Materials to Maintain Your ZHP IIIII Hand Protection IIIII Tools to Maintain Your ZHP
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    227

    Wink Ed's Mystic ZHP Project and Maintenance Log

    Hey guys! Some of you may have seen me in the ZHP wanted/for sale section looking for a car. Well one came up in the Charlotte area, looked decent, and had a good history, so I jumped on it. Flew up last Friday to carry out the transaction in person, after originally trying to get a family friend to help out, which just complicated things. I happened to have that Friday off by random chance!

    This is a 2004 330i ZHP 6MT in mystic blue over alcantara
    Acquired at 108,600 miles
    I am the fourth owner: first owner = 7.5 years @ 8200mi/yr; 2nd owner = 6 years @ 5000mi/yr; 3rd owner = 9 months @ 6000 miles
    No carfax issues, no accidents reported, no damage reported

    I got a stack of maintenance papers from the PO, which dated back to when the car was new.


    Quick maintenance history from POs:
    - Regular BMW maintenance performed at BMW dealer through 2012 up to 62k miles, including a few oil changes that were only 1-2k miles apart because it had been a year since the previous change
    Drive belts @ 60k
    Driver's window regulator @ 61k
    2nd owner changed oil and filter every 5k miles
    Car tinted @ 62k
    A/C charged @ 77k
    OFHG, valve cover gaskets, spark plugs, coolant expansion tank, lower radiator hose, rear rotors, pads, and sensors, oil change, and coolant flush @ 87k
    A/C charged again @ 91k
    Passenger window regulator @ 94k
    Oxygen sensors, brake fluid flush #3, fuel system cleaned, fuel adaptations reset (?) @ 101k
    Driver and passenger airbag recall @ 102k
    OEM white turn signals, engine and cabin air filters, spark plugs, headlight covers and gaskets, ZHP shift knob, washer fluid pump, windshield cowl cover, black grills, thermostat, and coolant @ 104-108k
    Headliner replaced within the last 9 months

    Here it is outside the DMV, right before I got my temporary tag to drive home (more pics in following post):




    The car is not without it's issues. Here's my list to start, roughly prioritized. Need some help working these issues out as I learn these cars more. I know my E38 inside and out, but don't know the common issues / quirks of these E46s.

    First two huge issues that drive me crazy:
    1. Headlight reflector bowls burned. Can barely see at night. Need headlights pronto.
    2. There are multiple misfires/stumbling through 2500-3000 rpm over more than 50% throttle (this is what threw my SES light halfway home on my trip down from NC, when I was in top gear and goosing it to feel the misfire. My OBD code reader read P2240: O2 sensor positive current control circuit / open bank 2 sensor 1.) I clearned the code and it hasn't come back, but the misfire is still there and very obvious. There's definitely loss of power through that band. Is this a common issue? Coils maybe going bad? Don't want to do any long term damage driving it like this.

    - Exterior mirrors don't work. In fact, if the switch is in the driver's position, the mirror will move on its own in various directions. Very annoying
    - Both passenger door vapor barriers are leaking, because water is getting on the door sills and seals. I hope it is not leaking inside...
    - Rain sensor does not work. I noticed the windshield has been replaced because the glass is made my Fayuo, which I'm nearly certain isn't OEM. My E38 is Sekurit and the rest of the glass on this car is Pilkington. Not sure if that is the reason. I pulled the fuse for the drive so I could at least get the interval wipers working.
    - Alarm does not make noise when locked and alarm light on mirror does not blink, but doors all lock
    - Need to get Lamin-x for front lights (already got a rock into the passenger side new lens on the trip down that caused a small crack!!)
    - The driver's front door tweeter is dead. Not sure if this is linked to the mirror issue. In the E38, the plugs can get swapped between the speakers and door memory buttons and can cause weird issues.
    - The right rear midrange speaker in the back deck is not working (both subs in the trunk work)
    - Need new rear ash tray roller
    - Need new arm rest tray
    - Arm rest is worn
    - Steering wheel shows wear
    - Front seat outside bolsters show wear
    - Radio knob only turns up the radio no matter which way you turn it ???
    - Headliner not quite hooked up right in the rear, so the CHMSL cover is hanging down on one side
    - Moonroof sliding cover has high resistance (probably related to headliner install?)
    - PO said oil pan gasket was damp. I know it's a common problem on these cars, so I'm not going to worry about it much right now, since it isn't a significant leak.
    - Rear lights on trunk lid are cracking - want to replace all rear amber lights with white (ideally the LED ones I see on 06+ cars. can this be done?)
    - Full paint correction with Griot's Polywax to finish
    - Should probably replace transmission and diff fluids and an oil change
    - Need new power steering cap o-ring

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    227
    Outside Walmart after grabbing some road trip supplies. It was raining the whole time, so couldn't take a bunch of pictures.


    Stopped at my favorite place for lunch (Cookout!!) after driving for about 30 minutes and getting into SC:




    Cajun chicken sandwich, corn dog, fries, and banana pudding shake: $6 yesssss


    It was overall pretty well maintained. I drove it all 10.5 hours back to my parent's place in south Florida for the weekend and then another 3 hours back to Tampa. It did 32 mpg driving down from NC to FL. Incredible. I didn't have any major issues to speak of on the trip down, except it threw and SES light, and I found out the headlights absolutely suck.

    Snapped a couple pics at a rest stop in SC once the weather cleared up a bit. Paint's not bad, but definitely need a correction and good waxing. I don't think it's been clayed in its life and may not have been waxed in years.




    Missed it flipping 109k, but caught 109,009


    The headlights were absolutely terrible. I drove with basically the fog lights. I stopped at Advance Auto in hopes it was just a bulb issue, but realized the headlights had to come out to get at the bulbs. Not gonna happen without tools. You can see the headlights are dimmer than the light on the side of the building!


    Not much light to speak of:


    I posted on here and they suggested I take a look at the reflector bowls, which were exactly the problem. Burned to hell. I quickly sprayed them with some chrome paint just to hopefully improve things a little. It's marginally better but not much.


    Snapped this pic outside the American Airlines Arena in Miami before the Heat game. Got hooked up with some sick courtside seats. What a great weekend! What a great looking car couldn't be happier!



    So excited to be a part of this forum where you all seem to be a pretty close group! Hopefully I can work out these issues with the car for not too much more money, since with this list I have, I feel like I may have over paid a bit for the car. But then again with some of the other cars out there listed for sale with really high miles and little to no history, this isn't bad for not having not much over 100k miles. I just hope I don't find any major surprises...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2016
    Location
    Greensboro, NC
    Posts
    3,650
    Looks great! Mystic is such a pretty blue (but let’s be honest all BMW blues are pretty)

    Now I really want Cookout...
    Emma - 2005 BMW 330ci ZHP 6MT Estorilblau Individual

    Sportline 8s 18x8.5F - 18x9.5R | APEX ARC-8 18x8.5 Square | aFe Intake | 135i Brembo F/R Calipers | 26mm Front/20mm Rear Sway Bars | Z4 Mirror
    M3 Dead Pedal | Lexus ES300 Yellow Fog Light Retrofit | Koni Yellows/H&R Springs | Llumar CTX 40% | Coby Tri-Stitch Wheel & Boots

    Awaiting Install: M3 Wing Mirrors

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Austin TX
    Posts
    7,597
    Congrats, man. Glad to hear this ZHP is in good hands.
    2005 IR / black / 6MT
    157,000 miles

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    227
    Thanks guys. Yeah, the blue is beautiful. I can't wait to compound and polish it.

    Any thoughts on the misfire issue? And the mirror issues? Should I post a different thread for the misfires?

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    18,064
    Quote Originally Posted by fredo View Post
    Congrats, man. Glad to hear this ZHP is in good hands.
    +1. Yes, post the issues in another thread so they might get read by more people.

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
    Randeaux/Rando/John/jr - '06 Cic ZHP; Southern California
    "ZHP or not, I still like you"


    ZHP Performance Package, Cold Weather Package, Leather, Jet Black/Black/BlackCube, NAV, Anthracite Black "my individual" interior trim
    ESS Stage 1 Twin Screw Supercharger, Sprint Booster, BMW Perf Intake, Magnaflow Exhaust, Dinan TB & STEP S/W, UCC Sway Bars, Apex EC-7 18x8.5 ET38
    Suspension: AST 44100 dampers, Bimmerworld front adjustable end links, Swift springs (8K front, 10K rear), Vorshlag camber plates
    Dynavin D99+, Hardwire V1 (w/V1 Connection), BSW Stage 1 Speakers, Kicker Amp/Subwoofer
    BMW Performance Strut Brace, Orion V2 Angel Eyes, No-holes License Plate, SMG Paddle Shift Mod, Besian VANOS, Gold DISA, Fan Delete, M3 Side Mirrors
    Note: Actual car no longer resembles signature picture

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2017
    Location
    Bay Area
    Posts
    33
    Congrats on the purchase!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Austin TX
    Posts
    7,597
    Are you sure the car has factory alarm ? Run the last 7 of VIN thru mdecoder.com to find out.
    2005 IR / black / 6MT
    157,000 miles

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Ft. Lauderdale, FL
    Posts
    227
    I guess it doesn't? Did BMW make cars without alarms? It has "S876A Radio frequency 315 MHz". What's the option code for alarm? Why would BMW not put an alarm in a 40k+ car?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 1970
    Location
    Southern California
    Posts
    18,064
    They definitely made them without alarms

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
    Randeaux/Rando/John/jr - '06 Cic ZHP; Southern California
    "ZHP or not, I still like you"


    ZHP Performance Package, Cold Weather Package, Leather, Jet Black/Black/BlackCube, NAV, Anthracite Black "my individual" interior trim
    ESS Stage 1 Twin Screw Supercharger, Sprint Booster, BMW Perf Intake, Magnaflow Exhaust, Dinan TB & STEP S/W, UCC Sway Bars, Apex EC-7 18x8.5 ET38
    Suspension: AST 44100 dampers, Bimmerworld front adjustable end links, Swift springs (8K front, 10K rear), Vorshlag camber plates
    Dynavin D99+, Hardwire V1 (w/V1 Connection), BSW Stage 1 Speakers, Kicker Amp/Subwoofer
    BMW Performance Strut Brace, Orion V2 Angel Eyes, No-holes License Plate, SMG Paddle Shift Mod, Besian VANOS, Gold DISA, Fan Delete, M3 Side Mirrors
    Note: Actual car no longer resembles signature picture

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