Fredo's ZHP Project

[fredo]

My search for a ZHP started 2+ years ago. At first, I noticed some 330i's had nice wheels (OEM style 135). Then I found this site and grabbed all the ZHP info I was missing. My preferences were:

1 - IR or AW sedan
2 - Mostly stock
3 - Local transaction
4 - ZHPMafia seller

All of the above came to reality on Feb-2015 when I found this ad:
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?15047-2005-BMW-Imola-Red-330ZHP-6sp-137k-miles-%28Austin-TX%29-10-000-OBO

I made an appointment with SoarinZHP for 14-Feb-2015. He showed on time for the test drive, answered all my questions, gave me plenty of time to check the car and had the service records handy. What a great seller and car. I could tell immediately this ZHP was "the one." We agreed on a price and met one week later for delivery. Here are a couple of pics of that day (21-Feb-2015):

19072

You can see my Mini Cooper on the background:

19073

Stay tuned for service history.

[fredo]

Service history.

16,616 Oil and filter
32,476 Inspection 1
44,946 Oil and filter, Brake fluid
48,983 Rear brake pads
58,242 Front brake pads and rotors, inspection 2

90,735 Oil and filter, Valve cover gasket, Oil separator, Oil pan gasket, Rear differential fluid, Coolant, Expansion tank, Control arm bushing
95,960 Oil and filter, Oil filter housing gasket, Power steering lines
98,746 Oil filter housing gasket ** warranty
100,926 Oil and filter
105,990 Oil and filter, Washer pump
114,872 Coolant, Lower hose radiator, Switch fan
116,559 Oil and filter, Acc belt pulley tensioner, A/C belt tensioner, Coolant, Water Pump, Thermostat
126,454 Oil and filter, Rear trailing arm bushings, Alignment
131,563 Oil and filter, Fuel filter, Valve cover gasket, Spark plugs
135,412 Air filter, Clean MASS air flow, Wiper blades
136,734 Radiator, Coolant, Oil line

On my ownership:
137,435 Bought car on Feb 21, 2015
137,xxx Bumper grille, Left front signal, Headlight lenses & seals
137,607 Taillight and Passenger airbag recalls
138,441 Fob key
138,xxx Silver cube trim, A & C pillars, Windshield wash pump
138,945 Rear tires Conti DW 255 35 18
139,401 Oil and filter 5w40, PPI (post purchase inspection), Power steering hoses, Expansion tank and hose, Flush brake fluid, Parking brake adjusted
140,xxx Trunk struts, Fog lamps, Right front signal
142,957 Oil and filter 10w60, A/C blower, Fuel pump & gasket, Ignition switch, Oil pan gasket
143,495 Driver airbag recall
143,535 EWS Control Unit
143,689 Oil and filter 10w60, Oil filter housing gasket, Vanos oil line
144,919 Windshield cowl and cabin filter
145,300 Exterior detail with paint correction, Dr ColorChip, and Optimum Gloss-Coat (March 2018)
146,825 Oil and filter 10w60
148,533 Brake fluid flush
148,457 Front brakes with Akebono pads
149,834 Oil and filter 10w60, car battery
150,200 Wiper blades, topped off coolant reservoir
150,605 Suspension refresh, front wheel bearings, front stainless steel brake lines, alignment, passenger airbag recall
151,022 Windshield replaced
151,088 New tires
151,200 Exterior detail with paint correction and undercarriage cleaning (December 2020)
151,500 Cleared these 3 codes on 01/12/2021:
2883 DME mixture prep bank 2
2274 DME CAN msg, engine shutdown time
2743 DME misfire cylinder 5

[johnrando]

Nice Fredo.

[fredo]

Let's play a game. Can you spot 3 differences between the "before" and "after" pics ?

Before:

19075

After:

19076

[Johnmadd]

Let's play a game. Can you spot 3 differences between the "before" and "after" pics ?

Before:

19075

After:

19076

Nice ride man. New lenses, gloss black kidneys, and lower mesh grill respray.

[fredo]

Thanks ! Actually, the black kidneys are the same (perhaps cleaner). We still have one thing pending.

[QC_ZHP]

New plate lol

[Johnmadd]

New plate lol

+1

[Vas]

Good choice on Imola.

Looking forward to the progression of this zhp.

[fredo]

New plate lol

There you go ! Game over. :biggrin

[TigerTater]

Vanity plate [emoji6]

[ELCID86]

Good choice on Imola.

Looking forward to the progression of this zhp.

+1


Thumbs, iPhone, Tapatalk.

[BMWCurves]

Looks good, cool that the car stayed within the group!

[SoarinZHP]

Good stuff! I'm glad she went to a good home where she is being well cared for!

[johnrando]

+1

Sent from mobile

[Oli77]

Congrats Fredo, had not realized you were looking for one.

[mbeckel]

Congratulations fredo! We need to meet up now for sure. Welcome to the Imola elitest club

Sent from in the bushes

[fredo]

I appreciate the kind words, guys ! Another update. Two days ago (apr 21) I had the taillight and airbag recalls done. :applause2

[cakM3]

Looks good, cool that the car stayed within the group!
+1


Good stuff! I'm glad she went to a good home where she is being well cared for!
+1


Congratulations fredo! We need to meet up now for sure. Welcome to the Imola elitest club

Sent from in the bushes

Very funny Matt but yes, welcome to the club fredo!!! :thumbsup

I'm sure based on what people have done to their ZHPs you will have an idea as to what you want to do to yours...looking forward to seeing progress being made to your new whip! ;)

[fredo]

Update: service history is now available on post #2.

[fredo]

Check this pic: my ZHP came with 4 tools missing in the trunk. Thanks to ebay and Imola.ZHP (Marcus), now I have a complete tool kit !

20164

[ELCID86]

WTG.


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[BRGcoopahS]

I dont recall mine having those top two tools. Maybe I'm missing them too.

[ELCID86]

Some tools didn't come with them IIRC.


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[JB3]

Shit. I'm missing some too and this just reminded me. Weight reduction ftw?

Sent from my OnePlus One. Regularly foiled by autocorrect. But duck it.

[danewilson77]

I need the lug lock key.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

[slater]

I need the lug lock key.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

i think i have a spare. i'll have a look.

peter

[BCS_ZHP]

I need the lug lock key.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Gotta set, text me your new Buckeye address and on their way.
Bruce

[BCS_ZHP]

Gotta set, text me your new Buckeye address and on their way.
Bruce

Wait, aren't you running studs? If so, my 4-lug bolt set with lock doesn't do any good for you.

[ELCID86]

Wait, aren't you running studs? If so, my 4-lug bolt set with lock doesn't do any good for you.

He just wants the set complete.


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[fredo]

I dont recall mine having those top two tools. Maybe I'm missing them too.

These 2 tools were not part of the kit:

Spark Plug Socket = 71 11 1 181 460
Wheel Pin = 71 11 1 093 774

But, I bought them anyways. No more empty spaces ! :thumbsup

[fredo]

Starting today, the ZHP has "daily driver" status. That's because the A/C in the Mini stopped working. I plan to take it to the shop this Friday. Hopefully it's not an expen$ive repair.

[johnrando]

I need the lug lock key.

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge

Did they all come with this? Don't have lug locks.

[fredo]

Did they all come with this? Don't have lug locks.

They didn't come with lug locks. I'm pretty sure you need to buy them apart.

[Benno]

Looking good, fredo. Did you do anything special to the black trim strip across the bumper? Mine is a little sun-beaten and I noticed that yours looks better in the "after" picture.

[fredo]

Benno, I didn't do anything to the bumper trim. Maybe the car was freshly washed. Some years ago, I used with success "Forever Black" on my first e46. Amazing results ! I sold that car 2 years after FB was applied and the trim still looked great.

[fredo]

I stopped at the BMW dealer today, and casually asked my SA: "can you print the service records for my ZHP?" To my surprise, he said: "sure, no problem." Now, I have history from 2005 to 2010 ! How cool is that ? :thumbsup

[ELCID86]

Good deal.


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[fredo]

Thanks, Shawn. The dealer gave me records up to 58k miles. The previous owner (SoarinZHP) bought this car at 66k miles. I don't know what was done in between, but I'm ok with that.

[Oli77]

Strange, I could not get that when I asked at my dealer. They claimed privacy had to be respected. He did tell me the major stuff but refused to print it.

[fredo]

The ZHP enjoyed DD status for one month. This started when the Mini's A/C stopped working. Now, the Mini is fixed and the ZHP goes back to weekend status.

Oh, and yesterday I stopped at my Indy to say Hello and he saw the ZHP for the first time. He was interested, and asked:

Did you find it locally ?
How many miles ?
When did you buy it ?

He has an AW ZHP, so he knows how non-special these cars are.

[fredo]

I bought a set of silver cube trim today. For some reason my car has wood trim. Per the VIN decoder, black cube trim was installed at the factory.

IMHO, silver trim looks sharp on a black interior !

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?16403-(SOLD)-BMW-E46-330i-Silver-Cube-Interior-Trim

[ELCID86]

Weird you had wood. You can always paint the silver black! so it looks better ;-)


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[Johnmadd]

Siver cube > black cube

[az3579]

Weird you had wood. You can always paint the silver black! so it looks better ;-)


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.
Why would he do this? Silver is the best for a black interior! :thumbsup

sent from my Droid Turbo

[Vas]

I went from black to silver.

[ELCID86]

I went from black to silver.

Busted that urban legend.


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

[fredo]

Thanks, guys. I compared pics of both silver and black cube on black interior. Silver FTW !

[cakM3]

I bought a set of silver cube trim today. For some reason my car has wood trim. Per the VIN decoder, black cube trim was installed at the factory.

IMHO, silver trim looks sharp on a black interior !
+1


Siver cube > black cube
+1


Weird you had wood. You can always paint the silver black! so it looks better ;-)

Why would he do this? Silver is the best for a black interior! :thumbsup

I have to agree with BP here Shawn.... Silver cube looks best with black interior...


I went from black to silver.


Thanks, guys. I compared pics of both silver and black cube on black interior. Silver FTW !

Can't deny how good Silver Cube looks against a black interior, or silver trim in general. :thumbsup

[NoVAphotog]

Busted that urban legend.


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

:rofl

[Just_George]

I went from silver to black - not a fan of chrome, or silver, except on wheels. In fact, I'd love to find a set of black cube door trim for my 330Ci (already did the dash pieces) But then again, you didn't ask me! :facepalm

For what it's worth...I think either is an upgrade over the wood!

[fredo]

I went from silver to black - not a fan of chrome, or silver, except on wheels. In fact, I'd love to find a set of black cube door trim for my 330Ci (already did the dash pieces) But then again, you didn't ask me! :facepalm



No worries. All opinions are respected in this forum. :thumbsup

[johnrando]

Very nice!

sent from mobile device

[fredo]

138,441 on the clock. These items require attention:

1- Windshield fluid leak.
2- Adjust the parking break.
3- Low coolant warning. Actually, the level is good.
4- Rear tires.
5- Car won't start sometimes. It happened to me 3 times in 6 months.
6- Oil change.
7- Ask my Indy to do a PPI (post purchase inspection).

Other than the above, this is a solid car. :thumbsup

[fredo]

I told my Indy about my ongoing problem (#5 above, car won't start sometimes). They suggested to try with a different key. Since I don't have a spare, I bought a new one for $200 including tax. They said the key's electronics could be failing randomly after 11 years of use. I hope that's the fix !

[cakM3]

They suggested to try with a different key. Since I don't have a spare, I bought a new one for $200 including tax. They said the key's electronics could be failing randomly after 11 years of use. I hope that's the fix !

fredo, that's a good price for a brand new key! Last time I checked the price for a new key here was close to $250...

[Vas]

The bmw mini parts store has a key for $140 iirc

[fredo]

The bmw mini parts store has a key for $140 iirc

Man ! Will check with them next time.

[az3579]

I told my Indy about my ongoing problem (#5 above, car won't start sometimes). They suggested to try with a different key. Since I don't have a spare, I bought a new one for $200 including tax. They said the key's electronics could be failing randomly after 11 years of use. I hope that's the fix !

I had this problem last winter when temperatures hit single digits. The electronics wouldn't even come on when the key was turned. An ignition switch cured the issue.

[fredo]

This is what happens to me:

the starter, battery, and lights on dash sound (or look) ok. But the car won't start. After I try 10 times or so, the car starts fine. My Indy said next time it happens to take it there. My AAA card will be handy.

[az3579]

This is what happens to me:

the starter, battery, and lights on dash sound (or look) ok. But the car won't start. After I try 10 times or so, the car starts fine. My Indy said next time it happens to take it there. My AAA card will be handy.
I'm sorry, I have a correction to make. All of my lights did come on when my car wouldn't start. I would turn the key to position 2, all the lights would come on, but when I'd turn the key to start the car, nothing would happen. The starter wouldn't even engage. It would take about 3-5 tries before it would start.

At the same time as the ignition switch, I replaced the fuel pump relay and another relay I can't identify at the suggestion of my friend (he told me what the third one was but I forgot to write it down).

sent from my Droid Turbo

[fredo]

The problem continues even with the new key : two days ago the car wouldn't start. It took 8 attempts before starting. This is the 4th time in 8 months of ownership. I'm not worried about this.

I plan to address some fun (cosmetic) stuff next : A pillars and cube trim.

[ELCID86]

So it's the key and not the starter, correct?


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[fredo]

The starter could be the problem. This proved the issue is not key related.

[Vas]

Sounds like starter is on it's way out

[3ZHP]

When we had my wife's 2006 330CIc, she would turn the key and would get no crank. after several attempts it would crank. Took it to BMW of Chattanooga to have it checked and they said it was the starter. The quote on the job was $800.00. I guess it is burred and it takes considerable time to change it out.

[fredo]

Thanks, guys. I will ask my Indy for an estimate.

[ELCID86]

I think then starter can be a bear to do but can be a DIY. I'd want an assist from someone most likely.


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[fredo]

Today was a good day for the ZHP. I ordered these parts:

67128362154 Windshield washer pump
61667006063 Washer pump grommet with strainer

51437902933, 51437902934 A pillars
51437902805 Pillar A trim insert (x2)
51432699060, 51432699059 C pillars

:thumbsup

[ELCID86]

Nice Fredo.


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[Vas]

Good call on those inserts. I should have bought them as well but now will order them with the c pillars.

[BMWCurves]

Today was a good day for the ZHP. I ordered these parts:

67128362154 Windshield washer pump
61667006063 Washer pump grommet with strainer

51437902933, 51437902934 A pillars
51437902805 Pillar A trim insert (x2)
51432699060, 51432699059 C pillars

:thumbsup

Nice, is your windshield washer pump dead? I did the same repair about a month or two ago, very easy.

[fredo]

Thank you, guys. My wIndshield washer pump still works, but the fluid is leaking.

[Vas]

Replied back to you PM.

[fredo]

Vas clarified there are different part numbers on sedan vs coupe. Here are the PNs we talked about:

C pillar covers for ZHP sedan:
51437902937
51437902938

C pillar covers for ZHP coupe:
51432699059
51432699060

Thanks.

[Vas]

Vas clarified there are different part numbers on sedan vs coupe. Here are the PNs we talked about:

C pillar covers for ZHP sedan:
51437902937
51437902938

C pillar covers for ZHP coupe:
51432699059
51432699060

Thanks.

Yeah I was about to place an order and something seemed off. Ran the part numbers on real oem and noticed the difference between the coupe and sedans.

[fredo]

I got two rear tires at Discount Tire: Conti DW 255 35 18. They matched Tire Rack and my price OTD came to $ 408.81

[Vas]

Nice

[fredo]

I've ordered some clips before the silver cube trim is installed:

51458266814 = red clip for dash trim
07149158194 = clear clip for door trim

[johnrando]

Hope it goes well, those can be fricky. Def post the after pics.

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[fredo]

I took the ZHP to my Indy today for an oil change. First one after 9 months of ownership. He evaluated the service needs and suggested:

1) low pressure power steering hoses
2) expansion tank with hose
3) brake fluid flush

I agreed and he completed the above. In addition he mentioned 2 things that he noticed:

a) differential mount cracking
b) front brakes due in 3 to 6 months

The car has now a clean bill of health, and he said I could drive anywhere in the country. :thumbsup

[fredo]

At 139,401 miles this is pending:

1- Windshield fluid leak.
2- Car won't start sometimes. It happened to me 6 times in 9 months.


138,441 on the clock. These items require attention:

1- Windshield fluid leak.
2- Adjust the parking break.
3- Low coolant warning. Actually, the level is good.
4- Rear tires.
5- Car won't start sometimes. It happened to me 3 times in 6 months.
6- Oil change.
7- Ask my Indy to do a PPI (post purchase inspection).

Other than the above, this is a solid car. :thumbsup

[johnrando]

Cool. So, battery or fuel pump 1st? Starter?

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[fredo]

My Indy checked the battery yesterday. He said it's from 2010 and still works like a new one.
Fuel pump, first time I think about it. Could be a good suspect.
Starter must be fine, because the battery cranks when the problem shows.

Indy said to take car to his shop next time issue shows, so they can troubleshoot.
Thanks for the ideas !

[cakM3]

I would recommend changing out the fuel pump if it's still OE... when changing that out be sure to change out the fuel filter as well fredo :thumbsup

[johnrando]

Fredo, as you saw on my car (except for too much gas, lol) thst you can DIY the fuell pump. Very straightforward. The fuel filter is under the car and very straightforward too, just a little trickier as you have to get the car up on jack stands.

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[ELCID86]

I would recommend changing out the fuel pump if it's still OE... when changing that out be sure to change out the fuel filter as well fredo :thumbsup

And change the pump gasket.


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[Karl Lazlo]

Fuel pump, first time I think about it. Could be a good suspect.


That's about when my FP started acting wonky. Then, it died.

[fredo]

One more time, the car didn't start today (7 times in 9 months). I'm curious why 4 of the 7 times happened in the morning, after dropping my boy at school. Must be a coincidence. :dunno

[ELCID86]

One more time, the car didn't start today (7 times in 9 months). I'm curious why 4 of the 7 times happened in the morning, after dropping my boy at school. Must be a coincidence. :dunno

What are you going to do?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[fredo]

Tow the car to my Indy so they do some troubleshooting.

[Johnmadd]

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=1011677

[fredo]

Thanks, man. Fuel pump is a possible culprit according to the link.

Per PO, the problem started 2+ years. I wonder if that could point to another suspect(s) as well.

Edit: Ignition switch is another possible reason.

[Johnmadd]

How many miles on your car? Mine went out at 110 thousand.

[fredo]

140,000 miles. Yeah, ignition switch and/or fuel pump may be needed.

[cakM3]

fredo, if you replace your fuel pump, you might as well replace the fuel filter as well. Just a suggestion...

[Johnmadd]

Fredo, I changed my pump on my 15 minute break at work when it went out. If you have a new one just go ahead and switch it out. Mine showed no issues on the 50 mile ride to work and when I went to start the car to go get a drink at break it was dead.

[Karl Lazlo]

140,000 miles. Yeah, ignition switch and/or fuel pump may be needed.

Pretty much spot on for mileage when my FP went south on me

[fredo]

Hey, Charlie. The fuel filter was replaced one year ago (10k miles ago). I will consider to replace it. Thanks.

[Vas]

At $100 for a vdo fuel pump and your mileage I would replace it

[fredo]

$ 100 ? Not bad at all. I need to schedule this.

[Vas]

$ 100 ? Not bad at all. I need to schedule this.

That is how much I paid but looking now, the pricing has gone up. Not much though.

Use Code SpecE30 for a slight discount from here http://www.bmaparts.com/catalog-3/vehicle/bmw/2005/330i/_/fuel-pumps-and-related-components

Free Ground shipping as well

[danewilson77]

At $100 for a vdo fuel pump and your mileage I would replace it


$ 100 ? Not bad at all. I need to schedule this.
I have VDO in mine currently.

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[fredo]

In addition to FP, I need to buy one more part: the O-ring 16111184084. Correct ?

[Vas]

Correct. I would replace it

[ELCID86]

^yep.


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[fredo]

Finally I organized all the ZHP receipts. I only have missing the most recent service (20-Nov-2015). No biggie, I will visit my Indy some day and ask for a duplicate.

22981

[fredo]

This was a good week for the ZHP. This has been replaced:

1. Windshield washer pump and grommet
2. Passenger turn signal (due to condensation)
3. Clear fog lamps
4. A & C pillars

I will post pics of the new fog lamps when weather permits. They look good !

[fredo]

This is a pic of my old passenger turn signal with the condensation problem. I was surprised to see the amount of water in there since condensation started just recently. BTW, the driver turn signal was replaced 8 months ago due to same problem.

Years ago I needed to change one of the headlamp assemblies in my Ford Tempo, because the light bulbs kept failing due to the water inside.

22988

[fredo]

For those undecided about replacing the A and C pillar covers or just removing the fabric, please check my thread here:

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?17178-Fabric-removal-on-A-amp-C-pillars

[BMWCurves]

Nice work!

That's a lot of condensation, I wonder where the seal is broken. When we replaced the headlight unit on my father's 540i due to condensation, it had probably a good cup's worth of water just hanging out in the bottom of the housing.

[Vas]

Nice job

[johnrando]

+1

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[fredo]

Crossed 140,000 miles today. Only 2,600 miles in my ownership (Feb 2015 to date).

23345

[Vas]

Woop Woop

[WOLFN8TR]

Just broke in! [emoji106]

[fredo]

Yesterday the low coolant warning came on. I noticed the expansion tank cap was a little loose (my Indy replaced one month ago). I will top off, close tight, and hope that's the fix.

[johnrando]

Hope so

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[fredo]

The ZHP has been at my parents' place almost 2 weeks. I plan to bring her back when winter is over. In this way I can keep the Saab and Mini inside my garage.

[johnrando]

Hope they are starting it for you.

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[fredo]

Ordered this today. I believe this will fix my "car doesn't start" issue that happens every now and then:

61326901961 ignition switch = $ 84
16146766942 fuel pump VDO = $ 152
16111184084 fuel pump gasket = $ 20

I put the order with ECS Tuning and qualified for free shipping.

[Johnmadd]

:like

[BMWCurves]

Good luck, hope that solves your problem!

[WOLFN8TR]

Sweet!

[johnrando]

Hope it works out.

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[fredo]

My ZHP is back to DD status. My 5 y/o son said multiple times "I want to ride on the red car" ... how can I say no ? He knows what's good, that's for sure.

And I found a nail on a front tire. It was at 14 PSI. I topped off with air to 32 PSI, hopefully that will buy me time to fix it on Saturday.

[ELCID86]

My ZHP is back to DD status. My 5 y/o son said multiple times "I want to ride on the red car" ... how can I say no ? He knows what's good, that's for sure.

And I found a nail on a front tire. It was at 14 PSI. I topped off with air to 32 PSI, hopefully that will buy me time to fix it on Saturday.

I like that little guy!


---
"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

[cakM3]

My ZHP is back to DD status. My 5 y/o son said multiple times "I want to ride on the red car" ... how can I say no ? He knows what's good, that's for sure.

And I found a nail on a front tire. It was at 14 PSI. I topped off with air to 32 PSI, hopefully that will buy me time to fix it on Saturday.

Training your son well fredo :) Sucks that you picked up a nail in your tire... I take it that you resolved your "car didn't start" issue with those parts ;)

[johnrando]

Yup, raising him right. :)

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[fredo]

As promised, couple pics of the silver cube trim on my IR/black :

24338

24339

[Vas]

Looks nice. Silver cube does break apart the interior very nicely.

[WOLFN8TR]

Looks Great! [emoji106][emoji106]

[BMWCurves]

Looks nice. Silver cube does break apart the interior very nicely.

Agreed.

[ELCID86]

There goes that urban legend.


---
"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

[fredo]

Thank you, guys. I'm very happy with the new look. My ZHP came from factory with black cube trim, but at some point that was replaced with wood trim. That's what it had when I bought it. :dunno

[ELCID86]

Thank you, guys. I'm very happy with the new look. My ZHP came from factory with black cube trim, but at some point that was replaced with wood trim. That's what it had when I bought it. :dunno

Ahh, then good call!


---
"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

[fredo]

Here are 2 pics of my new clear fog lamps.

24585

Here you can see the light output.

24586

[Vas]

Nice. I like the clear ones over the flutted ones as well

[derbo]

Nice. I like the clear ones over the flutted ones as well

Funny you say that cause I like the fluted ones. :)

[WOLFN8TR]

Fredo any difference in the light output going from flutted to clear?

[fredo]

Fredo any difference in the light output going from flutted to clear?

Negative. I expected brighter output with the clears. Looks the same to me.

[fredo]

Funny you say that cause I like the fluted ones. :)

My policy is to keep the car 100% stock. This is the only different thing I tried so far, and I love it !

[fredo]

Nice. I like the clear ones over the flutted ones as well

Thanks, man !

[Vas]

Price tag of them though is alot. I spent the same amount and pray that a rock doesn't end it's life early

[BMWCurves]

Price tag of them though is alot. I spent the same amount and pray that a rock doesn't end it's life early

Yup. I prefer the look of the clear lenses, but I'll only make the switch if one of my fluted lenses breaks forcing me into a purchase of some sort.

[fredo]

Got this today. Will report back after install.

24651

[cakM3]

Congrats fredo! You're gonna love your Sprint Booster [emoji1360][emoji41]


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[ELCID86]

Nice upgrades Fredo.


---
"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." - anonymous

[johnrando]

Sweet

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[fredo]

Took the car to a tire place. They removed a nail and balanced for $15.

Edit: and the warning for low oil level is back.

25658

[WOLFN8TR]

Congrats fredo! You're gonna love your Sprint Booster [emoji1360][emoji41]

X2! How do you like it so far?

[fredo]

Thanks, Gary. Sadly, the SB is still in the box.

[WOLFN8TR]

Thanks, Gary. Sadly, the SB is still in the box.

Really, why is that?

[fredo]

The car stayed with my parents for some weeks, so nothing has been done to it recently.

[johnrando]

Ok. Where s the foottap emoticon? :)

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[az3579]

:foottap

Sent from my LG V10 on Tapatalk

[johnrando]

Nice :)

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[fredo]

LOL ... I appreciate your interest, guys !

[fredo]

Added 0.5 liter of engine oil, miles are 141,000.
Edit: the last oil change was 1,600 miles ago (20-Nov-2015).

[ZacharyMikel]

Added 0.5 liter of engine oil, miles are 141,000.
Edit: the last oil change was 1,600 miles ago (20-Nov-2015).

I think you misspelled "sprint booster". Here, I'll fix it for you:


Added sprint booster, miles are 141,000.
Edit: car is now a blast to drive (20-Nov-2015).

jk jk jk

[fredo]

Too funny ! :rofl

[fredo]

Checked all the levels on the ZHP and Mini. Everything was good, I only needed to top off the coolant on both cars. I will keep an eye on this now that summer is closer.

Edit: checked the Saab today, added 1.5 cups of coolant.

[fredo]

142,000 miles : added 1 quart of engine oil.

[fredo]

01/08/2017: the low windshield fluid light was on. I added one gallon to the container and now it's full. I will keep track how long it lasts. I replaced the windshield pump recently (Dec 2015).

BTW, I added a windshield fluid gallon to the X3 back on 12/31/2016 but I can't tell if the container is full or not.

[WOLFN8TR]

Hey Fredo I had a leak on the pump at the tank on my ZHP. I wrapped it with teflon tape and no more leaky.

[fredo]

Thanks for info ! May need to try that.

[WOLFN8TR]

Welcome

[fredo]

I got the coolant low level warning on the Saab yesterday. Will top off today. Last time I saw the warning was June 2016, not bad IMHO.

No big news about the ZHP, has been sitting at my parents' garage for 10 days or so.

[johnrando]

Go get it and drive it! :biggrin

[fredo]

Today marks 2 years of ZHP ownership. To celebrate, I took the car for an evening ride. And I crossed 142,500 miles as well. :thumbsup

[BMWCurves]

Today marks 2 years of ZHP ownership. To celebrate, I took the car for an evening ride. And I crossed 142,500 miles as well. :thumbsup

Congrats!

[johnrando]

Happy ZHPversary!

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[Lorenzo]

Today marks 2 years of ZHP ownership. To celebrate, I took the car for an evening ride. And I crossed 142,500 miles as well. :thumbsup

Happy ZHP-aversary!

:megaphone


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[fredo]

Updated service history in post #2.

[nextelbuddy]

very cool, seeing cars with service history like this makes me consider doing it for mine. i have no records from before my ownership but maybe its a good time to start from when I picked it up lol.

seems like something good to do that is more for myself than anything to help keep you sane and remember everything that was done with the side benefit that buyers in the future really love this kind of stuff.

[fredo]

The ZHP has been good to me in recent days, but this AM it didn't want to start. I called the tow truck and went to my Indy. Some of you may remember this problem shows once per month or so. Hope to find the reason this time:

30376

[WOLFN8TR]

Bummer Fredo. [emoji853]

[Vas]

Still looks good on the truck though.

Hope they find and fix the issue

[johnrando]

+1

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[webster]

Good luck with the diagnosis and fix

[BMWM3186]

We had a 220k mile e46 in autobody that would occasionally not even try to turn over, but other times it started just fine. I was thrilled to see that it started right up after 5 years of sitting. (Supposedly got flooded) lots chewed wires from rodents. Then I took it upon myself to redline the crap out of it and do burnouts in the school parking lot, even got the teacher to participate in that event.

Sent from my ONEPLUS 3 using Tapatalk

[fredo]

Thank you, guys. I called my Indy around 4 pm, they said "we will have your estimate this Monday". Sounds like they found something !

[fredo]

My indy has the diagnostic for my no-start issue: EWS control unit. It will be $ 500 OTD. I needed to show proof of ownership (title and DL) to order it. My fingers are crossed that will be the fix.

[fredo]

EWS unit was replaced today. $ 450 OTD. That should fix the no-start issue. My wife stated she's not driving the car until we know for sure the issue is solved.

[Johnmadd]

Fingers crossed, hope it solved the problem man.

[fredo]

Replaced Oil filter housing gasket and Vanos oil line. No more oil spots on the driveway. :roundel

[BMWCurves]

Nicely done.

[johnrando]

Nice werk!

[fredo]

The ZHP is back to daily status after 6 weeks in the garage. Time to give the Saab a small break.

[Vas]

The ZHP is back to daily status after 6 weeks in the garage. Time to give the Saab a small break.Nice. Mine is still garaged

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[fredo]

It has been almost 750 miles since the EWS unit was replaced. The car has started fine ever since. I consider the "no start" issue fixed. :roundel

[ELCID86]

It has been almost 750 miles since the EWS unit was replaced. The car has started fine ever since. I consider the "no start" issue fixed. :roundel

Glad to hear it (as I know you are!).
:happyspidey

[Dual]

Glad you're back on the road. What's an EWS, tho?

[fredo]

The EWS control unit is part of the anti-theft system. The diagnostic was : "found EWS fault for anti-theft. Will cause crank not start, due to disabling fuel and ignition."

[Dual]

Thanks! Trying to learn...

[fredo]

Checked the fluids. Added half quart of coolant.

[ELCID86]

Checked the fluids. Added half quart of coolant.

How often do you have to add? I check mine every few months and it usually needs a little every time. (No apparent leak though)

[fredo]

The last time I checked the fluids was last year. But the car has been to the Indy two times in recent months. It's possible they added some coolant.

[fredo]

I bought a spare tire at DT, donut size. It will arrive in one week or so. The current one is dated 2004.

Edit :
added coolant and engine oil to the X3. Half quart of each. 12/27.
added half quart of oil, replaced low beam bulb passenger side on the X3. 04/22. I’m pretty sure I replaced the drivers one 2 months ago.
added coolant and engine oil to the X3. Half quart of each. 5/28.

[fredo]

Started 2018 with 144,900 miles. Need to troubleshoot the SES light that started two weeks ago.

[fredo]

My Indy looked into the SES light. He said: "misfire on cylinder 2, one time. Performed smoke test, found no vacuum leaks. Cleared codes, no misfires returned."

He also installed a new windshield cowl and cabin filter. I will DD the ZHP and see if the SES comes back.

[fredo]

170 miles later, the SES light has not returned. On other good news, today I celebrate 3 years of ZHP ownership. SoarinZHP and I closed the deal on 21-Feb-2015.

[ELCID86]

Glad to hear. Mine just popped on :-(
I guess I should mount this.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180221/697ab8146929f161efc8c018e71b14b8.jpg


---
"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." - anonymous E46 fanatic

[fredo]

^ LOL, that sticker !

I noticed yesterday a new windshield crack. When I bought the car 3 years ago it already had the red one. The green one is new. I'm going tomorrow for the state inspection, I'm confident it will pass.

32070

[fredo]

Update: the ZHP passed the TX state inspection yesterday. :roundel

[johnrando]

Nice

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[fredo]

Took the car today for full exterior detail, including paint correction and Optimum Gloss-Coat. I also asked to apply Dr ColorChip on the hood and front bumper.

[RUS_ZHP]

Realy looking forward to see results. Your F30 turned out great! Now I just want to see it on ZHP.
Do you have a lot of paint chips or just want to make it look perfect?

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[fredo]

Thanks, man ! The car doesn’t have a lot of rock chips, too bad I didn’t take a “before” pic.

[Vas]

Saw this on Facebook and recognized the car
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180310/7eb56fc27167968f01319d009efac5ae.jpg

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[SaltyNC]

That looks great, Fredo. He has some before pictures posted on Facebook. It turned out really nice. I've used Dr. Color Chip with good results, and it looks like it turned out really nice on your car.

Salty

[johnrando]

+1

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[fredo]

Thank you, guys. I picked up the car yesterday. The shop asked for my permission to post "before" and "after" pics and I agreed. Yes, I'm very happy with the results. :thumbup

Here are a couple of pics where you can appreciate the benefits of Dr ColorChip.

Before:
32332

After:
32333

[RUS_ZHP]

Stunning results Fredo! I've been thinking about Dr. Color Chip for more than a year. Your results are very reassuring.
Nicely done Fredo!

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[BMWCurves]

Great result.

[Johnmadd]

:drool

[ELCID86]

Wow. Looks great.

[joeybananaz18]

That looks great. I believe on IR and darker colors, DrC works great! And he's rights, Not bad for a 13 year old Bimmer!

[fredo]

Wow, almost 8 months without an update. I'm not driving the car that much. It will need an oil change soon, based on time rather than miles. On a positive note, I went on a ride last Friday and added 25 miles to the clock. And I'm not spending money on parts at the moment. :roundel

[johnrando]

:like

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[fredo]

Oil change today with Liqui Moly 10w-60. My Indy recommended that one to help with my oil consumption. I drove 3,130 miles after my previous oil change and didn't need to add any in between. In the past I used 5w40 and needed to add 1 quart every 1,000 miles.

The oil filter housing gasket and vanos hose were replaced recently, that could be another factor. :dunno

[johnrando]

Cool. Def cld be the OFHG.

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[fredo]

The ZHP got little action in the last 6 months while I had the e90 335i. I even cancelled the insurance on the ZHP during that time. Since the e90 sold last week, I did this yesterday:

1) put back ZHP on my insurance policy
2) passed the State Inspection
3) paid the annual car registration

I drove the car to work this morning. Feels good, as usual.

[Oli77]

Sold the E90? going back to E46? Good feeling?

[fredo]

Yes, sir. The E90 had 140k miles on original turbos, water pump, and injectors. Didn't want to risk an expensive repair. I enjoyed those 6 months, the car was very good to me.

[fredo]

Curb rash repair on a front wheel. Check the before and after pics. The technician removed the wheel from the car. Last year I went to a different place and they repaired the curb rash while the wheel was still on the car. Needless to say, I prefer this new place and I'm very happy with the results.

35371

35372

[BMWCurves]

How much did that run you? I have a bit of curb rash on one of my Apexes :(

[fredo]

It was $125 for one wheel.

[johnrando]

Good to have them ship shape again


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[GeorgeH]

That's a good price, who'd you use?

[fredo]

Squeeky Clean Mobile Auto Detail.

[fredo]

The ZHP passed 150,000 miles today. I was stopped at a red light and had chance to reset the trip odometer. For a moment this was on the dash:

150000 000.0 7:00 AM

That was cool to see !

[johnrando]

Nice! No pic???!!!

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[fredo]

Sadly, no pic.

[fredo]

150k miles update : suspension refresh. I have most of the service recs since day #1 and only these 2 items were previously addressed:

90k miles: control arm bushings
126k miles: rear trailing arm bushings

Mafia member GeorgeH completed the job last week. I didn't have chance to drive a new ZHP back in the day but this must be very close to it. I decided to go with Sachs struts/shocks and find out why these cars got their fame. This is the list of parts :

31312282459 (1) LF strut
31312282460 (1) RF strut
31122341297 (1) LF control arm
31122341828 (1) RF control arm
31126783376 (1) CA bushing kit
31302290313 (2) F bump stop kit
31352241448 (2) Strut mount kit
31331091867 (2) Spring pad, F upper
31331096664 (2) Spring pad, F lower
31356780847 (2) Sway bar end link
33556751269 (2) Sway bar bushing
31106774714 (2) Suspension nut
32216769539 (2) Suspension nut
41114287198 (2) Shock tower reinforcement

33522282461 (2) Rear shock
33502290347 (2) R bump stop kit
33526754096 (2) Rear shock mount
33531136385 (2) Spring pad, R upper
33531094518 (2) Spring pad, R lower

George also replaced engine mounts, steering coupler, and front wheel bearings. I'm very happy with the results ! :thumbup

36305

36306

36307

[johnrando]

Awesome!

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[Vas]

That's a good overhaul

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[Oli77]

Shitskins! That's like driving a new car again I bet!

[Will]

Fantastic!! What are your initial impressions after the refresh?

[DeathTrap]

Nice! Bet she's nice and crisp now.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[fredo]

Thank you, guys. Yes, she drives really nice and feels sporty. I was expecting a stiffer ride, but that’s not the case. The tires already show cupping due to the bad struts/shocks, so I’m planning to buy Michelins on the next Thanksgiving sale.

[Chaplian]

Very nice! I did the about the same to my wagon earlier this year (except with Konis and Eibach springs), and it was a whole new car afterwards.

I'm sure George did an amazing job, and went above and beyond as always.

I'm glad you're enjoying it! I will also need to grab some new tires for my wagon this year haha.

[GeorgeH]

Alfredo's ZHP is really nice! I had a lot of fun on this project. Usually we are putting aftermarket springs and shocks/struts on these cars, but he wanted to remain "OE." I worked on these cars when they were brand new, but it's been awhile since I have driven one so fresh, it was a really good reminder of why we like these cars.

Mine's the dirty one :p

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49709098886_31eeb378f5_c.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/2iJC8g5)

[johnrando]

:like

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[cakM3]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20200329/104dda287c6c33c5ab82a1ba6142ce6d.jpg

Well done fredo!!


Sent from my iPhone 11 Pro Max using Tapatalk Pro

[fredo]

My car went to the detail shop this week. I tried something new : steam cleaning of undercarriage. Here are a couple of pics:

37574

37575

[Pip]

Wow! Looks really clean. I'm surprised they were able to get it that clean after all these years.

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[t.er]

Ugh that's so beautiful. I wish my car was that clean and that rust-free

[joeybananaz18]

Wow


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[Will]

Damn that's clean. Nice job!