Lazlo's Log - 2006 ZHP

[Karl Lazlo]

08/25/15 - 85,905. Purchased

08/27/15 - 86,1xxx. Oil & Filter Change

10/30/15 - 93,xxx. Replaced flat RR. Swapped 135s mounted with Connie DWS for Type 72s with Connie ExtremeContact DW

11/23/15 - 95,699. First service:
- Control Arms, LCABs, VANOS oil line & seals, idler pulley & belts, plugs, fuel filter, CDV delete, VCG and OFHG.
- Oil Change.
- M&B Snows on 17" - Blizzak WS80

01/10/16 - 100,000.

01/16/16 - 100,719. Installed Dinan Bar.

03/11/16 - 106,053. Replaced battery.

03/15/16 - 106,241. Replaced alternator.

04/16/16 - 108,271 Spring Service:
- New Konis all four corners
- New upper strut mounts (OEM) with reinforcement plates
- New F sway bar bushings (OEM)
- New RSMs and RTABs (Rogue)
- LOF
- Summer tires and alignment

5/12/16 - 109,035 alignment #2
http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?8698-What-did-you-do-for-your-ZHP-BMW-MINI-today-2&p=489425#post489425

12/10/16 - 122,xxx
- Oil Change
- Swap over winter tires
- LCABs (27k of life from them? WTF)
- Brakes all 4 corners

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr216/Karl_Lazlo/Public/2015-09-07%2012.05.25_zpsmeafbzkh.jpg (http://s485.photobucket.com/user/Karl_Lazlo/media/Public/2015-09-07%2012.05.25_zpsmeafbzkh.jpg.html)

[danewilson77]

Mmm...so minty fresh. Ahhh....

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[Karl Lazlo]

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr216/Karl_Lazlo/Public/20160110_175331-1-1_zpst9utx77z.jpg (http://s485.photobucket.com/user/Karl_Lazlo/media/Public/20160110_175331-1-1_zpst9utx77z.jpg.html)

[Vas]

100k. Car is ruined now

[BMWCurves]

I'll give you about tree fiddy for it.

[Sockethead]

I remember posting the same picture when mine rolled over a couple of years ago :)

[Karl Lazlo]

100k. Car is ruined now

It sure is. Time to dump it for a Camry.

[Vas]

It sure is. Time to dump it for a Camry.
Accord sport.

[Karl Lazlo]

Accord sport.

Too flashy for me.

[az3579]

Too flashy for me.
Corolla. The Camry has too many gadgets.

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[Karl Lazlo]

Corolla. The Camry has too many gadgets.


Can't do that. I have too many exes with Corollas. They give me the willies.

[Karl Lazlo]

100,719.

Took the laundry off my strut bar and installed it tonight. Also, for the record, taking certain "liberties" with speed limit are less fun on snow tires than summer tires.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr216/Karl_Lazlo/Public/20160116_174127_zpsmrejhnrj.jpg (http://s485.photobucket.com/user/Karl_Lazlo/media/Public/20160116_174127_zpsmrejhnrj.jpg.html)

[cakM3]

Looks great Ray! :thumbsup

[az3579]

Definitely a better use for it than as a clothes rack.

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[johnrando]

Much btr in the car.

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[Karl Lazlo]

Much btr in the car.

I'm not so sure. I did like it holding up my shirts and a couple of suits. Looked Classy A.F.

[Karl Lazlo]

Just ordered a bunch of suspension bits today. Going under the knife on the 21st to pull off the snows and refresh the running gear.

[Vas]

I am removing the winter tires as well this weekend

[cakM3]

Definitely a better use for it than as a clothes rack.

It had to be done....

Looks good Ray!!


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[fw_fw]

Definitely a better use for it than as a clothes rack.


I will gladly swap an OE clothes rack for anyone who has a Dinan bar to help out......that's the kinda guy I am!

[Karl Lazlo]

I will gladly swap an OE clothes rack for anyone who has a Dinan bar to help out......that's the kinda guy I am!

Is it a Rogue Engineering clothes rack?

[Karl Lazlo]

UPS visited today. Still awaiting my box from FCP... Rogue showed up. I'm happy.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/rr216/Karl_Lazlo/Public/20160309_205406-1_zpsllobomrb.jpg (http://s485.photobucket.com/user/Karl_Lazlo/media/Public/20160309_205406-1_zpsllobomrb.jpg.html)

[Vas]

Are you doing shocks as well ?

[Karl Lazlo]

Are you doing shocks as well ?

Yup. Went the Koni route. I have had a long standing aversion to Koni since a bad experience with my Audi some years back.

[Vas]

Nice. Same here.

[slater]

Yup. Went the Koni route. I have had a long standing aversion to Koni since a bad experience with my Audi some years back.

i found them under-damped in audi applications. loved them in honda applications.

considering trying them out on the ZHP with stock springs or eibach pro-kits. wife is not a fan of the bilstein PSS.

[Vas]

i found them under-damped in audi applications. loved them in honda applications.

considering trying them out on the ZHP with stock springs or eibach pro-kits. wife is not a fan of the bilstein PSS.
How come?

[AggieBlake]

+1 on the koni sports. Had great success with them on my Miata. I installed the rears 2 weeks ago and love them. Fronts go on this weekend. Good call with the Rogue RSM's - it will make adjusting the rear shocks a bit easier since you have to remove them to adjust damping.

[slater]

How come?

she feels they are too 'stiff' - and, the roads around here got really undulating this winter, moreso than usual for some reason... and she did not like it (neither did i). the bilstein PSS were quite busy, and made for not very smooth journeys. now that it's warming up a bit, the roads are smoother and they feel better. but they also have settled a lot and to be honest, i think the fronts might be too low for me (i've got them set at their highest setting).

so, in that light, i am curious about trying the konis (w/ 911 rears - slightly shorter stroke, top-adjustable), with either eibach pro-kits or stock ZHP springs - that was my backup choice anyway if i didn't go with the bilstein PSS.

[Vas]

she feels they are too 'stiff' - and, the roads around here got really undulating this winter, moreso than usual for some reason... and she did not like it (neither did i). the bilstein PSS were quite busy, and made for not very smooth journeys. now that it's warming up a bit, the roads are smoother and they feel better. but they also have settled a lot and to be honest, i think the fronts might be too low for me (i've got them set at their highest setting).

so, in that light, i am curious about trying the konis (w/ 911 rears - slightly shorter stroke, top-adjustable), with either eibach pro-kits or stock ZHP springs - that was my backup choice anyway if i didn't go with the bilstein PSS.

Hmm now you got ideas in my head about your pss

[slater]

Hmm now you got ideas in my head about your pss

i think for performance driving, they are spectacular. the car just feels on point.

i had a drive yesterday with the family in the car, and the rear was feeling a bit bouncy - not like it was when i installed back in november. i'm wondering if i have a bad shock back there - but there's no leakage that i could see when i swapped wheels out on saturday. will have to pull them (more easily now thanks to the RE mounts!) and test them.

[Karl Lazlo]

03/11/16 - 106,053. Replaced battery.

Well, the new battery didn't solve my intermittent battery light. Time for a new voltage regulator.

[Johnmadd]

Make sure the new one has an oval plug. :/

[Karl Lazlo]

Make sure the new one has an oval plug. :/

On it.

[Karl Lazlo]

Got my car back today. Spent the last week at the doctor's.

108,271

New Konis all four corners
New upper strut mounts (OEM) with reinforcement plates
New F sway bar bushings (OEM)
New RSMs and RTABs (Rogue)
LOF
Put on summer meats (Connie ECDW) and alignment
Car wash

Feels so nice

[BMWCurves]

Nice, must feel great. Those are very similar upgrades to mine and I love the way it feels now.

[Karl Lazlo]

Nice, must feel great. Those are very similar upgrades to mine and I love the way it feels now.
It does feel very nice. So nice, in fact, that I am not even driving it. Been spending time in my 03 and making a mental checklist of what I need for it. RSMs and RTABs are top of that list.

[Karl Lazlo]

What started as a quick snow tire change over this week... 12/10/16 122,xxx miles.

LOB along with snow tire change. But, they noticed that the LCABs were about done, so they changed them. I got 27k miles on them. WTF? Had them changed at a 95k service last year. And, while it's in there, refreshed rotors and pads on all four corners.

[Sockethead]

I usually get at least 40k out of them. We're they Meyles by any chance? They didn't last too long when I used them...

[Karl Lazlo]

I usually get at least 40k out of them. We're they Meyles by any chance? They didn't last too long when I used them...

Likely. i went through my receipts and didn't see them in my 95k order. My shop must have ordered them. FOILED AGAIN!

Lemforders went in this time.

[Sockethead]

Yep! That's what I used this time around too...

[Karl Lazlo]

Well, took my ZHP in for some elective cosmetic surgery. There were a number of nagging issues. The front bumper cover was fizzucked, some small hail damage, and other things that were driving me crazy. Call it mission creep, call it a refresh... well, pretty much every panel except the roof and trunk are getting resprayed. Plus, a replacement of the bumper cover, wheel wells, etc...

3321333214

[fredo]

In for after pics. What's the ETA ?

[Karl Lazlo]

The car has been there for a month. With the recent storm and insurance jobs, the shop is slammed. Plus, I'm a very flexible customer. I should have it the week of July 4th.

Plus the added bonus of finding broken parts as he tore it down. I had to add a few things to my list.

It is in good hands. The ZHP is sharing space with a number of BMWs, Ferraris, Astons, etc...

[Sockethead]

It's going to look great when done! Is that metallic or jet black?
One of these days my car will get that treatment too... black cars... My car is feeling especially rickety after driving the new car

[Karl Lazlo]

Das Schwartz II

Black cars look uber sexy for.about 10 minutes.

If it comes out how I expect, the 03 will show up, as well.

[johnrando]

Looking forward to results

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[Karl Lazlo]

Well, picked up the ZHP today. To say I am pleased with the results would be an understatement. Beyond reasonable due care and thoroughness on my car was exercised by the shop owner and his team.

I have had the ZHP for about 3 years now and ever since I bought it, it needed some cosmetic work. Instead of band aids and piecemeal work, do it all at once.

The hardware that was replaced:

- New bumper cover (the old one was hammered shit)
- Inner fender/wheel well liners and ducts
- New fogs and sidemarkers
- Headlight bracket (LF)
- Roof rails
- Wing mirror glass (x2)
- F & R Roundels (of course)

Labor

All but the roof and trunk were refinished and sprayed in original color. Roof, trunk, A pillars were hit with PDR. Rear bumper cover was refinished, as was the driver's side impact trim and skirts. Entire car was buffed, polished, and prayed over. Hood was fizzucked with rock chips, smaller dents, all repaired perfectly. Removed parts to affect paint were reinstalled with new hardware (door latches, headlights, liners, bumper covers, mirrors).

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/857/28870596247_738cdc3fc3_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/KZcmqP)20180802_122216 (https://flic.kr/p/KZcmqP) by Lazlo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158883053@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1834/43806841641_e804e5faf2_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/29K4vP8)20180802_122207 (https://flic.kr/p/29K4vP8) by Karl Lazlo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158883053@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1833/28870596037_6cfeafadbb_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/KZcmnc)20180802_122750 (https://flic.kr/p/KZcmnc) by Karl Lazlo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158883053@N06/), on Flickr

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1837/28870598397_1a05b64474_k.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/KZcn4T)20180802_122154 (https://flic.kr/p/KZcn4T) by Karl Lazlo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/158883053@N06/), on Flickr

[Vas]

Looking sharp. Glad you are pleased with the results

[704sw]

Beautiful.

[az3579]

Man.... now if only those headlight lenses were replaceable! That would complete the new car look.

[Karl Lazlo]

Man.... now if only those headlight lenses were replaceable! That would complete the new car look.

Pretty much my first though upon bringing it home. Damn the facelift headlights!

[ZHPizza]

Hot damn that looks good. Great work with the wallet.


Pretty much my first though upon bringing it home. Damn the facelift headlights!

The $30 power drill headlight kits that you can get in Autozone do a great job and include a UV sealant. You would normally tape off the painted areas around the headlight to protect them from scuffing, but I wouldn't even chance it with the new paint. I'd pull the headlights and refinish them on the work bench. You'll be able to really work all the faded areas that way too.

[Newjack]

Hot damn that looks good. Great work with the wallet.



The $30 power drill headlight kits that you can get in Autozone do a great job and include a UV sealant. You would normally tape off the painted areas around the headlight to protect them from scuffing, but I wouldn't even chance it with the new paint. I'd pull the headlights and refinish them on the work bench. You'll be able to really work all the faded areas that way too.

Don't use a grit any harsher than you need to. You might need to use some buffing compound after to clear everything up and then use the UV sealant like pizza said.

I'm looking into this procedure now since the 135 doesn't have replaceable headlight lenses. I didn't realize how good I had it with the ZHP sedan.

[johnrando]

Wow, looks great!

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[az3579]

Guys, don't forget that you can use Lamin-X film to prevent this from happening in the first place. :thumbsup

Once you get the lens sorted, throw that film on there and you'll be good to go.

[Karl Lazlo]

Guys, don't forget that you can use Lamin-X film to prevent this from happening in the first place. :thumbsup

Once you get the lens sorted, throw that film on there and you'll be good to go.

Yup. Got that film on my 03 headlights and fogs. The new fogs on the ZHP has it now.

[pedro2u]

AZ3579 - Thanks for pointing out the Lamin-X lens covers again (I started a thread on this in May but never pulled the trigger). I just ordered a clear set

[az3579]

AZ3579 - Thanks for pointing out the Lamin-X lens covers again (I started a thread on this in May but never pulled the trigger). I just ordered a clear set:thumbsup

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[Karl Lazlo]

Folks - I have fielded a few questions regarding the cost associated with this refresh.

Let's just say I was pleasantly surprised, given the amount of labor and quality. I had dollar signs in my head as I saw his previous and current work while my estimate was being built. No joke - some high end and rare cars in his shop. I was shocked at how reasonable the estimate was - and like many projects, the final price was a bit more than the original estimate as other broken things were found and work added. The creep was only ~300 bucks.

I acquired all the hardware and replacement parts, except for some low-cost commodity hardware (nuts and bolts). As the "during" pics illustrate, every panel was touched, with some bodywork on the driver's door, driver's rear 1/4, rear bumper. Paint and replacement of the the roof rails (2 hours just in labor to install), One day just for a PDR contractor to remove dents from roof and trunk, plus the A pillars. All panels except the roof and trunk were refinished and painted. Roof and trunk were paint corrected.

Not including the cost of my provided hardware - his supplies, labor, and contractor was less than $6k.

[Sockethead]

Looks great!

[dwonder]

How much was the bumper cover hardware / paint / labor? Buddy of mine might be interested in this as well!

[Karl Lazlo]

Well, the whole enchilada was greater than the bumper cover hardware...

But, when I did the 2003 ZSP bumper cover install and paint, it was <1000USD paint/parts/labor.