Need help on making a difficult decision

[Prestovie]

Hey all, it’s been a minute since I’ve been on the forum doing more than just lurking, and that’s mainly due to the fact that my ZHP for the most part has been deemed a garage queen, and now that I’ve recently moved to Bozeman, MT she’s sat at home while i drive my truck out here. Or, that is, i did drive my truck out here up until this last weekend, when i unfortunately rolled my Tundra two and a half times coming down a mountain trail. For some odd reason the forum won’t let me upload pictures off my phone or my laptop recently, so I’ll sum it up as saying it’s totaled. My buddy l, who was in the truck with me, and myself are alright, walked away with a few cuts, bumps and bruises. But we did walk away.
The truck on the other hand is a total loss, liability insurance is a real kicker when you throw your truck down a mountain :dunno
Of course, the day of the accident just hours later, my family suggests i sell my beloved ZHP to fund a new truck to get me through school. I knew it was coming but it still hurt my heart to hear it being said. My brother already found a buyer, his roommate who works at BMW with him in Michigan, who would give me $10k for my 04 330i TiAg w/ around 113k(?) miles on the clock(honestly can’t remember the number which also depresses me). A great price no doubt, bought it in 2016 for just around there, but even with the price tag hanging in front of me it just reminds me how little truck i can get for that amount of money.
So alas i come seeking advice. I’ve already found a handful of Toyota trucks that I’d be willing to buy, even some Tacoma’s with manual transmissions which would combine the shifting of the ZHP with the truck ride of my Tundra. But i just want to know if i should totally rule out just bringing my ZHP up here and subjecting it to the winter for at least this year. I have a set of winter tires back home, it’s just the last time i drove it in the winter was the winter of 2016-17 and can’t remember how well it handled in Chicago.
I figured on a fleeing glimmer of hope that i could drive the ZHP for another year or two while i work up the coin to afford a truck without selling the Bimmer, but at the same time miss out on the opportunity to sell it for a decent price.
Thoughts? Do i dare try to winter the ZHP again and risk subjecting it to maybe another accident brought on by the snow? I just really need some advice right now, my brother wants to finalize the deal by the end of the week, and the Tacoma seller wants to finalize THAT deal by the end of this week.

[Newjack]

Sorry to hear about your truck man that really sucks.

10k sounds like a pretty good price for the car. Mind you I don't know all the details of the vehicle but that sounds like you're getting a good deal.

If you plan on driving it in the snow you will need winter tires. It won't be able to handle things as well as your truck probably did but with the right set of winter tires you won't have much of a problem. There are a bunch of guys here on the forums that daily their ZHP through all weather. I drove mine through snow last year on Sockethead's old Blizzaks and had no issues with the stock open differential.

I can't speak to accidents in the snow. You have to trust and respect your own driving skills (and hope idiots stay away from you)

Life is a gamble man, just do what is going to make you happy. Good luck!

[PetesZ]

Move to the south. No snow down here at all. I drive both ZHPs and the 550 on summer tires all year.

[az3579]

I would use the ZHP. Cheaper than buying a new truck, and you won't have this weight on your shoulders. A year or two of winter driving won't kill it.

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[Prestovie]

Sorry to hear about your truck man that really sucks.

10k sounds like a pretty good price for the car. Mind you I don't know all the details of the vehicle but that sounds like you're getting a good deal.

If you plan on driving it in the snow you will need winter tires. It won't be able to handle things as well as your truck probably did but with the right set of winter tires you won't have much of a problem. There are a bunch of guys here on the forums that daily their ZHP through all weather. I drove mine through snow last year on Sockethead's old Blizzaks and had no issues with the stock open differential.

I can't speak to accidents in the snow. You have to trust and respect your own driving skills (and hope idiots stay away from you)

Life is a gamble man, just do what is going to make you happy. Good luck!

Lol ive definitely recently experience the whole fact that life truly is a gamble, but unfortunately don't think ill be able to experience that gamble with the ZHP anymore :( Just found a nice built 5spd Tacoma in Denver that a guy is offering to deliver for me so looks like thats the way of the road at this point. Hopefully in 4 years I'll be able to buy the ZHP back(assuming that it's all still in one piece and with the same guy) or get behind the wheel of another.

[Prestovie]

I would use the ZHP. Cheaper than buying a new truck, and you won't have this weight on your shoulders. A year or two of winter driving won't kill it.

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If it doesn't get sold by next weekend, which my brother is claiming that it will be, I'm throwing the winters on it and having her shipped out here, don't have time to wait anymore and I have the chance to get a Tacoma driven up here from Denver for me next weekend seeing that I get my funds lined up in time

[Prestovie]

Move to the south. No snow down here at all. I drive both ZHPs and the 550 on summer tires all year.


I've got at least four more years in Montana lol, I've lived southern of the hemisphere before(well, Hong Kong specifically) and I just love snow too much to make that move anytime soon, hence the reason I chose Montana :biggrin

[az3579]

... and I just love snow too much to make that move anytime soon, hence the reason I chose Montana :biggrin https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180928/8eb279709c8e09c91e31aeeabdc43d07.jpg

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[johnrando]

Sorry about the truck. They are easier to find. than good zhp's. Tough decision.

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[3ZHPGUY]

Sorry to hear about the truck! Your ZHP would have been fine in the winter! Mine was a DD in northern Ohio for the first five years of ownership!


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[ComradeNick]

Do you need a truck to haul around things for work or otherwise or are you just buying a truck b/c of the snow. Unless you really need a powerful truck you could either keep driving the ZHP with snow tires or try get a beater truck to use until you can afford to buy a new one. If you find a ~2000 4Runner or Tacoma with around 200k miles you can probably pick one up for 3-5k depending on condition. Also if that deal falls through trucks in state like CA are much cheaper than other parts of the country.

Whatever you decide I hope it works out.

[Prestovie]

Do you need a truck to haul around things for work or otherwise or are you just buying a truck b/c of the snow. Unless you really need a powerful truck you could either keep driving the ZHP with snow tires or try get a beater truck to use until you can afford to buy a new one. If you find a ~2000 4Runner or Tacoma with around 200k miles you can probably pick one up for 3-5k depending on condition. Also if that deal falls through trucks in state like CA are much cheaper than other parts of the country.

Whatever you decide I hope it works out.
Mainly want a truck at this point for offload/overland capabilities, but I have been looking at older Tacoma's. Actually found a mint example that was built and maintained by a master Toyota Mechanic for the past 5ish years, asking $14k with all the goodies, $15k including the rooftop tent 33931 So I mean it's right in my budget, but 100% if my brother doesn't get it sold by next Friday to his roommate I'm telling him it's off and paying to get it shipped up here

[Prestovie]

Sorry about the truck. They are easier to find. than good zhp's. Tough decision.

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Surprisingly difficult to find clean Tundra's/Tacoma's in the Montana area, people are holding onto these like food rations in the depression

[Prestovie]

Sorry to hear about the truck! Your ZHP would have been fine in the winter! Mine was a DD in northern Ohio for the first five years of ownership!


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Definitely not opposed to the idea, just the folks kinda are at this point. In an ideal world I'd drive the ZHP this winter then work all this coming summer to afford another truck, just worried about ground clearance with the plethora of snow we're supposed to be getting.

[Prestovie]

Well my brother's roommate absolutely screwed me four days before I was going to be buying my new truck. Apparently he finally went today to get a loan and decided that he didn't want the ZHP anymore.
So now I'm faced with trying to sell a car in Chicago while I'm in Montana (a listing that I currently have in the works) or just accepting the signs that the universe is giving me to not sell the ZHP and just drive it up to Montana after Thanksgiving.
Thoughts?

[Newjack]

Do it

[az3579]

How is Montana with plowing? I realize that a state with next to nobody in it would have a hard time keeping up...

[sillieidiot]

Bring the car to Montana. List it for sale while you're driving it. Look for truck at the same time lol i'm sure someone in Montana might want your car.

[Prestovie]

How is Montana with plowing? I realize that a state with next to nobody in it would have a hard time keeping up...

I've heard tons of varying opinions. Apparently you can tell that you're crossing into Idaho just by how much better the roads are kept. But then others say that it's great, so I guess I'll be finding out the hard way lol

[Prestovie]

Bring the car to Montana. List it for sale while you're driving it. Look for truck at the same time lol i'm sure someone in Montana might want your car.


It was kinda amusing how few BMW's were on the local craigslist that weren't motorcycles

[Newjack]

It was kinda amusing how few BMW's were on the local craigslist that weren't motorcycles

All the more rare for your market.