I am new so please help me...thanks

[DuoMaxwell]

I have just recently purchased a 2005 BMW M3 SMG equiped car. I love it. I find it very practical and very fun to drive. I am leaving the honda roots behind because of many reasons, primarily, I am now 30 and I have a one year old daughter. Anyway here is a few items I am looking fo and would appreciate any help with them as I come up with them. One, I would like to start with a simple upgrade of the fog lights to a HID brand/ type, who can I turn to? I am also interested in lowering the car, but I would rather not do the full coil over because I will rarely see any track action. I am considering the Eibach Pro kit . My dilema is my rear child seat and what do I do about ride comfort. CAN i HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS (A LITTLE MORE AGGRESIVE BUT STILL STREET GRIENDLY?). And last I fell upon a company I would like to get some advice on, Delage/Kinetechnik. They seem to have things going well, but is anyone else running a stage 2 and if so can someone please inform me of the pro's and con's of such a setup. Thanks in advance for all your time and I look foward to chating more with you guys in the future (hopefully even meeting some of you). thanks again and I appoligize in advance if I am reposting.

 

[Bmw 325i 7803]

Welcome, I'm sure everyone will be delighted to assist you with the items you are looking fo...

First off I have never heard it phrased as "SMG equipped car" before, SMG is a transmission, not an equipment...

Your reason for leaving your "Honda roots" behind and getting an M3 because you have a family seems illogical... I also think it is the result of bad judgement on your part as it is apparent that you still exhibit symptoms of rice fever... The M3 also isn't exactly what the average individual would refer to as a practical car.

Fog lights are designed for foggy conditions, putting HIDs in them defeats their whole purpose.

If you lower the M3 anymore than it already is with it's 18' or 19' rims it will bottom out everywhere... You want the M3 to be a little more aggressive??? and track ready, it already is the perfect balanced car. Why dont you try learning how to drive a manual, or at least to properly operate the SMG transmission... then ask about M3 aggression. As for ride quality, you gotta be kidding... I will refrain from commenting any further.

I'm willing to bet that you don't have a 2005 M3, and in case you did have the means to do so, I'd suggest you spend the 50k on a Honda Minivan or some such more "practical vehicle".

Last but not least the M3 is not a street griendly vehicle... Is this post for real?

 

[Kirby]

Welcome to the board!

Yes, you definitely do not want to go to coil over or a sport upgrade. That will give you a stiffer ride. I don't know of a way to lower a 3 series without getting a stiffer ride. You won't find a "low performance" lowering kit, and if by chance you do, it will mess up the suspension geometry and you will go through tires like they were made of jello.

It sounds like you got the M3 as a best of both worlds car, and you couldn't do much better. Tons of people use them as a practical daily driver. I'd probably keep it stock based on your ride and non-track comments.

I agree with the HID fog comment above. Going to HIDs in the fogs defeats the purpose.

 

[DuoMaxwell]

Welcome, I'm sure everyone will be delighted to assist you with the items you are looking fo...

First off I have never heard it phrased as "SMG equipped car" before, SMG is a transmission, not an equipment...


Fog lights are designed for foggy conditions, putting HIDs in them defeats their whole purpose.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply. I agree about the fog light to an extent, the reason I asked again is the same reason I joined this chat forum "for advice". I feel that increasing visability would help, that is all if you guys feel it is not worth it then I will take your advice and move on. Second, I made a gramatical error, sorry I meant friendly, not griendly. Third, I have been a true BMW fan ever since my father purchased his 1984 325e, I helped maintain and enjoyed the car all the years of ownership and not one time has that car ever let us down. Anyway I see your point of not owning an M3 SMG II equiped car, oh and by the way it is an equipment it is something you cannot take from the car an put it on a non SMG equiped and plus when you order the car it comes "equiped " with the type of tranny. So once again I appoligize for being non technically exp. but in the end my 60k was well spent on my first M3, and if your ever in theAtlanta area, look me up, I'll show you the car and bill of sales. All I am asking for is advice, not rather or not I should have bought a Honda mini van.

 

[DuoMaxwell]

I am REALLY new at this so let me try this again:
1) I am looking for a spring setup to eliminate some fender gap is the Eibach Pro kit a good choice?
2) I have decided to trash the fog lights, not worth it you guy's are right to ricy
3) Any word on the Delage/Kinetechnik packages? Does anyone have any stages installed. Thanks

 

[gpoints]

1st Welcome Aboard!

I am REALLY new at this so let me try this again:
1) I am looking for a spring setup to eliminate some fender gap is the Eibach Pro kit a good choice?

I'm not sure you can go wrong with either Eibach or a coil-over kit. One issue with Eibach is that it is just a spring package which some have argued that it will decrease you shock life. When you go for a coil-over kit, you're getting springs and shocks that were designed to work together.

2) I have decided to trash the fog lights, not worth it you guy's are right to ricy

Maybe, but you could also go with a nice set of angel-eyes from a place like: Jlevi

3) Any word on the Delage/Kinetechnik packages? Does anyone have any stages installed. Thanks

Only thing I know about say Delage is it costs an arm & a leg AND/OR your 1st born J/K. Delage is the best looking IMO. Here's an intake shoot-out done by Technik: Shoot-Out
Many argue (myself included), that the K&N kit didn't fair well due to improper installation causing increased under hood temps which lead to a poorer performance than was expected. The K&N is by far the most affordable intake and has given a solid +10 RWHP.

 

[DuoMaxwell]

Thanks for your time and advice gpoint, I really appreciate it!

 

[gpoints]

No problem. Glad I could help a little bit.

 

[spta97]

Just speaking to the fog light comment, are these really fog lights on the M3 or are they "driving lights". In the past fog lights were yellow, and driving lights were white. When I get my M3 I will be looking to replace them so the headlights match as much as they can to the fogs. I did this on my Maxima with PIAA eXtream whites. They were not perfect, but as close as you can get to that tempurature HIDs.

 

[spta97]

Here's a link that was pretty good on replacing fogs - not with HIDs but regulars:

Replace Fogs

 

[DuoMaxwell]

Thanks for the feed back guys, it really helps, thanks again! [bmwdance]