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Minnesota
02-09-2017, 12:25 PM
Hello ZHPMafia!

Greetings from western Wisconsin near the Twin Cities. I am a native of Minnesota; thus the username.

As I'm sure many of you did as well, I found this forum while searching for a car to buy. I am currently driving a 1984 318i with around 180,000 miles on it. I bought the car 8 years ago with 80-some thousand on it and have been nursing the old girl along ever since. I didn't pay much for this car; it's underpowered and not very fancy, but it did give me a taste of what a BMW is all about and now...I want more.

I am focused on the E46 body style. These cars look awesome, have a good aftermarket, a great reputation, and very close ties to my E30. When I first started looking at the E46's I didn't have much to steer by. I was thinking I wanted at 325 because I just wanted that legendary inline 6 engine. After poking around on the internet for a while I settled on the 330 cars, specifically the 330ci. I liked the power of the 3 liter and the option package that came along with the coupe. I wanted something a little more sporty rather than the generic cars you sometimes find in the sedan world.

I noticed in searching through the car sales sites that every once in a while there would be a car with the ZHP label. This intrigued me due to the increased power, better handling, and dressed up look of the cars. So I started narrowing my search to ZHP coupes. Eventually I wandered into ZHPMafia territory. I haven't looked around here too much other than in the classifieds area, but I'm looking forward to digging in deeper. The classifieds have given me the notion that I might consider a sedan...if it is a ZHP sedan.

Anyway, I'm still looking for a car. I'm mainly in the research phase right now since my accountant (the wife) is insisting that we pay off one bill before we take on another car payment. I have a whole laundry list of things I'd like to have in the car, things I couldn't live without, and I couldn't live with.

This isn't the first forum I've become a member of and I am encouraged by the "Family Rules". Too often these online forums are a place where trolls come to behave poorly. It's refreshing to see a place where civility and respect are expected.

Minnesota

san
02-09-2017, 12:30 PM
Welcome!
+1 on the family rules. This is my first and only forum too. You'll enjoy spending time here...


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Vas
02-09-2017, 12:32 PM
Welcome

BMWCurves
02-09-2017, 03:02 PM
Welcome! You'll like it here, the company's great and the information is pretty extensive. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Sedans are probably more sought after than coupes because they're the closest thing to a factory E46 M3 with four doors you can buy, so that might be to your advantage, but there were about half as many coupes made for the US than sedans, so it all probably evens out. There are a few other differences between sedans and coupes, such as coupes having adaptive headlights (they headlights turn with the steering wheel) while sedans do not, but the coupe headlights are sealed so it's a bit more of a pain to install "angel eye" or "halo" headlights. That may or may not be a concern for you. Coupes all came with fold down rear seats whereas it was both a standalone option or a part of the Cold Weather Package in sedans. Coupes have LED tail lights while sedans have halogen bulbs. I think that's about it.

Minnesota
02-09-2017, 03:08 PM
Welcome! You'll like it here, the company's great and the information is pretty extensive. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Sedans are probably more sought after than coupes because they're the closest thing to a factory E46 M3 with four doors you can buy, so that might be to your advantage, but there were about half as many coupes made for the US than sedans, so it all probably evens out. There are a few other differences between sedans and coupes, such as coupes having adaptive headlights (they headlights turn with the steering wheel) while sedans do not, but the coupe headlights are sealed so it's a bit more of a pain to install "angel eye" or "halo" headlights. That may or may not be a concern for you. Coupes all came with fold down rear seats whereas it was both a standalone option or a part of the Cold Weather Package in sedans. Coupes have LED tail lights while sedans have halogen bulbs. I think that's about it.

Wow. I learned a ton just from that short post.

-Sedans did not come with adaptive headlights (something on my wish list)
-Coupe Headlights are sealed (which explains why you don't see as many with angel eyes)
-Coupes come with fold-down rear seats (also something on my wish list)
-Coupes have LED tail lights standard. I thought this was only on the ZHPs

Thanks

johnrando
02-09-2017, 04:34 PM
Welcome! GLWSearch.

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BMWCurves
02-09-2017, 05:01 PM
Post your wanting to buy (WTB) thread so we know what to look for.

Oli77
02-09-2017, 05:24 PM
Welcome Minesota!
This is an awesome site.

Kentucky.

danewilson77
02-09-2017, 07:51 PM
Welcome home Minnesota

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fredo
02-10-2017, 04:55 AM
Welcome, sir ! You will love this forum. Good intro, BTW. :thumbsup

UdubBadger
02-10-2017, 06:46 PM
Welcome to the forums and GL with the search


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ELCID86
02-11-2017, 04:09 PM
Welcome aboard.


---
"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

Minnesota
02-13-2017, 06:38 AM
Post your wanting to buy (WTB) thread so we know what to look for.

I'll be doing that soon. One issue is that I'm not ready to buy quite yet and I'm concerned that the perfect car will fall into my lap but I'll have to pass on it. I've looked at a lot of cars online and I think only two or three have gotten close to my wish list.

That said, it might be wise to put the feelers out now because it could take some time to find the perfect car.

BMWCurves
02-13-2017, 08:32 AM
I'll be doing that soon. One issue is that I'm not ready to buy quite yet and I'm concerned that the perfect car will fall into my lap but I'll have to pass on it. I've looked at a lot of cars online and I think only two or three have gotten close to my wish list.

That said, it might be wise to put the feelers out now because it could take some time to find the perfect car.

It can go either way. I was looking for 6+ months all over the country and then one popped up randomly about 10 miles from me on Craigslist. Just four hours after it was posted I called and I was the third person in line to see it.

I guess what I'm saying is be prepared for a long wait but as soon as comes around that meets all of your requirements, be ready to move on it.

ryankokesh
02-13-2017, 11:07 AM
Welcome!

Northern Wisconsin is the best... hope you're having a better winter up there that we are down here!

Also, I just learned coupes have adaptive headlights. Only took me 8+ years and two E46s.

Minnesota
02-13-2017, 11:15 AM
Welcome!

Northern Wisconsin is the best... hope you're having a better winter up there that we are down here!

Also, I just learned coupes have adaptive headlights. Only took me 8+ years and two E46s.

This winter has been kind of a bust. Up here winter should have cold temps and plenty of snow. Instead we've been getting warm temps (30's) and when precipitation does come it is often in the form of rain. No skiing, no snowshoeing, no snowmobiling, no fun. On the positive side, it sure has been nice out if you don't like wearing a down sleeping bag every day.

UdubBadger
02-15-2017, 07:12 PM
Welcome!

Northern Wisconsin is the best... hope you're having a better winter up there that we are down here!

Also, I just learned coupes have adaptive headlights. Only took me 8+ years and two E46s.

Sounds about right for you...


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