WTB: 330ci 6MT Dream Car

[Minnesota]

Starting the ball rolling here with a WTB thread. As I said in my new member intro I'm not ready to buy quite yet, but the perfect car can take a while to find so the early bird gets the worm, etc.

Here's my attempt at using the WTB template:

Year(s): 2004 - 2006
Budget: Under $10k
Desired location of vehicle: Nationwide (fly and buy). Rust-free states preferred.
Desired Mileage: Of course the lower the better but considering my budget I have some flexibility
Transmission type: 6MT a must
Desired number of Doors: Coupe = 2 doors
Desired Color combos: Flexible here too, but I like red/black, red/tan, Mysticblau/black, Mysticblau/tan
Desired Packages: We'll get to that below, but heated seats are a must
Funds lined up? Not yet...expect late summer early fall
Have a car you need to sell first? Nope.

[Minnesota]

I have a spreadsheet listing everything I'm looking for in a car. Much of this will be on any car with the Premium and/or Cold Weather package. Also, I understand that coupes come standard with fold-down rear seats? Can we confirm this? Finally, a big reason I'm interested in the ZHP package is that it is kind of a given that most of these items will be included.

So here goes:


Dynamic Stability Control
Sports Suspension
Runflat Indicator
Auto dip rear view mirror
Memory seats
Sports seat
Lumbar support
Heated Seats
Leather, or Alcantara
Headlight cleaning system
Park distance control
Rain sensor
Fog Lights
Xenon
Adaptive headlights
Auto aircon
Harmon Kardon


As I said earlier there are a few must haves:


Sports seats with memory
Heated seats
Xenon
Auto Aircon


There are always trade-offs when looking for a used car. I'd like to get lucky and find exactly what I want for cheap, but I accept that each car will have to be looked at individually. If a car has really low miles or has been meticulously maintained it makes in easier to give up some of the baubles. On the other hand you could have a car that meets all the criteria but has been trashed.

One last important point is that I would consider a sedan if it checked all the other boxes.

I hope I don't sound too much like a noob here but at least we got it out there and I'll be keeping this thread alive as time goes by.

Thanks for looking.

[ELCID86]

Glad you are open to a proper car with all its doors! ;-). Happy hunting.


---
"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

[hcbeck2689]

Keep in mind some things can be added easily. For instance, you could retrofit xenon lights into a halogen housing and have better than stock xenons. Same with some other things. Hold out until a member sells a car and you can get a solid car for reasonable price.


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[KevinC]

Keep in mind some things can be added easily. For instance, you could retrofit xenon lights into a halogen housing and have better than stock xenons. Same with some other things.

Please, do NOT attempt this. Very very bad idea.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

[anandoc]

Please, do NOT attempt this. Very very bad idea.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html

I think he is referring to retrofitting a HID projector the proper way. Not just throwing a HID bulb+ballast into a halogen bowl and calling it a day.

[Minnesota]

Considering that most cars out there already have xenon lamps it's probably not a huge deal. I also recognize that there are a lot of quality headlight upgrades available out there. Some cars I have looked at already have angel eyes and the like installed, but I like the thought of getting a car that's still close to factory stock since there are too many DYI-ers out there who have limited capabilities or a lack of concern for quality - being focused instead on something "looking cool" rather than performing to ultimate driving machine standards.

That said, there are quality upgrades out there, I just have a hard time trusting mods that I can only view on the interwebs.

[NoVAphotog]

Considering that most cars out there already have xenon lamps it's probably not a huge deal. I also recognize that there are a lot of quality headlight upgrades available out there. Some cars I have looked at already have angel eyes and the like installed, but I like the thought of getting a car that's still close to factory stock since there are too many DYI-ers out there who have limited capabilities or a lack of concern for quality - being focused instead on something "looking cool" rather than performing to ultimate driving machine standards.

That said, there are quality upgrades out there, I just have a hard time trusting mods that I can only view on the interwebs.

You won't find too many of those types of DIYers on this forum...most go above and beyond to make things better than Ultimate Driving Machine standards which in the case of many things on these aren't the best (cough cough cooling system).

But yeah, I'd agree otherwise if browsing on Craigslist, etc. But I never liked the appeal of angel eyes on any model that did not feature them stock.

[Minnesota]

You won't find too many of those types of DIYers on this forum...most go above and beyond to make things better than Ultimate Driving Machine standards which in the case of many things on these aren't the best (cough cough cooling system).

But yeah, I'd agree otherwise if browsing on Craigslist, etc. But I never liked the appeal of angel eyes on any model that did not feature them stock.

You make an important distinction between this site and CL on the subject of quality. However, I've seen ZHP cars on CL that the seller didn't seem to know were ZHP's. The price reflected this ignorance. So there is a chance you could get a steal on CL (and get lucky with quality). On this site the sellers are well aware they have a rare car and so price accordingly. :(

[NoVAphotog]

You make an important distinction between this site and CL on the subject of quality. However, I've seen ZHP cars on CL that the seller didn't seem to know were ZHP's. The price reflected this ignorance. So there is a chance you could get a steal on CL (and get lucky with quality). On this site the sellers are well aware they have a rare car and so price accordingly. :(

Well...either way, it's a hard knock life out there looking for a "not special" ZHP. Weird depreciation fluctuations, astronomical values set by EAG, ZHP vs. M3 articles in Roundel...Gotta hope to find that proverbial deal and just pay that "ehh it's just an E46" KBB value! :P

GLWSearch!

[hcbeck2689]

Please, do NOT attempt this. Very very bad idea.

http://www.danielsternlighting.com/tech/bulbs/Hid/conversions/conversions.html


I think he is referring to retrofitting a HID projector the proper way. Not just throwing a HID bulb+ballast into a halogen bowl and calling it a day.

Yes. Putting hid bulbs is not retrofitting at all. It's just putting bulbs in. I hate those ass holes with hid low beams, hid fogs, hid interior lights, hid turn signals, and led light bar pointed right at my eye.


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[Minnesota]

I have to admit that this search is a little frustrating. I'm getting tired of seeing purple links on Craigslist. Today I found pretty much the exact car I've been looking for. It was on Craigslist for three days. I don't know how I missed it but I did. I made an offer but the seller texted back he has a sale in progress. It's frustrating that you can look and look and look, then take a day or two off, and one pops up and gets snatched away before you see it. It's like you have to monitor everywhere all the time. Gaahhh!!!

:crying

Sorry, just had to vent a little about the one that got away.

[ELCID86]

Be patient and diligent. William just posted quite a few.

[Minnesota]

I saw that and I have to say that guy is doing God's work.

The car in Denver is the one I missed. I contacted the guy in NY with the funky camera.

The thing is, I sold my E30 over the weekend so I am driving my wife's old Sable with 203,000 on the clock. It hasn't been driven much the last few years so it is a basket case of problems. Plus it can't hold a candle to the way a BMW feels. It is a soulless car. Or if it does have a soul it isn't aware of it.

I guess I'm suffering from BMW withdrawal syndrome.

[BMWCurves]

I've been there. I had about four snatched out from under me during my 6+ month search, and I would check Craigslist, here, E46Fanatics, local dealerships, and Autotrader pretty much daily. You just have to be diligent, and be prepared for disappointment.

The ZHP I currently own was one of those four, actually. I came home and hopped on my local Craigslist and there was this shiny blue link that had a pristine, 1 owner ZHP with under 50k miles. It was posted four hours after I had gotten home. I sent an email and I was third in line to see it, talked with the owners. Me and another potential buyer went to see it and the other guy drove it before I got where we were meeting the sellers, and he said he'd buy it. I told the sellers I was willing to go $1k over their asking price, but they wouldn't budge, something about "we already came to an agreement." I was pretty annoyed, but the guy who bought it didn't strike me as the BMW type (I know I shouldn't stereotype but I did...) and so I kept checking Craigslist. Lo and behold, a week later the exact car popped up on Craigslist with a $3k price increase. I talked him down to half of that and we had a deal.

I guess my point is, just be patient and be ready to move on something when it pops up, and with a bit of luck, you'll get your ideal car eventually.

[NYRhockey]

I have to admit that this search is a little frustrating. I'm getting tired of seeing purple links on Craigslist. Today I found pretty much the exact car I've been looking for. It was on Craigslist for three days. I don't know how I missed it but I did. I made an offer but the seller texted back he has a sale in progress. It's frustrating that you can look and look and look, then take a day or two off, and one pops up and gets snatched away before you see it. It's like you have to monitor everywhere all the time. Gaahhh!!!

:crying

Sorry, just had to vent a little about the one that got away.

I feel ya. When i was looking for mine recently i was literally obsessed with checking all websites i could think of every day, sometimes multiple times in the same day. I set up for alerts on cars.com and autotrader.com but i was so obsessive about checking that by the time i got the alert i had already seen it :)

I don't know how to do nationwide search on CL but i actually found mine on ebay motors. When it went for sale the starting bid was already pretty much at the top of what i was willing to pay for a zhp and contacted the seller to let him know if he didn't receive any bids that i'd buy it for the starting bid price. I naturally checked frequently and the day the bidding was ending (Saturday at 9am) i was on that ad nervously waiting for the clock to run out and when it did i texted the seller and he was ready to play ball. I probably overpaid for the car as immediately upon purchase i had to get new tires (all 4) and the headliner is sagging in the back but it basically fit everything i wanted sans maybe heated seats.

It is frustrating and when good samples come out fairly priced they can go very quick, but be patient and the right one will come up.

[Minnesota]

Well, I've found a car and committed to buying it. I've talked to the seller and he seems like a good guy-very willing to go above and beyond to demonstrate the pros and cons of the car. It's a good price too. It's a salvage-repaired car.
This didn't bother me much because the seller knows the shop that did the repairs and he trusts that they do good work. As a matter of fact he bought the car for his daughter and she has driven it for three years now. However, as I've been looking at pictures he sent of the car I'm starting to have some concerns. I've got the VIN for the car so I know what options it is supposed to have. Things like headlight washers. Only it doesn't have headlight washers anymore. It doesn't have reflectors on the corners of the front bumper like all coupes are supposed to have. All this leads me to conclude it was in a front-end collision and that the repair shop wasn't very diligent about putting the proper parts on the car when they fixed it. It makes me wonder if it got genuine BMW parts. I wonder if it still has xenon headlights. I wonder if it still has adaptive headlights. I wonder what other corners they cut when putting things back together.

I guess I'm going to have to ask the seller some pointed questions.

[BMWCurves]

Any pics?

[Minnesota]

29337

[Minnesota]

29338

[Minnesota]

Xenon?
Adaptive?
Washers?

[KTS317]

Have you google searched the VIN? Or run a carfax through? I know of a few people who googled their VIN and saw pictures of their car at an auction with pictures of the damage.

As far as the bumper goes, I bet that just means that they didn't use a Genuine BMW bumper. I think all of the aftermarket bumpers delete the yellow marker. You could look to see if it has the proper brake ducts, splash shields and all of the intake pieces to see how complete the repair was?

Also, if it was in a front end collision it is likely that the headlight washers were damaged and it has to be a lot easier/cheaper to remove them than fix them. They probably would've just leaked anyway
[emoji12]


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[704sw]

Maybe it's a Euro replica bumper? I don't think they had front reflectors.

Have him send you a close-up of the projector: the shroud should say "D2S Xenon" on it.

[Minnesota]

I figure I've harassed the seller enough. I'm going to do my best to not obsess over the car for the next week. I can't back out of the flight or the hotel so I might as well go over there and take a look. I can add the headlight washers back for under $300, depending on how much of the original set-up is left. It is surprising, however, that new bi-xenon headlight assemblies go for around $1,000 per side. Wow.

[Sreten]

Headlights for e46 coupes are very expensive indeed.

I personally wouldn't bother with headlight washers. They are not worth the trouble and you are better off without them.
I had a ZHP sedan with them and they are annoying. They leak and they always spraying all over your hood.

[BMWCurves]

I figure I've harassed the seller enough. I'm going to do my best to not obsess over the car for the next week. I can't back out of the flight or the hotel so I might as well go over there and take a look. I can add the headlight washers back for under $300, depending on how much of the original set-up is left. It is surprising, however, that new bi-xenon headlight assemblies go for around $1,000 per side. Wow.

The headlights are expensive in part because they are adaptive i.e. change direction when you turn the wheel. That and they're just expensive.


Headlights for e46 coupes are very expensive indeed.

I personally wouldn't bother with headlight washers. They are not worth the trouble and you are better off without them.
I had a ZHP sedan with them and they are annoying. They leak and they always spraying all over your hood.

+1. Not worth reinstalling, IMO. If I had them I would disconnect the pump.

[ELCID86]

Do NOT add back the headlight washer--they always leak. Count it as a blessing that's it's gone! Mine are coded off but still leak on really cold days.

[Minnesota]

Got it on the headlight washers. I'm still curious about what the repair shop left behind.

I've taken a closer look at some pictures the seller sent me and it looks like it still has the xenon headlights. I could see the marking on the reflector and it matched what I saw on some OEM xenons that are for sale online. Will still have to verify when I inspect the car.

Other things I'll be looking for is to make sure all the ductwork and panels behind the front bumper are still there and checking that the rims are factory. Any other suggestions for a 2005 with 120k miles that has likely been in a front-end accident?

[NoVAphotog]

29371

Copied the link to your thread for you.

[BMWCurves]

Imola on NB, 6MT, looks like it might have the Premium Package. Promising.

[Minnesota]

Imola on NB, 6MT, looks like it might have the Premium Package. Promising.

What is "NB"?

[san]

What is "NB"?

Natural Brown


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[Minnesota]

Natural Brown


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A little overpriced for 133k, don't you think?

[D1ESEL]

29371

Copied the link to your thread for you.

Well.... I looked at the car last night in the dark and made an offer. Before anyone looks at this car please let me know and I can fill you in. I have 0 attachment to this car if you want to pay more than my offer.

Cliff notes
-0 maintenance records aside from new front brakes
-Very bad dent on passenger rear qp that took clear with it with another small dent next to it
-paint is meh (tons of swirls and clear bra is garbage)
-lots of rock chips past the clear bra... whole hood needs to be resprayed to look right
-drivers side door sill is starting to bubble.
-interior was filled with his personal stuff and garbage (that shows really poorly with me)


TBH I didn't even want to drive the car... he admitted it needs control arm bushings so who knows the laundry list of bushings that need replacement.

BUYER BEWARE.

[NoVAphotog]

Well.... I looked at the car last night in the dark and made an offer. Before anyone looks at this car please let me know and I can fill you in. I have 0 attachment to this car if you want to pay more than my offer.

Cliff notes
-0 maintenance records aside from new front brakes
-Very bad dent on passenger rear qp that took clear with it with another small dent next to it
-paint is meh (tons of swirls and clear bra is garbage)
-lots of rock chips past the clear bra... whole hood needs to be resprayed to look right
-drivers side door sill is starting to bubble.
-interior was filled with his personal stuff and garbage (that shows really poorly with me)


TBH I didn't even want to drive the car... he admitted it needs control arm bushings so who knows the laundry list of bushings that need replacement.

BUYER BEWARE.

Damn.

Just goes to show pictures aren't always worth a thousand words...

Thanks for the recon/heads up for others.

[slater]

-interior was filled with his personal stuff and garbage (that shows really poorly with me)

same here. i usually walk away at that point - just not worth it.



Damn.

Just goes to show pictures aren't always worth a thousand words...

precisely.

[hcbeck2689]

Sounds like a 5k car at best


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[Minnesota]

I don't have a lot of time here, but I did find a car and have made the purchase. You guys probably saw this one for a while on Autotrader. The car was located in Pymouth, MI and he wanted $8,000 for it. 120,000 miles, cold weather, premium (I think). I got it for $7,000 mainly because of the poor paintwork on the front clip of the car. It also has a salvage/repair title.

I drove it home on Wednesday, which necessitated putting another 750 miles on the clock. The car performed flawlessly on the way home, other than the "Service Engine Soon" light coming on about an hour into the drive. I kept going since this car has sat pretty much all winter and I figured it may need some miles on it to clear the engine out. Sure enough the light turned off just after I filled the gas tank just outside of Green Bay.

Overall impression of the car is that it is very nice, but has some warts. This is a 12 year old car that first came from California and must have gotten into a front-end collision on the driver's side. The headlight, fender, and mirror on this side are all newer than the rest of the car. It must have spent some time out in the sun because some of the window trim, especially the vent windows, is starting to rot and crack. The front bumper doesn't appear to be original either but it is OEM. I also noticed there seems to be a panel under the car behind the front bumper that is missing. I see some hardware for 4 bolts, but whatever was meant to screw into these points is gone.

There is some rust starting on the right front fender as well as on the hood. My plan here is to save up some money and buy a new hood and fenders. Up here in Wisconsin you are better off just getting new metal rather than trying to eliminate rust once it starts. A friend of mine who is a big car guy said I could spend tons of hours cleaning up the rust and take the chance it might come back. Better to just start fresh. There also seems to be some small alignment issues with the body panels up front. Things are close, but not perfect.

In hindsight I perhaps was a little too impatient in trying to find a car and wasn't as critical in my evaluation as I should have been. However, the flight to Detroit was a pain in the ass and the seller was a very, very nice guy who was very helpful. The thought of going back to the airport and trying to find a flight back home without a car was just not very pleasant. The seller also threw in a cabin air filter, an engine air filter, and two oil filters. The car also came with a set of Blizzaks on rims, which was a big selling point for me. The seller bought a new shift knob for the car but I had him dig the old one out of his trash can so I could put it back on. He had gotten an M-badged shifter, but it wasn't a ZHP knob.

So to put a silver lining on the whole situation: the car is certainly a huge improvement over the tired old E30 I've been driving for the last 8 years. It has tons of power, drives great, and looks awesome (from a short distance). The interior is quiet and comfortable and has all the creature comforts we have come to expect in our cars...and then some. And even old, salvaged, somewhat neglected ZHP's need to be loved and cared for. My goal with this car is to get the front end looking like it should and just driving it.

[ELCID86]

I don't have a lot of time here, but I did find a car and have made the purchase. You guys probably saw this one for a while on Autotrader. The car was located in Pymouth, MI and he wanted $8,000 for it. 120,000 miles, cold weather, premium (I think). I got it for $7,000 mainly because of the poor paintwork on the front clip of the car. It also has a salvage/repair title.

I drove it home on Wednesday, which necessitated putting another 750 miles on the clock. The car performed flawlessly on the way home, other than the "Service Engine Soon" light coming on about an hour into the drive. I kept going since this car has sat pretty much all winter and I figured it may need some miles on it to clear the engine out. Sure enough the light turned off just after I filled the gas tank just outside of Green Bay.

Overall impression of the car is that it is very nice, but has some warts. This is a 12 year old car that first came from California and must have gotten into a front-end collision on the driver's side. The headlight, fender, and mirror on this side are all newer than the rest of the car. It must have spent some time out in the sun because some of the window trim, especially the vent windows, is starting to rot and crack. The front bumper doesn't appear to be original either but it is OEM. I also noticed there seems to be a panel under the car behind the front bumper that is missing. I see some hardware for 4 bolts, but whatever was meant to screw into these points is gone.

There is some rust starting on the right front fender as well as on the hood. My plan here is to save up some money and buy a new hood and fenders. Up here in Wisconsin you are better off just getting new metal rather than trying to eliminate rust once it starts. A friend of mine who is a big car guy said I could spend tons of hours cleaning up the rust and take the chance it might come back. Better to just start fresh. There also seems to be some small alignment issues with the body panels up front. Things are close, but not perfect.

In hindsight I perhaps was a little too impatient in trying to find a car and wasn't as critical in my evaluation as I should have been. However, the flight to Detroit was a pain in the ass and the seller was a very, very nice guy who was very helpful. The thought of going back to the airport and trying to find a flight back home without a car was just not very pleasant. The seller also threw in a cabin air filter, an engine air filter, and two oil filters. The car also came with a set of Blizzaks on rims, which was a big selling point for me. The seller bought a new shift knob for the car but I had him dig the old one out of his trash can so I could put it back on. He had gotten an M-badged shifter, but it wasn't a ZHP knob.

So to put a silver lining on the whole situation: the car is certainly a huge improvement over the tired old E30 I've been driving for the last 8 years. It has tons of power, drives great, and looks awesome (from a short distance). The interior is quiet and comfortable and has all the creature comforts we have come to expect in our cars...and then some. And even old, salvaged, somewhat neglected ZHP's need to be loved and cared for. My goal with this car is to get the front end looking like it should and just driving it.

Congrats. Project thread!

[fredo]

Sounds good, man. Glad to see the search is over ! Pics at your convenience, please.

[Minnesota]

2941729418

[Sreten]

Interesting floor mats. :biggrin

Congrats!

[Minnesota]

Interesting floor mats. :biggrin

Congrats!

Yeah. I asked the PO where he got them and he said he had them custom embroidered from Bavarian Auto. Unique.

[ELCID86]

Yeah. I asked the PO where he got them and he said he had them custom embroidered from Bavarian Auto. Unique.

That they are... :-/

[KTS317]

Hey Minnesota, do you know about the local BMW group "MNBMW"? It is on Facebook. Most of the members are from the cities and surrounding areas.


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