Anyone else remember the first time they stepped into their ZHP?

[Stu]

For me especially it was a pretty neat experience. It was kinda surreal, as it was my first car I've ever bought by myself after saving for many years. I was sitting in this high-end luxury car that I knew was mine. I almost felt as if I had no business being in it. It smelled new inside, it looked great, and just messing with all the gadgets in the car was such a crazy experience. I sat in the car just sitting there thinking, "Holy shit. This is mine! I own this thing!"


....then I opened the sunroof, heard a horrible awful cracking noise, freaked out internally, and neglected to tell the dealer because I thought I broke the sunshade. I'm an idiot. I could've gotten it fixed for free had I known it was a common problem. :shift Lesson learned. If shit's broken, TELL THEM! Especially if you drove 500 miles to get there that day.

[mimalmo]

Yes I do. It was in February 2008. It was cold out and the salesguy was a little nervous when I stepped on it and wound out the revs a little on the freeway entrance ramp. I was hooked and had to have it. I bought it the next day.

[johnrando]

Absolutely. The price at the dealer was so good on mine I was worried there was something wrong when I went to go check it out, as there were no pics (newspaper ad). When I first saw it my mouth dropped open.... couldn't believe how beautiful the car was! It was very hard to keep cool in front of the sales rep. :) Been wanting one for years and there it was, about to happen. First song on the radio driving home, "Your Sex Is On Fire" by Kings of Leon.

[mimalmo]

Fitting song for a drive in a ZHP.

[webster]

i suppose i should...it was only 4 weeks ago :)

i too was pretty giddy walking around it and sitting in it for the first time. i knew i had to have it.

[Johal E32]

PO brought the car to my house, I remember it was so low coming up the driveway ..... And had a nice grumble to it

[llll1l1ll]

Sure do. I felt that alcantara wheel for the first time and knew she and I would be best friends. She was a bit dirty when I pulled up and had some things to take care of. I knew with a little work, we'd be in business. It's like finding or rescuing an animal from a shelter: a little TLC and you're good to go.

[johnrando]

Fitting song for a drive in a ZHP.


Yeah, pretty cool, huh! :)

[jayjay_dee]

the first time i saw my ZHP in person, i was so excited, felt like a kid again....

same feeling i had when i picked up my e70 at the PCD...

[wsmeyer]

October 27th, 2006. Around 11:30pm

This is the first time I ever saw my car. I had no idea what a ZHP package was but was quite thrilled at the rims and how bad ass it looked.

About 15min later was the first time I ever drove a 3 series BMW... I'm like a commercial, I bought it solely on it's reputation and reviews. I stomped on it coming out of the dealership and though not as fast as I had hoped but as soon as I took a corner I thought this thing drives like a go-kart.

Five years later and I still love it!


1903

This picture is also one of the very few times the hardtop was ever on the car so I sold it about a year later.

[johnrando]

William, still think that's so awesome that you are OG with the car, and have a pic of it from the very first day you saw it, brand spanking new!

[az3579]

From the first time I drove to the day I brought it home, it was less than a week.

I drove to Acton, MA (over 3 hours away from me) just casually looking to test drive the car, not really expecting to buy it. I've been wanting a newer car for a few months before that, but haven't really taken any serious test drives as I didn't think I would be buying anything. So, being 3 hours away, I jumped at the opportunity to drive up there just to do a test drive, since I love long road trips.

The night I got there, it was right after work and it was getting dark. It was rainy and overall pretty crummy, and ended up waiting for the guy for like 20 or so minutes as he was running late. We met at the shop he worked at, where there just happened to be a lift...

I was intending to buy, if at all buying, a stock car, with no mods whatsoever, so I could prepare it for stock class in auto-x (least amount of headaches, I thought). I knew this car had some mods, but it was the only one within a few hours' drive from me that was the color I wanted with the interior I wanted (alcantara) with a 6-speed. The price was in-line with the other ZHPs I saw all over the country at the time (mileages between 50 and 80k, prices between 17-18k wherever I looked within driving distance of up to 8 hours). I thought that if I warm up to the mods, it would be a better deal because I wouldn't have to spend the money on mods if I ever wanted to do it.

So he arrived, with the angel eyes on (I didn't originally want those) and yellow HID fogs on. He drove it quite conservatively, and looking at him, you wouldn't imagine him to drive it like that. He pulled it into the bay.

I got a goooood peek underneath. Everything looked gorgeous; brand new tires, brand new brakes and rotors all around. The guy is a mechanic who was selling the car because he needed the money to open up his own shop. He only had it for 6 months, and the owner before him had it since new, so I'm the third owner. Looking at this car, I saw that whatever mods were done to the car, were done right. The audio setup in the back was professionally installed, and the wiring was the only thing left. The whole time I was there, I was thinking "score". Then I got in the car and we went for a short drive.

This car is the first car I ever shifted into sixth gear. The drive was so incredibly smooth, and matched my driving style a lot better than the raw E30. I fell in love with the illumination of the dash and center stack, and the seats felt very good to sit in. We eventually ended up in an empty parking lot, where we sat for a few minutes and discussed the car's features. That is where I made my offer, and he came back with "I'll think about it". The second he said that, I thought that I couldn't let this car go to someone else, so I immediately gave in and told him I'd pay his asking price. That is when we shook hands and I got my paperwork started the next day for a loan.


I think it's funny how I ended up with something that's not quite what I was originally looking for, and that it ended up being another red 3-owner BMW. So far, I'm on a red-BMW streak; I've owned no other color or make.

[cakM3]

Good story BP and a nice ZHP you have :thumbsup

[lilcdkey]

Yup. I saw the car at the dealership and my eyes lit up. Right when I stepped in a was in love with the black cube trim.

[Rovert]

The first time I stepped in my car was when it was still the dealership's car. Test drove it after seeing it before they opened on a beautiful sunny Sunday. The next day she was mine on July 4th. She got her independence day from the dealership and freedom with me! When my dad drove me to the dealership to pick the car up, I sat in it all alone and pondered....wow this is really mine!!

[RITmusic2k]

January 14th, 2011. 1:30pm. About an hour before Tripod06 arrived at the dealership intending to buy it.

I was coming from a hard-as-nails, raw-as-hell, faster-than-it-has-any-business-being Saab 9-3 Viggen, and as soon as I took the ZHP on its first little jaunt down PCH, every neuron in my brain resonated with thoughts of, "Wow. This is so familiar, but so entirely different. I'm gonna buy this car today."

Sorry, Albert. ;)

[SoarinZHP]

My wife's job was being cut to part time. I had a 2002 325i with 162,000 miles on it. We decided one of us should get a new car while we could pay cash for it. I was searching online for another BMW and found an Imola Red Sedan. It was in one of those garaged warehouse type dealerships. When I approached, it game me goosebumps. It was a completely different animal than the 2002. I drove it... Three times... Finally decided to spend more than I wanted to get a car that wanted to have me as the owner because it knew we would have a long-term fun, loving and caring relationship. We've been together for 4 months. It's been great. I think I'm going to ask her to marry me. She's perfect. She likes to be ridden hard yet pampered regularly.

[danewilson77]

Lol....^nice.

HTC Thunderbolt+TT

[gr330zhp]

For sure! It was in the showroom looking amazing. Nice sunny June day, they pulled it out of the showroom and it was the first time I saw her all shiny in the bright sun :biggrin

I then slid into the soft and supportive Alcantara sport seat. Gripped the steering wheel and started that perfect, smooth inline 6. It fired up to a nice rumble. Gave it a couple small revs and off we went. Did about a 7 mile loop, we get back to the dealership, and the salesman says "You are one of the first young guys I have taken out in a BMW without trying the stereo out." Haha I chuckled, pushed the clutch in, jabbed the gas pedal and said "that is my music" He liked that.

Put a down payment and the next day went and payed and drove it off :) Going on 4 years now and I still feel the same every time I get behind the wheel :)

[johnrando]

My wife's job was being cut to part time. I had a 2002 325i with 162,000 miles on it. We decided one of us should get a new car while we could pay cash for it. I was searching online for another BMW and found an Imola Red Sedan. It was in one of those garaged warehouse type dealerships. When I approached, it game me goosebumps. It was a completely different animal than the 2002. I drove it... Three times... Finally decided to spend more than I wanted to get a car that wanted to have me as the owner because it knew we would have a long-term fun, loving and caring relationship. We've been together for 4 months. It's been great. I think I'm going to ask her to marry me. She's perfect. She likes to be ridden hard yet pampered regularly.

Uh, ummm, (throat clear).... did anyone else read a double entendre into this post? :shift

Just kidding :)

[az3579]

Uh, ummm, (throat clear).... did anyone else read a double entendre into this post? :shift

Just kidding :)

Yeah, at one point, I was thinkin' "is he talking about the wife or the car???"... :rofl