zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Buying
/
For $15,000, What Sorcery Is This?
For $15,000, What Sorcery Is This?-July 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:10:11

For his Otis video Jay-Z (along with Kanye West) messed up a Maybach, which he then went on to sell for sixty grand at Barrett Jackson. Today's BMW 330ci has also been altered up by a JZ, but does that mean its price needs to be Auto-Tuned down?

Universal health care, Tom Green, and Mr. Tambourine Man as performed by William Shatner. To these things for which Canada must atone, one must add yesterday's , which - at a two grand asking price - 73% of you told to take off, you knob.

Toyota's Tercel represented the company's first, tentative step toward front wheel drive. Today's…

Now that we've settled on what that Tercelebration was all aboot, let's have a go with another Toyota fabrication.

Typically of late, it seems that owners of Japanese cars have demanded of their rides a . Whether it be oddly discordant twin kidney grilles affixed to a common man Civic coupe, or the barely trying M badge slumming on the ass of an Avalon, there's a certain sense of wannabe-varian going on. In a strange twist of fate fit for an M. Night Shama-lama-ding-dong movie, today's has gone the other way, as underhood it is - as once warned by the Vapors - turning Japanese.

Normally popping the bonnet on an ‘02 330ci would expose a double VANOS-equipped M54, a 2,979-cc straight six worth about 228 ponies and as smooth as 20-year old scotch.

Popping this one's hood like your polo's collar reveals a six of a different flavor - that being a Toyota 1JZ. Which one he doesn't say, aside from it being the VVTI edition, so it's hard to gauge what kind of power this thing puts down, or if the ratios in the stock ZF box match the peakier torque curve of the turbo motor. He does say that it's fast and that the A/C blows cold, so at least you know it'll keep you cool which is important as you'd have to go the Florida to take possession of the car. The remainder of his description revolves around multiple references to how professional the installation is and how often he waxes the car.

That wax covers what looks like a reasonably stock 330ci, with only an M-tech front bumper housing a massive and unavoidable intercooler, and some unfortunate wheels to detract from the factory appearance. It's also been lowered so railroad crossings and sleeping policemen should probably be approached with trepidation.

Inside it's all beigy BMW goodness with the wonderful sport seats that luxuriously cosset your thighs. Overall there doesn't seem to be anything in here to let you know that a JZ is how this 330ci sushi rolls.

As much of a nut-scratcher as the engine swap is, there's also the unanswered question of why it was necessary. The seller claims the car only has but 70K on its clock, and that's hardly the lifespan of even the brightest burning of BMW's candles. Quite a few questions to be sure, but one certainty is that the seller is asking $15,000 for this Frankenbimmer.

It's up to you to determine if that's a deal or a steal. KBB currently puts a quality ‘02 330ci at an RCH over ten grand, and eBay has a butt-load of 1JZs for sale at between fifteen hundred and two thousand. That means the blood sweat and tears that went into making this heart transplant work needs to be worth three thousand to thirty five hundred. What do you think, is that the case? Or, is this a JZ that won't be topping our charts?

You decide!

or go if the ad disappears.

H/T to Boraxo for the hookup!

Help me out with NPOCP. Click to send a me a fixed-price tip, and remember to include your commenter handle.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Buying
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
At $8,600, Would You Go Topless In This 1994 Cadillac Eldorado?
The seller of today’s Caddy claims they should be selling it at auction but says who’s got time for that? Let’s see if we have the time for this custom convertible at its non-auction price. Many of you agreed that the $950 asked for yesterday’s was “chump change.” Even...
Jul 3, 2025
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
Which One Of You Suckers Is Going To Pay Over $32,000 For A 25-Year-Old Toyota 4Runner
The (and Tacoma) have a death grip on used values. It’s been this way for years. Go ahead, go try and buy any TRD trim that’s a couple of years old; it’ll cost you as much as a new one — not that you could buy a new one...
Jul 3, 2025
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
At $5,900, Is This 1984 Nissan 720 4X4 A Solid Deal?
According to its seller, today’s Nissan 4X4 shows “pride of ownership.” Let’s see if it would take swallowing one’s pride to pay its asking price. Opinions were split on how well the design of yesterday’s has held up over the years. Some of you commented that the design still...
Jul 3, 2025
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Someone Willingly Paid $16,000 For A Maserati Ghibli On Cars & Bids. Don’t Make The Same Mistake
Let’s cut right to the chase: buying a is not a good idea unless you have deep enough pockets for the upkeep. For those not in the know, they’re sirens. They draw you in with their premium Italian image and sweet songs of and then go in for the...
Jul 3, 2025
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
At $18,500, Would You Lean Toward Buying This 2022 Ford Mustang?
Today’s Mustang is being sold by a towing yard, which means it’s probably a lien sale. Let’s see if this clean title convertible is priced to put a new buyer on the hook. The general consensus on last Friday’s was that it would be the perfect car for someone...
Jul 3, 2025
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
At $950, Would You Go All-In On This 1984 Plymouth Colt GTS Turbo Project?
One of the calling cards of today’s Plymouth Colt is its “Twin Stick” overdrive gear change, which gives the car eight speeds going forward and two in reverse. Let’s see if this project car has anything else to offer. Just as Goldilocks discovered when appropriating Papa Bear’s lifestyle and...
Jul 3, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved