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View Full Version : Seattle area longtime ZHP owner, longtime ZHP Mafia reader, finally a forum member



PatN
01-19-2017, 11:16 PM
Hello all, thanks Dane for adding me to the group.

I have a 2004 Imola Red convertible, 6MT, with Nav, heated seats, PDC, Xenons and BMW Assist. Oh, and a leather steering wheel the previous owner thankfully installed in place of the original Alcantara. I bought the car in 2009, sight-unseen from Orange Park, Florida (after farming out a thorough pre-buy inspection to a Jacksonville indie shop, of course). The ZHP replaced a silver 2001 ZSP 325i 5MT that I also really enjoyed. In the past I've also owned an '85 535i and an '85 524td (yes, really!).

When I got the ZHP, it had 36K miles and was completely immaculate, perfect in every way. It was a dream come true. These days it's still nearly all stock, with just under 104K miles. It's no longer "perfect," but it's still in amazing shape for a 13 year old car (February 2004 build date).

I'll admit that after so many years and miles, I'd started to forget how special this car was, and in fact lately I've been lusting after a couple year old F80 M3. But financial reality quickly set in, plus I still really love the ZHP, so I'm keeping it... and since I'm keeping it, I might as well get excited about it again. :D

It's generally been a good, reliable car, just needing some of the typical stuff like gaskets, RTABs, brakes, thermostat, bushings, that kind of thing. I do most of my own work, so it's affordable. The next project is installation of a new stereo head unit, which will solve my sole significant complaint about the car- the onboard "tech" is pretty awful compared to modern offerings.

Anyway, I've been reading this site for years, and am glad to be a part of it now. Some photos of my car are included below, these were shot after a detailing last summer (2016).

Cheers,

Pat

https://s24.postimg.org/8azws2ld1/IMG_1571.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/4emkw30dd/)

https://s24.postimg.org/hk2326u91/IMG_1574.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/za3rn87tt/)

https://s24.postimg.org/4txup3mat/IMG_1578.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/5jgn1gmu9/)

https://s24.postimg.org/byfny4tk5/IMG_1580.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/s9frug61t/)

https://s24.postimg.org/rxybhoplx/IMG_1585.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/4jqc5r7oh/)


upload images free (https://postimage.org/)

Cadeez
01-19-2017, 11:43 PM
Welcome Pat! Always good to see fellow PNW'ers on here, there aren't many. Beautiful car, I'm sure the Imola Elite will be happy to welcome you. Whereabouts are you located in Seattle? I'm actually in need of a good indy shop in the Tacoma/Puyallup area for a PPI, if you have any suggestions? Also, you mention upgrading your "onboard tech". I'm not sure which route you're looking to take, but I'm in the same boat and have been seriously looking into the Eonon GA6150. I even have a thread going with a bunch of great input from these guys, if an OEM look NAV option interests you. Link to the thread below, along with a link to the unit itself.

http://www.zhpmafia.com/forums/showthread.php?19495-Eonon-D5150Z-7-quot

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GA6150-Eonon-Android-5-1-7-034-Car-Stereo-DVD-Player-Bluetooth-GPS-for-BMW-E46-M3-I-/162176898659

san
01-20-2017, 03:53 AM
Welcome


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ryankokesh
01-20-2017, 05:10 AM
Welcome! Car looks amazing!

Did you take those pictures on vacation or something? Didn't think you guys ever saw any sunlight out that way :rofl

BMWCurves
01-20-2017, 06:12 AM
Welcome aboard, Pat! As Jeff said, always nice to see another fellow PacNWer on here.

Car looks great, look forward to hearing more from you.

Vas
01-20-2017, 07:42 AM
Welcome.

johnrando
01-20-2017, 07:47 AM
Welcome. Beauty. Verts FTW! BTW, I purchased mine in '09 too (CPO) with 32K miles and I now have ~86K, so not all that far off.

danewilson77
01-20-2017, 09:12 AM
Pat, welcome.

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fredo
01-20-2017, 11:43 AM
Welcome. IR is among my favorite colors.

PatN
01-20-2017, 08:26 PM
Thanks for the warm welcome, guys! Cadeez (Jeff?) unfortunately I'm not familiar with any south end shops- I used to take my first E28 to a place in Auburn when I lived in Kent years ago, but I can't remember the name. I'm outside of Issaquah now.

I'm probably going to have a shop do the head unit install- I'm currently considering the Pioneer SPH-DA120. I want an Apple CarPlay unit and was all excited about the Alpine ILX-007, until I realized there's no native Bluetooth functionality in that one. I'll take a look at that unit you recommended, though.

Thanks for the kind words about IR- that's how I ended up with a ZHP. I decided I had to have Imola Red, but I drove a couple of E46 M3s and honestly didn't like them- too stiff, shifter was too notchy, etc. I drove a local ZHP and it was just perfect, so I went looking for an IR manual transmission convertible. Little did I know at the time that only 190 were made (according to the production numbers thread). Talk about a unicorn.

Cadeez
01-20-2017, 11:37 PM
Thanks for the warm welcome, guys! Cadeez (Jeff?) unfortunately I'm not familiar with any south end shops- I used to take my first E28 to a place in Auburn when I lived in Kent years ago, but I can't remember the name. I'm outside of Issaquah now.

No worries Pat, thanks for the response though!

Oli77
01-21-2017, 05:41 AM
Welcome to the site.
I hear what you say about forgetting that special feeling over time, but then you drive it, and you smile again. Solid car.

BCS_ZHP
01-21-2017, 06:58 PM
Thanks for the warm welcome, guys! Cadeez (Jeff?) unfortunately I'm not familiar with any south end shops- I used to take my first E28 to a place in Auburn when I lived in Kent years ago, but I can't remember the name. I'm outside of Issaquah now.

I'm probably going to have a shop do the head unit install- I'm currently considering the Pioneer SPH-DA120. I want an Apple CarPlay unit and was all excited about the Alpine ILX-007, until I realized there's no native Bluetooth functionality in that one. I'll take a look at that unit you recommended, though.

Thanks for the kind words about IR- that's how I ended up with a ZHP. I decided I had to have Imola Red, but I drove a couple of E46 M3s and honestly didn't like them- too stiff, shifter was too notchy, etc. I drove a local ZHP and it was just perfect, so I went looking for an IR manual transmission convertible. Little did I know at the time that only 190 were made (according to the production numbers thread). Talk about a unicorn.

Pat,
Congrats on the IR vert with 3 pedals. I'm not sure of the numbers but when I went looking, I wanted the alcantara/cloth seats too and it was just dumb luck that I found one. My wife enjoyed it for 3 years and it now resides in NH with a guy who also bought my son's '06 ZHP coupe.
Bruce

oldzilla
01-22-2017, 07:41 PM
Welcome.

ELCID86
01-30-2017, 05:59 PM
Welcome aboard the board.


---
"ZHP is a garbage option anyway- just some cosmetic upgrades with a different cam and diff to claw back some of the performance lost fitting those hideous and heavy wheels. Any 330 with a 3.46 diff will smoke a ZHP every time. The whole Mafia thing reeks of childish behavior." - anonymous E46 fanatic

ETAction
01-30-2017, 08:40 PM
Very Nice!

Izzy_ZHP
02-02-2017, 12:39 PM
Welcome! Your car looks amazing<3 Love the IR :applause2

3ZHPGUY
02-02-2017, 03:34 PM
Welcome!


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Lorenzo
02-07-2017, 05:37 PM
Beautiful car. Welcome! I like the red and white tail lights vs the red and orange in mine.

SWO Daddy
02-07-2017, 11:09 PM
She's a beauty!