Was reading the Tech Talk section of the latest Bimmer last night and came across a letter which I initially thought was from Bupton...very similar experience that Ben had with his ZHP, numerous trips to the dealer and no real fix...Mike Miller seems to think the problem is related to out of spec Alpina cams...

Interesting. I am surprised that anyone else has had a problem of this nature with their ZHP; after all, BMW stated that they had never heard of it. ;)

But no, wasn't me that sent the letter. I sent one to Roundel, but not to Bimmer. Would be interested to read it though. Did M.M. mention hearing from any other owners, or just this one?

This guy bought the car used and noticed a "chirping when the car was cold, accompanied by a rattle/tick." The dealer subsequently replaced the alt idler and tensioner pulleys, vanos controller, timing chains, and cams & gears during visits to the dealership. After cam & gear replacement the noise was absent for 2000 miles, it's back again and the dealer now says it's normal.

Mike Miller states many people have had the same problem and a "fair number" have written him.

After cam & gear replacement the noise was absent for 2000 miles, it's back again and the dealer now says it's normal.


Yep, that is the same BS song and dance that BMW/H's shop foreman gave me. The straw that really broke the camel's back with my car though (aside from them not even attaching the strut tower brace when they said my car was "good to drive away in") was the fact that almost every diagnostic warning light came on before I had even gone eighteen miles from the dealership.

Oh well, Hondas are reliable cars and the S sure is a hell of a lot more fun to drive. ;)