Hey Folks,
Thought I'd get the ball rolling on this long term project. Last Thursday I took delivery of the Rogue Engineering - built 2003 330i ZHP complete with E46 M3 powertrain. I must say it took the shippers a long time to even begin transporting the car and it was also exposed to some nasty weather along the way. Needless to say the car was absolutely filthy when it was driven off the trailer. When I mean filthy I must say that I was beginning to have doubts about whether I made a good decision. Before it came off the trailer I immediately came to the conclusion that the front bumper cover would need a complete sanding and re-spray of fresh ImolaRot. This came as no surprise though as the previous owner alerted me of the driveway / kit-kat abuse it has seen. I am not the one driving the car here, this is the driver of the transport trailer during offload:
Another downside to the filth was that it was very difficult to see any new scratches / blemishes in the paint. For an additional charge you can usually have the Auto Transport company wash the car before delivery. I thought this would be a waste of money since I would be thoroughly cleaning the car anyway. Maybe a lesson learned here. Driving nearly 3000 miles across the country (especially during winter) is going to seriously camouflage any damage that might occur during the transport. Only after washing the car an hour later did I find a nice fresh scratch on the rear bumper cover behind the RR tire.
Before letting the driver head off I checked the trunk for the 'trunk of goodies' and all seemed kosher. The previous owner passed along some extras that will certainly save me some money down the road. These include extra wiper blades, 12 quarts of 10w-60 Castrol, two oil filters, a fuel filter, BMW sunshade, spare set of Brembo brake pads, and also a CD that documented the valve adjustment the S54 received back in November of 2010. Trunk of goodies:
After the driver left and the car was just sitting there in my apartment complex I looked around for a bit scratching my head. Only after a few minutes did it dawn on me that the next logical step would be to open the driver's door and drive the car out of the middle of the street and into a parking spot, unload all the extras into the garage, check for the key and the title, and then plan on where / what to do next. The moment I sat down in the car I noticed something was already awry. The steering wheel seemed to be pointed more towards the left side of my chest rather than my sternum. In other words, the right side of the steering wheel is closer to me than the left. Oh boy. The doubts and concerns I had after seeing the car in such a filthy state immediately started to escalate. My mind started firing off questions and scenarios leading to the fact that this car may have been involved in accidents and may not be an unscathed car (as it was advertised).
Oil checked, tire pressures okay - time to drive it around the block. I was trying to convince myself that the steering wheel being tilted might have simply been a matter of PCMS (Pre Coffee Morning Syndrome). Unfortunately this did not prove to be the case however as I confirmed my initial assessment. After the first few hundred feet the first bit of positive energy started flowing through my veins as I began to sense how healthy the powertrain felt. I was aware that the S54 had nearly 2000 fewer miles than the car (which arrived with 53,483 miles on the clock), but the engine felt smooth and the drivetrain responsive. I heard and felt a bit of a 'clunk' from the front end while gently navigating the subtle speed bumps and gutters in my apartment complex. Thinking lower control arms / bushings.
So after the initial shake down around the block I thought the best place to take it would be to my friend's shop to have it smogged - Aliso Viejo Auto Service: http://http://www.alisoviejoautoservice.com (I like to call it AVAS. My friend Shane owns the shop and used to work at Crevier BMW. He is quite possibly one of the nicest and most honest people to ever walk the Earth and is one very talented technician. On top of that his passion is driving and he understands those anal needs and concerns we enthusiasts have. Shane performed a pre-test and told me that there was a strong chance the car was not going to pass. Well, rules is rules and in California emissions are more strict (and tough to pass) than in any other state. Shane's tuned ear had him thinking it might be spark plug coils on their way out as he heard a very slight miss, but at the same time these cars run on the ragged edge of cleanliness here in CA as they are high output, etc. Therefore he assured me it could be something as simple as a dirty air filter. Shane and my friend Ardy (some of you might know Ardy as he is the yellow Honda S2000 pilot at San Diego autocross events) spotted some blemishes in the clear coat on the right side of the car. Looks like the car might have been victim to objects (or fluids?) making contact as there are tiny imperfections that will need to be worked out (last on my list).
The next day I meet my friend Ralph (who owns the Rogue E46 'M3 Wagon') at Bullet Performance in Costa Mesa: http://www.bulletmotorworks.com. I've known the Bullet guys since around 1998 and have always appreciated their enthusiasm, expertise, welcoming spirit. They're a busy outfit and quite possbily one of the largest independent BMW service facilities in North America. Whether club racing, go karting, or hanging out over a few beers with them, I have always felt very welcome and know that they have and will always be looking out for my best interests. Ralph and I really wanted to check the car out and get them side by side. We began going through a checklist of possible culprits preventing passed emissions. We swapped AFMs to see if we could eliminate that slight miss which could've been messing with the emissions (Ralph had a similar symptom which was cured by a new AFM unit in the past). Then, after checking the air filter we found what looked like a K&N drop-in that was extremely filthy, over-lubricated, and grimed-up beyond belief. BMW factory filter was in there within minutes. We were about to replace the spark plug coils until Ralph felt that the #6 coil may not have been pressed-in completely (we heard a 'click' when pressing down). So this immediately (and especially with limited finances post car puchase) had me thinking it was worth a shot at the Smog before investing in coils. I should also note that the computer / diagnostic tool we plugged in showed no faults with the coils. I feel that with a clean BMW air filter, properly-fitted #6 spark plug coil, and a nearing empty gas tank, the car was due for round 2 at AVAS. I have a feeling the New Jersey fuel (which has been sitting in the car for a few months) may not have helped matters with the smog as it doesn't possess all the environmentally-conscious ingredients we get to enjoy here in CA. So now with Shell 91 in the car combined with the clean air filter and probable coil fix, the Rogue ZHP may very well pass.
Next step - Revitalization. I am fortunate to have a friend that is quite possibly the most passionate car enthusiasts I have ever met. He has owned an E39 M5 and a Porsche Turbo (RWD...from the 80's) and was one of the first people to give me their blessing when I first expressed interest in the Rogue ZHP. This last Saturday morning Jeff cleared out his garage and put all household and family obligations on hold to undo the New Jersey Imolarust and revitalize the Imolarot that has been drowned underneath. Jeff is what I would consider a detail specialist and in my opinion his work is concours quality. I would say that we spent half of Saturday working on the outside, but that would be a lie. Jeff spent half the day and I spent half the day looking over his shoulder in awe. The brake dust had been sitting on the wheels for so long that it was rusted into the finish. While I plan to replace them with ARC-8s, I still wanted to clean them up as much as possible for their next owner. Needless to say, Jeff had to take a very high power pressure washer to the wheels and we were able to remove 90% of the brake dust (and maybe some of the clear coat?). The following morning I headed back to Jeff's for the interior of the car and Jeff made the good interior look absolutely stunning. The only real blemish is the left lower (thigh) bolster which is starting to collapse. I know this is common, but the interior is so nice that it may be worth one day addressing. The Rogue ZHP 10 minutes following Jeff's treatment:
Now it's time to tend to matters that need addressing.
-Fix steering wheel issue
-Lower control arms (remove and replace)
-Front Bumper re-spray / paint
-Front plate delete molding 51 11 8 195 304
-Right front clear corner marker (condensation inside) 63 13 6 915 384
-New bulbs on both sides
-ARC-8 wheels non-staggered, probably Anthracite. Thinking 18x9s and with Eli's blessing I feel more comfortable as I'll have someone to blame if they don't fit ;-)
-maybe a stock E46 m3 shifter. The Rogue is a bit short for me
-thoroughly clean (and maybe pressure wash) the underside of the car and polish the full exhaust.
-even out the clear coat imperfects on the right side (rear quarter, A pillar, & hood).
I must say the ZHP is a treat to own. These cars are very unique and a joy to drive. On top of that the Rogue Engineering transplant in 2004 transformed the car from a sporty sedan into a menacing yet unassuming animal. I've never been a power hungry driver and have always appreciated the momentum game. BMW's factory spiced M54 found in ZHP cars is one heck of a powerplant. I do love the additional 100hp plus, but without a job and rising gas prices I have a feeling the car is getting tired of my premature shifting! Regarding the work that Rogue performed. Opening the engine bay was just uneventful. Yes, it was a bit dirty, but you really must take a second glance to realize what Rogue Engineering really did to this car. The cleanliness of the work was that of which you'd expect from the factory. A number of friends of mine (one of which has over 30 years of experience as a BMW mechanic!) did not know what they were looking at. A couple of times I had to mention the engine was 'different' only to have them turn their attention back to the engine bay and say "oh my, I didn't even notice that" (not in such proper English of course). There are no check engine lights, no odd-noises, no real complaints aside from the small issues I have already mentioned and intend to surmount. I feel lucky. I should not forget to mention the Rogue Engineering parts (flywheel, power pullies, transmission mounts, short shifter, and custom exhaust) seem to operate flawlessly in conjunction with some of the other aftermarket parts (Bilstein PSS9s, Brembo GT brakes, etc.) resulting in a sporty but not overly-obnoxious package. I will be doing my best to adjust to the Rogue shifter
More to come of course. Thanks so much for reading. It is hard to convey here, but the ZHP Mafia has so far made buying a ZHP much more comforting and enjoyable. I am also fortunate to be in contact with Ben Liaw of Rogue Engineering who is truly an enthusiastic and helpful person who without a doubt knows every nook and cranny of the car. Can't wait for the fun times and education to be had here at ZHPmafia.com.
Sincerely,
Terry Best
98 318ti
90 M3
2003 Rogue 330i ZHP
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