E46 BMW 330 ZHP Buyers Corner -- Is it a good deal?

[slater]

http://jonesford.com/details/2004-BM.../5759971?cid=0

I can currently get this for 8k... thoughts? It was just checked out by a reputable Euro shop there in Charleston. They flushed all fluids, replaced radiator hoses, and put 2 new tires on rear. They said car is very clean and maintained. I talked to shop directly and not dealership. Has cold weather package also.

looks OK, the front end needs some cleaning up (headlight lenses and the paint looks dull), interior is a bit ratty. if you want a steptronic then i guess the trans is not an issue? otherwise looks OK, and orient blue is a nice color. i'd offer $7K.

I think it is a little bit on the high size for pricing for a Auto with that mileage. Plus no factory zhp wheels on it.

i tend to agree with this philosophy but i actually like those style 189's on the ZHP. but the tires are cheapo's, which is something i would change right off the bat.

The car seems to be in very good shape. I believe the wheels are OEM style 119 which comes in 17". You will save on tires on the long term (original OEM style 135 are 18").

those are OEM style 189's, 18x8 ET34 and 18x8.5 ET39 if i remember correctly. they look nice in my opinion.

peter

[danewilson77]

Original price is $9,885. He can get it for $8k. Not sure they'd let it go for $7k.

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[fredo]

Peter ... you are correct on the 189 style, found on some e90 cars. Even better than 119 IMHO !

[C.Bargman]

Hello all,

I am looking at purchasing one of these awesome cars more specifically a 330ci zhp in any color except black and red preferred. I was looking to get your opinion about two cars I am looking at.

I live in Detroit Michigan area

1: I like the car because it's somewhat local and it has the alcantara seats and it looks fairly well maintained. I don't like the car because after talking with the owner I learned he had the car chipped a year ago and he can not provide any real maintenance records. It does not come with winter package which I would love and its black. I think it might be an okay deal if I can get it around 8 but anything much more I feel like I will just have an expensive headache.

http://columbus.craigslist.org/cto/5028366055.html

2: this car I like more but it is a much longer drive which due to my scheduling constraints is a big downside. I like that it's silver and appears to be completely stock. I have not talked with the guy but it appears to be well mantained and I would guess he can provide quite a few service records. As well the price seems reasonable. Again no winter pack. http://littlerock.craigslist.org/cto/5030005095.html

If you guys have any other suggestions please tell me. I've done a lot of searching but very possibly missed something. There seem to be quite a few in CA but I really don't want one that far away. I was hoping to spend no more than 11k but could fluctuate a little if the suspension bushings, cooling system or both have already been replaced considering I will probably have to do both those things shortly after purchase considering the milage I am looking at.

Thanks for any help provided.

[ecrabb]

I am looking at purchasing one of these awesome cars more specifically a 330ci zhp in any color except black and red preferred. I was looking to get your opinion about two cars I am looking at.

Welcome to the forum!!!

Between the two, and just comparing the listings and nothing else, I like the Little Rock car much more. The black one just looks a little more "used". Non-original wheels, aftermarket radio, K&N, chip, and the front valance looks like it needs repainted. It also bugs me when people take photos at the car wash. Seriously? You can't be bothered to drive a mile to a park or at least a parking lot or something? You were AT the car wash, and you couldn't rinse the engine compartment down to take photos? If that's what the car looks like after it's "cleaned up", what does it look like the rest of the time? It's in Columbus, so no doubt it's seen plenty of snow and salt.

I haven't shopped higher-mileage cars much lately, or coupes for that matter, but the price seems pretty decent on the silver car, it seems to be an owner that's a little more cognizant of service (and that somebody would care about service), and appears to be a fairly neat, clean, OEM car. If you like the car, I'd probably engage with him and find out what service has/hasn't been done. Like you said, it'll need CABs and cooling system overhaul if it hasn't been done. Also probably VANOS and DISA, which if you do it yourself, the cost isn't too bad.

I wouldn't worry about the trip out of town. Catch a short flight to Little Rock late on a Friday, grab a cheap room in Little Rock, pick up the car on Saturday morning, and you can be back in the D by bed time. Or, break it up and stay in Indy on Saturday night and roll into the D on Sunday mid-afternoon.

I just went through this with my car. The car I ended up picking was almost twice as far from me as the Little Rock car is from you, so I ended up shipping the car. I'm still waiting for it to be delivered, in fact. If you can't get away, that's an option, too.

BTW, I joined this forum a few years ago, and finally just got a ZHP. You'll enjoy this forum immensely... They're the coolest, most helpful bunch of guys you'll ever find.

Cheers,
SC

[BMWCurves]

I am looking at purchasing one of these awesome cars more specifically a 330ci zhp in any color except black and red preferred. I was looking to get your opinion about two cars I am looking at.

I agree with SC, I like the one in Little Rock more for similar reasons he listed. What is your budget? And what are your other requirements such as manual transmission, Cold Weather Package, etc?

And welcome!

[C.Bargman]

Thanks for the advice so far. It more of less confirms what I was already thinking.

I agree with SC, I like the one in Little Rock more for similar reasons he listed. What is your budget? And what are your other requirements such as manual transmission, Cold Weather Package, etc?

And welcome!

As far as my "ideal car"
330ci
Price: 11k
Convertible: absolutely not
Color: alpine white or topaz blue is first choice. Second choice is anything except red and black
Interior color: black (could go either way on the alcantara)
Winter package: I would really like to have but not required
Premium package: again a bonus I would like
Transmission: manual
Nav: I'm not exactly sure how common this is our if it came bundled with one of the other packages... But I would not mind having it. That said I would probably rather have lower miles over a dated nav system.

I think that's about it...

[danewilson77]

Welcome to the Family


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[STR86]

Hello Fellas! I need your input on this ZHP. Has low miles and looks like it's very clean with maintenance history. Seller mentions it has cold weather package but doesn't look it (confirm?). Also, I understand these cars are getting rarer but $14500 seems steep. Thoughts? Thanks!

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hn...108512987.html

[ecrabb]

That does appear to be a pretty "top dollar" price for that car, but I wouldn't say the price is really that out of line. It's not so much that ZHPs are that rare, but more that ZHPs with lower mileage and in very good shape (that don't need much) are getting rare. You can find cars all day long that have 120k miles on them and need CABs, cooling system overhaul, VANOS, DISA, and half a dozen other things, but an 80k mile car (if it's had at least some of those things done) isn't as plentiful in the marketplace.

I just paid $14,900 for an '04 vert, and looked for M3s and ZHPs for several months to find the car I wanted at my target budget. It only had 41k miles on it, but it needs a grand worth of tires and the wheels reconditioned, and not a single one of those maintenance items I mentioned has been done, save for maybe cooling hoses.

The car you posted has new tires and says it has no curb rash. That's big in my opinion if you care about aesthetics. If it's well-maintained, enthusiast-owned by only two owners, and all up to date, that's pretty huge, and worth every penny in my mind. You can save some significant money buying a higher-mileage car less-maintaied car, but it will likely need enough work that you'll burn up most of the price advantage eventually. It's pretty much a "pay now or pay later" sort of thing. All depends on whether the car is really in the shape the seller claims, and how nice of a car you want.

Get the VIN (or at least the last seven characters) from the seller, and it's easy to confirm exactly what options are on the car.

http://www.bmwvin.com

Cheers,
SC