Help me decide which e46 to get!(: zhp?

Okay so I've owned my 2004 tiptronic 325i for a year now,but am growing tired of the power in the tiptronic gears and want a manual e46.
I can't afford an m3 unfortunately :l
But I've gotten a 16,000 budget...
I want a two door but have been upset about all my choices. Ex. face lift,pre face lift looks. all this has left me confused on what I want,a newer look or more aggressive it's 50/50 to me but I'll decide soon.
A thing I'd really like to know is more about the 330ci Zhp 6 speed 5 speed and what not.
I want the highest class of the ci model but does anyone have any recommendations on what I should & shouldn't get?
Also I might go down to AA and get it a nice supercharger since the turbo kit is so much more.
trying to get a cleann 330ci that will last me....anything helps thanks!

I'm biased, but I'd vote ZHP. Everything you wanted to know about the car is on zhpmafia.com. You can certainly get a good one in your budget. that site has cars advertised, and it's has what people have recently paid for theirs, so that will give you a good idea. E46 330s are great cars, and the ZHP has a little more performance and styling help, so why not? Add an SC on to it (or any 330) and you have yourself a beast!

Personally I much prefer the face lift to the pre-face lift, But thats just me

Mine is a saloon with only 5 speed box,bit gutted I didnt get a 6 speed but with cruise control its just like having a 6th gear anyway!

Take your time and the right one will come along.

You could look around and get a M3 for around 16k possibly OTD at a dealer, but the mileage won't exactly be low.

Well if I did find an m3 for that price I'm sure it wouldn't be in the best conditions:/

And as for the zhp what is the best interior package cause I found a nice facelift with the club sport package what else is there?
I'm just so inpatient I want one already m tech2 bumper and m3 quad exhaust setup I can see it already(:

The ZHP either comes with the Alcantara interior or the black leather or some other leathers. The brown, I am pretty sure I seen a Coupe ZHP with Imola Red. I would honestly look for a M3, for that price you can get a nice salvage title M3 or rebuild a crashed one.

Originally Posted by OneOfaKindTrini

The ZHP either comes with the Alcantara interior or the black leather or some other leathers. The brown, I am pretty sure I seen a Coupe ZHP with Imola Red. I would honestly look for a M3, for that price you can get a nice salvage title M3 or rebuild a crashed one.

Why on earth would you want a salvage title anything? I'd keep the 16k for a ZHP or super nice 330

Originally Posted by OneOfaKindTrini

or rebuild a crashed one.

Thats so funny



Id say get a 5 speed 330 coupe or 5 speed zhp but concentrate on how the car was taken care of, low miles, good maintanance, lift the car, check it well. The 330 can be made into a powerful car with a supercharger or with nitrous oxide.

There are a lot of M3s in CA for sale. People in CA love their expensive cars and many of the original M3 owners are moving on and sell privately to get more than the very lowballed dealer trade-in offers. You should be able to find a pretty good M3 in that range if you look around.

A 330-zhp is nice but way too overpriced for a used E46. It's without question the most overpriced E46 from hype.

A good condition later model 330Ci with a 6 speed manual would be a good choice. Add a SC later if you want and a 3.38LSD and you'd be golden. And probably still under what some ask for the 330-zhps.

Originally Posted by mexsir

Id say get a 5 speed 330 coupe or 5 speed zhp

They didn't make a 5 speed ZHP

zhps are 6mt or step only, no SMG. you can find a M for around that price but it won't be perfect or low mileage

Buy my car.

2004 330Ci. Facelifted, nearly all the design issues had been fixed. 6 speed manual. 72k miles (I think, I've lost track lol). Clean and as up to date on the maintenance as a car can get. Link in my sig.

I cant believe that someone can buy a good condition e46 m3 for 16 k. Im just not used to us market I guess.

Feel kind of good that my car doesnt depreciate that fast.

Sent from my X10a using Bimmer App

just get a coupe zhp

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

There are a lot of M3s in CA for sale. People in CA love their expensive cars and many of the original M3 owners are moving on and sell privately to get more than the very lowballed dealer trade-in offers. You should be able to find a pretty good M3 in that range if you look around.

A 330-zhp is nice but way too overpriced for a used E46. It's without question the most overpriced E46 from hype.

A good condition later model 330Ci with a 6 speed manual would be a good choice. Add a SC later if you want and a 3.38LSD and you'd be golden. And probably still under what some ask for the 330-zhps.

Salvage title m3 sounds like a fun project but I really want this car within a few months from now,just a super well taken care of 330ci
I mean i can check it out but if I can't find one that hasn't been beaten down on I'd totally go for it,as for the zhps your completely correct on how people over price them mainly cause they don't have to many out there...what I really like about the zhps is the carbon trim, little more hp they come with and the fact that id be the only one person in my city that owns one so hopefully I can pull off that aggressive look I want on a facelift. Even though a pre facelift would be alot easier to pull off

buy my car.

2004 330Ci. Facelifted, nearly all the design issues had been fixed. 6 speed manual. 72k miles (I think, I've lost track lol). Clean and as up to date on the maintenance as a car can get. Link in my sig.
__________________

Nice car!, and to the OP this /\ /\ /\ /\

fyi, it seems like socal is where most of the ZHPs ended up. I see at least 1 a day in SD and I've prob seen over 100 different ones in the last year. Thats out of the prob 5000 they made and less than half of those are Ci/Cic (there is no real number as BMW won't give it out, just our best estimate)

Originally Posted by mexsir

Thats so funny



The 330 can be made into a powerful car with a supercharger or with nitrous oxide.

Also I have a good friend of mine,he's been working with nitrous kits on various cars including a 330i for about twenty years he's surprisingly knowledgeable about it all,he told me he could do a nos setup on my future 330ci...I haven't talked to him in a month or so but do you know what exactly the car would need? Engine performance wise,cause I know how bad n2o can be to cars engines if they can't take the shot

Originally Posted by 325iZap

Salvage title m3 sounds like a fun project but I really want this car within a few months from now,just a super well taken care of 330ci
I mean i can check it out but if I can't find one that hasn't been beaten down on I'd totally go for it,as for the zhps your completely correct on how people over price them mainly cause they don't have to many out there...what I really like about the zhps is the carbon trim, little more hp they come with and the fact that id be the only one person in my city that owns one so hopefully I can pull off that aggressive look I want on a facelift. Even though a pre facelift would be alot easier to pull off

the zhp doesn't have "carbon" trim per se. it either has Silver Cube trim or anodized Black Cube trim. both aluminum based trims get scratched up alot and lose pattern. the Brushed Aluminum trim imho looks better on an E46.

there are hundreds of 330-zhp here in SoCal. i see one just about everyday on the freeway. lots of older people driving them. it's like BMW unloaded all their last run e46s with this package to blow them out before the E9x came out.

Originally Posted by Alex323Ci

the zhp doesn't have "carbon" trim per se. it either has Silver Cube trim or anodized Black Cube trim. both aluminum based trims get scratched up alot and lose pattern. the Brushed Aluminum trim imho looks better on an E46.

there are hundreds of 330-zhp here in SoCal. i see one just about everyday on the freeway. lots of older people driving them. it's like BMW unloaded all their last run e46s with this package to blow them out before the E9x came out.

yeah im sure of that. I live in a little city called Santa Maria, Maybe thats why i never see them.
maybe ill look for a well taken care of 6speed around 14,000$....then thatd make my life alittle easier getting my car worked on from AA....im hoping my next e46 is as reliable as my current 325i, cause ive taken good care of it but have really put it through some very spirited driving i must say lol.