Reflections on a 350 mile test drive of a 2003 330i ZHP

Just finished a 350 mile test drive of a 2003 330i ZHP in nice with 20,000
miles on the clock.

Observations:

The car has more than ample power. It accelerates from pretty low speeds
well in any gear, but 6th. Very impressive for a 3 litre six. The engine
loves to wind.

I got 28 mpg averaging 70-72 mph with a few stops for gas and leg stretch.
Looks like it gets in the low 20's in suburban traffic.

The fake suede is OK on the seats, but it wears too fast and feels cheap
(nappies) on the steering wheel. A stupid mistake not to use leather there.

I thought the vacuum gage masquerading as a mileage gage was chintzy, but
grew to respect its accuracy.

The short throw shifter is not short throw by any stretch. If BMW wants to
know how to buld a short throw shifter, they should ask Subaru about the
short throw optional on the STI. Now THAT's an excellent shifter that BMW
should just copy. Far, far better.

The shifter feel, on the other hand, is excellent. Buttery smooth, although
overall I'd still take the slightly notchier STI short shifter, overall.

The ride is a nice compromise between sport and comfort. Definitely better
than in an M3.

The seats (fabric) are nice, but I've sat in better. If you set the seat
back far enough to make a 6-footer comfortable, the shifter is a reach.

The Xenon lights are nice, especially when you are in a truck canyon (semi's
on both sides) where they throw a lot of side light. The high beams are
fantastic.

The air conditioning system is inferior to that on our 1992 LS400. You get
cooler air in the face than to the feet, for some reason.

This car is jus the right size for two adults in front. Plenty wide enough,
but not too wide.

Stay out of automatic car washes with this car. This one had two wheels torn
up by a the guide track of one.

The wipers work great in driving rain.

Beware of add-on window tint at night. It just devastates rear window
visability and I don't mean just dims it; it distorts it as well.


The seat heaters heat up fast and are multi-level. My wife loved 'em (it was
near freezing).

The stereo (radio) is excellent. Great sound.

This was mostly highway driving, so I could not test out the handling much,
but the few times I challenged it, it felt great.

I can see why people like these things, but I think an STI is a loads more
fun car to drive if you are willing to sacrifice taste (looks), space, and
some comfort.

- nopcbs

Uh, that's "nice" as in "a nice one" in the first sentence.

- nopcbs.
"nopcbs" > wrote in message
...
> Just finished a 350 mile test drive of a 2003 330i ZHP in nice with 20,000
> miles on the clock.
>
> Observations:
>
> The car has more than ample power. It accelerates from pretty low speeds
> well in any gear, but 6th. Very impressive for a 3 litre six. The engine
> loves to wind.
>
> I got 28 mpg averaging 70-72 mph with a few stops for gas and leg stretch.
> Looks like it gets in the low 20's in suburban traffic.
>
> The fake suede is OK on the seats, but it wears too fast and feels cheap
> (nappies) on the steering wheel. A stupid mistake not to use leather
there.
>
> I thought the vacuum gage masquerading as a mileage gage was chintzy, but
> grew to respect its accuracy.
>
> The short throw shifter is not short throw by any stretch. If BMW wants to
> know how to buld a short throw shifter, they should ask Subaru about the
> short throw optional on the STI. Now THAT's an excellent shifter that BMW
> should just copy. Far, far better.
>
> The shifter feel, on the other hand, is excellent. Buttery smooth,
although
> overall I'd still take the slightly notchier STI short shifter, overall.
>
> The ride is a nice compromise between sport and comfort. Definitely better
> than in an M3.
>
> The seats (fabric) are nice, but I've sat in better. If you set the seat
> back far enough to make a 6-footer comfortable, the shifter is a reach.
>
> The Xenon lights are nice, especially when you are in a truck canyon
(semi's
> on both sides) where they throw a lot of side light. The high beams are
> fantastic.
>
> The air conditioning system is inferior to that on our 1992 LS400. You get
> cooler air in the face than to the feet, for some reason.
>
> This car is jus the right size for two adults in front. Plenty wide
enough,
> but not too wide.
>
> Stay out of automatic car washes with this car. This one had two wheels
torn
> up by a the guide track of one.
>
> The wipers work great in driving rain.
>
> Beware of add-on window tint at night. It just devastates rear window
> visability and I don't mean just dims it; it distorts it as well.
>
>
> The seat heaters heat up fast and are multi-level. My wife loved 'em (it
was
> near freezing).
>
> The stereo (radio) is excellent. Great sound.
>
> This was mostly highway driving, so I could not test out the handling
much,
> but the few times I challenged it, it felt great.
>
> I can see why people like these things, but I think an STI is a loads more
> fun car to drive if you are willing to sacrifice taste (looks), space, and
> some comfort.
>
> - nopcbs
>
>

In article >, nopcbs says...
>
>Just finished a 350 mile test drive of a 2003 330i ZHP in nice with 20,000
>miles on the clock.

I've got a 2005 330Cic ZHP.

>The car has more than ample power. It accelerates from pretty low speeds
>well in any gear, but 6th. Very impressive for a 3 litre six. The engine
>loves to wind.

True! Though I do find myself downshifting to 3rd more than I'd expect from a
3.0. I expected in my 1.8 Miata to have to flog it to get any oomph.

>I got 28 mpg averaging 70-72 mph with a few stops for gas and leg stretch.
>Looks like it gets in the low 20's in suburban traffic.

I've never gotten better than 19.5 according to the OBC. Though my driving
style is quite...spirited.

>The fake suede is OK on the seats, but it wears too fast and feels cheap
>(nappies) on the steering wheel. A stupid mistake not to use leather there.

I've got leather, except for the wheel and shift boot, where I have that
Alcantara suede stuff. I like it now, hope it doesn't wear. But I've heard
some folks just use a fabric shaver on it when it pills up.

>I thought the vacuum gage masquerading as a mileage gage was chintzy, but
>grew to respect its accuracy.

I'm still baffled by the existence of that gauge.

>The short throw shifter is not short throw by any stretch.

Definitely shorter than the non-ZHP though. The huge shift throw on the non-ZHP
was a dealbreaker for me. I'm still getting used to this one, after years of
driving Miatae. Longer throw, and MUCH longer clutch. When I drive the Miata
now, I'm amazed at how short the clutch travel is before grip point (like, 1
inch) and the snick-snick-snick of the shifter. Miata trannys are the best I've
ever driven for sporty driving.

>The shifter feel, on the other hand, is excellent. Buttery smooth, although
>overall I'd still take the slightly notchier STI short shifter, overall.

I agree on the feel. I wish I could blend the Miata and the BMW shifting setup.

>The ride is a nice compromise between sport and comfort. Definitely better
>than in an M3.

Yeah, my friend has an M3, and it is a *very* nice ride, but a bit firm for
commuting. However, I have yet to autox my 330, so I might be whining for a
stiffer setup after the first race.

>The Xenon lights are nice, especially when you are in a truck canyon (semi's
>on both sides) where they throw a lot of side light. The high beams are
>fantastic.

Did that one have the adaptive Xenons that turn? I love those on mine. Didn't
know how much it matter till I had them.

>The air conditioning system is inferior to that on our 1992 LS400. You get
>cooler air in the face than to the feet, for some reason.

Did you try adjusting the little wheel on the dash between the two center vents?
Assuming that car has one like mine does. I like it. I can set the temp to,
say, 71 when it is cold out, but get cooler air in the face instead of hot air,
which bugs me. But the temp still ends up 71.

>I can see why people like these things, but I think an STI is a loads more
>fun car to drive if you are willing to sacrifice taste (looks), space, and
>some comfort.

So you decided against it?


--
Jason G
"This isn't a matter of being tolerant;
it's a matter of being sane." --REP, a.s.c.

No, I bought it. The heart said new STI, but the mind, eye, age (53) and
SWMBO said late-model 3-Series.

It's real pretty sitting there in the garage, all red and with those nifty
wheels, but I am going to miss that stump-pulling STI power and that sweet
gear-box/shifter.

I think I'm going to try to get the dealer to do a leather steering wheel
swap and get rid of that silly fake-suede and its fuzz balls. If that
doesn't work, a nice Wheelskin leather cover goes on. Will make the rim even
fatter, too. I like that.

That vaccum gage puzzled me at first, too. Really looks weird with the
needle bouncing around, but, as I said, it does appear to be accurate and
gives an instantaneous mpg estimate. Fun to see it go to 50 mpg when you
back off going down-hill.

I'm surprised that you get only 19.5 mpg. Maybe your engine is still tight.
I'm pretty happy with the 28 mpg this thing gave me with the 70 mph cruise.
Next time out I'm going to play with the mpg read-out vs. speed (older
people do this sort of thing).

Now I have to find some place to buy oil filters for this thing. I am not
about to do the 15,000 mile oil change interval BMW will pay for. She's
going to be fed sytnthetic at 5,000 mile intervals.

Enjoy the ride.

- nopcbs


"Jason G" > wrote in message
...
> In article >, nopcbs says...
> >
> >Just finished a 350 mile test drive of a 2003 330i ZHP in nice with
20,000
> >miles on the clock.
>
> I've got a 2005 330Cic ZHP.
>
> >The car has more than ample power. It accelerates from pretty low speeds
> >well in any gear, but 6th. Very impressive for a 3 litre six. The engine
> >loves to wind.
>
> True! Though I do find myself downshifting to 3rd more than I'd expect
from a
> 3.0. I expected in my 1.8 Miata to have to flog it to get any oomph.
>
> >I got 28 mpg averaging 70-72 mph with a few stops for gas and leg
stretch.
> >Looks like it gets in the low 20's in suburban traffic.
>
> I've never gotten better than 19.5 according to the OBC. Though my
driving
> style is quite...spirited.
>
> >The fake suede is OK on the seats, but it wears too fast and feels cheap
> >(nappies) on the steering wheel. A stupid mistake not to use leather
there.
>
> I've got leather, except for the wheel and shift boot, where I have that
> Alcantara suede stuff. I like it now, hope it doesn't wear. But I've
heard
> some folks just use a fabric shaver on it when it pills up.
>
> >I thought the vacuum gage masquerading as a mileage gage was chintzy, but
> >grew to respect its accuracy.
>
> I'm still baffled by the existence of that gauge.
>
> >The short throw shifter is not short throw by any stretch.
>
> Definitely shorter than the non-ZHP though. The huge shift throw on the
non-ZHP
> was a dealbreaker for me. I'm still getting used to this one, after years
of
> driving Miatae. Longer throw, and MUCH longer clutch. When I drive the
Miata
> now, I'm amazed at how short the clutch travel is before grip point (like,
1
> inch) and the snick-snick-snick of the shifter. Miata trannys are the
best I've
> ever driven for sporty driving.
>
> >The shifter feel, on the other hand, is excellent. Buttery smooth,
although
> >overall I'd still take the slightly notchier STI short shifter, overall.
>
> I agree on the feel. I wish I could blend the Miata and the BMW shifting
setup.
>
> >The ride is a nice compromise between sport and comfort. Definitely
better
> >than in an M3.
>
> Yeah, my friend has an M3, and it is a *very* nice ride, but a bit firm
for
> commuting. However, I have yet to autox my 330, so I might be whining for
a
> stiffer setup after the first race.
>
> >The Xenon lights are nice, especially when you are in a truck canyon
(semi's
> >on both sides) where they throw a lot of side light. The high beams are
> >fantastic.
>
> Did that one have the adaptive Xenons that turn? I love those on mine.
Didn't
> know how much it matter till I had them.
>
> >The air conditioning system is inferior to that on our 1992 LS400. You
get
> >cooler air in the face than to the feet, for some reason.
>
> Did you try adjusting the little wheel on the dash between the two center
vents?
> Assuming that car has one like mine does. I like it. I can set the temp
to,
> say, 71 when it is cold out, but get cooler air in the face instead of hot
air,
> which bugs me. But the temp still ends up 71.
>
> >I can see why people like these things, but I think an STI is a loads
more
> >fun car to drive if you are willing to sacrifice taste (looks), space,
and
> >some comfort.
>
> So you decided against it?
>
>
> --
> Jason G
> "This isn't a matter of being tolerant;
> it's a matter of being sane." --REP, a.s.c.

nopcbs wrote:

> Just finished a 350 mile test drive of a 2003 330i ZHP in nice with 20,000
> miles on the clock.
>
> Observations:
>
> The car has more than ample power. It accelerates from pretty low speeds
> well in any gear, but 6th. Very impressive for a 3 litre six. The engine
> loves to wind.
>
> I got 28 mpg averaging 70-72 mph with a few stops for gas and leg stretch.
> Looks like it gets in the low 20's in suburban traffic.
>
> The fake suede is OK on the seats, but it wears too fast and feels cheap
> (nappies) on the steering wheel. A stupid mistake not to use leather there.
>
> I thought the vacuum gage masquerading as a mileage gage was chintzy, but
> grew to respect its accuracy.
That ain't no vacuum gage. It is actually electronic and tied to the ECU
(at least that is how it is on my E30). It is pretty damn accurate.
--
Rob Munach, PE
Excel Engineering
PO Box 1264
Carrboro, NC 27510

The STis etc use forced induction don't they? Bolt on a supercharger &
a quality aftermarket suspension setup & away you go.

> I thought the vacuum gage masquerading as a mileage gage was chintzy,
but
> grew to respect its accuracy.

It's not a vacuum gauge. Its signal is generated electronically (hint:
nearly have of BMW's cars have diesel engines, and they have the same
gauge). If anyone wonders why it's there, it's a useful reminder of
how much your driving style is costing you, at over $6 a gallon.

> The short throw shifter is not short throw by any stretch.

The marketing department at BMW NA clearly knows very little about the
car's technology. For "shorter gearknob", they must have read "short
throw gearshift" (BMW GN tried the same line with the 330Ci Clubsport,
so they're not alone).

"nopcbs" > wrote in message
...
> Just finished a 350 mile test drive of a 2003 330i ZHP in nice with 20,000
> miles on the clock.
>
> Observations:
>
> The car has more than ample power. It accelerates from pretty low speeds
> well in any gear, but 6th. Very impressive for a 3 litre six. The engine
> loves to wind.
>
> I got 28 mpg averaging 70-72 mph with a few stops for gas and leg stretch.
> Looks like it gets in the low 20's in suburban traffic.
>
> The fake suede is OK on the seats, but it wears too fast and feels cheap
> (nappies) on the steering wheel. A stupid mistake not to use leather
there.
>

When you put yoru order in, check the Leather Option.



> I thought the vacuum gage masquerading as a mileage gage was chintzy, but
> grew to respect its accuracy.
>

That vacuum guage is really a real time indicator of the fuel delivery and
speed. It is not a vac guage at all.




> The short throw shifter is not short throw by any stretch. If BMW wants to
> know how to buld a short throw shifter, they should ask Subaru about the
> short throw optional on the STI. Now THAT's an excellent shifter that BMW
> should just copy. Far, far better.
>
> The shifter feel, on the other hand, is excellent. Buttery smooth,
although
> overall I'd still take the slightly notchier STI short shifter, overall.
>
> The ride is a nice compromise between sport and comfort. Definitely better
> than in an M3.
>
> The seats (fabric) are nice, but I've sat in better. If you set the seat
> back far enough to make a 6-footer comfortable, the shifter is a reach.
>

I am a 6-footer, 6'1" to be precise, and the shifter is not a stretch for
me. I can set the seat back to the point where the clutch is a stretch, and
the shifter is well within reach. Maybe you would like the E36 better ...




> The Xenon lights are nice, especially when you are in a truck canyon
(semi's
> on both sides) where they throw a lot of side light. The high beams are
> fantastic.
>
> The air conditioning system is inferior to that on our 1992 LS400. You get
> cooler air in the face than to the feet, for some reason.
>

The dials can direct air anywhere you might want it, and you can set the
dial mid-point between two settings and get the air from both of them. Tweek
the knob closer to one to get more air from that duct.



> This car is jus the right size for two adults in front. Plenty wide
enough,
> but not too wide.
>
> Stay out of automatic car washes with this car. This one had two wheels
torn
> up by a the guide track of one.
>
> The wipers work great in driving rain.
>
> Beware of add-on window tint at night. It just devastates rear window
> visability and I don't mean just dims it; it distorts it as well.
>
>
This is a function of the window tint, not the car.




> The seat heaters heat up fast and are multi-level. My wife loved 'em (it
was
> near freezing).
>
> The stereo (radio) is excellent. Great sound.
>
> This was mostly highway driving, so I could not test out the handling
much,
> but the few times I challenged it, it felt great.
>
> I can see why people like these things, but I think an STI is a loads more
> fun car to drive if you are willing to sacrifice taste (looks), space, and
> some comfort.
>
> - nopcbs
>
>

In article .com>, Andrew
Thomas says...
>
>It's not a vacuum gauge. Its signal is generated electronically (hint:
>nearly have of BMW's cars have diesel engines, and they have the same
>gauge). If anyone wonders why it's there, it's a useful reminder of
>how much your driving style is costing you, at over $6 a gallon.

I think mine must be broken. It seems to stay all the way to the right almost
the whole time! :-D


--
Jason G
"This isn't a matter of being tolerant;
it's a matter of being sane." --REP, a.s.c.

Jason G wrote:

> I think mine must be broken. It seems to stay all the way to the right almost
> the whole time! :-D

You have the Canadian model?