# Just got home in my 330i ZHP



## SteveMD (Apr 22, 2002)

All I can say is good lord, what a car! Stiff suspension but Steve like! :thumbup: 

Alcantara interior, black cube trim, M3 steering wheel are all sweet. 

The 6-speed's throws do not seem short at all. :dunno: 

Dave Myers at Passport is the man! 

It arrived 2 weeks early and I need to unload my 2002 WRX wagon, Silver, 5 speed, 6k miles, Mobil 1, no mods, asking $18k, $100. buyer referral reward. Located Maryland suburb of DC.


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Congratulations !! 


Pics ?


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

pics and full review, NOW!


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

You gonna show up at TDfest?

I'm sure we'd all love a ride in it.  (I'll happily make you a few sig pics, as well.)


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## WILLIA///M (Apr 15, 2002)

Congratulations. More driving impressions and pics please.:thumbup:


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## SteveMD (Apr 22, 2002)

Nick325xiT 5spd said:


> *You gonna show up at TDfest?
> I'm sure we'd all love a ride in it.  (I'll happily make you a few sig pics, as well.) *


Sure, I will swing by. I forgot to mention Titanium Silver. Thanks to Hans und Fritz for throwing on wheels shod with Pilot Sports.


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## Ack (Mar 16, 2002)

Congrats! :thumbup: Please post some pics when you have a chance.


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## smoke (Mar 8, 2003)

:thumbup:


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## 3seriesbimmer (Jun 20, 2002)

Enjoy!! imola , silver??? YES POST AWAY!!:thumbup:


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## Sean (Dec 22, 2001)

Congrats! 


Pics, pics, pics!


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## SteveMD (Apr 22, 2002)

*pix soon*

It is snowing but I can shoot a few.


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## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

*Re: pix soon*



SteveMD said:


> *It is snowing but I can shoot a few. *


Do so please


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

*Re: pix soon*



SteveMD said:


> *It is snowing but I can shoot a few. *


Hey, are you coming up? We're all here waiting to see it.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

This is killing me! 6 more weeks until I meet my car in Munich. SteveMD, stop being such a tease and post the pics already! 

Congrats!... ya lucky bastahd  (had to throw in the Bostonian accent )


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## SteveMD (Apr 22, 2002)

*Couple Quick Pix*

(removed pix, too big, too dark (batteries low)


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## nate (Dec 24, 2001)

Nice.

No interior shots or a review?


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## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

nate328Ci said:


> *Nice.
> 
> No interior shots or a review? *


these too please 

:thumbup:


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

Steve just got over here and I took a few more. Nick took a bunch but has to wait until he gets home to offload, upload and post.

I'm going to "attach" them, so be patient with the next few posts.

It's snowing right now mad: ) so try to look past the frozen, encrusted front end.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

More...


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

More....


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

Hmm...

Steve has lots of cool toys.


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## GSR13 (Apr 30, 2002)

Very nice. I will be interested to see what TD has to say about the car, if he has the opportunity to ride/drive it.

Based on those the pictures, the Alcantara Interior looks really nice. I wonder how long term wear will be, in comparison to the leather?

I also love that Front Bumper, even with all the ice!


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## tgravo2 (Dec 7, 2002)

GSR13 said:


> *Very nice. I will be interested to see what TD has to say about the car, if he has the opportunity to ride/drive it.
> 
> Based on those the pictures, the Alcantara Interior looks really nice. I wonder how long term wear will be, in comparison to the leather?
> 
> I also love that Front Bumper, even with all the ice! *


I don't think TD would say anything good about an E46


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

GSR13 said:


> *Very nice. I will be interested to see what TD has to say about the car, if he has the opportunity to ride/drive it.
> 
> Based on those the pictures, the Alcantara Interior looks really nice. I wonder how long term wear will be, in comparison to the leather?
> 
> I also love that Front Bumper, even with all the ice! *


Well, I did ride in it, albeit rather slowly (due largely to weather and it's VERY low mileage). So, I could judge certain things and not others.

First of all, aesthetically, the car is perfect. It looks incredible. Photographs do not due the interior justice. Even the black cube trim looks great in person. The alcantara is really sharp, the cloth inserts on the seats and doors are very tasteful, and the alcantara M steering feels awesome. The visual/textural aspects of the package are all definite upgrades. A big :thumbup:

I couldn't gauge additional power from my ride (or how the clutch/throttle behave), so I'll set those (very important to me) aspects aside. As for the ride, after Steve's original post in the thread, I expected firmer. It's firm. Maybe even very firm. But it's still damped E46 style and, IMO, still feels isolated. I would also assume that 99% of the population would call this limited isolation a good thing. Even wearing Pilot Sports on the 18 inch rims, I felt no harshness whatsoever (and I expect and want *some* harshness in a performance car). This honestly surprised me.

So, while this car feels very sporty for an E46, it still feels like a luxury car first. But I assume that's what most buyers want anyway. And at least the car is firmer than a regular SP E46. I could definitely live with it, although I'd probably be tempted to mess with the suspension and dial out that luxury damping.

I also forgot how structurally rigid E46s are. That car feels amazingly solid. It's definitely well designed and assembled. Very tight.

Maybe in a few weeks, I'll get a chance to gauge throttle, clutch and steering feel (those elements that drove me out of my 330i two years ago).

But, based on what I felt, if they made a wagon variant of the ZHP 330i, I'd likely get in line for one. But as it is, it's not going to get me out of my E36 M3 sedan.

Overall, though, it gets a :thumbup: as, IMO, the most desirable E46 to date.


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## Dr. Phil (Dec 19, 2001)

TD

Nice, open minded, honest :thumbup: 

Thanks  

Wish I could have attended, next time no excuses (right Clyde  )


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## Alex Baumann (Dec 19, 2001)

Wow! The interior pictures are amazing. Alcantara looks indeed very beautiful. The steering wheel is :thumbup: 

OT : TD, the weather looks indeed horrible there  Man, we have April in two days. I hope it gets better soon.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

TD said:


> *
> Overall, though, it gets a :thumbup: as, IMO, the most desirable E46 to date. *


Thanks for the rather quick review TD. :thumbup:

I can't wait to get mine now. Of course it will be Imola Red, but personally I am glad about my color choice. Glad to hear the interior looks good. Finally, good to know the suspension has some "luxury" left on it, because this is still our "nice" car and I would get hell from the fiancee if it rides like a race car. If the ride isn't bad, maybe I'll just keep the 18" wheels.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

TD said:


> *
> 
> Overall, though, it gets a :thumbup: as, IMO, the most desirable E46 to date. *




:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

PM 325xiT said:


> *:bawling: :banghead: I shoulda been there.
> 
> The car looks great Steve. Congrats :thumbup: *


Yeah, Steve. What did you do? Wait until I left before showing up? :dunno: 



Wish i could have stuck around.


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## mbr129 (Aug 23, 2002)

atyclb said:


> *
> 
> :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: *


I thought that was rather interesting coming from TD.

Then again, it looked that way on paper since it was introduced, which explains my ordering it.


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## JPinTO (Dec 20, 2001)

Where are you guys living that it's snowing in late March... Nome?

Gorgeous car! :thumbup:

I concur... the ride on the M-sport suspension II is almost too stiff. :thumbup: :thumbup:


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

atyclb said:


> *
> 
> :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: *


YES!

I do not need an overly peaky S54 engine and I really want more than two doors.

Even if they were the same price, I'd give up the HP and take the two extra doors.

So, yes, this car IS more desirable to me than the E46 M3. Take price into account and it winds hands-down.

The E46 M3 is overkill as a daily driver, has two few doors and costs to much for what it is.


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

JPinTO said:


> *Where are you guys living that it's snowing in late March... Nome?
> 
> Gorgeous car! :thumbup:
> 
> I concur... the ride on the M-sport suspension II is almost too stiff. :thumbup: :thumbup: *


It's been in the 60s and 70s for weeks (15-20 C for Alex in Germany). It was even 75 yesterday. This is a fluke snow. Fortunately, nothing is sticking.


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## Mr. The Edge (Dec 19, 2001)

TD said:


> *
> 
> The E46 M3 is overkill as a daily driver *


in what way?


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

I too rode in the ZHP today, and my impressions are VERY positive.
To sum up: Alcantara/cloth, WOW! You HAVE to sit in the car to understand how much nicer the interior is. It's comfortable, grippy, and looks good. (Not as good as nat. brown, but leather sucks compared to this.) Also, the alcantara steering wheel feels amazingly good. Anyone who is getting a ZHP and is thinking about switching the wheel is crazy. It is more comfortable, and gives you much better grip.

Frankly, I wish we'd had Blair's M3 there to compare to. The ZHP suspension wise did NOT feel as tight as either Tom's M3, or Josh's, but they are riding on Koni adjustable (sport?) shocks. I'm not sure how comparable that is. It's definitely a bit more damped, and the Pilot Sports seemed kind of soft. (My past experience with Pilot Sports suggests they could be stiffer.) I think the S-03s would be a better tire match for the car. I really need a back to back ride in a stock E36 M3 to compare properly, though.

I didn't drive it, but I did play with the shifter for a few seconds. The throws aren't any shorter (that I could feel) than the E36 M3. Much shorter than mine, but I have a bastardized 5 series linkage. I don't like the shift knob. It's far too short, which forces you to reach down from the arm rest. If the rm rest were better designed, and about an inch or two lower, this wouldn't bother me. (Universal E46 *****, here.)

Hopefully, I'll get to ride in it again, when the car is broken in and get a better impression of it. Overall, I like it. :thumbup: If only it were available in a wagon...


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

atyclb said:


> *in what way? *


333 horsepower is silly to use to drive to work.


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## alee (Dec 19, 2001)

TD said:


> *333 horsepower is silly to use to drive to work. *


How can you make this claim on a car that you've never driven before? :dunno:


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## alpinewhite325i (Jan 20, 2002)

TD said:


> *More.... *


Has the midrange speaker grill fallen off? :yikes:


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## Nick325xiT 5spd (Dec 24, 2001)

alpinewhite325i said:


> *Has the midrange speaker grill fallen off? :yikes: *


If we're looking at the same picture, no. (Driver's side door+ steering wheel.)


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2003)

Okay, TIMEOUT!

Why the f*ck can't I praise a car that I find praiseworthy with MY honest opinion without getting grief from you guys?

The E46 M3 doesn't even hold enough appeal to me for me to find the time to testdrive it, okay? I don't want one. I'm not interested in them. I just don't care.

It has two doors and I've read all the reviews of it's performance characteristics (both in magazine and in posts and from JST's firsthand account) and that's enough. I have no interest. None.

From when I first heard about the ZHP, it DID interest me. It porported to address some areas of complaint I had on my 330i. And it has 4 doors.

It is a factual statement- "Overall, though, it gets a :thumbup: as, *IMO*, the most desirable E46 to date. "
Remember, *IMO*.


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