Cars We Drive!

[freshcutgrass]

[image] [/image]

 

[Rumpelstiltskin]

I got what you were saying. Needles in cars are attached to little servo motors that are controlled by a dedicated computer. The computer can move that needle as quickly as it needs to and to whatever position it wants.

From what I understand the issue is the response time of the lil servo motor and not the computer

 

[freshcutgrass]

 

[rnoldh]

Me and 2 of the Batmobiles used in the movies

My friend owned them ( and many more classic cars ) and they were going to be part of a Houston Car Museum. Sadly, when he accidentally died, his estate sold them off. I was in the cars but never drove them.

 

[horndog]

Hey GreenFrog (or anyone else with ZHP experience),

I'm in the market for a new daily and want to know the ownership considerations on a manual 330ci ZHP hard top. I'm looking to spend 10-15k for an '04-'06 with 100k or less on the ODO. I'd only drive it about 5000 miles a year. What can I expect to spend on maintenance per year? I'd DIY most of it.

 

[mbaum]

My guess is that this is the fitted luggage set for a 400 Superamerica. I want the luggage ... and the car (My friend has the ex-Rockefeller one. Un-*******-believable).

You got some fitted luggage fetish going there ...

Mike

 

[freshcutgrass]

My guess is that this is the fitted luggage set for a 400 Superamerica.

1964 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series I

 

[mbaum]

1964 Ferrari 500 Superfast Series I

Damn it. I was close

 

[dah328]



Hey GreenFrog (or anyone else with ZHP experience),

I'm in the market for a new daily and want to know the ownership considerations on a manual 330ci ZHP hard top. I'm looking to spend 10-15k for an '04-'06 with 100k or less on the ODO. I'd only drive it about 5000 miles a year. What can I expect to spend on maintenance per year? I'd DIY most of it.

It won't really be much different than maintenance on a regular E46 330i or 325i. The ZHP suspension uses higher-quality components than other non-M E46s and therefore lasts longer though parts of it (especially bushings) are going to feel tired by 100k miles. $10-15k is the top end of the scale, so you could afford to buy one in tip-top condition. I usually go the other direction and get a cheap one that I know needs work because I know that even the best cars are going to need some work and I may as well just get it all out of the way at once. Labor is far and away the most expensive part of maintenance and refreshing older cars, so if you DIY, you can get a lot done for not much $$. Suspension parts such as control arms and shocks are the most expensive parts that are likely maintenance items. Other maintenance parts such as bushings, filters, seals, fluids, etc., are relatively inexpensive.

 

[horndog]



It won't really be much different than maintenance on a regular E46 330i or 325i. The ZHP suspension uses higher-quality components than other non-M E46s and therefore lasts longer though parts of it (especially bushings) are going to feel tired by 100k miles. $10-15k is the top end of the scale, so you could afford to buy one in tip-top condition. I usually go the other direction and get a cheap one that I know needs work because I know that even the best cars are going to need some work and I may as well just get it all out of the way at once. Labor is far and away the most expensive part of maintenance and refreshing older cars, so if you DIY, you can get a lot done for not much $$. Suspension parts such as control arms and shocks are the most expensive parts that are likely maintenance items. Other maintenance parts such as bushings, filters, seals, fluids, etc., are relatively inexpensive.

Thanks for the input dah. I guess what I'm trying to find out is the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the 330 and compare to say, an Evo. In 3 years and 20,000 miles, what's the TCO delta of a $12k 90k mileage 330ci ZHP vs. a $18k 90k mileage Evo 9? If it's not that much, then I'd be more inclined to go with the higher upfront cost, lower maintenance car. Also, I'm financing as much as possible, so I'm more interested in incremental costs.

 

[JayJay]

Lots of snow here, so forced to drive the SUV all week, until today.... drove the AMG. :tounge:

 

[GreenFrog]



Hey GreenFrog (or anyone else with ZHP experience),

I'm in the market for a new daily and want to know the ownership considerations on a manual 330ci ZHP hard top. I'm looking to spend 10-15k for an '04-'06 with 100k or less on the ODO. I'd only drive it about 5000 miles a year. What can I expect to spend on maintenance per year? I'd DIY most of it.

My experience with the ZHP is a bit atypical in the sense that I only drove it on the weekends since I'm always on the road for work and added around 3-4k miles a year. But since you're also going to be adding few miles, I can say the following:

- I've never had a major repair come up. One time I 'had' to replace the start because my car would not crank. Turned out the electronics in my key fob were fried. Starter was fine all along.
- For maintenance, I only had to pay for oil changes. I also only had the car for 1.5 years, so it wasn't a very long ownership period
- Aim to replace the cooling system components if the car is approaching or past the 60,000 mile mark. If you DIY this and purchase the parts online, it will be very cheap. IIRC, they sell cooling system overhaul kits for around $300. Too lazy to look it up right now but that's what I recall.
- And as dah mentioned, if you spend $14-16k, that gets you into the upper tiers of quality for ZHPs. As always with the case with used cars, maintenance history is key. My PO was some old dude who meticulously maintained his car and had lot's of service records.

So, in essence, if you spend $14-16k and get an 04 (I'd highly recommend '04 and above) with around 50-60k miles, I'd swap out the cooling system as preventative maintenance. Other than that, expect to spend very little in recurring maintenance over the years, at least initially. Oil changes are a given, obviously. I can't extrapolate my maintenance spend since I only had the car for 1.5 years, but my ZHP was extremely reliable during my ownership. By and far, though, how the car was treated and maintained in the past is the biggest predictor of future spend. So, definitely get a thorough PPI from a competent mechanic you trust.

Anyway, good luck! I've been itching to buy another ZHP. I just miss rowing the gears so, so much.

 

[GreenFrog]



Lots of snow here, so forced to drive the SUV all week, until today.... drove the AMG. :tounge:

JayJay, what cars are in your 'roster' / garage, again? I didn't know you had an SUV.

 

[JayJay]



JayJay, what cars are in your 'roster' / garage, again? I didn't know you had an SUV.

The SUV is an Infiniti that I've had for ages. Good for Home Depot runs and bad weather. Probably will replace it soon for one that's a bit more exciting to drive.

 

[Piobaire]



I also only had the car for 1.5 years, so it wasn't a very long ownership period

For me it felt like you owned that car for far longer.

The SUV is an Infiniti that I've had for ages. Good for Home Depot runs and bad weather. Probably will replace it soon for one that's a bit more exciting to drive.

GL? The new big Infiniti based on the Patrol platform?