help! Want m3, have list of dumb questions.

[m3f_BlkBimM3R_4c5ffa766f]

damn you guys are so tall... I'm only 5'8" its more than enough head and legroom for me



I would get the M3 over the stang...

[m3f_kchildre]

First of all, the comment about brakes earlier is way off base, the M3's have much larger brake rotors and calipers than other E36 cars (especially 318s). You can't fit 16" rims (much less 15") around the 12" rotors... The factory brake systems are great (except for a tad too much brake dust from the factory pads). Unless you are truly on the track racing the car, the factory rotor and pad size is fine (drilled/slotted is a good upgrade).



As far as hp goes, the m3 is a great car and should be more than enough... Keep in mind the engine is giving up 2 cylinders and 1.4 liters of displacement (that's a honda civic) to a Mustang and still hangs with them. The mustang is an antique built on a completely outdated platform from 1978... it's easy to go fast in a straight line... getting a car to be athletic in all aspects is the trick and the M3 does it well. Ford admitted themselves, they can't get power out of an engine without supercharging... The new cobra is a 4.6 supercharged and still puts out less power than the 4.9 M5 engine BMW developed.



Good easy modifications include the cold air intake and shark injector (cheap, easy, and reversible). Dinan makes a CAI that has a 90 degree bend (it goes behind and below the driver headlamp and gets air from the brake cooling duct next to the fog lamp). But I've been happy with the Conforti design which fits directly behind the headlight. More intake and header mods are relatively inexpensive and can get into the power rainge you're looking for. The factory exhaust is already very free flowing, so you won't see that much improvement from a new system but you'll get a few hp.



I hope the information is useful...

[m3f_Cypher2k]

Thanks.. Ive already decided that I can build my own CAI out of a pipercross carbon fiber unit.



And im still debating the chiptuning.. Not much data seems to be available on the "conforti" program vs the Dinan.



HF maf, chip, and CAI will likely be done immediatly.





Maybe throttle body eventually.





How effective would gasket matching the intake manifold be?



My goal is 280 crank without breaking the bank.