What to buy first?
- Thread starter StuartJoyce
- Start date
Im just a highschool student, and dont get paid much so i am on a tight budget. i went to a local bmw performance shop and the tech told me the biggest gain in hp and tq would be the cold air intake which i bought from racing dynamics. He also said a new exhaust system would only give me a better sound and not much hp. same with the power programmer. So in my opinion i think im just going to stay with the exhaust hopefully the borla and get a nice sound! Thanks carcus, you are alwyas a help!
Carcus, could you make a list of things you LIKE about your car? I'm not trying to bash you, but it always seems like you'd rather have something else... so why have the BMW? If you like the LS1 so much why did you get rid of it? I know the trans am is a fast car and I understand why you would like it so much... but why get rid of it for a car that you don't seem to ever be too happy with [???1]
Hey, you took it the wrong way....long story how I ended up with the BMW.....I have always liked Bimmers, second one I have owned. I just face reality.....mods are not as cheap with the 3 series and the HP that the non M3 gives, even the 328ic I have has 190HP....not going to get major gains without engine work which is expensive. You can make anything fast with money though. The BMW is a awsome car and the build quality is excellent. It is all good Pink_Floyd......Fact of the matter is I had a car that was built for one purpose, modded the hell out of it, wife talked me into trading it in for a bigger vehicle with more room, traded in the speed for a Mercedes ML320....very bad move, long story short, dealer did not want to take the Mercedes back for 4 months, fought with MBUSA and the dealer, they offered to take the ML320 back....my Z28 was sold in 2 days after I got the ML320....Mercedes dealer was worried about the survey....I rated them well below par after the Benz was in the shop most of the time, was either the BMW or a GrandAm....wend back to stage 1 again, small car with no room for the family which made me trade in the Z28 in the first place.....had to fight to get the BMW. I took the BMW not for the speed, I have had my years of muscle cars, but enjoy it because it is a convert. If they had a 5 series on the lot, would have got that for the room. You have to understand that most of my experience is with American muscle cars, but being in the military have owned overseas Alfa, BMW, you name it. I do love BMW....my point is making a used 3 series a street racer is not going to be cheap and most BMW's are fun rides even a 318. Buying one and expecting a major HP increase from a few mods.....most are without individual dyno tests and just seat of the pants bias...
Hey, this is just my opinion, but than...you know what they say about them.![[;)]](/images/smilies/wink.png "Wink [;)]")
Do I miss the LS1....hell yes, awsome engine, cheap to fix, easily modded. Pulling an additional 50 or so HP from a BMW is not cheap.....but than again, I bought the BMW because it is fun to drive, not to make it a racer.
Hey, this is just my opinion, but than...you know what they say about them.
Do I miss the LS1....hell yes, awsome engine, cheap to fix, easily modded. Pulling an additional 50 or so HP from a BMW is not cheap.....but than again, I bought the BMW because it is fun to drive, not to make it a racer.
Please post some individual dyno tests.....before and after with a stock 3 series......Superchips and Jet Chips make the same claim.
Air intakes.......same thing. Most need some highway speed to get any increase, even on the Camaro SS, there is not much difference with a Ram Air compared to a Z28, same engine, highway speed needs to play a part.
Exhaust, a full catback might get you a few, a catback is not cheap than unless you have access to a lift, install adds a few bucks.
Just being the devils advocate, not trying to tell people not to. If I did not like BMW, would not spend my time helping people out. I actually enjoy your guys input. No one is right 100% of the time. If I wanted a fast BMW, first thing I would do is gut the interior, tear out the heavy leather, get light weight rims, than work on the engine. Again, just my muscle car HP to weight thing.
Air intakes.......same thing. Most need some highway speed to get any increase, even on the Camaro SS, there is not much difference with a Ram Air compared to a Z28, same engine, highway speed needs to play a part.
Exhaust, a full catback might get you a few, a catback is not cheap than unless you have access to a lift, install adds a few bucks.
Just being the devils advocate, not trying to tell people not to. If I did not like BMW, would not spend my time helping people out. I actually enjoy your guys input. No one is right 100% of the time. If I wanted a fast BMW, first thing I would do is gut the interior, tear out the heavy leather, get light weight rims, than work on the engine. Again, just my muscle car HP to weight thing.
carcus said:
Hey, you took it the wrong way....long story how I ended up with the BMW.....I have always liked Bimmers, second one I have owned. I just face reality.....mods are not as cheap with the 3 series and the HP that the non M3 gives, even the 328ic I have has 190HP....not going to get major gains without engine work which is expensive. You can make anything fast with money though. The BMW is a awsome car and the build quality is excellent. It is all good Pink_Floyd......Fact of the matter is I had a car that was built for one purpose, modded the hell out of it, wife talked me into trading it in for a bigger vehicle with more room, traded in the speed for a Mercedes ML320....very bad move, long story short, dealer did not want to take the Mercedes back for 4 months, fought with MBUSA and the dealer, they offered to take the ML320 back....my Z28 was sold in 2 days after I got the ML320....Mercedes dealer was worried about the survey....I rated them well below par after the Benz was in the shop most of the time, was either the BMW or a GrandAm....wend back to stage 1 again, small car with no room for the family which made me trade in the Z28 in the first place.....had to fight to get the BMW. I took the BMW not for the speed, I have had my years of muscle cars, but enjoy it because it is a convert. If they had a 5 series on the lot, would have got that for the room. You have to understand that most of my experience is with American muscle cars, but being in the military have owned overseas Alfa, BMW, you name it. I do love BMW....my point is making a used 3 series a street racer is not going to be cheap and most BMW's are fun rides even a 318. Buying one and expecting a major HP increase from a few mods.....most are without individual dyno tests and just seat of the pants bias...
Hey, this is just my opinion, but than...you know what they say about them.
Do I miss the LS1....hell yes, awsome engine, cheap to fix, easily modded. Pulling an additional 50 or so HP from a BMW is not cheap.....but than again, I bought the BMW because it is fun to drive, not to make it a racer.
Hey, this is just my opinion, but than...you know what they say about them.
Do I miss the LS1....hell yes, awsome engine, cheap to fix, easily modded. Pulling an additional 50 or so HP from a BMW is not cheap.....but than again, I bought the BMW because it is fun to drive, not to make it a racer.
Next thing you know you'll be owning a Villager with cloth interior and a VHS player!