What did you do for your ZHP/ BMW / MINI today? #2

A little update from me. The BMW I mentioned turned out to be an ok car. Its an... wait for it.... :biggrin..... '05 ZHP sedan, Orient Blue over Grey Leather, automatic. The car has 139k miles on it, and the guy is asking $8500. Its in good condition, a lot of receipts and a pretty detailed history, but I can't help be concerned over the strength/reliability of the automatic. The car is in ok shape, but there's a laundry list of things that I could address.

The biggest concern for me (aside from the automatic) is that the car clearly spends ALL of its time outside, and the Florida sun is beating up the weatherstripping. The ZKW lights are showing some burn marks, and it needs a lot of cleanup. Also, there are a ton of small dents and scratches all over the car. From 20 feet away, it looks like a million bucks, but not from up close.

So, it'd be a really affordable way to get into a 2nd car for the short term, I'm just not sure I want to have anything else to stress over.

Here's the link to the car. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/4808868304.html

Wow, so much work going on!

All the while, mine has just been sitting in the garage, sleeping.

I did get a sweet BMW Puma shirt for christmas. Its a little much for the public, but I'll tool around in it at the house.

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Originally Posted by JupiterBMW

A little update from me. The BMW I mentioned turned out to be an ok car. Its an... wait for it.... :biggrin..... '05 ZHP sedan, Orient Blue over Grey Leather, automatic. The car has 139k miles on it, and the guy is asking $8500. Its in good condition, a lot of receipts and a pretty detailed history, but I can't help be concerned over the strength/reliability of the automatic. The car is in ok shape, but there's a laundry list of things that I could address.

The biggest concern for me (aside from the automatic) is that the car clearly spends ALL of its time outside, and the Florida sun is beating up the weatherstripping. The ZKW lights are showing some burn marks, and it needs a lot of cleanup. Also, there are a ton of small dents and scratches all over the car. From 20 feet away, it looks like a million bucks, but not from up close.

So, it'd be a really affordable way to get into a 2nd car for the short term, I'm just not sure I want to have anything else to stress over.

Here's the link to the car. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/4808868304.html

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I wouldn't be too concerned.

Did you drive it ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JupiterBMW

A little update from me. The BMW I mentioned turned out to be an ok car. Its an... wait for it.... :biggrin..... '05 ZHP sedan, Orient Blue over Grey Leather, automatic. The car has 139k miles on it, and the guy is asking $8500. Its in good condition, a lot of receipts and a pretty detailed history, but I can't help be concerned over the strength/reliability of the automatic. The car is in ok shape, but there's a laundry list of things that I could address.

The biggest concern for me (aside from the automatic) is that the car clearly spends ALL of its time outside, and the Florida sun is beating up the weatherstripping. The ZKW lights are showing some burn marks, and it needs a lot of cleanup. Also, there are a ton of small dents and scratches all over the car. From 20 feet away, it looks like a million bucks, but not from up close.

So, it'd be a really affordable way to get into a 2nd car for the short term, I'm just not sure I want to have anything else to stress over.

Here's the link to the car. Take a look and let me know your thoughts. http://miami.craigslist.org/pbc/cto/4808868304.html

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Jon,
Was the car warmed up or cold when you first went to see it? Found a similar ZHP automatic several months ago, the car was warmed up when I went to see it. I prefer to look at a car that's cold, told the owner then I can listen for 1st start of the day noises -- valve train, cooling system, belts/tensioners, etc. He apologized and explained he intentionally warmed it up because his transmission must be shifted in manual mode until the tranny temp warms up which only takes about 5 min/5 miles, after that auto & semi-auto worked fine, he said it had been doing this for over 5 years. I asked why he didn't try a tranny fluid service to see if the issue would go away, he said his indy tech told him not to do that as it might fix it, might make it worse, or might drive a final nail into the tranny. Other than that, read Mike Miller's comments on the steptronics from his Old School Maintenance guidance.
Bruce

Bruce- thanks for that. I did take note that it was warmed up when I went to see it, something I don't like either. I did drive it and it felt fine in automatic mode, manual mode seemed a little slow when trying to really get on it, but I have never driven an AT ZHP so maybe it was fine. I expect them all to shift like the 8AT in the newer BMW models, which I know isn't realistic. Going to go back and look again, hopefully with a friend that owns an AT ZHP.

From having owned both, you are absolutely correct, the older steptronics (e46 & e39) do not shift anywhere near as smooth or fast as the 8-spd e70.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JupiterBMW

So, it'd be a really affordable way to get into a 2nd car for the short term, I'm just not sure I want to have anything else to stress over.

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Sometimes you just have to take your OCD and toss it out the window...

Passed Virginia state inspection

Always a good feeling Vas.

Nice wurk Bruce.

Jon, the car does look good. You said it's not a 9/10 on the exterior as he noted in the ad and he's apparently not ready to negotiate on the price?


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Met up with Fredo for lunch in Temple, TX today. Great to meet him, a great guy. Drove all the way from Austin, over 90 minutes so I really appreciated the effort. Note: notice we're both reppin' BMW, and in my case, The Mafia.
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