Full photo album here
Well boys the time that I never thought would come has finally arrived. I bought this car after selling my first ZHP and spending years longing for another. I told myself I'd never sell it, which really just became the excuse I used for not having a budget. It was meticulously dealer maintained before then ($$$) and meticulously engineer maintained since (somehow $$$$). I wanted it to be OE+, where it remained a great daily driver first and foremost, but could safely get out to the track and back without concerns. Unfortunately it spent most of the last 9 years in the garage getting upgrades to make it track-ready, but never really made it out to the track.
Price:15.5k
Title status: Clean, in hand
Condition: Ready to go. No leaks, no codes, no concerns.
VIN:WBABD53425PD99095
Mileage/Ownership
- 181k miles on the odometer (126k on engine*, 120k on diff)
- *A brand new engine was installed by BMW at 55k miles, strong as hell, burns zero oil
- I am the 3rd owner
- 2005-2008 Owner 1 leased in Tallahassee, FL
- 2008-2016 Owner 2 in Tallahassee, FL
- 2016-present Me in Charlotte, NC
Engine = Bulletproofed
- M56 valve cover with internal CCV that won't clog
- Oil pump rebuilt/reinforced to prevent failure (Achilles)
- Oil pan baffle to prevent oil starvation (link)
- OE M3 fuel tank baffle installed to prevent starvation
- Cooling system secured with a 1.4bar expansion tank cap, reduced operating temp (ECU tune)
- All problem gaskets changed (OFHG, OPG, VCG, Vanos seals)
- Schmiedmann equal length headers (link) + Borla 140084 catback exhaust system (link)
- New spark plugs and coils
- SAP deleted, washer fluid reservoir relocated to drug bin
Tune = Chaos Calibrations
- 93 octane fuel
- SAP and secondary O2 sensor bypass
- Catless headers
- Throttle enhancement
- 85C thermostat opening
- 7200rpm rev limiter
Drivetrain = Refreshed
- OE BMW Euro short shift lever (shifter rebuilt w/ new components/guibo during install)
- 3.38 rear differential
- New engine/transmission/differential mounts (all rubber - OE or Meyle HD)
Suspension = Refreshed OE+
- Koni FSD Shocks/Struts with OE ZHP Springs
- 27mm front sway bar from Z4M Roadster
- 20mm rear sway bar from 330xi
- Bimmerworld spherical RTABs (link)
- Ultra racing front strut brace (shortened for additional camber w/ slotted towers)
- New strut/shock mounts, end links, steering coupler, control arms, ball joints, and bushings throughout
Rear Subframe = Bulletproofed
- Entire subframe was removed and rebuilt with new bushings in every location
- All attachment points were cleaned and inspected for cracks (only found some pulled spot welds along wheel well seam and repaired with rivets + sealer)
- Aluminum reinforcement plates were epoxy/riveted in to connect the rear mounts to the frame rail
- Extended length, high strength hardware used to bolt the front and rear mounts through the body
- Structural foam was injected into cavities to add rigidity and reduce NVH
- 95A polyurethane subframe bushings installed to limit movement (link)
- SME rear RACP brace installed (link)
- *adding the SME brace makes for a belt + suspenders approach -- you could remove the SME brace if you wanted and be fine, but I like the added rigidity it gives to the chassis
Brakes = OE+ Street/Light Track
- Zimmerman cross drilled rotors
- Centric rebuilt calipers painted gloss black
- Bronze caliper bushings (really helped the pedal feel - link)
- PFC Z-Rated pads (link)
Wheels/Tires (square setups)
- Grip monsters for summer:
- 18x9.5 et35 Apex Arc-8
- 255/35r18 Michelin PS4S
- All seasons for winter:
- 18x8.5 et52 BMW Style 264
- 245/40r18 Cooper Zeon RS3-G1
Exterior = OE+
- OE BMWP gloss black grilles
- Clear front bumper reflectors
- 3M Color Stable tint on all windows (35% VLT)
- Windshield cowl replaced
- All lights in great condition
- Adaptive headlights were replaced by BMW
- Morimoto LED fog lights installed
- New OE LED sidemarkers
- LED bulbs for turn signals/reverse lights (no errors/flashing, just delicious bright light)
- All taillight LEDs in good working order
Interior = OE+
- Bavsound Stage 1 speaker upgrade (link)
- Leather wrapped steering wheel with tricolor stitching
- M3 brushed aluminum trim (wrapped steering wheel trim to match)
- Alcantara shift and parking brake boots with tricolor stitching
- Genuine BMW armrest delete
- Fresh ZHP shift knob
- 9in Eonon Headunit with wireless Apple CarPlay
- Note that the door panels were replaced with a black leather set as the OE ones were faded and the fabric was peeling away. They will go with the car if you'd like to repair them. I didn't want to.
- Note that I have the Alcantara rear headrests in a box - I removed them for better visibility
Problems
- The drivers window auto-up has never worked. The pinch strip works fine and I can teach it, but then it unlearns. You have to hold the switch like a peasant.
- The sunroof is functional, but the shade catches a bit. I had planned on deleting the sunroof so it wasn't addressed.
- The drivers seat bolster had a hole worn in it when I got the car, so I watched it grow, then applied an-iron on patch to keep it from growing more. It's quite functional.
- The exhaust is currently catless, so more noise than my old ass likes these days. I have a high flow Magnaflow cat in the garage that I had planned on installing in place of the resonator, but that project got backburnered.
- The previous owner was rear ended while sitting at a light in neutral, so he ended up with a fresh hood, trunk lid, and f/r bumpers. Because of this, only the roof is showing its age, but even it looks great for being 20 years old (not peeling or anything, but I'd expect it to if parked outside for a few years).
I have my service records going back the last 9 years and dealer service records for the first 11. I can share those, additional pictures, and a cold start video upon request.
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