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Chikoo
11-12-2015, 02:38 PM
This year I was looking for a 3rd car to add to my stable and I was thinking of going with a used Corvette, Mustang or a Camaro convertible. The last time I had driven a BMW 3 series was in 2010 when I was looking for my 2nd car and was not at all impressed by the new 328i in terms of what it offered as a sedan interior, and even when driving it (We were left wondering why it was called the ultimate driving machine). Definitely the combination of the both for the price was not acceptable. That said, every time I passed an e46 on the road, they would make my head turn, but reading up the e46 wiki and all the DIY made my head spin. I was not ready for all that and I ended up with a Lexus IS250 (with F-sport shocks).

Fast forward back to 2015, I had the opportunity to drive the Camaro convertible for a few days (Hertz Rental) and came away unimpressed. Right after that, one day the Ford guys showed up at work to demonstrate their turbo boost vehicles, a Mustang being one of them. I test drove and was not impressed. But as it was a short drive with the turbo boosted 4 cylinder, I decided to test drive the real deal - a GT. On the Labor day weekend I show up at the neighborhood Ford dealer and test drive a used GT. Engine burble felt nice, yet it was missing a connection to the driver, and it was beyond my price range even at the used price.

So I hit the computer and as I adjust my Autotrader settings to search for a convertible within my budget range, 1 e46 convertibles shows up with 50K miles on it. It is a 2006 330ci Convertible with Blue exterior and Tan interior. (1,2 Pic). Looks great from the outside. Interior is dirty, ragged, dusty. Oh well, it is used and it is a convertible. Let's pop the hood. Engine is also dirty. No work has been done on it whatsoever. Anyhow, I fire it up and take it for a drive. Drives very well. Steering is weighed in well, esp compared to the other cars I have test driven and driving DD. But somehow I did not feel like pulling the trigger on it. I let it go.

I keep looking at Autotrader on a daily basis, and few days later, another e46 convertible pops up. 2005 330ci with 98k. White with Brown+black interior. (3,4 pic). Pics look good, but then most of them do anyways. So I go to check it out. 1st looks in person and I am trembling. It is clean, inside out and the engine too. New belts, new control arm bushings, no oil leaks on the top. I fire up the engine and I am in awe of the exhaust note. Sweet. Never heard a BMW sound so sweet. I take it for a drive and I am sold. It handles crisp, and the automatic shifts smoother than any other car I have owned. I put a deposit on it and go home and do some more research and I figure it is a ZHP edition. Thanks BMWVIN.com, and zhpmafia.com for the knowledgebase on whta makes it so special. No wonder it felt so much better than the other 3 series I had driven my life. So I come back next day and ask the seller to put it on a lift to see what lies underneath. Sadly enough, the oil pan was leaking. I ask him to fix that before I can buy it. He says no problem.

Next day I show up at noon and the car is up on the lift with the oil pan removed. I can see the insides of the engine. Progress. I come back in the evening and the oil pan is back in place with a new gasket. Not bad. I once again take it for a drive and it drives just as wonderful as the day before. No let downs. The soft top is as dark as a new one, and works, and there are no signs of any wear on the cables/wires of the mechanism.

I sign the paperwork, and drive away with my top down, listening to the musical note put out by the zhp exhaust.

22559225602256122562

BCS_ZHP
11-12-2015, 02:43 PM
Nice intro, nice car, enjoy the ride!

Bruce

Vas
11-12-2015, 02:52 PM
Welcome. Nice looking vert

BMWCurves
11-12-2015, 05:04 PM
Congrats, and welcome! That's a great color combo, I love both Alpine White and Natural Brown interior.

ELCID86
11-12-2015, 05:06 PM
Congrats and welcome.


Thumbs, iPhone, TaT.

Chikoo
11-12-2015, 05:08 PM
Thanks. It is a stunning combination in real life.

danewilson77
11-12-2015, 05:38 PM
Welcome

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk

johnrando
11-13-2015, 06:11 AM
Welcome and congrats. Beautiful car. Verts rule.

3ZHP
11-13-2015, 07:47 AM
Welcome! What's with the blue one?


Sent from my iPhone 6S using Tapatalk

Chikoo
11-13-2015, 09:46 AM
The blue one is the first vert I test drove, but did not pull the trigger on.

Chikoo
11-13-2015, 09:58 AM
and while I have now had this for over a month, I made one major change to the car in order to facilitate the one thing I dearly want - bluetooth telephony and rearview camera. The NAVI and Ipod integration is just the icing on the top.

BEFORE
22581

AFTER
22582

BMWCurves
11-13-2015, 10:13 AM
What unit did you put in?

slater
11-13-2015, 10:14 AM
welcome, and gorgeous color combo!! i love it!

can you adjust the brightness of the screen on that nav unit? the only thing that i feel like could bother me with it is that it would be way too bright, and distracting, at night.

peter

Chikoo
11-13-2015, 10:58 AM
^ I hear you. It has 2 step screen brightness control, and a screensaver mode with a digital clock. That is not distracting. In addition, the navigation changes to night mode (I use HERE) and is not as bright. On top of that, there is a matte screen protector that takes the edge off.

Chikoo
11-13-2015, 11:02 AM
What unit did you put in?

Avin AVANT 2. Expensive, slow (compared to Eonon) but I wasted time with Eonon and trying make their mic work correctly. Their solution was to open up the unit, remove some components, yadi yada... My time is much more worth than doing all that. This unit works just fine for the basic options - Telephony, Radio, Ipod integration, Rearview Camera, Navi. I am not too much into all the spotify, facebook, internet while I am driving stuff. If I have to stream music, I stream it from my iphone (Apple Radio). Works just great.

Chikoo
11-13-2015, 11:33 AM
Another tidbit I thought I'd share:

After driving around, I figured I need a wheel alignment. So took it to the neighborhood Firestone where I take my other vehicles, i.e. Lexus, Mercedes , Mazda. Upon handing the keys over to them, I walk over to the work bays and see that the technician has taken it for a spin. Ok. No worries. Then he puts it up and does the wheel alignment and after that he takes it out for another spin to check if everything is ok. No problems again. Except that they NEVER did this with any of my other vehicles, or the other vehicles that were there for an alignment.


Anyways, I take this as a one-off incident, but it happens again...this time at the BMW dealer. I went in to discuss some service options. As I pulled in, the service "host" takes down the odo, gets my service advisor name, and then the valet kid comes up to pull the car into the parking spot. But instead I watch him take a spin around the huge parking lot (where cars & coffee is hosted) and then finally comes around parks the car, and then walks up to me and asks "ZHP eh?" I nod in agreement, and he responds "This is pristine condition. Love it".

Can't blame them for not being able to resist the urge to take a spin. I couldn't and which is why I ended up buying it.

And I thought that was the end of it. But wait. There's more.

I drive up to the Cars & Coffee last month in my ZHP and as I get to the area, I start looking around for a parking spot. But then I hear the bouncer/valet/security calling out to me and I am escorted by the volunteers and security to the show area to park my car with the other show cars.

:D

Chikoo
11-13-2015, 11:39 AM
In the driveway 22583

Vas
11-13-2015, 11:40 AM
It is actually fairly normal for an alignment tech to drive the car afterwards to make sure it does not pull in a certain direction and the steering wheel is straight.

Alikessu
11-13-2015, 01:02 PM
nice color combo
looks great! congrats


Sent from my iPhone 6 using Tapatalk

BMWCurves
11-13-2015, 01:37 PM
Avin AVANT 2. Expensive, slow (compared to Eonon) but I wasted time with Eonon and trying make their mic work correctly. Their solution was to open up the unit, remove some components, yadi yada... My time is much more worth than doing all that. This unit works just fine for the basic options - Telephony, Radio, Ipod integration, Rearview Camera, Navi. I am not too much into all the spotify, facebook, internet while I am driving stuff. If I have to stream music, I stream it from my iphone (Apple Radio). Works just great.

Interesting, I thought the Avin unit was supposed to have the fastest processor on the market. I'm surprised you thought it felt slow. I've considered that unit down the road as an update to keep my car feeling a little more "modern" but maybe it's not worth it. Glad everything else works great for you! How does navigation work, does it come with a GPS radio or does it require internet via a data/cell connection?

Chikoo
11-13-2015, 03:15 PM
Interesting, I thought the Avin unit was supposed to have the fastest processor on the market. I'm surprised you thought it felt slow. I've considered that unit down the road as an update to keep my car feeling a little more "modern" but maybe it's not worth it. Glad everything else works great for you! How does navigation work, does it come with a GPS radio or does it require internet via a data/cell connection?

It was the fastest last year. This year Eonon has quad core cpu while Avin has dual core.
If you use Here maps, which is loaded offline, you do not need cell or wifi connection. It has its own gps attena that is stored right behind under the AC vents.

Oli77
11-13-2015, 03:40 PM
Welcome. Great looking car. Glad you joined the mafia.

fredo
11-20-2015, 12:00 PM
Welcome from a fellow Texan.