I will be talking to them tomorrow about the flaws of the car (steering wheel, A-pillar, and has a small scratch on black piece of the front bumper). A very detailed PPI is also going to be performed. If anything comes up on the PPI, I will talk with the dealer about adjusting the price accordingly. I have never owned a BMW, so I don' necessarily know what to look for tomorrow when I look at the car besides the basic things, but I did read the stickies that are on here and so I will be using that as a guide when I go to the dealer tomorrow. I did read somewhere on here about replacing the VANOS, so here is a question. The dealership just replaced the Valve cover gasket, do you think that means the VANOS will need to be replaced soon also? Any input would be great

[BMWCurves]

The valve cover gasket can break down over a pretty wide range of miles/age, and I think I am safe in saying it's not a great indicator of when you would need to replace VANOS seals. I had mine replaced for a minor oil leak around 78k miles in my 330Ci, but the VANOS seals were still in decent condition so I didn't bother replacing them at the time.

Some other common failure points in the E46 are the cooling system, be it the expansion tank cracking, water pump failure, or cracks on the plastic inlet/outlet of the radiator. Once one of those goes, it's common assumption that the rest of the cooling system's components are on their way out. See if there is evidence of a cooling system overhaul (hoses, radiator, water pump, thermostat, expansion tank, etc). If not, I would consider that a top priority.

Check the state of the brakes and associated hardware.

Pulleys and belts. If there's squeaking coming from the engine it might be worn pulleys. If any of the belts are frayed replace them.

Fluids. They're not necessarily something you have to have replaced immediately, but when I bought my 330Ci, I had all fluids replaced front to back just so I personally knew when those fluids were replaced (i.e. "reset the clock" on them) and for general peace of mind knowing exactly what was in the car.

Suspension. You're having the control arms replaced, but by 83k miles the front control arm bushings and the trailing arm bushings probably could be replaced. Shocks and struts also might need to be replaced.

Rear subframe. I had a mechanic inspect it and mine was fine, but look for cracks or rust that might compromise its integrity. I've heard that the later years into the E46 were less prone to this issue.

I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting, but those are some basics that I look for (others may be different and they can chime in). I also got a cylinder leak down test during my PPI to check the compression between the cylinders. Some say it's overkill, but again, peace of mind when purchasing a car. I'm not sure what the standard value is, but they should all be within a couple PSI of each other (+/- 5 PSI).

Some other resources:
- http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7229566#post7229566
- http://www.bimmerfest.com/wiki/index.php?title=BMW_E46#Maintenance
- http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?5828-What-to-look-out-for-when-buying-a-BMW

[NYRhockey]

What BMWCurves said. The dude's a boss.

I'll add that depending on what they find on the PPI, don't nickle and dime too much with the dealer, because at that price point someone is very likely to just swoop in and offer asking and take it from under your feet. Honestly, i am surprised it hasn't been sold yet. The one i bought in Ft Myers had multiple offers by mid-day Monday (also priced below market like this one) and it was posted for sale on Fri afternoon.

[FL116]

Thanks guys, I will let you guys know what happens.

[FL116]

Okay, so went to check the car today. Car is in great shape (minus the steering wheel, A-pillar wear, and a small scratch on the black trim on the front bumper). Wasn't able to test drive it today as the car was being serviced when I got there. They still have not detailed the car yet, so the condition is still how they recieved the car. I went ahead and put a deposit down (fully refundable if I do not buy the car) so that way it is marked 'sold'. Dealer offers a 5 day (300 mile) warranty where I can return the car for whatever reason and get a full refund. I am going to talk to them again tomorrow about the scratch on the exterior, see if that can be replaced before purchase. They are not replacing the steering wheel so I will probably get a re-wrap done from Coby (it is about $300 correct? If there is any steering wheel options that are cheaper let me know). But overall, car is in great shape, no dings, no tears in leather, etc,, so the price is very good considering it has such low miles. Going to go back for a test drive tomorrow :D

**you can tell from the pictures that the car has not been detailed yet lol**
18375
18376
18377
18378
18379
18380
18381
18382
18378
18383
18384

[fredo]

Looks like a keeper. Hope the test drive goes well.

[FL116]

Looks like a keeper. Hope the test drive goes well.

Thanks man. Also, just looked up the black bumper trim and I can get that piece for $10 on RockAuto, so I don't think I will need to haggle that price lol but maybe I should mention the slight damage to the paint right under it?

[ELCID86]

Hoping this works out and we have another IR owner amongst us soon. PLEASE get a new e-brake handle!

Yes, looks like paint damage above and below trim p/n 51118195289. It will need blend and fade.

[Vas]

I would see if they would cover a new steering wheel. A coby wheel is around $200.

Otherwise it looks great. Just needs some small items which is normal wear and tear for a car that is over 10 years old.

[slater]

personally i am curious how a steering wheel can wear so much in only 84K miles. my wheel was not torn but pretty bad at 108K miles, i was able to revive it and have not cleaned it since (that's a year now), and it's still in decent shape, 19K miles later.

the ///M badges, e-brake handle, steering wheel, and presence of rear window sticker make me question the care taken for this car. curious how your test drive goes.

also, the headlight lenses need replacement. :)

peter

PS - sorry, i re-read my post and it looks like i am trying to rain on your parade - i'm not! just be picky, and cautious, is all. :)

[NYRhockey]

slate, i pretty much share your concerns regarding the overall care of the car. Ultimately the PPI will bring to light what the car really needs, if anything. Let's hope it works out well and it can be taken by another mafia member who will take care of it.

As for steering wheel i am also puzzled as to how it can get that bad at only 84k. It's like they had someone constantly gnaw at it or something.

[madwolfa]

As for steering wheel i am also puzzled as to how it can get that bad at only 84k. It's like they had someone constantly gnaw at it or something.

Plot twist - the driver was a dog.

[FL116]

Im going back today to test drive it. I will talk to them again about the steering wheel, but the main thing will be the paint under/below the trim on the front bumper. My buddy who owns a bmw has a e-brake handle that he is going to give me in the meantime. Hope all goes well. I am very happy with the 5-day (or 300 miles) return policy, gives me enough time to really inspect the car and decide for sure if I want to keep it or not

[fredo]

The sticker on the back says "Orgulloso de mi Origen" ... That means "proud of my roots". But part of the sticker is hiding. Just curious what's missing.

Edit : I can see the rest now, it's a flag. Puerto Rico.

[fredo]

Im going back today to test drive it. I will talk to them again about the steering wheel, but the main thing will be the paint under/below the trim on the front bumper. My buddy who owns a bmw has a e-brake handle that he is going to give me in the meantime. Hope all goes well. I am very happy with the 5-day (or 300 miles) return policy, gives me enough time to really inspect the car and decide for sure if I want to keep it or not

My e90 has similar damage on the front bumper. It happened on a parking garage. My body shop stated they could fix and repaint for $300. At the end, I decided to leave it "as is".

[FL116]

My e90 has similar damage on the front bumper. It happened on a parking garage. My body shop stated they could fix and repaint for $300. At the end, I decided to leave it "as is".

Yeah, I mean honestly its not that bad and its not an eye sore lol

[NYRhockey]

How did the test drive go? don't leave us hanging like that, man

[FL116]

Sorry I didn't let you guys no how it was. Test drive was awesome. Car felt like nothing I have ever driven. It was very smooth, clutch felt great, shifted smoothly, brakes were awesome. Some things that I did notice when I chdcked out the car on the test drive. The driver side window was very slow coming up (window motor?), the passenger side side view mirror wasn't working (wouldnt adjust). The window trim towards the back is kinda loose, and a tailight was out. Talked to the dealer about the window and side view mirror (as those are more important) and they fixed them. Window works great now and the side mirror controller was just stuck. All in all, the car is still a great price

[ELCID86]

^sounds like it was a window regulator. Did they replace it?


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[madwolfa]

^sounds like it was a window regulator. Did they replace it?

Good if they did. I heard they were expensive fix.

[BMWCurves]

The part's not too expensive, just you have to take off the interior door panel which can be a pain and some shops charge a fair amount for labor.

[FL116]

Yeah, the part itself isnt that expensive. I have a shop I go to where the guy knows e46's inside and out and charges a very good price for any repairs

[OmairK]

That is a very good car. Put about 2k into fixing it up like Coby wheel repair, cooling system, suspension components, and other things that will come up and you have yourself a keeper. Considering you're buying for a lot less cash then most people are buying in for ZHP's nowadays. People have 200k miles on these cars, they seem to last a long time with the right amount of care. I sold my E46 and have regretted it, enjoy it, and remember always sell to an enthusiast!

[FL116]

I am now the proud owner of an Imola Red ZHP :D :D the drive home was awesome!!! Now the next 5 days will be spent getting full diagnostics done on the car. I still have to make sure everything is in good working condition with no serious issues. I do have 5 days to return it if I don't want it, but I don't think that will happen lol

[ELCID86]

Congrats! Welcome to the club.


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[BMWCurves]

I am now the proud owner of an Imola Red ZHP :D :D the drive home was awesome!!! Now the next 5 days will be spent getting full diagnostics done on the car. I still have to make sure everything is in good working condition with no serious issues. I do have 5 days to return it if I don't want it, but I don't think that will happen lol

Nice, glad it went to someone here!

[NYRhockey]

nice, congrats....so you didn't do a PPI and will just get it checked out during the 5 day grace period?

[FL116]

nice, congrats....so you didn't do a PPI and will just get it checked out during the 5 day grace period?

Yeah

[tkundhi]

Congrats!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[FL116]

Thanks guys

[johnrando]

Congrats

Sent from mobile

[oldzilla]

Well done.