Micheles New Rocket Ship-Impressions after 1 Week

[MsRN]

In Heinleins The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, the official motto of the lunar colony is TANSTAAFL--There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch. Not surprisingly, this ethos turned up in a lot of Heinleins work. Source notwithstanding, they're words to remember well, and they bring me to the start of this review.

The good: I now own a 330Ci ZHP that can probably outrun an unmodded E46 M3. What's more, it has M3 seats, semiforged wheels, and adaptive Bosch headlights. Maintenance history, if not exactly old school, is really quite decent. Brakes are at 6mm front and rear. A short shifter of one sort or another appears to be present. The car corners as if on rails, accelerates with authority (and then some), and just plain works like a BMW ought to. And let's be honest: stick just rocks my world!

The not-terrific: I originally mentioned that I thought the car needed a CDV delete; I no longer believe this to be true. Except at startup, shifts are smooth and seamless (anyone need a Zeckhausen modified CDV?). At startup, the engine stutters (badly) in low gear/at low revs, and is worse as temperatures drop. Once the engine is warm, the problem disappears. Salient facts include a) a small valve cover gasket leak that was apparently known of for more than a year before I bought the car, and; b) a cryptic note from the S/C installer in November 2009 about a failing fuel pump and/or filter. Then, of course, there's the little T-stat open failure that magically manifested itself on arrival to Wisconsin. The brake fluid--ostensibly changed back in May--had become significantly moisture-laden and red(dye?)-colored after three months and 400 miles of driving. The grey M3 seats show significant new wear after ten days (can anyone say 'dye job'? Repeat after me...).

Before anyone assumes I'm whining, let me make something clear: I was at-least somewhat suspicious that my seller is a 'car flipper' before I purchased the car. I am now much more-inclined to that view. That view nothwithstanding, I really love this car. I'm hopeful that a new fuel filter, valve cover gasket, spark plugs and VANOS gasket will work wonders for the cold hesitation and near-stalls. Leather can (eventually will) be re-done. Brake fluid is cheap. And I already have almost everything I need for a coolant system overhaul.

Oh, yeah...here's an interesting thing to chew on, for all you engineering types: per the OBC, estimated fuel economy when I refilled tonight was 32.7mpg after 342 miles. Per direct calculation, ACTUAL fuel economy was 24.45mpg. While several competing theories occupy my little brain, I posit this one to those of you who are technically-gifted: could the S/C setup and/or programming really screw up the OBCs fuel economy algorithm that badly? More data to come as I put more miles on my rocket sled and fix what ails her...

[MsRN]

Oh, yeah...and pics!

[johnrando]

Unfortunately I can't answer your questions, but I'm riveted to hear the outcome. I really hope those minor fixes can tame this awesome beast you own, as many of us are living vicariously through you. We need a Stewie "Rocket Man" smiley for your posts.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Michele, I know you're not going to whine but let me do a little for you.

The seller sounds like a piece of work. Were these problems buried in the maintenance records? It's obvious our seller didn't disclose anything verbally. Dye job on the seats? Nice. Dickhead. It's a BS move for not disclosing that.

I could go on and on but suffice it to say that people like this drove me when I was a news reporter covering wall street. I hated fraudsters. You have no idea how much I wish this guy was a wall street operator back in the day. Would have loved to put a guy like that in jail.

End rant.


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[danewilson77]

Michele, I know you're not going to whine but let me do a little for you.

The seller sounds like a piece of work. Were these problems buried in the maintenance records? It's obvious our seller didn't disclose anything verbally. Dye job on the seats? Nice. Dickhead. It's a BS move for not disclosing that.

I could go on and on but suffice it to say that people like this drove me when I was a news reporter covering wall street. I hated fraudsters. You have no idea how much I wish this guy was a wall street operator back in the day. Would have loved to put a guy like that in jail.

End rant.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

+1. That's a crock of sheet.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[Johnmadd]

That's a very nice car, but, a highly modded engine requires eagle eye maintenance, do all gaskets and fluids change. I have commented before on here that the obc can be inaccurate and to do the math manually.

[Oli77]

Congratulations on the new wheels.

No pics?

With respect to the OBC mileage, does the MPH gauge also reads too fast? It would have to be >25% off.

Had you reset it before your trip?

[MsRN]

Michele, I know you're not going to whine but let me do a little for you.

The seller sounds like a piece of work. Were these problems buried in the maintenance records? It's obvious our seller didn't disclose anything verbally. Dye job on the seats? Nice. Dickhead. It's a BS move for not disclosing that.

I could go on and on but suffice it to say that people like this drove me when I was a news reporter covering wall street. I hated fraudsters. You have no idea how much I wish this guy was a wall street operator back in the day. Would have loved to put a guy like that in jail.

End rant.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Marcus, thank you for whining on my behalf! At risk of seeming a Pollyanna, I beg permission to clarify...

When I first started this thread, I intended TANSTAAFL to be its central theme. Between being tired and feeling a bit peevish, I let caveat emptor creep in as a secondary theme, and created a mixed message. To wit: of the complaints I listed, I was aware--at least in part--of the brake fluid issue and valve cover gasket prior to purchase. I wasn't aware of the ongoing, long-term nature of the gasket leak; it was presented for my discovery on the POs May 2011 PPI, which he was so kind as to supply to me. Ostensibly, the brake fluid was changed by the POs shop in May 2011, so its high moisture content and strange color were at odds with the shops practice of pressure bleeding with bulk ATE brake fluid. I can only assume (based on other data) that the tech flushing the fluid did either a shoddy job or no job at all, but billed for it anyway. We have a gallon of Type 200 in the garage, and a set of Stoptech stainless lines, so I wasn't overly bothered by this latter revelation.

With regards to the t-stat, I have to give the seller the benefit of the doubt. After all, how many of us knew early in ownership exactly how the E46 t-stat or temp gauge behave? I certainly didn't.

As regards the leather, the seller/PO owned my car for 4 months and 400 miles. Even a poor cover-up dye job could conceivably last that long. Maybe.

Where the seller sinned egregiously was in omitting the startup problems, which he HAD to know about. To my mind, that is where the clearest fraud was committed. That he 'had no access to a fax' and therefore couldn't send me all records in advance sounds a lot less innocuous in hindsight. Likewise, his passive disclosure of problems looks a little bit more suspicious to me. The bulk of my upset, though, is reserved for the startup problem, which could be serious and costly. THAT's what's inexcusable, in my opinion.

So, caveat emptor, Mafiosi! Anyway, I'm going to bed. 'Night all!

[jreyes19]

Wow sounds like a sweet ride
the silver lining is that
yes, it has its problems, but fixing them is what makes the car feel more personal

plus vanos, valve cover, cooling spark plugs (ignition coils) and many of the other stuff are things you would have to change later on any ways so they may solve your problem, and it would take any money that you wouldnt have had to spend later on, in the car

hope all works out for you
please make a video of the S/C whine

[MsRN]

Wow sounds like a sweet ride
the silver lining is that
yes, it has its problems, but fixing them is what makes the car feel more personal

plus vanos, valve cover, cooling spark plugs (ignition coils) and many of the other stuff are things you would have to change later on any ways so they may solve your problem, and it would take any money that you wouldnt have had to spend later on, in the car

hope all works out for you
please make a video of the S/C whine

You are absolutely right! If I'm lucky, one or another of these will fix my startup problem, too...

If I haven't been absolutely clear, please excuse me. On balance, I'm very pleased with the car.

And yes, if I must share whining, supercharger whining is definitely the way to go!