another #*%+!ng zhp

[Ashe too]

Well, another friggin' 330i with the performance package found its way into the hands of another smitten driver. Me like :D

Pics first, comments second.

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/nightlight3.jpg

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/details.jpg

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/details2.jpg

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/bldgs1.jpg

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/decksky1.jpg

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/fascia.jpg

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/garage.jpg

And to keep it well....

http://www.ashelockhart.com/zhp/tools.jpg

[ak330i]

nice ride! now you have to get rid of those ambers...

[AB]

Very nice ride! Congrats! :thumbup:

[Ashe too]

Picked it up a week-and-a-half ago from Chris McGratty at Hendrick in Charlotte. He was a pleasure to work with and one of the few CAs I've ever heard of who actually knows cars. Hell, he posts on this board and tracks his 330Ci - went to VIR this past weekend.

The car is pretty much everthing I thought it would be. I traded an '02 325i so this is a major upgrade in performance.

The appearance of the fascia, side skirt, and rear-end is awsome - aggressive but not ricey. Gets looks from a surprising number of people. The silver cube and black leather is incredible. The xenons have a different beam pattern than in my 325. The pattern sweeps up more to the right on low beam and the pattern is generally broader on high beam. The horizontal cut in the lens is gone. They must have reground the lens to get a better beam pattern. Happily, it doesn't have the auto-dimming interior rear view mirror.

Handling is more neutral than my 325, which surprises me because the 325 had sport pkg and same size tires front and rear (I was running Bridgestone RE 750s in 235/45). This car has 255s in rear and 225s in front. Seems like it would understeer more than the 325, but it's surprisingly neutral. Ride is firm but not noticeably firmer than the 325 with the sport package. Also, with the DSC completely shut down, it's infinitely easier to steer with the throttle. The rear-end will bust loose but easy to catch with a little opposite lock or letting up on the throttle a bit :)

The engine is tractible and smooth. I can feel what I think is a little bit of cam lope at idle. The sound is sonorous, whether at idle, driving at a moderate pace or really pushing it. Actually, when it's really on the pipe, it's friggin' awsome. The revs drop off faster on this car than on the 325. I don't know if this is because the flywheel is lighter or because of electronics programming, but I like the faster drop off in revs. The power delivery is a rush. It's strong up to 3000 RPM. Beyond that, it's howling mad up to about 6500. Power tapers off a bit before it reaches the redline at 6800 RPM (and yes, I did do the obligatory 1200 mile breakin before doing WOT or reving over 4500 RPM - it was a job but somebody had to do it).

The ZF 6-speed transmission has a shorter throw than the getrag tranny in the 325. It requires a firmer hand and more decisive movement but it's precise when executed properly. It's a little odd getting used to six gears. I've been driving manuals for 28 years and this is cool but takes a little getting used to. The clutch takeup is more linear than the 325...seems almost like the CDV is either modified from the 325 or missing and is much better than the clutch in my first bimmer, which was a '99 323i (e46).

Anyway, I've probably just repeated what everybody else has said about this package, but that's my story and I'm stickin' to it ;)

[BlackChrome]

Very nice car! Me likey! :thumbup:
...Happily, it doesn't have the auto-dimming interior rear view mirror...
May I ask why that's a good thing?

[Dr. Phil]

Very nice car! Me likey! :thumbup:

May I ask why that's a good thing?
It does not have an auto dim.....to some this is good because at times it will dim out when you really don't want it to :eeps: For example, if you wish to know if the car behind you has anything on the roof :p

[Dr. Phil]

Oooops................:angel:


Great ride, congrats :thumbup:

[Alex Baumann]

Congrats on the car! :thumbup:

[Ashe too]

nice ride! now you have to get rid of those ambers...

I actually prefer the ambers :D

[Ashe too]

Very nice car! Me likey! :thumbup:

May I ask why that's a good thing?

What Dr. Phil said...I used to have a piece of electrical tape over the eye of my 325 auto-dimming mirror so I could see more than just headlights behind me.

One automatic feature that I do like is the autosensing wipers. Excellent on the highway when the rain and mist vary with intensity. That feature doesn't interfere with driving, it just enhances the experience.

[KU Ned]

Great car and fantastic write-up. I have a little more understeer than I prefer. I probably just need to play with tire pressures.

[Frobozz]

Ive been driving manuals for 25 years and I agree the 6 speed takes some getting used to. I kept my '97 Ford Probe GT as a beater for camping, winter, ummm rain (wouldn't want to get the Bimmer wet!). I think going back and forth between the Probe 5 speed with a low clutch release and the 330 with the 6 speed is going to make me crazy! Of course when I put the temperature and humidity monitor in the garage after getting the 330 my wife said I was crazy so it may be a moot point.

Now if I can only get past the breakin.... 650 miles and counting.

[SARAFIL]

One automatic feature that I do like is the autosensing wipers. Excellent on the highway when the rain and mist vary with intensity. That feature doesn't interfere with driving, it just enhances the experience.

Congrats! You're now Alee's new best friend.

[Chris330Ci]

Car looks great and cool pix too. I like the one with the BofA Plaza in the background.

Rain visited VIR once again this year... :rolleyes:

[Ashe too]

Sorry about the rain...bummer. I tried to get the Bank of America corporate center in the background but I was too close. Need to get on a parking deck a couple of blocks further away.

[kyyuan]

Congratulations on the new ride...

I've only been driving manual for 12 years. :( I guess I'll just have to accumulate more experience in my to be re-delivered ZHP. :D

[Ashe too]

Congratulations on the new ride...

I've only been driving manual for 12 years. :( I guess I'll just have to accumulate more experience in my to be re-delivered ZHP. :D

I can't think of a platform I'd rather practice in!

[Andy]

Beautiful ride, Ashe!! :thumbup: Make sure you break her in right.

Now, loan me some of those tools. :D

[Ashe too]

Great car and fantastic write-up. I have a little more understeer than I prefer. I probably just need to play with tire pressures.

I'm running factory recommended pressures for the moment. Still better than the 325. What pressure are you running?

[Ashe too]

Beautiful ride, Ashe!! :thumbup: Make sure you break her in right.

Now, loan me some of those tools. :D

Broke her in by the book. 1200 easy to moderate miles. The a few runs at WOT to the redline!

As for the tools, it might be a bit of a drive from Ohio, dontcha think - but you're welcome anytime :thumbup:

[IndyMike]

Nice horseless carriage, Ashe!

Might not be a bad time to change your 'My car' info, don'tcha think? ;)

[KU Ned]

I'm running factory recommended pressures for the moment. Still better than the 325. What pressure are you running?

I was actually running pretty low! The fronts were at 28 and 31 while the backs were at 34. I added air to 33/38 and will see how she rides.

[Ashe too]

Nice horseless carriage, Ashe!

Might not be a bad time to change your 'My car' info, don'tcha think? ;)

Done. Now I need to work on getting a proper avatar and developing some photoshop skills.

[bavarian19]

You must have taken the photography merit badge when you were younger :yikes: . Those pics are amazing. What kind of camera did you use for these pics?


... and the car looks amazing. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

[Ashe too]

You must have taken the photography merit badge when you were younger :yikes: . Those pics are amazing. What kind of camera did you use for these pics?


... and the car looks amazing. :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

Thanks. I took some photography classes in high school. But that was so long ago I don't remember being there. :(

The first three (the night shots) were done by a friend on a Nikon digital camera with a swivel body -- cool rig. I used a Canon A80 with a swivel viewer for the rest of the shots. Now I need to learn how to use photoshop elements so I can do some basic editing.

[woohoo]

I was actually running pretty low! The fronts were at 28 and 31 while the backs were at 34. I added air to 33/38 and will see how she rides.

Try increasing the fronts and dropping the rears a bit. :)

[Raffi]

Congrats! You're now Alee's new best friend.

:lmao: Good catch!

[mys_iii]

pictures too. I am also envious of your garage and your tools! I can tell you like to have things done right on your cars. :thumbup:

Enjoy that sucker! I just got over my break-in period myself and am enjoying exploring the car. It's handling limits are definitely higher than mine, for now anyway. Man has got to know his limitations (and his/her car's). :D

[Ashe too]

pictures too. I am also envious of your garage and your tools! I can tell you like to have things done right on your cars. :thumbup:

I enjoy being able to do work myself but since I've been driving BMWs, I've had very little opportunity to fix anything 'cause they don't break very often. I did go on rattle patrol this weekend and managed to silence one very minor sound coming from the dash. Maybe I ought to do some mods but I can't really think of anything I'd want to do to it. :)

Enjoy that sucker! I just got over my break-in period myself and am enjoying exploring the car. It's handling limits are definitely higher than mine, for now anyway. Man has got to know his limitations (and his/her car's). :D

It will take some time before I get anywhere close to really exploring the limits of this car. It's capabilities are way beyond mine.

[invidious_D]

OT: What type wheels are those? Are those the ones that come with the ZHP package?

Thanks,
-D

[Ashe too]

They are the standard wheels for the ZHP package..."M Double Spoke - style 135." fronts are 18x8 with 225/40 and rears are 18x8.5 with 255/35.