My ZHP: A Protestation of Love

[echo46]

I love my ZHP. There is nothing any hater out there can write or say about my beloved ZHP that will sway my utter devotion to this mechanical marvel. Go ahead all you rascals, give it a try.

My ZHP is not perfect, indeed, far from it. It's ill conceived cooling system is a constant source of concern and has caused me the loss of more hair than I'd like to admit. Like King Sisyphus eternally rolling his stone up the endless hill, my burden consists of forever checking for leaks, checking for cracks in the expansion tank, checking for weeping from the water pump, checking coolant level, checking and rechecking the plastic condition on the radiator, check, check, check and keep on checking that damned cooling system. I have awaked many a night from that horrible dream wherein my cooling system fails, aluminum block overheats and She's blowing smoke out of her tail pipe like a bad Cheech and Chong movie.

Then there are those illusive vacuum leaks. Like searching for a needle in a hay stack--where oh where is that leak causing my baby to burp out its rpms--upper intake boot, lower intake boot, DISA valve leak, or is it the CCV and all its cursed hoses?

What about the damned Double Vanos, yes the brilliant variable valve timing unit that, over time, makes my pretty click and clack like a diesel. Thank God for Beisan.

My CABS, end links, and RTABS are always wearing out. My locks and window regulators are always on the blink. My OFHG is always about to start leaking. My valve cover gasket is always about to fail. The too many plastic parts in my interior are always about to crack. The weather stripping around my doors is always loose. Everyday I lose another pixel on my radio. Everyday, I struggle not to wear out my alcantara steering wheel. Everyday, I do a can opener into the drivers seat so I don't induce any bolster wear. I am always waiting for a piece to break off from the DISA and get sucked into my beloved in line 6.

But, let me say, when all is right in the world and the BMW Gods are proudly smiling down on the ZHP-- their almost perfect gift to man, when the in line 6 is slightly growling, and the beefed up suspension is biting at the road and its weight is perfectly delivered to the road, when its rear diff is pulling hard, when the Grateful Dead's mellifluous sound fills the cockpit and exactly when you are maxing out the rpms of each of its six magnificent gears, life is again tolerable and worth enduring.

If the e30 is God's chariot, then the ZHP is God's spaceship. Go ahead haters, take the ZHP to task, into the hills and into the curves and you will melt into its chassis and for a few short moments experience the definition of pure driving. Oh, it's that good.

I love my ZHP.

[danewilson77]

Amen.

I was expecting your favorite pic somewhere in that superbly written post.

Additionally, did any of you see that show on TV, about the guy that actually loved his car? He would actually do nasty things to it (rub his junk on the hood and whatnot). Anyway.... I found it completely crazy if not quite a bit disturbing.

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[kayger12]

I don't think I've ever seen my inner thoughts better communicated.

Well done.

[echo46]

Thanks guys. Rest assured I am no junk rubber:)

[Don Adolfo]

I'm with you. I love my cars. When I acquire one, I consider it a long-term relationship. My wife's 2003 Explorer runs like new; no plans to part with it. I still own a 1990 Ford Bronco II I bought 22 years ago; it's in my parent's garage. I still love it. I plan on driving it this week when I go home to PR. My current BMWs, and any future ones I buy, I hope to keep until I can no longer drive.

PS - I will start paying closer attention to the cooling system.

[mLuMaN83]

When My 330 gets some sort of mechanical issue, It is expensive! But that is not where my mind is. It's more focused on how soon I will be able to drive it again and how good she will feel after the problem is fixed.

I too, love my E46.

[echo46]

Indeed, my brothers, the world just doesn't get it.

[Avetiso]

Love this post and my car. Ftw.

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[webster]

love it. sunny day, windy road, blaring an early 70s "Other One" with the windows down and the snick-snick of the 6spd working thru the gates - life don't get much better...

[Oli77]

You had me at Grateful Dead.

Those cars are beautiful and I'm sure you won't find too many haters here.

Well said Echo.

[Snowboardinwny]

Very well put, would read again.

[Daddyoh]

Echo: 'word'. Thank you.

[az3579]

Indeed, my brothers, the world just doesn't get it.

T.h.i.s., though I wouldn't consider it God's spaceship as it's far too slow for that. :biggrin
I'm honestly amazed that I haven't gotten bored of this car yet. On paper, it's just another car. On the road though, it's entirely different, a Jeckll & Hyde sort of deal. On the road cruising, you can be an occupant of a docile transportation device, but once those corners arrive or the car hits pavement of a track, it becomes an aggressive beast that craves more challenges from its driver. It's quite amazing.

[Dave_B]

This made my Sunday morning hangover quite a bit better.

Great read!

[WOLFN8TR]

This made my Sunday morning hangover quite a bit better.

X2...

[fredo]

I will admit the title didn't sound very tempting. Boy, I'm glad I decided to check it out ! Well done, echo.:waldo

[echo46]

Thanks, my brothers. Do you all know what is a shame, both we and our ZHPs have to get old.

[Fender215]

Echo, well said indeed. It's been awhile since we last spoke but I sincerely thank you for helping me with your input before going all-in on what is now "my" ZHP picked up over a month ago. In that short time it's already captured most free moments, whether it's online looking up goodies or on the road. Went out for what I thought would be a 1hr drive last Sunday...turned into over 3 hrs finding the best ones I could! Spring can't come early enough so I can try out routes near Port Jervis which I've heard so much about and back to the Bear mtns.

I had on some Beatles, Stones and Floyd...what a blast. Cheers!

[echo46]

So glad you found the ZHP. No matter what "they" say, it is truly something special. Hope to hook up with you this summer.

[johnrando]

Nicely put. Yo amo zhp.

[das boots]

I just read through the April '13 issue of Consumer Reports. On page 84 under the "Used cars to avoid" for BMW.....325i '03 -'06, 330Ci '06 and 330i '03-'04.
BTW...I also do love my ZHP even with it's various flaws that I went to the extent of getting a 'GOT ZHP' as my personnal plates.

[johnrando]

I just read through the April '13 issue of Consumer Reports. On page 84 under the "Used cars to avoid" for BMW.....325i '03 -'06, 330Ci '06 and 330i '03-'04.
BTW...I also do love my ZHP even with it's various flaws that I went to the extent of getting a 'GOT ZHP' as my personnal plates.

Wow. The '06 is likely the E90. So, it's basically saying '05 and '06 330s/ZHPs are OK in their mind. Interesting. But, I don't care what they say. :)

[WOLFN8TR]

I have a 2005 330CI Dam! Oh well....

[johnrando]

That was not negatively listed Gary.

[das boots]

That was not negatively listed Gary.

+1. You're good.

[danewilson77]

I have 04 330i :shifty

[BavarianZHP]

I dunno... Das Boots has an '05, could his statement be a little bias? :innocent

[johnrando]

No more bias than my statement owning an '06. :biggrin

[az3579]

Wow. The '06 is likely the E90. So, it's basically saying '05 and '06 330s/ZHPs are OK in their mind. Interesting. But, I don't care what they say. :)

I'm afraid it says Ci, so it pertains to E46...
Sorry John, you own a plagued model. :biggrin

'05 330i... all good in the hood here. :thumbup

[wsmeyer]

I'm afraid it says Ci, so it pertains to E46...
Sorry John, you own a plagued model. :biggrin

'05 330i... all good in the hood here. :thumbup

John and I both have 2006CiC :thumbup :thumbup

[johnrando]

I'm afraid it says Ci, so it pertains to E46...
Sorry John, you own a plagued model. :biggrin

'05 330i... all good in the hood here. :thumbup

BP, that would make no sense, that an '06, (which is basically unchanged from '05), be listed differently. That could be a model issue from how they list it. Regardless, yo amo zhp.

[Mike V]

Amen.

I was expecting your favorite pic somewhere in that superbly written post.

Additionally, did any of you see that show on TV, about the guy that actually loved his car? He would actually do nasty things to it (rub his junk on the hood and whatnot). Anyway.... I found it completely crazy if not quite a bit disturbing.

Nothing wrong with a little tailpipe lovin'.


I just read through the April '13 issue of Consumer Reports. On page 84 under the "Used cars to avoid" for BMW.....325i '03 -'06, 330Ci '06 and 330i '03-'04.
BTW...I also do love my ZHP even with it's various flaws that I went to the extent of getting a 'GOT ZHP' as my personnal plates.

Lol @ Consumer Reports. Either way you look at it, that list makes no sense.

Pretty sure 06 330 was sedan only (E90), so that Ci would be an E46.

[das boots]

I would really like to know how CR conducts their evaluations. Nothing on this specific April issue has any topic on how evaluations were done. BTW, this issue is all about evaluations on New and Used cars.

[illirep]

Very nice write-up

[zhp43867]

That was a very charming write up!

And you sir are a talented writer. You added just that little bit of flair that made the story fun! :applause

[BRGcoopahS]

I fell in love with the car all over again today. Yesterday was a snow storm so I drove the mini instead. Today I wake up and it's sunny at 55 degrees. Pretty much all of the s ow from yesterday melted away within the day. So being a beautiful day I put the top down.

There's this feeling I can't explain after finally being able to drive it with the top down on a nice day. It's like the car feels showroom new again. Or at least like I just got the car and it hasn't been a year of ownership. It's so amazing. I love having a vert. Nothing beats driving on some nice roads on a beautiful day with the top down. It totally negates all of the cons of owning a vert at that point.

[johnrando]

I fell in love with the car all over again today. Yesterday was a snow storm so I drove the mini instead. Today I wake up and it's sunny at 55 degrees. Pretty much all of the s ow from yesterday melted away within the day. So being a beautiful day I put the top down.

There's this feeling I can't explain after finally being able to drive it with the top down on a nice day. It's like the car feels showroom new again. Or at least like I just got the car and it hasn't been a year of ownership. It's so amazing. I love having a vert. Nothing beats driving on some nice roads on a beautiful day with the top down. It totally negates all of the cons of owning a vert at that point.

Amen John!

[Imola.ZHP]

Excellent post!

I don't worry too much about my car though, she's pretty strong (knocks on wood)...

She just turned 10 last Sunday and I've owned her for 7 of those 10 years, I'd say I'm pretty devoted to her. The insurance company will have to pry her away from me if something bad ever happens (prays that it doesn't)!