Help me make a terrible decision: 2005 330ci ZHP vs Mini Cooper S

[Ns1]

Both of these are within the 5-10k "play car" budget...

I understand the low cost of entry means high ongoing maintenance costs. Based on my cursory searches on the internet, the 2002 - 2006 MCS's are relatively reliable, and reading ATOT tells me that the BMW will just eat money on a monthly basis.

But that said, I've loved both of these cars forever and 5-10k is pretty tempting.

vs

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Dude... the ZHP.

 

[Fenixgoon]

zhp.

for some reason i thought it was the penismobile bmw at first (sorry, just not a fan of the styling of those)

 

[Demo24]

Zhp. I'd honestly expect the zhp to be more reliable than the Cooper. Always wanted one but its never worked out.

 

[Insomniator]

100% of the answers you get will be ZHP.

I have an 04 MCS, its not any more reliable than an actual BMW. Repairs are often and cost the same.

The mini may be a more fun car though... I've never driven a ZHP but damn the mini is fun to rev around.

 

[cbrsurfr]

ZHP

 

[xSkyDrAx]

mini coop...zhp

 

[reallyscrued]

Get the Mini and tell me where the ZHP is and how much.

 

[Ns1]

100% of the answers you get will be ZHP.

I have an 04 MCS, its not any more reliable than an actual BMW. Repairs are often and cost the same.

The mini may be a more fun car though... I've never driven a ZHP but damn the mini is fun to rev around.

MCS is like one of the most fun cars I've ever driven, a street legal supercharged go kart.


But I love the interior/power of the BMW too. aaaargh.

 

[Insomniator]

Well, I'd imagine the ZHP is more rare. What are there, a billion MCS's out there?

I would think few cars are more fun in that price range than a modded MCS though. Can get over 200hp easily with an exhaust, pulley, injectors etc...

 

[MagickMan]

The E46 platform is very solid, more so than the Mini, TBH.

 

[Ns1]

Well, I'd imagine the ZHP is more rare. What are there, a billion MCS's out there?

I would think few cars are more fun in that price range than a modded MCS though. Can get over 200hp easily with an exhaust, pulley, injectors etc...

I'm not interested in rare I'm interested in fun and reasonable maintenance costs lol

JCW coopers aren't that expensive anymore either...

 

[halik]

zhp, no doubt

 

[SSSnail]

ZHP, no contest.

 

[sontakke]

Both of these are within the 5-10k "play car" budget...

Can you clarify this statement? Are you saying that your "play car budget" is so big that 5-10K is just a noise?

 

[Insomniator]

Have you driven the BMW?

Definitely drive a JCW.

 

[Fenixgoon]

Can you clarify this statement? Are you saying that your "play car budget" is so big that 5-10K is just a noise?

i think he means that both are within the price range of 5-10k, which is his play car budget.

sorry, he's not going for an M3 bro 😛

 

[Ns1]

Have you driven the BMW?

Definitely drive a JCW.

I have driven many 330's and MCS's, have never driven a JCW or ZHP. Have driven M3's.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I think the mini will be more fun to drive at low speeds.
The E46 is a nicer car, and will probably be more fun some place where you can go a little bit faster.

 

[Koing]

I've had my E46 M3 for about 5/6yrs now. Maintenance figure £500-600 per year. It was all pretty good until last year I had to spend about £3.3k, granted that did include 3 tyres so £850 was eaten out of that.

I've had 2 sets of rear springs but that is probably more due to rubbish UK roads.

It's fun going past 5k rpm. Pretty docile before that and you can chill. Hard suspension but I like it like that.

What did you go for?

Koing

 

[Ns1]

Jury is still out. MCS turning out to be the cheaper of the 2 but so many unappealing color choices.

 

[Aharami]

educate me, whats a ZHP?

 

[NutBucket]

A special trim that has upgraded suspension and other bits.

 

[Wuzup101]

A good friend of mine bought a used ZHP 330i a few years ago. It's been a fantastic car and he's put almost 100k miles on it IIRC (I think it had like 60k when he bought it and now has like 160k). Nothing other than the standard maintenance items and a few preventative items recommended on the e46 (I believe O2 sensors and some other things that aren't necessarily cheap but are things that you know you are getting into when buying one).

Nothing wrong with the mini either, but if it were my $ I would go with the ZHP.

 

[MagickMan]

Mostly confirms my suspicions.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2014-mini-cooper-s-hardtop-long-term-update-review