Post your daily ZHP/BMW/MINI pics!

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Originally Posted by KevinC

Getting used to the M5 is proving to be an interesting experience. It's sooo different from the ZHP. You really feel the heft of the car, and that's not all a good thing. The recirculating-ball steering - which all V8 E39's have, while the 6's have r&p - is a noted weak spot, and when you own a ZHP to compare it to, it's really glaring. It's over-boosted at low speeds, and quite vague on-center. I REALLY appreciate the ZHP steering when I jump back into that car, it's just so much more precise and "alive" in your hands. That's not to say the M5's steering "sucks", it's just not nearly as good. It's still light years better than the current electric setups, which feel absolutely wooden to me. But the ZHP is nirvana, especially when all your steering and suspension components are well-maintained, your alignment spot-on, and quality rubber is afoot. You guys out there with higher-mileage cars who have neglected some of this stuff - you really don't know what you're missing. Refresh those FCABS & shocks and whatever else might be shot, and you'll be amazed at how it can transform the car.

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I agree with a lot of that. The E39 and the E46 are very different cars even though they're from the same general era. While it's not exactly your M5, I drove my father's E39 540i occasionally for years (he's owned it since new, almost 18 years old now). It's a fantastic long distance car, incredibly comfortable seats, quiet on the highway, has sufficient low down torque (320 ft-lbs) that is very accessible and makes passing easy, and a great engine sound. It was very capable in the bends, definitely more power than I'd ever need on the street. It was my performance benchmark. And I thought it had the best steering feel but all I had to compare it to were econoboxes, my inherited C4 Audi S4, my sister's Jetta, a friend's Saab 93, another friend's Mini, my mother's Volvo S40, etc. Then I got my '03 330Ci and although it lacked the torque of the 540i, it felt nimbler and more focused. Now that I'm in the ZHP, it's magnified. Stepping out of the ZHP into the 540i shows me how much more poised the E46 is than the 540i. It's got a much shorter ratio steering rack (I think the non-ZHP is 15.4, ZHP has 13.7:1, the E39 540i had 17.9(!), and the E39 M5 had 14.7) and weighs a lot less. The 540i has a fat ass that it likes to shake if you give it the chance. I didn't know the E46 and E39's used different steering mechanisms, but it would help explain some of the difference in feel.

All that said, they're different cars for different things. I am incredibly envious of your new (to you) M5. I've ridden in the friend of a friend's and it was an absolute hoot. Maybe not as precise as our ZHPs, but in some ways more exciting. And that V-8 :drools

They actually put a decal with your username (Jupiter) on the X1?

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Originally Posted by JupiterBMW

There is something very wrong with this picture... I purchased and own not one but TWO sweet ///M vehicles.... Yet, I've been driving a 328i base model and an X128i S drive... Yes, you're seeing that right, I have BOTH our cars at the dealer for service (neither of it regularly scheduled maintenance) and I have TWO courtesy vehicles...

I swear, I don't pay to own BMWs, I pay to continuously test drive their courtesy loaner fleet... :rofl

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Originally Posted by anandoc

They actually put a decal with your username (Jupiter) on the X1?

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:rofl I live in the town of Jupiter.... My dealership is Braman BMW Jupiter (they have another location in West Palm Beach)

A couple pics.... Today I got the color matched badges on the M3. Once again, I'm absolutely in love with the color matched look... The quality of the work is actually really good too.

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Originally Posted by JupiterBMW

So, last night I went down to my buddy's house to work on his Exocet project (google it if you need)

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Exocets are a blast! They are located here in Atlanta and we have multiple come out to every track day! Crazy cars!

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Originally Posted by JupiterBMW

A couple pics.... Today I got the color matched badges on the M3. Once again, I'm absolutely in love with the color matched look... The quality of the work is actually really good too.

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I can't get over how TINY those badges are!

Yeah it's kind of weird/funny how they change them...


Sent from my iPhone 6 Plus using two hands to hold the damn thing!

Looks good Jon :thumbsup

http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/08...6fa4f8f8c0.jpg

Daytona SCCA qualifying last weekend, they look right at home on the infield.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by rtotten407

Daytona SCCA qualifying last weekend, they look right at home on the infield.

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Speaking from experience, the ZHP is even more at home on the track. :)