I think so... and I have actual criteria.
http://thecarsofralph.blogspot.com
What’s your best daily driver?
I think so... and I have actual criteria.
http://thecarsofralph.blogspot.com
What’s your best daily driver?
'03 ZHP
Apex, NC
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.
2004 BMW 330i ZHP (52k miles), Jet Black with black leather, MFactory LSD (3.38) with Z4 cover, 18"x8.5" ET38 APEX Arc-8's (Anthracite) with 245/40 Michelin PSS', Koni Sports with factory springs and front and rear reinforcement plates, Shark Injector, Corsa TSE3 cat-back exhaust, TMS under-driven pulleys (water & steering), CDV delete, TMS CF strut brace, K&N CAI, GAS DISA rebuild, TMS pedals, Wheelskins steering wheel cover, roller tray center console, black-out grilles, and WeatherTech mats
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.
Sent from tequila
-Corey
2003 Blue ZHP Sedan @ 210k
Dead due to damaged valve. Parts are being transferred to a wagon:
2003 325iT Japanrot 6MT @ 230k
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.
That is the problem. Anything else comparable in design and performance is heavier, more complex, and a bunch more money.
'03 ZHP
Apex, NC
Ron ///Man
'06 ZHP Coupe 6sp Sparkling Graphite
'02 330ci SE46 Racer
'03 330ci Endurance Racer
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.
1980 320i - Kashmir Metallic - Sold in 1993
1985 535i - Cosmosblau Metallic - Sold in 1995
1985 535i - 1985-06 - Delphin Metallic - Sold in 2016
1983 320i - 1982-09 - Kashmir Metallic - Currently own!
2004 ZHP - 2003-08 - Titanium Metallic - Currently own!
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.
Last edited by Will; 02-14-2019 at 02:45 AM. Reason: grammar and spelling