New guy - Upstate NY

[SwiftyM3]

Just picked up an Imola Red 07/03 built ZHP sedan. Glad to be a part of the club!

[Vas]

Welcome. Good choice on going with Imola

Any more details on the car?

[ELCID86]

IR FTW! Welcome.


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

[fredo]

Welcome, man ! How many miles on this beauty ? Oh, yes ... I have a similar one. :biggrin

[SwiftyM3]

Welcome. Good choice on going with Imola

Any more details on the car?

Yes, I will link the e46fanatics thread for anyone interested. Pretty strange the way the deal ended up working out.

http://www.e46fanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?p=16783672#post16783672

146k miles

[slater]

welcome, and that was a pretty good deal!! :)

peter

[BMWCurves]

Welcome, glad you snatched up that deal!

Post more pics and details!

[SwiftyM3]

Welcome, glad you snatched up that deal!

Post more pics and details!

Here are a few in the garage the night I got it home and detailed. No interior shots yet, Leather is (extemely) hard but in good condition no extensive wear for the miles, no rips or burns. The A & C pillars have loose liner material, and the Alcantara on the wheel is pretty rough. I ordered the appropriate cleaning materials to give it a good DIY cleanup myself. Worst case I may just order some OEM covers etc. The clear coat is peeling a little on the roof trim, 2 door handles, and drivers mirror. Nothing crazy, luckily those locations are easily fixable.

Pic 5 = only rust spot :(
Pic 6 = Stable mate :)

[3ZHP]

Welcome! I grew up in the Buffalo area.


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[SwiftyM3]

Welcome! I grew up in the Buffalo area.


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Thanks, bet you aren't missing the snow one bit.

[danewilson77]

Welcome home.

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[3ZHP]

Thanks, bet you aren't missing the snow one bit.

Not at all.


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[SwiftyM3]

Has anyone had any luck bringing back hard worn alcantara? I just bought that sonax stuff online and a fine nylon brush, going to give it a shot.

Also, I noticed the A & C pillar cloth material is coming loose in some spots. Is there something that works well to re-adhere these? I checked my cost on new pillar covers and I would like to avoid spending hundreds of dollars if possible.

[ELCID86]

For the pillars, it's easier to replace them. The fronts are not cheap. Buy the little strip insert too if they are peeling. I pulled the cloth off of my son's rears and its out of sight out of mind...


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

[Vas]

Has anyone had any luck bringing back hard worn alcantara? I just bought that sonax stuff online and a fine nylon brush, going to give it a shot.

Also, I noticed the A & C pillar cloth material is coming loose in some spots. Is there something that works well to re-adhere these? I checked my cost on new pillar covers and I would like to avoid spending hundreds of dollars if possible.

The Sonax Alcantara cleaner works pretty well. I use it every couple of months on the wheel and then go over it with a brush and vacuum to bring back the wheel to a like new condition.

As far as the pillars, you can either pull off the fabric or replace them. I had attempted to glue it before and the material is very thin and does not stretch all that great. They can be fixed at the early stage of peeling but when they get bad, you are kinda screwed.

A-pillars are about $70 each and C-pillars are about $60 each. Inserts for the a-pillars are about $20. If the b-pillars are starting to peel, those are about $150 each.

[NoVAphotog]

its out of sight out of mind...


I spent the money for the A's because they are in my field of vision, I have better things to spend the money on then new rears when pulling the fabric matches the headliner and is really hard to notice...

[SwiftyM3]

I had thought the same exact thing about the rears but I feared the response of cutting corners. Since everyone seems to agree, i'm cool saving the $120 on the rears and replacing the front right. The rear deck is also purplish instead of black. I looked that up and it's $150. I'd rather tint the windows for $200 than replace that at that cost ;)

[Vas]

I had thought the same exact thing about the rears but I feared the response of cutting corners. Since everyone seems to agree, i'm cool saving the $120 on the rears and replacing the front right. The rear deck is also purplish instead of black. I looked that up and it's $150. I'd rather tint the windows for $200 than replace that at that cost ;)

Replace the front as a set. They fabric not only peels but fades as well like the rear deck.

However for the rear deck, members have just painted it with fabric paint.

[SwiftyM3]

That's a good idea.

I might not have to do anything judging by the smile after 1 day driving it to work my fiance doesn't want to give the ZHP back...

[slater]

That's a good idea.

I might not have to do anything judging by the smile after 1 day driving it to work my fiance doesn't want to give the ZHP back...

yep, that about sums it up right there... :)

peter

[BMWCurves]

I might not have to do anything judging by the smile after 1 day driving it to work my fiance doesn't want to give the ZHP back...

Sounds about right to me!

P.S. your fiancée is beautiful, is she single? :p

[SwiftyM3]

Sounds about right to me!

P.S. your fiancée is beautiful, is she single? :p

Everything has a price.. do you happen to have an offshore island with living accommodations and a private race track for trade? ;)

[BMWCurves]

I may or may not be Larry Ellison, Oracle ex-CEO, so I may or may not have that island. (http://www.businessinsider.com/9-crazy-facts-about-lanai-2014-9)

Jokes aside, glad your wife to be loves the car!

[SwiftyM3]

I may or may not be Larry Ellison, Oracle ex-CEO, so I may or may not have that island. (http://www.businessinsider.com/9-crazy-facts-about-lanai-2014-9)

Jokes aside, glad your wife to be loves the car!

Thanks, interesting article.

:chillin:applause

[danewilson77]

:happyspidey

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[Oli77]

Welcome, everything and everyone is beautiful.

[SwiftyM3]

Threw some snow tires on my stock X3 17's for the winter. Not hating the look either.

[johnrando]

A belated welcome. Beautiful car!

[SwiftyM3]

Bored last night so spent a few hours waxing and cleaning the disgusting X3 17's. Looking better. Put a set of 58mm wheel studs in.. got spacers on order. Kinda winged it on size but figured 12.5 fronts and 15 rears would look alright.

Also ordered new lenses, seals, and the ZKW projector retroquik plus DS2 4300k bulbs. Trying to get back into these small projects.