Selling My MINI & the Search For the Next Car (Part Two)

Sections: MF Feature | Site News Apr 1st, 2009 38 Comments

In yesterday’s feature I talked about the thought that went into my recent car purchase and the process of elimination I went through before narrowing the search. I had gone through the list of possibilities from the MazdaSpeed 3 to used M5s. What I needed was four doors with plenty of luggage space combined with great performance, good efficiency, and (above all) something that was “interesting”. Basically I didn’t want to see myself coming and going every five miles.

So let me pick up where I left off…

Part 2

So the current (E90) 3 series BMW just doesn’t make sense from a cost perspective and doesn’t rank high in the “interesting” category. Of course I could splurge for a new E90 3 Series (with the M Sport pack and everything under the sun) but my whole point was to find something slightly used that costs less to go along with some new priorities I have.

Then there’s the E46 (3 Series from 1999 to 2005)? I’ve owned a couple of them and they’re probably my favorite used BMW platform outside of the E30. The E90 is a better car sure. But the E46 just feels a little more connected to the spirit of the old-school BMW ideals. But is it truly special enough?

The ZHP

The ultimate E46 of course was the M3. But due to some Munich bean-counting oversight there was no four door M3 for the E46 generation. And I’ve already decided I need four real doors and the room that goes along with it. Then it hit me. The 330i with the much sought after Performance Package (also known as the ZHP). It was created for the US market (who were clamoring for a four door M3 at the time) to be the ultimate four door E46.

Sure it doesn’t have the power of the M3 at 235 hp (around 240 bhp for those across the pond). But it has many of the intangibles found only in M cars. Let’s take a quick look at the list (and yes this is long):

Engine mods (new camshafts, electronics, & lighter flywheel) for 10HP & 8 ft/lb of torque increase & 6800 max RPM (from 6500) designed and built by Alpina.
6 speed short throw shifter with unique shift knob
3.07:1 Final drive ratio (instead of 2.91:1)
Max Speed Limiter set to 155 mph (instead of 128)
M suspension, more aggressive than standard sport package: Firmer springs (front +6%, rear +8%) and firmer shocks (Jounce: front +50%, rear +20%), (Rebound: front +35%, rear -8%)
Larger diameter anti-roll bars: 23.5 mm front (v. 23.0), 18.5 mm rear (v. 18.0)
More rigid front bushings
Lower ride height by 15 mm (.6 inches) utilizing shorter auxiliary springs
-.5 degrees of camber
BMW M Aero Kit (front & rear fascia, side sills, & trunk lid spoiler)
BMW individual exterior trim: Anthracite (charcoal) headlight & foglight surrounds, High-Gloss Shadowline (black gloss) trim
Large diameter stainless steel dual exhaust outlets
Extra thick M Alcantra steering wheel
Sport Seats
“Black Cube” or “Silver Cube” M trim
M Anthracite headliner
M Red needles on the instrument cluster
Optional Imola Red (unique M only color)
Unique M division 18″ Wheels (style 135M), 18×8.0″ front, 18×8.5″ rear
Wider Tires: 225/40ZR-18 in front and 255/35ZR-18 in the rear.

The ZHP (as it is known among enthusiasts) was offered on sedans from ‘03 through ‘05 and on coupes and convertibles from ‘04 though ‘06. So that meant I’d have only three years of production to find my ideal used car if I went this route.

So let’s take a look at how it stacks up to my initial criteria for my next car. Four doors – check. Fun – check. Rare and interesting – a big check. And that’s where it really wins over the E90 325i. In fact digging into the story about the ZHP and how it came about really started to sell me on the car.

From my sources here’s how it all started. BMW USA went back to BMW AG in Munch and said we need something, anything that we can offer our enthusiast owners who want a four door M3. So BMW AG finally relented and handed off the project to BMW Individual to head-up. They then went out to Alpina who donated hotter cams, lighter flywheel and the engine software that added the extra 10 hp. From there they handed it over to BMW’s M Division who completely reworked the suspension, added a six-speed short throw manual transmission, M aero-kit, unique 18″ wheels and all kinds of interior trim to give the car the unique M feel. Finally BMW Individual added the high-gloss Shadowline and anthracite trim.

It all made the idea of a E90 325i seem a little pedestrian. But how does the ZHP stack up against the E34 or E39 M5? It’s a mixed bag in terms rarity (the E34 of course being quite rare) and it’s certainly not quite as exotic without the high-revving M powerplant. But when it comes to all out speed the ZHP is as fast as the E34 M5 and not too far behind the E39 M5 with a 0-60 time of 5.6 seconds. And with the car weighing several hundred pounds less, it’s quite a bit more toss-able than either.

So it was settled right? I mean it all makes sense. It’s a late model E46 that has everything I’m looking for. It’ll be fairly efficient, fun to drive and rare. But the real work was just starting; could I even find a low mile ZHP (preferably with Nav and of course a manual) within my price-range. A quick search on Cars.com, Autotrader and BMWCCA classifieds gave me some pause. There was really nothing on the market with less than 40,000 miles let alone something with Navigation. Next up, eBay.

Finding “the” Car

And there it was. A 2004 330i ZHP four door in Imola Red with navigation and somehow only 19,000 miles. And as luck would have it, the car was only 10 miles away in a Chicago suburb. For the moment, it was also well within my price-range. It had five days left on the auction and there was a good chance it would be bid up just out of my $24,000 self imposed threshold. So I had to act immediately.

Within hours I was behind the wheel putting it through it’s paces. In a word, perfect. It had 19,000 miles on it and it felt basically new. The tires were in need of replacing but otherwise it was like buying a well cared for BMW corporate car. In fact the owner told me the car had never even seen rain in four years since it was new. And it was easy to believe with the mileage and the general condition of the car.

After a sleeping on it for a night it was an easy decision. I agreed on a price over the phone (not ideal but time was limited), sent over a deposit via Paypal and the current owner pulled the auction that day. The total ended up being just a hair over $20,000. An incredible deal considering it was a $46,000 car a few years and miles ago.

And here it is. I’ve had it for awhile now and have to say it’s truly been one of the best ownership experiences I’ve ever had. Look for a full review on BimmerFile in the coming weeks.

Thanks to my friend Sam for some of the info on this page and for letting me drive his almost identical ZHP awhile back. It certainly left a lasting impression.

Written By: Gabe

38 Comments

AN Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Well done. Enjoy.

Jon Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Well researched, Gabe, and because of that, an excellent choice. Great color, and the M interior bits and better performance/handling make this car a real winner.

Will you drive this in the winter months, too? If so, are you going to put on snow tires?

goat Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Gabe – congrats and great choice! And the same red (now I know it is called Imola Red) and similar mileage (kilometreage) to the one I enjoyed test driving in Montreal, Canada a year ago! The alcantara M3 steering wheel was fuzzier than a Jim Henson muppet on that one though, the only part of the interior that wasn’t impeccable. Those have been replaced under warranty by BMW but your example has a steering wheel in good shape. (Wear risk aside, I am glad to have the chunky alcantara/leather wheel in my JCW Competition Edition R53.)

Enjoy it and keep up the interesting articles and good writing!

David Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Nice… yes a little more exclusive than an E90 325i which we see on every block around here. Not that that’s a bad thing, my Wife drives an E90 323i with the sweet inline six 2.5l and six speed manual. Did you happen to snag some RE-01R Bridgestones that Tire Rack had on insane close-out pricing? And, if so, how do they like the slush? I picked up a set of these for my new R56 MCS, at $88 bucks each for the 205/45R17 how can one resist?

Gabe Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Did you happen to snag some RE-01R Bridgestones that Tire Rack had on insane close-out pricing?

Yes. $88 for 255/18/35s for the rears no less! Incredible deal… and incredibly dangerous in the Chicago slush last weekend. Of course I have to blame myself, I just had to take the snow tires off and try them :)

Will you drive this in the winter months, too? If so, are you going to put on snow tires?

As I’ve had the car for awhile snows have already been on this past winter. If you look at the pics above you’ll see a different set of wheels and tires in some of the last ones in the set.

JonPD Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Fantastic choice Gabe. I have had a chance to drive a couple ZHP’s and can say they are a nice combination of performance and capability.

That is a pretty amazing deal on the car too. I look forward to seeing the full car review in the few weeks.

hardingsan Apr 1st, 2009 Link

not to mention snow all over the car…

that.guy Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Great deal. Good car.

Chris Woolman Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Old news! :-) The new car looks great, enjoy!

Dave Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Excellent choice. When I picked up my R56 MCS it was down to the exact car you bought and my pepper white/black R56. Ended up deciding I needed less space and gas at this point in my life and made the reverse decision going for the R56. You will love that car – I sometimes wish I’d gone for the RWD, but I don’t miss the size and mileage.

Little known fact, you want a rare car – the E46 wagon (325 – boo) could be ordered with the M-sport package and the Imola Red paint. Often considered finding one of those and doing a ZHP (or equivalent) parts and engine swap!

Aurel Savin Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Great car/find/deal! Enjoy!

Pete Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Turncoat! Just kidding! Enjoy it!

Pete

LTL M CPE Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Nice choice and great write up Gabe! Enjoy.

Jim

Lance Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Gabe,

The car looks great. I can’t help but feel as though I should have considered this option as well. I do think that my next vehicle will be along the same line. All things considered I am very happy that I was able to purchase your 07 Mini. It continues to impress those that I meet as well as myself. Happy Motoring!!!!

Lance

Emely&Robert Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Great catch, I know we resommended the 320Si in part 1, but this is actually a copy of the car my girlfriend and I decided against (somehow) before going for the 2009 Cooper S.

Many happy miles!

Dylan Bland Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Great looking car Gabe. I love your reviews. Thanks for sharing and I hope you enjoy your new machine :)

racemor Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Great minds think alike. ;)

Last summer I made the same decisions. Our new baby was pretty tough on my 40-year old back when getting her in and out of the back of my ‘06 R53 JCW. So as much as I loved my MINI, I started looking for something a little larger. I narrowed the list down to the Clubman or a ZHP. I liked the Clubman a lot, but it just was not quite big enough to haul around all the baby stuff theat comes with a newborn. After finding 3 good ZHP candidates, we ended up with an ‘04 ZHP sedan, 6-speed, Imola Red with Natural Brown leather.

I love it! A great touring car with a high fun factor when you want it. Unique enough to stand out from the other e46 sedans around Charlotte. And surprisingly, I’m really not missing the MINI nearly as much as I thought I would.

I hope you enjoy yours as much as I am mine!

-Tom

Gabe Apr 1st, 2009 Link

we ended up with an ‘04 ZHP sedan, 6-speed, Imola Red with Natural Brown leather

Sounds like a great combo!

greg Apr 1st, 2009 Link

“a red ******* chariot to take my ass straight to hell!”

Nice job Gabe. Looks great!

C4 Apr 1st, 2009 Link

I really like the E46 330 sedan. And the color is fantastic too. Is this your first red car?

Congratulations. You really did your homework well.

SFRedMCc Apr 1st, 2009 Link

That Imola Red is a great red, it almost looks metallic compared to my Clubman’s Chili Red. MINI’s metallic Nightfire Red was a little too dark for me. Is the alcantara/leather wheel really better than the standard leather?

Evan Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Wonderful choice. Whenever I spot the performance package 330i my heart beats a little faster. I think the E46 is the peak of the 3 series. Refined a lot of the issues with the E36 which I will always love dearly, but then the E46 also didn’t quite hit the size and complexity of the current E90, which is a great car, but more of a 5er than a 3er.

Makes me wonder about space. When our family expands I’ve tossed around sticking it out with my ‘04 MC, getting a lightly optioned Clubman, or (drum roll) a gently loved E46. It’s interesting how these cars attract such similar people.

If there was a four door 1er or the if the 5-door 1er was available here, I’d have an easy decision. For now, we’ll motor on in the R50, pure MINI at it’s best!

Nathaniel Salzman Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Congrats Gabe! Great choice. Great looking car.

Eugene Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Gabe,

just curious how can you easily tell if it a zhp when looking on cars.com or autotrader?

Rossii Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Great choice I’ve always like the ZHP Pkg on the sedans. I wish I bought one new. I have looked around and even found an Imola Red built by Rogue Engineering which has full engine, trans and diff from an e46 M3. Making it a true M3 Sedan. However with the economy decided to keep my MCS. I think its still available if anyone is interested.

GregW Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Gabe – Great choice. Now I do keep saying this but here I go again – this was the last of the BMW old school desings which is timeless. No funny eagle eye headlamps or flame treatment. A classic pre-Bangle car. No CCC programming to worry about. Good basic engineering.

Gabe Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

@Eugene: The big give-aways are the aerokit, wheels, lip spoiler, anthracite headliner, alacantara trim inside and red needles. Oh and the gloss black exterior trim is unique to this car as well.

Alexander Chemerys Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

My wife has the same car but in dark grey. She has had it since brand new.

Good choice!

C4 Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

The E46 BMW is like the MINI R53. Both are timeless and look absolutely fantastic. And both age very gracefully too.

Unfortunately the concept of good timeless looks and clean lines was simply too much from Mr. Bangle to comprehend.

I hope he is enjoying his retirement far from any BMW design studio.

C4 Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

I also wanted to say that Gabe purchased a fantastic automobile for 50% off!!

Show me what $24K can buy you brand new these days….

Gabe Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Unfortunately the concept of good timeless looks and clean lines was simply too much from Mr. Bangle to comprehend.

I agree that it’s a classic design (as is the R53) but for the record it was Bangle who oversaw the exterior and interior design of the E46. In fact the designer of your Clubman was also the exterior designer of the E46 M3. Although I will say that without the M aero-kit (which my car has of course) I almost prefer the original non-facelift version of the E46 sedan.

I also wanted to say that Gabe purchased a fantastic automobile for 50% off!!

Technically it was more than 50% off :)

C4 Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Gabe, if you get the chance, park your E46 sedan right next to a new E90 sedan and look at both from the back. There is no comparison. And the Imola Red paint really brings out the clean lines of the E46 shape like no other can.

Man, I am envious!!

Gabe Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

@C4: Oh I know! Imola makes the standard BMW red (or even Chili red on a MINI) look so desaturated and boring. And I love the fact it’s not metallic :)

Although my favorite E46 color has to be Laguna Seca Blue (exclusive to the M3)

JP Dunphy Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

thumbs up!!!! u get my vote! i almost got the exact same kind of car, nav, m package, red only it was a convertible and i ended up going for the mini instead for pure love purposes :P

Brad Apr 3rd, 2009 Link

Congrats man. The only thing I would have changed to make that BMW a little more sporty would be the black grills which it already has!

accel Apr 7th, 2009 Link

ZHP….

Why LSD is missing in this package?

Sam Apr 14th, 2009 Link

So you gave up the station wagon – It’s been a great safe car for my family – but like you I want to make a change. I’ve threatened the little girl that I would get a VW Hippie Van but I think I’m going to follow your lead.

Sam

michael Feb 18th, 2010 Link

Great experience review — I am in your same position now. Exact same price range and requirements and have made the same car comparisons — maybe we’re long lost brothers. I was initially considering the 335i (sedan) though the engine on that thing scares me to death if something were to go wrong (as I’d get it with 60k miles on it already), I then considered the 2006 330i though felt the same way about those cars that they’re all over the place, and am now set on the ZHP. Drove one today about 4 hours ago and still have a grin on my face.

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Selling My MINI & the Search For the Next Car (Part Two)

Sections: MF Feature | Site News Apr 1st, 2009 38 Comments

Part 2

The ZHP

Finding “the” Car

Written By: Gabe

38 Comments

AN Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Jon Apr 1st, 2009 Link

goat Apr 1st, 2009 Link

David Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Gabe Apr 1st, 2009 Link

JonPD Apr 1st, 2009 Link

hardingsan Apr 1st, 2009 Link

that.guy Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Chris Woolman Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Dave Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Aurel Savin Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Pete Apr 1st, 2009 Link

LTL M CPE Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Lance Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Emely&Robert Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Dylan Bland Apr 1st, 2009 Link

racemor Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Gabe Apr 1st, 2009 Link

greg Apr 1st, 2009 Link

C4 Apr 1st, 2009 Link

SFRedMCc Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Evan Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Nathaniel Salzman Apr 1st, 2009 Link

Eugene Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Rossii Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

GregW Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Gabe Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Alexander Chemerys Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

C4 Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

C4 Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Gabe Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

C4 Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

Gabe Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

JP Dunphy Apr 2nd, 2009 Link

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