Purchased: July 4, 2020
Sold: October 20, 2024
I sold my 2003 Imola Red ZHP in August of 2018 and got my second ZHP almost two years later, a 2004 Mystic Blue/Alcantara ZHP on July 4, 2020. To be completely honest, I did not expect to be back in the ZHP game for a long time if ever. Vas made a comment in another thread (can't remember which right now) to the effect that people who sell their ZHPs tend to pick up another again. I found this comment to be true as I found myself back in my second ZHP although this one is far from perfect as compared to others found on this forum.
For some reason I tend to pick up rescue cases with "lots of character" to sort out . . .
It has been a good run - thanks to all who have been supportive of my ZHP journey.
I found this Mystic Blue ZHP in fredo's CL findings thread where Notaniroc had posted a car he found in Facebook marketplace. I was looking for a project car so I started looking into this car and considered buying it. This poor ZHP was in real need of being rescued . . .http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showt...-s-ZHP-project
I contacted Brett (brettbimmer) and asked him if he could give this car a good look over since he was in the area and he obliged. I stressed to Brett that I was looking for a project car (one to work on and to have all of it's maintenance caught up) and if it met his approval I would drive down to purchase this car. Brett gave the car a good look over and sent me pictures and did not see anything to be too concerned about so I agreed to purchase this car and made the drive down to Maryland buy it and drive it back home with Botond's assistance. It goes to say that Botond has had the opportunity to drive all of my cars over the time I have known him and it is always nice to have good friends like him and Brett to help out whenever you need it.
For those not familiar with what I have done with my previous ZHP here is the link to that project thread . . .
Here are a few pics of the car on the day of rescue...
I had to apply some painter's tape to the gas cap cover door because the spring mechanism was crapped up from tree debris (I did not know this at that time) that both the locking mechanism and door would not remain closed. Once this area was thoroughly cleaned out and some WD40 applied to the spring mechanism, the issue went away permanently.
The interior is worn which is typical of high mileage cars with alcantara interior... the alcantara interior was swapped out for Shawn Robertson's alcantara interior pulled from his M3 sedan.The alcantara front sedan seats from Shawn's interior were retrofitted with lumbar support w/ upper side bolster adjustment (both driver's and passenger's seats) so I got an upgrade to a very rare and unique interior.
In the picture above you can see those gaudy "BMW Performance" decal affixed to the OE door sills. Those ugly door sills were removed as soon as I got the car home for the ///M door sills which were then eventually replaced with the "BMW Individual" door sills which my ZHP currently has.
Those suede wrapped A-pillars, another poorly executed mod, was immediately replaced as soon as I got the car back home with OEM A-pillars and filler strip. How can anyone say these suede wrapped A-pillars look good??? In my opinion they make the car look cheap and ruin the clean look of the OEM interior. I am glad to see this changed back using fresh factory parts. Those suede wrapped A-pillars were poorly executed and went where they belong... in the trash.
As you see the first thing to replace for the drive home was the steering wheel and LCM...the radio is out as you can see in the pic below. Botond was trying to install his DICE adapter to the radio AUX port but his device was not working so we ended up reinstalling the radio without his DICE adapter. Never been a fan of this DICE adapter anyway . . .
The previous owner was not expecting to see me already working on the car before driving it home... some things needed to be changed out immediately for the drive home. At the time I had no idea what I was in for as he bragged to me that he knew ZHPs and had 6 of them previously . . .
I found out just how much this guy really did not know or care about these cars after I got my newly acquired ZHP home and began my own inspection of it . . . . I just took him at his word but after I purchased this car I very quickly found out the truth about him. Stuart has known about this unethical hack but was unaware I was buying this ZHP from this guy otherwise he would have warned me.
I wanted to have another ZHP for a project car but Jesus . . . I was not looking for a full restoration/overhaul of this car with a shitload of issues identified later to fully sort out . . . all the better I guess because this poor ZHP will have been taken from it's poor neglected/abused state to one that has been sorted out and restored back to where it belongs... The previous owner did what he had to do to get rid of this poor and neglected ZHP, he is in this to make money from people and with this car he would have lost a lot more money which is why his cooling system refresh was performed using cheap and poor quality Chinese-made parts sourced from his local NAPA store (see pg 88 posts #871 thru 881). Fortunately for this poor ZHP, it will live again under my ownership and care and not be left someplace to rot in some junk yard which is where this poor car would have ended up at
The rear diffuser was broken and at the time and I did not know to what extent but this was repaired once I got home... getting the car home was my immediate priority for that weekend...
This was blauzed on the day I rescued her:
2004 BMW 330i ZHPProduction date: 17 May 2004Mystic Blue w/ Alcantara Interior
6-Speed Manual Transmission (ZHP shift knob looked like ass and was replaced with a lit F10 M5 shift knob from my M3)
Halogen Headlights (retrofitted to Xenon headlights w/ driver's side headlight assembly having 3 broken clips from previous owner)
LCM s/w ver 3.56 (swapped in LCM w/ software ver 4.5 and Euro Faceplate)
Rain sensor with Auto Headlight function
BMW Assist
Manual BMW Assist Auto-Dim mirror(mirror had something broken and loose rattling inside so it was replaced with an E90 hidden compass/homelink recessed grey clown nose auto-dim mirror)
Poorly wrapped Alcantara Steering Wheel (swapped out and given to Botond; replaced by my Coby Alcantara Steering Wheel kept from my first ZHP)
Poorly wrapped suede A-pillars (replaced with OEM part as soon as the car was home)
Black Cube Interior Trim (traded with Botond for my Silver Cube interior trim used in my first ZHP)
Business CD Radio w/ Harmon Kardon Stereo (radio head unit replaced with Avin 4 head unit Steve gave to me)
BMW Factory 6-disc CD changer (deleted)
Cheap quality 35% window tint film on rear windows only (rear window replaced with new OEM BMW part)
Cold Weather Package (headlight washer system deleted)
Depot Euro Corner and Tail Lights (need to source OEM BMW Euro parts)
Depot Headlight lens (need to source ZKW headlight lens)
6th Gen TCU communications module (updated to OEM BMW 13th Gen TCU)
empty gas tank - FML
All four tires not set at proper tire pressure (found out when we got to Brett's house and fixed this issue)
Front Alcantara seats worn and alcantara ripped on driver's bolster (Alcantara interior replaced with Shawn's interior)
230,399 miles
As I started working on this car, keeping in mind I got this car as a ???project car??? to keep me busy??? I found a shitload of issues reflective of people who either did not know how to properly care for this car or worse . . . did not care . . . SMFH.
Most people would run away from this car but not me???. It explains why the previous owner only had this car for a month (or so he claimed when I talked to him). I can easily see from the condition of this car that he did the absolute minimum so he could flip it and be rid of it for good. I find it ironic that he even told me that he installed brand new coilovers on this car before I purchased it but when asked what brand he conveniently forgot... that in itself should have been a serious RED FLAG. After I got this car home I discovered the previous owner installed cheap $300 Maxspeedingrods coilovers. No wonder he chose not to tell me the truth. Anyway those piece of shit coilovers were replaced with proper Bilstein PSS-10 coilovers with Ground Control Camber Kit (see pg 98 post#974). The proper way to correct this issue.
Not many people get to have two 2004 3-series BMWs let alone an M3 and ZHP sitting in their garage. With this ZHP being Mystic Blue/Alcantara, the color combo I really wanted in a ZHP, I will continue to work on various parts of this car and restore it using OEM BMW parts or better quality parts??? some of you on this forum have seen and/or ridden in my M3 so you know the level of care and maintenance I put into my cars . . .
Out of all the cars I have ever purchased, this poor ZHP is easily the car that has been in the worse material condition with cheap substandard parts installed upon purchase. All this is going to change under my ownership . . . maintenance first before addressing all her cosmetic issues.
The list below outline what I have found during my initial inspection of this car after getting it back home to begin my new journey:
Identified Issues:
- MAINTENANCE:
- Steering wheel coupler needs refresh
- FCAB/RTAB replacement
- Window regulators (all four) will need replacement (Front driver's window regulator replaced Summer2021, Summer 2024 for rest)
- Vapor seals on all four doors need replacement
- Rear passenger lower control arm reported slightly bent by previous owner (will be replacing with Turner lower adjustable control arms)
- COSMETICS:
- Passenger Shadowline trim glued to car because of broken clips
- Sagging headliner (recovering it Spring/Summer 2024)
- Acoustic Sensor cover require replacement (will source a brand new one)
- Driver's side windows (driver's door and driver side rear passenger door) chipped (will source new ones from Safelite)
- Outer shadow line glossy trim all need replacement
- Doors missing proper hardware (screws) to properly secure door panels to the door - (proper hardware ordered)
- Aftermarket front driver fender used (will replace with OEM front driver fender when I repaint car)
- Rubber seals for window need replacement
- Rear Reading Lights require replacement (both sides purchased, waiting for new C-pillars)
- PAINT:
- Paint color mismatch on driver's side door and rear panel... will correct when time comes to repaint entire car
- Roof panel has one small dent and clear coat pealed off (thanks to the previous owner - perhaps a carbon fiber roof install might happen here...)
- Rear Bumper needs repainting (numerous defects noted)
- Overall condition of paint in bad shape
- COMPLETED ITEMS:
- Wrong engine oil used (previous owner used engine oil for diesels) - (proper engine oil for BMW motors put in)
- Wrong coolant was used (previous owner used coolant for asian cars) - (proper coolant for BMW motors put in)
- A-pillars replaced with brand new OEM Anthricite A-pillars - (the suede poorly wrapped A-pillars were removed and thrown away)
- Tires require replacement (replaced with Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 tires)
- OE ZHP shift knob in rough shape - (replaced with OEM F10 M5 lit shift knob)
- Water leaking inside car (sunroof drain/windshield cowl drain clogged) - fixed
- Center console requires replacement - replaced with new arm rest delete center console, cup holder, rear ashtray and coin tray
- Rear Window tint won't come off and rear window requires replacement - (replaced with new window by Safelite)
- Wrong fasteners used to secure fog lights - (right ones ordered from dealer and installed)
- Windshield cowl degraded needs replacement - (replaced with new part sourced from FCP Euro)
- Windshield wipers crappy requires replacement - (replaced)
- Rear diffuser panel broken - (replaced with part sourced from ECS Tuning)
- Mounting brackets for rear diffuser broken - (replaced with new parts sourced from ECS Tuning)
- Engine compartment very dirty - (cleaned)
- Loose wiring loom left in engine bay - (old Angel Eye wiring loom not used so it was removed)
- Driver's side front bumper support clip broken - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part)
- Front brake rotors and pads require replacement - (replaced with new parts sourced from FCP Euro)
- Brake fluid needs to be flushed - (old brake fluid looked like used motor oil)
- BMW Assist rear view auto dim mirror broke needs replacement - (replaced by E90 hidden compass/homelink auto dim mirror)
- Gas tank cover was nonfunctional at time of purchase - (fixed)
- Interior of car was dirty - (cleaned)
- Missing trunk cargo mat - (sourced replacement part from eBay)
- No floor mats - (replaced with OEM BMW All Weather Mats)
- No trunk cargo liner - (sourced brand new OEM BMW All Weather Cargo Liner)
- No owners manual - (sourced a complete 2004 330I set from eBay)
- Windshield cowl weather strip missing - (sourced OEM part from FCP Euro)
- Front passenger mid range speaker grill broken - (sourced from OEM Parts Online)
- Steering wheel poorly wrapped in Alcantara by previous owner - (replaced with my Coby Alcantara Steering Wheel from previous ZHP)
- Shark fin gasket severely deteriorated - (replaced using OEM part)
- Driver's side headlight has 3 broken tabs - top three - (replaced with new driver's headlight assy)
- Driver's side lower headlight trim tabs all broken - (replaced with OEM no headlight washer part)
- Alcantara headrests for front seats broken - (replaced with spare set from my first ZHP)
- Dead pedal cracked/broken - (replaced with ///M dead pedal from ECS Tuning)
- Spark plugs need replaced - (replaced from parts sourced from FCP Euro)
- Hood alarm switch faulty needs replacement - (transferred from my M3)
- Interior seats either worn out or stained under previous owner's care - (new replacement set acquired from Shawn)
- Passenger side skirt is broken and is the wrong type of side skirt for MTEC II package - (proper part has been sourced from the dealer, painted and then installed)
- There is a very small rust spot just below the trunk centerline underneath the trunk weather strip - (Rust spot addressed and repainted)
- Door weather seals replaced
- Business CD Radio - (Radio replaced with new AVIN 4 head unit)
- Speakers replaced w/ BAVSOUND speakers - (Rear Subwoofer Speakers also replaced with new Rockford Fosgate Subwoofer Speakers)
- Rear Parcel Shelf purplish - (Refurbished back to black)
- VANOS Oil Feed Line maintenance - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part)
- OFHG maintenance - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part)
- Full Cooling System Overhaul performed - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW parts and Stewart Water Pump; @ previous ower, BMW coolant used this time too)
- Driveline GUIBO maintenance - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part)
- Driveline Center Line Bearing maintenance - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part)
- Transmission oil changed with Red Line MTL transmission fluid
- Sunroof switch/Microphone surround cover require replacement - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part)
- VCG maintenance/new ignition coils/new spark plugs
- Secondary Air Pump system overhaul - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part)
- cheap Maxpeedingrods $300 coilovers replaced with proper Bilstein PSS-10 coilovers w/ Ground Control Camber Kit
- Rear shock mounts used with Maxspeedingrods coilovers replaced with OEM BMW M3 rear shock mounts
- Repaired/Restored Ambient Temperature Sensor wiring and replaced plug
- Differential oil changed out using BMW Synthetic diff oil
- Power Steering Hoses (low pressure side) replacement - (replaced with Genuine OEM BMW parts)
- B and C pillars require replacement - (replacement parts have been sourced)
- Style 135 wheels curb rashed (these wheels have been deleted as they are no longer needed)
This is just a start of issues that I have to sort out with this car. I have not addressed the suspension/FCAB/Control arms, RTABs and diff bushings so there is still a lot of work to be done on this car and they all will get addressed as time progresses...
I have taken an interesting yet expensive journey with this Mystic Blue ZHP. One that I know will be worth all the effort to get this car restored back to my expectation and running perfectly again. I'm sure there will be lots of headaches and swearing along the way (yes based on what I have said so far, I have already started using a few choice words for a lot of the shit I have discovered wrong and corrected with this car) but there will also be a lot of triumphs and good surprises/upgrades in store for this ZHP. Stay tuned because where I can mod, those of you who know me, will know I will mod this car to OEM+ standards. In fact, since July 4, 2020 when I purchased this car I have already started making lots of progress on this ZHP. You can check out all the work that has gone into her below:
Current state of Blauzed as of September 2024: 260,510 miles
Mod List: (all items below done during my ownership)
- OEM Factory Alarm retrofit
- Apple Air Tag w/speaker removed covertly installed for added security
- Rear Fog Lights aktiv (both sides coded to go on when rear fogs are selected)
- OEM M3 gauge cluster retrofit (fully functional oil warm up and shift light LEDs - Red line LEDs adjusted to 7k RPM)
- OEM M3 front strut bar - (Jul 2023 @ 248,215 miles)
- OEM M3 side mirror retrofit - (Jul 2023 @ 248,600 miles)
- OEM LCM w/ software 4.5 installed w/ OEM BMW Euro LCM faceplate with front and functional rear fog lights
- OEM Alcantara Sedan Front Seats with Lumbar Support/upper Side Bolster adjustment retrofitted (Driver's/Passenger's) and head rests (from Shawn Robertson)
- OEM BMW First Aid Kit (under front passenger seat)
- OEM lit F10 M5 shift knob taken from my M3 (from Tony Lam)
- OEM BMW SIRIUS Radio Module integration
- OEM BMW 13th Gen TCU (remanufactured) - supports Bluetooth hands free communication
- OEM BMW Bluetooth Antenna installed
- OEM BMW E90 LED Rear License Plate lights
- OEM "BMW Individual" Door Sills
- OEM BMW Umbrella accessory w/ leather holder
- OEM BMW Rear Electric Sunshade
- OEM TPMS (RPA) - aktiv
- AVIN TPMS (internal TPMS sensors installed in BBS CH wheels)
- 19??? BBS CH wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 tires mounted (19x8.5 ET35 235/35ZR19 front / 19x9.5 ET40 255/30ZR19 rear)
- Blue w/ Gold 3D BBS logo Centercaps for my BBS CH wheels
- Full Gruppe M carbon fiber Cold Air Intake kit - (from JP Morisset - JPMo)
- Enfig MIC-BM1 Microphone installed to work with my AVIN 4 head unit @ 240,479 mi
- ///M Oil cap
- ///M Dead Pedal
- ///M Style Aluminum pedals
- imolazed's Coby Wheel in black alcantara w/ red stitching (summer driving only)
- Leather M-Spoke steering wheel used for winter driving only
- Glossy Black front Grills (extra new set kept as spares)
- Silver Cube interior Trim from my previous ZHP (stored)
- Piano Black interior trim currently installed (from Gary Wolfinger - Wolfn8tr)
- Gen 3 Sprint Booster
- Stage 2 Brake Force Display (Botond coded this in for me)
- G.A.S. BMW 1.2 Bar Black Cooling System Cap
- G.A.S. M54 3.0L DISA Repair/Upgrade Kit (///M Crazy - Dhar)
- G.A.S. M54 CCV Replacement Kit - purchased from Roylan - REF84 (installed on NOV 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- AL bi-Xenon headlight assemblies with ZKW lenses installed
- Umnitza Orion V4 6000k Angel Eyes w/ remote and Night Commander
- Morimoto 6000k LED fog lights
- Valentine V1 Radar Detector hardwire
- LED bulb replacements (front corner lights and rear lights)
- Phillips OSRAM 5000k D2S Xenon Bulbs
- H7 5000k bulbs
- Bright yellow LED side marker lights
- Gominigo tow hook front license plate holder
- Blacked out ???glossy??? rear 330i badge
- Updated UUC clutch stop (from Brett Stark - Brettbimmer)
- BMW 3 Series E46 Coupe/Sedan OEM Black All Season Floor Mats - p/n: 82550151192 (front), 82550136373 (rear)
- BMW 3 Series E46 Coupe/Sedan OEM Black All Season Cargo Liner - p/n: 82110305084 (trunk)
- Arm Rest delete Center Console
- Headlight Washer delete (Windshield Washer Reservoir w/o headlight washer pump installed, headlight washer hoses disconnected, Lower Headlight Trim w/o washer)
- aFe Intake Air Scoop
- Status Gruppe Tuning 2x2 carbon fiber CSL Bootlid - sedan fitment
- 2x2 Carbon Fiber seat backs for front seats - (from Jacob - BadClown)
- Front Wilwood BBK w/ stainless steel brake lines installed (325mm rotors front/rear) - from Colin
- BAVSOUND Stage 1 speakers @ 239,633 mi
- AVIN 4 Head Unit upgrade @ 240,479 mi - (from Steve - SNA77)
- Water pump thread cap (for use with Stewart water pump - NOV 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Stewart Water Pump installed in lieu of Original OEM BMW Water Pump (NOV 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- ECS Tuning Black Aluminum Dip Stick - (NOV 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- ECS Tuning Aluminum light weight water pump pulley - (NOV 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- DINAN Black N-Series Ignition Coils - installed (APR 2023 @ 246,710 miles)
- Blue On/Off cruise control switch for multifunction steering wheel (APR 2023 @ 246,800 miles)
- Bilstein PSS-10 Coilovers - (APR 2023 @ 247,072 miles)
- Ground Control Camber Kit - (Apr 2023 @ 247,072 miles)
- OEM BMW M3 Rear shock mounts - (APR 2023 @ 247,072 miles)
- Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser Panel - (May 2023 @ 247,108 miles)
- Changed Roundel colors to Dark Blue/Grey - (May 2023 @ 247,140 miles)
- Titanium wheel studs installed - (Jun 2023 @ 247,687 miles)
- Rear fenders rolled - (Jun 2023 @ 247,687 miles)
- Installed Garmin Dash Cam Mini 2 - (Jul 2023 @ 248,215 miles)
- DINAN carbon fiber engine cover - (from Rob - Sockhead - Aug 2023 @ 251,800 miles
- Rennline iPhone mount/charger - Jan 2024 @ 254,055 miles
- AutoSolutions Gen 2 SSK w/ DSSR - Jan 2024 @ 256,565 miles
- UUC Corsa TSE3 catback exhaust - (Feb 2024 @ 258,000 miles)
- MS45.1 ECU Stage 1 Performance Tune from Chaos Calibrations - E46 3 Series (ZHP) - (Apr 2024 @ 259,410 miles)
- Turner Triple Baffled Aluminum Power Steering Reservoir - (Jun 2024 @ 260,602 miles)
- Rogue Engineering Billet Aluminum Clutch Pedal - (Jun 2024 @ 260,602 miles)
Upcoming Mods:
- DINAN rear strut tower brace - (Spring 2024)
- Garbino Carbon Fiber front lip - (May-Jun 2024)
- Rear Subwoofer Speaker upgrade - (Summer 2024)
- BI-LED: MORIMOTO M LED 2.0 (LHD) retrofit - (Summer 2024)
- E46 to MLED Retrofit C-Brackets for Ci-LED retrofit - (Summer 2024)
- Rear Diff Finned cover, rear diff bushing, rear diff drain plug replacement (planned)
- Reinforced Front Radiator Support retrofit - (planned - new part on hand)
Future planned Mods: - I'll call this my wish list
- Brembo BBK (Yellow calipers) w/ 2-piece rotors (planned)
- OEM Euro corner/side marker/tail lights (planned)
- Limited Slip Diff (planned)
- Smoked Eagle Eyes tail lights (planned)
Maintenance Performed:
- Cooling system flush and refill/repressurize (previous owner used coolant for asian cars) (Fall 2019)
- Engine oil change using Mobile 1 engine oil 0W 30 (previous owner used oil for diesel engines) (Summer 2020)
- New spark plug replacement using NGK plugs (previous owner used cheap plugs) (Summer 2020)
- Driver's side headlight assembly replacement (previous owner broke 3 upper tabs) (Summer 2020)
- ZKW Lens retrofit into both headlight assemblies (Summer 2020)
- Unmitza Orion V4 Angel Eye install into headlight assemblies (Summer 2020)
- Phillips 5500k D2S OSRAM bulbs replacement (Summer 2020)
- Morimoto 6000k LED fog light replacement (Summer 2020)
- Headlight washer delete w/ new lower headlight trims (Summer 2020)
- Engine Bay cleaned and decluttered (Summer 2020)
- Windshield Cowl replacement (Fall 2020)
- Cabin Air Filter replacement (Spring 2021)
- LED bulb replacement for corner signals and side marker lights (Spring 2021)
- new Hazard/Door lock switch replaced (Spring 2021)
- new OEM short Center Console w/ arm rest delete installed (Spring 2021)
- installed Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 tires in 235 40/18 and 255 35/18 fitment on my Style 135s (Spring 2021)
- new gas tank cap installed (Spring 2021)
- swapped in a new windshield washer reservoir w/o headlight washers (Spring 2021)
- new lit F10 M-5 shift knob installed (Summer 2021)
- CSL Bootlid for sedan installed with E92 rear LED license plate lights installed (Summer 2021)
- Fuel Pump replaced (summer 2021 @ 233,250 miles)
- Passenger Side Skirt replacement - MTEC II side skirt (Summer 2021)
- Front Rotor/Brake Pad replacement, Wilwood calipers (Summer 2021)
- Front stainless steel brake lines installed (Summer 2021)
- Brake fluid flush performed on front brake calipers (second time brake fluid flushed since ownership) - First (Summer 2020), second (Summer 2021)
- Adjusted Heated Seat Temperature values from stock to 42 (Hex 2A), 46 (Hex 2E), and 50 (Hex 32) degrees - (Fall 2021) - see post #246 on page 25 to do this update
- Changed Speedometer Variance values (Hex 03 00 01 C8 00 01 CA) - (Fall 2021) - see post#557 on page 56 to do this update
- Replaced External Ambient Temperature Sensor (Dec2021 @ 236,825 miles)
- Replaced Business CD head unit (Feb 2022)
- DISA replacement with G.A.S. upgrade kit installed (Jun 2022 @ 239,700 miles)
- OE CCV System deleted (Oct 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- TPMS (RPA) Retrofit (Oct 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Intake Manifold cleaning/new gaskets (Oct 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Engine coolant sensor replacement (Oct 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Fuel Injectors cleaned w/ new o-rings installed (Oct 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Oil Filter Housing Gasket replacement (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- VANOS feed line replacement (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Engine oil switch sensor (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original BMW Thermostat installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Stewart Water Pump installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original OEM BMW Cooling system hard lines (both upper and lower) replaced (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original OEM BMW Heater core cooling hoses replaced (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- ECS TUNING lightweight water pump pulley installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Vacuum lines renewed with new rubber vacuum lines (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original OEM BMW Radiator installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original OEM BMW Cooling System Hoses installed; upper and lower radiator hoses - (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original OEM BMW Coolant Level Sensor installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original OEM BMW Coolant Temperature Sensor installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- OEM BMW Throttle Body cleaned and new original OEM BMW Throttle Body gasket installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- OEM BMW Idle Control Valve cleaned and reinstalled (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- OEM BMW External Ambient Temperature sensor replaced (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- G.A.S. CCV Replacement Kit installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,676 miles)
- Original OEM BMW Inlet Fuel Hose replaced - new part installed (Nov 2022 @ 241,685 miles)
- Cooling system pressure checked and bled (Nov 2022 @ 241,685 miles)
- Parking Brake Handle Assembly replacement (Dec 2022 @ 241,686 miles)
- GUIBO/Center Line Bearing replacement (Dec 2022 @ 242,349 miles)
- Transmission flush using Red Line MTL fluid (Dec 2022 @ 242,349 miles)
- Valve Cover Gasket Maintenance (Apr 2023 @ 246,710 miles)
...- NGK BKR6EQUP spark plugs installed
...- DINAN coil packs installed
- Secondary Air Pump System maintenance (Apr 2023 @ 246,710 miles)
...- New filter
...- New Secondary Air System MAF sensor
...- new hoses
- Bilstein PSS-10 Coilovers - (Apr 2023 @ 247,072 miles)
- Ground Control Camber Kit - (Apr 2023 @ 247,072 miles)
- OEM BMW Sway Bar end links installed - (May 2023 @ 247,108 miles)
- New Michelin Pilot Sport AS 4 tires mounted - rear set (255/35 18) - (May 2023 @ 247,108 miles)
- Repaired wiring and replaced Ambient Temperature Sensor plug - (May 2023 @ 247,140 miles)
- Front Tie Rod Assembly replacement (left and right) - (May 2023 @ 247,477 miles)
- Replaced EGR valve in Secondary Air Pump System - (May 2023 @ 247,480 miles)
- Road Force Balancing of all wheels - (May 2023 @ 247,480 miles)
- 4 wheel alignment - (May 2023 @ 247,480 miles)
- New Michelin Pilot Sport AS4 tires (235/35 19F and 255/30 19R) mounted on BBS CH wheels with internal AVIN TPMS sensors installed - (May 2023 @ 247,681 miles)
- Intake MAF sensor replacement - (Jun 2023 @ 247,825 miles)
- Gruppe M air filter and housing cleaning/reconditioning - (Jun 2023 @ 247,825 miles)
- Installed Titanium wheel studs - (Jun 2023 @ 247,687 miles)
- Engine Oil change with 0W-30 BMW oil - (Jul 2023 @ 248,244 miles)
- Rear Diff Oil change using Synthetic GE rear diff oil - (Jul 2023 @ 248,244 miles)
- Fuel Filter change - (Jul 2023 @ 248,244 miles)
- Rewired both Tail Light grounds using BMW Tail Light Ground kit - (Sep 2023 @ 253,250 miles)
- Power Steering hose replacement - (Oct 2023 @ 254,452 miles)
- AutoSolutions Gen 2 SSK installation - (Jan 2024 @ 256,565 miles)
- Replaced all O2 sensors - (Feb 2024 @ 258,000 miles)
- Clutch Delay Valve delete - (Feb 2024 @ 258,000 miles)
- Engine Oil change with 0W-30 BMW oil - (Mar 2024 @ 258,382 miles)
- Adjusted Corsa tail pipe height - (Mar 2024 @ 258,382 miles)
- Rear Passenger Window Regulator replacment - (Mar 2024 @ 258,387 miles)
- Reattached Section2 of my Corsa Exhaust then applied some tack welds to hold in place - (Apr 2024 @ 159,410 miles)
- Welded new hanger on muffler section of Corsa TSE3 exhaust - (Apr 2024 @ 159,410 miles)
- Replaced coolant expansion tank - (Apr 2024 @ 259,496 miles)
- High Pressure Power Steering hose replacement - (Jun 2024 @ 260,602 miles)
- Cam Position sensor replacement - (Jun 2024 @ 260,602 miles)
- Power Steering system overhaul - (Jun 2024 @ 260,602 miles)
PLANNED MAINTENANCE:
- Window regulator (rear driver's side door and front passenger's side door) replacement - (Spring 2024)
- A/C Belt Tensioner Assembly replacement - (Spring 2024)
- Genuine BMW OEM Header replacement - (Summer 2024)
- Brake fluid flush - (Summer 2024)
- Remove/Replace rear lower control arms with new Turner adjustable ones - (planned)
- Rear subframe reinforcement - (planned)
- Z4M FCAB/Turner Motorsport Sealed Monoball RTAB replacement - (planned)
- ZHP Lower Control Arm - Left/Right [31-12-2-341-297/31-12-2-341-828] - (planned)
- OEM M3 Front sway bar/330 cic Rear sway bar - (planned)
- Oil level sensor replacement at next oil change - (planned)
- Oil level sensor wiring repairs - (planned)
Miles driven during my ownership: 28,803
This is just a start of my new ZHP project thread???
When I removed my windshield cowling to replace it with a brand new one I sourced from FCP euro, this is what I found. For those of you who park your cars under trees be well aware this is what can and will happen to your car if you leave it under trees and not do proper maintenance to it...
There is absolutely no reason for this other than laziness and/or lack of care. The impression I have towards all the previous owners of this poor ZHP is low right now. I have never seen a car in such a lack of care as I have seen this poor ZHP but this is changing... as you can see by the cleaning I'm doing here...
Eventually, I got the underside for the windshield cowl completely cleaned off, the entire area detailed, compounded and sealed before reinstalling the replacement windshield cowl in it's place.
When I saw this I knew all the drains would be clogged with this crap. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure this out. To avoid this mess, just check on your car frequently if you have no choice but to park your car under trees or just avoid parking them there to begin with...SMFH
When I got this ZHP, the fog lights were secured with the wrong fasteners. The previous owner used different types of Phillips screws to secure the fog lights and lost the fog light surrounds. No surprises there...
To get the proper fasteners DOES NOT BREAK THE BANK. You should do the right thing and get the proper parts for this car... when I got home and saw this, I sourced the right part with brand new fasteners and installed my spare set of Morimoto LED fog lights as well as brand new fog surrounds to this car.
Another issue I immediately recognized was the wiring loom for Angel Eyes that some previous owner half assed installed... this was taken off immediately and thrown away.
As soon as I got my ZHP home I ordered new A-pillars from FCP euro and installed them as soon as they arrived. It was good to get rid of those cheesy looking suede wrapped abortions that were there when I purchased this car.
I like the OEM look much better in the ZHP regarding pillars and headliners...it just looks cleaner. How the inside should look.
The broken passenger mid-range speaker grill as it looked when I purchased my ZHP
I ordered this part, yes I really did.... and the new part alone cost $48 from RealOEM.
Those wipers below were aweful as well. I ordered new sets that were more OEM to replace those ugly and worn out wipers.
This engine bay had loose wiring and was very dirty when I picked this car up. The power steering reservoir was filthy with power steering fluid residue and dirt all over. Here is another view of the engine bay showing just how dirty it was when I got the car...
The Driver's side headlight assembly came with three upper tabs broken so the lens would not be held water tight. They were carelessly broken by the previous owner probably due to carelessness. Anyway before winter I am left with trying to source good replacement Driver's side headlight assembly so that I won't have to worry about moisture intrusion while driving the car to and from work. I'm pointing to the two of three upper tabs that are broke. The tab to the far right is also broken.
I was not happy about this at all...
Another issue I discovered while working on the driver's side headlight assembly were the front fender clips that rivet on to the front edge of the front fenders. I noticed the driver's side being completely broken and barely holding the bumper aligned whereas the passenger side clip was solid as shown in the picture below.
Another thing I noticed is that the passenger side is completely riveted in place whereas the driver's side was not. hmmmmmmm! Another half-ass attempt done to this poor ZHP!!! I fixed this . . .
This part did not cost too much and I can't believe the previous owners would just try gluing this part back together thinking it would hold. This is that broken fender clip from the driver's side . . .
Here is the new part I'm about to rivet back in place like you're supposed to. Not using a Phillips screw as the previous owner did...SMFH
All it takes is to get a rivet gun and a few rivets. Getting this costs under $30 so it is not too expensive. It is better to use the right parts and the right tools to do the work.
In the beginning, I was frustrated how anyone could allow a car like this to degrade to this level because I have found so many short cuts on repairs/maintenance done to this poor BMW. As of 2023, three years later, the cooling system has been completely overhauled using Genuine OEM BMW or better parts and all issues previously identified regarding my cooling system have been fully corrected. A Stewart Water pump was installed as well as the ECS Tuning aluminum water pump pulley and ECS Tuning aluminum water pump thread cap as they were better than OEM (with the water pump thread cap not available from BMW). The Fuel injectors were also crudded up bad and were in bad shape so they were all cleaned and reconditioned, the engine has been cleaned as well as the intake manifold, idle control valve, the throttle body and DISA with new gaskets installed. The Secondary Air System was then overhauled as it started presenting issues once the intake was throughly cleaned. New NGK spark plugs and DINAN ignition coils were installed along with a new Valve Cover Gasket, all vacuum lines were replaced and vacuum plugs checked, sensors (oil pressure, oil temp, engine coolant temp as well as cooling system sensors replaced), both upper and lower intake hoses replaced, fuel line to fuel rail have been replaced with Genuine OEM BMW part, new fuel filter, VANOS oil supply line/banjo bolts, and the brake system has been flushed at least three times to rid of all the bad brake fluid initially found. Brake system have been partially upgraded to the Wilwood BBKs which will most likely be replaced with Brembo BBK setup come Spring 2024. My AutoSolutions SSK has been installed finally and my UUC Corsa TSE3 exhaust is scheduled for install in Feb 2024. All speakers have been replaced with BAVSOUND speakers and a new stereo head unit upgrade to the top tier AVIN 4 head unit with AVIN Internal TPMS sensors have been installed. The gauge cluster has also been replaced with an OEM M3 gauge cluster and is fully functional to include oil warm up and shift lights and all four door open indications. The new M3 gauge cluster was also reprogrammed to be more accurate with the speedometer needle and OBD II coolant temps and also had the red line LED adjusted to 7k RPM. Front seat heat settings were also reprogrammed to be warmer than stock settings (see pg 25 post# 246) as this is my personal preference. New Bilstein PSS-10 coilovers with Ground Control Camber kit was installed greatly improving the overall handling and ride quality of this car. An OEM M3 front strut bar was chosen and is installed in the engine bay as well as the G.A.S. CCV replacement kit, G.A.S. DISA rebuild kit, the G.A.S. 1.2 bar Black Aluminum radiator cap and ECS Tuning Black Aluminum dip stick. To add to the uniqueness of this build, is an OEM BMW rear electric sunshade and a set of OEM M3 side mirrors to help complete my build.The OEM M3 side mirrors really complete the "ZHP" look in my opinion
Still planned for my daily driver not mentioned above are complete refresh of ZHP front control arms, new Z4M FCABs, OEM M3 front sway bar/330 CiC rear sway bar, Turner RTAB replacement, Turner rear lower adjustable control arms, Brembo BBK/2-piece rotor (front/rear) retrofit to replace the Wildwood brake setup currently in place and quite possibly a Garbino front carbon fiber lip. Also worth mentioning is the planned installation of my rear DINAN tower brace.
After reading this lengthy first post, you can see there have been a lot of planning and work put into this ZHP since rescuing it. It has been a challenge not many would accept or take the time to follow thru with due to the high mileage and money needed to restore this example. This ZHP has been a hard luck case from the very start which was abused and neglected for far too long. This is a car that I feel is still worthy of rescue from past owners who chose just to drive this car rather than properly maintain it. Realizing my ZHP is a 1 of 80 build, I felt it deserved far better treatment/maintenance than what it had been exposed to under it's previous ownership. It's mine now and I'm fixing this car even though it continues to rack up the miles and it's value is in the dirt. What matters to me is that it will be brought back to better condition and that this is a well optioned and maintained daily driver once again. Once I am satisfied with all the maintenance and upgrades, I will then turn my focus into the interior of this car and bring it back to pristine condition and then finally, address all the exterior cosmetic flaws this car has to bring her back to the condition this car really deserves to be in. In time mileage will only be a number for this car as she will ride and drive like a new car again.
Mods removed list:
- Gruppe M carbon fiber Cold Air Intake (from Cole Huneryager)
My thanks to all who have supported my ZHP journey. I enjoyed my ride with this memorable and amazing platform. I will still be in the E46 game but going forward will be exclusively involved with my M3.
It was time for me to move on from my ZHP and get into something different and start having fun pursuing a different path. I am looking forward to new adventures with people passionate about the Mini platform. I will still be available to those who reach out with questions regarding mods I have done to my ZHP so feel free to reach out
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Originally Posted by BMWCurves
