Hello from Canada,
Thanks fellow lovers of teutonic engineering for creating this site; it's a great resource. I fell in love with the ZHP before even knowing what it was when I tried to buy a black '05 off a lot in Vancouver that specializes in imported California cars. (That guy is really depleting your supply of nice wheels, must say; too bad about your economy 'n' all.) Before I could get a money order together, some more knowledgeable bimmaphile snapped it out from under me – for a grand over asking!
That was enough to get me looking and I was sold after an afternoon on the forums. Spent the next month looking for my ride, then finally found it in Portland: an '03 silver sedan with more miles than I'd like, but only one owner and perks like nav and heated seats. I put down a deposit sight-unseen and headed down to pick it up. It was minty clean, without a rattle or a squeek. I took it into a BMW performance specialty shop called Boyd in Portland for an inspection and they told me I shouldn't hesitate for a second – it had been very well cared for.
Only one problem: that damn tattered alcantara wheel! It's so worn I can't touch it without imagining some sweaty-palmed mouth-breather in the throws of white-knuckle I5 traffic. And I've become quite attached to this car, you see. Nobody wants a constant reminder of his girlfriend's ex – especially not if the image involves him manhandling her as this wheel suggests mine was.
So what can I do? Can I have it re-covered? Where do I find one of these perforated-leather wheels that they started using in '05. With the exception of this flaw, my car is immaculate. The wheel's gotta go.
Thanks for your insight,
Dave