Is the ZHP the best daily driver?

[RPM ZHP]

I think so... and I have actual criteria.

http://thecarsofralph.blogspot.com

What’s your best daily driver?

[Reasoned1]

My ZHP is a garage queen and doesn’t get driven daily. My wife and I both daily-drive 330xi’s—her’s is Steptronic and mine is 6MT. They, I have to say, are the best daily drivers we’ve ever had, and I drive 160 miles every day, so I know. In fact, it’s what makes my commute tolerable—even enjoyable. The AWD is especially useful on Vermont’s winter roads.

[DeathTrap]

I don't have enough experience to say if it's "the best" yet, but I can say it is the "best so far"

My old car I wanted to be a perfect blend of practically, performance, comfort, efficiency, reliability. It was a modded 92 Accord. The ZHP beats it...stock. Not the reliability part or the efficiency right now. But it's a perfect blank canvas.

I feel that a perfect daily driver is built, much like a perfect race car. It has to suit you and all your quirks and features (sorry Doug). If you need to move the slider toward more performance, do some related mods. If you want more comfort, do the same. Rinse and repeat.

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[joeybananaz18]

you and i share the same criteria when it comes to daily drivers. i love my ZHP. But I love it to the point where I really can't figure out how I'm going to replace it with something newer and just as good. It has just enough power to for me to not need any more, does everything is ask it do and i look for reasons to go for a drive. I honestly don't know how I'm going to replace this.

[RPM ZHP]

That is the problem. Anything else comparable in design and performance is heavier, more complex, and a bunch more money.

[Ron///Man]

you and i share the same criteria when it comes to daily drivers. i love my ZHP. But I love it to the point where I really can't figure out how I'm going to replace it with something newer and just as good. It has just enough power to for me to not need any more, does everything is ask it do and i look for reasons to go for a drive. I honestly don't know how I'm going to replace this.

I couldn't agree more on every point. I don't winter drive mine and agree that a nice 330xi 6MT would be a better choice for that (had one with Sport pkg and LOVED it). For three seasons though, my ZHP is IT!

[joeybananaz18]

I couldn't agree more on every point. I don't winter drive mine and agree that a nice 330xi 6MT would be a better choice for that (had one with Sport pkg and LOVED it). For three seasons though, my ZHP is IT!

yes I'm leaning towards looking for an xi touring for next years winter duty just so the zhp can sit and stay warm for a few months.

[charter21p5]

I haven't posted on here in some time however I followed the recommendations of others on this forum by installing Koni FSDs on all 4 corners. They are unbelievably good and considering the really good MPG and now these very nice shocks the car has become an excellent DD.

[sillieidiot]

Well I used to daily my e46 so I thought it was the best at the time. But now I daily my Model 3 and it's a better DD than the e46 lol

[Reasoned1]

I'm curious to know what makes your Model 3 a better DD than your E46. Exactly what E46 did you have?

[sillieidiot]

I'm curious to know what makes your Model 3 a better DD than your E46. Exactly what E46 did you have?

Well the only thing I don't like about the Model 3 is that it's a sedan. Feels too big, I'll get used to it I guess. Also some random little quirks that can be easily fixed through a software update. But the car has all the modern amenities, little to no maintenance (haven't had it long enough yet, but based on the model s it's like just wear and tear items), no gas (cheaper per mile to drive). It's an eco car that is fast lol Has some zip when I need it to. Handles pretty well and is solid. Drives itself a bit lol What's not to like?

My E46 is what I would consider highly modified now. So it's more of a pain to drive in areas that are not lowered friendly. It's not that comfortable to drive long distances (even when it was stock). If I'm driving on the freeway for awhile, my car essentially becomes an auto so it's just as boring as any other car. I used to on purpose take the longer way to work and back only because there's a little canyon section to go to lol The big thing is I worry about damage to my car. I have custom body parts so it's not like you could even replace it if it's damaged lol Like my entire front clip is custom. Any damage to that will be a bitch to fix.

But man I haven't seen my E46 for like a year lol I miss that thing. I should get it back this year though.

[ELCID86]

Mine is sitting behind my garage. I’ve only driven it 2-3 times since we moved in August ;-( I feel like a cheater but the VW TDI DSG is now my DD here in the NoVa traffic. I did buy her a new battery tender!

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190205/86868667d4ae9c6cf664056077bbb14d.jpg

[Will]

Well I used to daily my e46 so I thought it was the best at the time. But now I daily my Model 3 and it's a better DD than the e46 lol


I'd echo this sentiment, but instead of a Model 3 I had an i3 (60ah, non-range extender) for 2.5 years. TL;DR: modern, new-car amenities are nice to have, good handling electric vehicle is great if it works for your use-case and if the finances of it makes sense for you.


I thought my e46m3 and the 330i were great DDs until I got the i3. Once the range is >200 per charge, and if there's a good lease deal again, I'd get another one. New-car amenities such as not having to wrench on it or plan for preventative maintenance is nice, the electronics are an added bonus. Basically it was fuel and go like any new car, gas or electric.

I think BMW did a fantastic job with the i3.
- driving/seating position was really good (front seats are really comfortable too),
- height of the seats and large door openings made ingress / egress easier and more comfortable (never having to really step up or bend down is nice, and welcomed for my aging parents).
- spaciousness of such a compact car was amazing (4 regular sized adults fit comfortably),
- sight lines out of the i3 was really good, I find most of the new cars to have huge blind spots, not so with the i3.
- rigidity of the carbon chassis was palpable,
- suspension tuning made it feel similar to other BMWs I've driven,
- the slight rear weight bias (47/53) felt good as did the low center of gravity and the low overall weight (<3,000lbs is great in today's car world, imo),
- instant-response and max torque from 0 rpm of the electric motor is great around town and for passing on the freeway,
- although 0-60 was 7.5 seconds it never once felt slow in my day to day use (in fact it felt zippy and more than capable to keep up / pass on the freeway),
- slightly eery at first, the silence of the drivetrain was welcomed. It made commuting less tiring.
- LED headlamps are a little better in clarity imo than the xenons,
- cargo capacity was really good (rear seats folded), and the loading height of the trunk meant it was more ergonomic when stowing items,
- The distance-controlled cruise control was nice to have in stop and go traffic,
- maneuverability of a small vehicle is good in crowded places like LA

The max range of about 80 miles was the pain in the ass for my usage, I was traveling 55-65 miles each way (90% highway from Orange County to Los Angeles), which meant I was essentially maxing out the range each leg of my round trip. Charging was a necessity on each leg of the trip and additional destinations were essentially a non-starter or took additional planning and time for charging.

However, it was perfect for around town or when my daily commute totaled less than 60-70 miles. Range anxiety is real (at least in the first 3-4 months of acclimation). And nothing more frustrating than arriving at a quick-charge station to find it occupied, with exception of finding a fully charged car / car that's not charging occupying the space and charger. It wasn't so bad when I first got the car (2015), but with additional EVs on the road the available charging stations started to feel more crowded (2017).

I think it depends on your predominant use-case and the finances. For me, I was spending ~$400-500/mo. on fuel (2-3x/week at about $50-60 each time), then add in maintenance items (oils, filters, tires, brakes, etc, which adds up in both time and $) in either the m3 or the 330i. The finances of it worked out in my case: $257/mo for 30 months, $0 down, 15k miles / year, plus the random rebates available at the time. The only additional charge I incurred was $300 for 2 rear tires, fronts were almost done but the guy at the dealership was cool about it.

Over the course of 2.5 years I didn't have to put 36k miles on either of my e46s, which was nice. With exception of going for "fun-drives" and where distance could be an issue I never drove my other cars. Waiting for 200+ mile range plus good lease deals again. Fingers crossed.

Having said all of that, I think the e46 is great for longer distances and now that I'm back in it for DD I don't have any real complaints. It's a fantastic car even for DD. I go on road trips a few times per year (southern California to Oregon) and it eats up the miles like a champ. The chassis and the engine seem to have a sweet spot between 70-90mph ...it just feels and sounds right in this range. It's hard to get rid of the e46 - I even picked up a project ZHP. BMW did a great job with the e46 ZHP imo, they just need some TLC as they age.

[Reasoned1]

Death before electric...

[DeathTrap]

Death before electric...

Nah. Electric is the ish.

[az3579]

Death before electric...

This. No sound = no care.
They're cool cars and have their place, but I will drive cars with combustion motors for as long as is humanly feasible.

[DeathTrap]

I mean...we already have piped in sound in modern cars.

Electric cars sound like spaceships with the right motor/controller.

[az3579]

I mean...we already have piped in sound in modern cars.

Electric cars sound like spaceships with the right motor/controller.But the piped in sound is the real sound of the motor but just amplified, so that doesn't actually count. If you put your foot down in a car with a combustion motor, there's no doubt in your mind that the sound you hear, piped in or not, is coming from an actual motor running at the corresponding revolutions due to how it feels. You simply can't duplicate that with an electric car.

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[ZHPizza]

But the piped in sound is the real sound of the motor but just amplified, so that doesn't actually count. If you put your foot down in a car with a combustion motor, there's no doubt in your mind that the sound you hear, piped in or not, is coming from an actual motor running at the corresponding revolutions due to how it feels. You simply can't duplicate that with an electric car.

Sent from my Pixel 3 using TapatalkMy favorite piped in sound story was when @sockethead found out that the M2 was piping in highway drone through the speakers lol

[DeathTrap]

But the piped in sound is the real sound of the motor but just amplified, so that doesn't actually count. If you put your foot down in a car with a combustion motor, there's no doubt in your mind that the sound you hear, piped in or not, is coming from an actual motor running at the corresponding revolutions due to how it feels. You simply can't duplicate that with an electric car.

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Agreed. Many people call that "character" or "soul." It's actually one reason why I would not want the ZHP to be full electric. (To stay on topic)

Given the opportunity though, I'd mod the hell out of an EV project car.

[PetesZ]

The ZHP is my DD for rain. The 550i is the nice day DD.

Mainly cause the ZHP is not black.

[az3579]

My favorite piped in sound story was when @sockethead found out that the M2 was piping in highway drone through the speakers lol

:rofl

[Will]

My favorite piped in sound story was when @sockethead found out that the M2 was piping in highway drone through the speakers lol

That is hilarious! I agree, electric cars are akin to watching a silent movie. It's not as invigorating when driving spirited, but the silence is welcomed when commuting in traffic.

As for the original topic, I think BMW did a great job with the e46 and it makes for a great DD.

[danewilson77]

This. 2020 Model S. 0-60 in 1.9 seconds, over 600 mile range, 250+ mph.

https://www.tesla.com/roadster

I dig the ZHP though for sure. Test drove a bunch of MB, Audi, etc..... Nothing really compared to e46. As many have said, I just couldn't put my finger on it. Even the e91 we purchased was numb (comparatively), but we couldn't find a clean e46, and we weren't looking for a project.

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[fredo]

^ FYI. E91 is touring, E90 is sedan.

[johnrando]

Wow. That Tesla... One please!

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[holyc0w]

Hyundai Veloster N


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abhOfIPYlTQ

I'll take one...of each.

[Obioban]

I'm curious to know what makes your Model 3 a better DD than your E46. Exactly what E46 did you have?

Obviously not my cup of tea, but, regardless of what e46 he had:
-never having to go to a gas station
-autopilot when you hit a traffic jam and don't feel like driving
-acceleration
-vastly decreased maintenance requirements
-MUCH safer

[dannyzabolotny]

Just about any E46 makes a good daily, especially if it has a 3.0L and a manual transmission. I don't like electric cars and I don't think I ever will. I enjoy fixing my car and maintaining it... owning something new and maintenance-free is boring IMO. My girlfriend has a Hyundai Elantra that she bought new a few years back and it's a miserable, soulless pile that never needs anything and never does anything beyond taking you from point A to point B.

I'll keep driving old BMW's every single day for as long as I can. Life's too short to drive a boring car on any day of the week.

[Reasoned1]

I’m skeptical of the “maintenance-free” claims.

[az3579]

I’m skeptical of the “maintenance-free” claims.

No vehicle is maintenance-free, of course.
I remember reading a couple of articles about high mileage Tesla Model S' being used in taxi service. In both articles, they mentioned multiple drive motor replacements. I'm sure those suckers aren't cheap.

I am impressed with the fact that I usually see mentions of battery degradation being extremely minimal. Even after over 400k miles on some of these examples, the loss is only about 12% of its capacity.

[Obioban]

With no parts come with no responsibility. No fluid swaps because no fluids, no belts/idlers/tensions because no belt drive, no spark plugs/coils/fuel filter/fuel pump/fuel injectors/etc, no clutch swaps because no transmission, much decreased brake wear because most braking is regeneration, etc. I wouldn’t say “maintenance free”, because it still needs brake fluid, wiper fluid, wipers, and tires... not to mention bushings, but it’s certainly dramatically reduced.

No to mention the frequent gas maintenance :mwah

[WOLFN8TR]

We bought a brand new 2006 Toyota 4Runner with 34 mikes on it. Traded it in on a 2015 Toyota 4Runner. It had 155k on it and believe it or not the only maintenance we did other than oil changes was the following.

Front Brakes twice
Rear Brakes once
Spark Plugs twice
Battery twice
Air Filter twice then used a K&N
Needed all new shocks when we traded it in.

Absolutely loved that ride. So dam reliable, 24 mpg and rode great. The only thing it wasn’t a four wheel drive. The 2015 is four wheel drive but it gets 17-18 mpg.

[DeathTrap]

Am I doing it wrong? I thought DDs were supposed to be reliable and maintenance-free. Maybe I should buy a 335i? Or 760Li? Or 850csi... definitely this one

The battery pack has extra capacity "built in" so that the end user doesn't see the degradation. They under rate the capacity a bit for this.

[az3579]

Am I doing it wrong? I thought DDs were supposed to be reliable and maintenance-free. Maybe I should buy a 335i? Or 760Li? Or 850csi... definitely this one


If any of us truly wanted a reliable daily, we'd have a Honda or Toyota. lol

[dannyzabolotny]

Am I doing it wrong? I thought DDs were supposed to be reliable and maintenance-free. Maybe I should buy a 335i? Or 760Li? Or 850csi... definitely this one

The battery pack has extra capacity "built in" so that the end user doesn't see the degradation. They under rate the capacity a bit for this.

I don't think a good daily needs to be maintenance-free... and an E46 is a pretty reliable car when you stay up to date on your maintenance.

My previous daily was a 2000 540it with 219k miles— I put 45k miles on it in two years without ever being stranded by it. The key is to take care of small problems before they turn into big problems. For example, when you hear belt squeal in the morning, replace the belt + pulleys + tensioner to avoid being stranded on the road when a pulley seizes and throws the belt. I've had quite a few customer cars come into the shop on a flatbed because of exactly that.

Some of us like to daily drive a car that we enjoy, as opposed to dealing with something that's trouble-free and reliable. Commuting is boring, why not spice it up by driving a car you love? I redline my 330i/5 at least once a day during commuting— it gets my blood going and reminds me to have fun in life. I start falling asleep if I commute in a boring car with an automatic.

[Obioban]

Am I doing it wrong? I thought DDs were supposed to be reliable and maintenance-free. Maybe I should buy a 335i? Or 760Li? Or 850csi... definitely this one

The battery pack has extra capacity "built in" so that the end user doesn't see the degradation. They under rate the capacity a bit for this.

I just need it to be reliable "enough".

I also want to enjoy my commute every day, as it makes my life better if I do. I arrive home refreshed and happy, instead of annoyed.

[az3579]

I just need it to be reliable "enough".

I also want to enjoy my commute every day, as it makes my life better if I do. I arrive home refreshed and happy, instead of annoyed.


This, and it's why I purchased my E39 Touring instead of a Subaru Outback Sport I could have bought from my neighbor and fixed for a lot less. Soul-less.
The E39 has character; it's big, slow, and refined, but it sure does love getting sideways. :)

[DeathTrap]

It looks like the general thought process is that you all are willing to sacrifice a bit of reliability for enjoyment of the car.

Side note: E46s aren't that unreliable. It won't go 100k without needing at least something done, but it also won't just fall completely apart either.

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[Reasoned1]

One of today’s headlines: “Consumer Report drops Tesla Model 3 recommendation due to reliability issues”... just sayin’.

[thinkpad240]

My past regular e46 was reliable but got boring eventually. My current bought-used ZHP is up a notch in terms of power and performance. It did 8,000 miles across country in 4 weeks with no wear and there was never I time I did not think it was not reliable or capable. Doing maintenance is affordable and an after-thought since I inspect my cars regularly. Definitely, a keeper DD.

[ComradeNick]

I think comparing a Tesla to a ZHP doesn’t really work well for a number of reasons, first being that one costs about 5x as much as the other. Even if you add in the extra maintenance, 1-2k a year is dwarfed by saving money on depreciation and insurance costs, although Tesla’s unlike most new cars are actually fairly inexpensive b/c of the self braking and stuff. Even gas isn’t that much of a factor since unless you have your own solar panels or can charge for free at work you won’t really save that much since electricity is pretty expensive.

If really comes down to drivability and entertainment b/c Japanese cars blow both out of the water when it comes to cost and reliability. Both are good performing cars but in commuting where the ZHP struggles is the suspension, I don’t even notice it anymore but the m suspension is not a good time on bad roads. In traffic I’d take a Tesla but for real driving I would want my e46 because sporty driving is what ZHPs are made for. Entertainment Tesla also wins, but again the android unit in my car is all I really need for Spotify, maybe some podcasts. It is a car at the end of the day so you are pretty limited with what you can do.

If I had the money for more than one car I would go with a Japanese luxury car like a Lexus or Infiniti, the new Q50 and Q60 would make great DDs, only reason a Tesla would be useful is the HOV sticker in CA, but even that’s losing its appeal since a lot of people have electrics.

Honestly a DD varies for everyone, some people use M4s for commuting some drive a Prius, it comes down to what you want to spend and what you like.


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