The Best Christmas Present Ever, the whole story
I bought my ZHP four years ago today. December 23, 2006 was a Saturday and the last possible day to buy it before Christmas.
It was late summer early fall of 2006. I had a 1999 323I that I bought before, I ever knew about the ZHP. I had had it for a few years and started to do some customization and upgrades. With it being a 2.5, I was looking for more power and searched the local BMW dealers on the web. I found a 3.0 coupe on a dealers site SW of Cleveland so,I called. I tried to talk to a new car salesman, that I knew from an All German Car Show, I won first place at in September of that year. I was told that he could not help me with Pre Owned so, I ask who could. She stated two names and one happened to be the guy that handled my 99 323I at a different dealer. I replied let me talk to Jerry. Jerry; can I help you, me; hi Jerry this is Guy; Jerry; Guy how are you, Me; great, I was on the web and was wondering if that coupe was a stick and possibly a ZHP, Jerry; no, but the 4 Door next to it is a ZHP. ME; what time are you going to be there till, Jerry; 6:00. Me; Okay. I called the Wife; hi I’m going to be late, Wife; why, Me; I need a look at a car, Wife, Oh NO.
I got to the dealer at about 5. I went right to the car, Jerry came out and ask if I wanted to take it for a ride. I can’t remember but, he may have had the palate in his hand. Yeh, I took it out; it was beautiful, with just over 26K on her. He told me some women turned in just off a lease. When I got done the appraiser had already left for the day so, I couldn’t find out what my car was worth, in trade.
I stopped back out with my Wife a day or two later, to have the 323 appraised. When they told me what they could do, I walked away cold and never called back or looked at the car again. I didn’t talk about it much, or tell very many people because, it was so far out of reach. Weeks went by and I nearly forgot about it, till my cell phone rang at work one day.
The call was from Jerry and he said he had some numbers to throw by me. I tried to blow him off. Then he gave new some new numbers over the phone. I could not believe the difference. All I can figure is they wanted it off the books before the years ended.
That said, the Saturday before Christmas Eve 2006 I brought home my ZHP.
Ps.. The wife had to send back my other Christmas present. It was a Shark program mod for the 323I.
