Virgin M3/4 Mods?

[m3f_fcocca_b87080e333]

Congrats DTampa,

Wish I knew about the Koni DAs before I got my 2nd set Koni rebound-only adjustables for the DinanII suspension on my 97 M3/4. Adjustable swaybars are a plus on this model, wherever they come from. Suggest one drive car stock a bit, then learn how to use these mods either from a knowledgable user or stepwise. I remain an X-brace fan; moreso front strut tower brace & less so rear shock tower brace (I use all 3). I'm ignorant of the "Understeer E36 suspension install kit" & RTABs. Your potential mods list is prioritized as mine, if suspension mods happens first:

AA CAI

Stromung exhaust

Spitsec chip/air/fuel calibrator

3.5" HFM (perhaps TMS?)

M50 manifold

BBTB (brand suggestions?)



JB Racing LtWFW



SSK (perhaps UUC or Rogue - thoughts welcome)

Illuminated shift knob

New Steering wheel - really need suggestions here.

I've acquired a little library of stock MDouble spoke rims, though I lust after the "SSR Competition" rims (15 lbs each). Let me know how your exhaust choice turns out-I'm considering the Turner track-only set-up.



My perspective comes from currently owning '98 M3/4 stocker w/ X-brace & BMW Euro front floating rotors. Also currently own '97 M3/4 w/103,00 hard miles, about 40 track days this year (mostly Watkins Glen, Pocono, VIR, Summit Point) and following mods:

DinanII suspension, front strut bar, rear shock tower brace, brake cooling kit; Ground Control metal rear shock tower mounts; BMW X-brace, Euro front floating rotors; Sparco Evo seats & harness bar, Scroth 3" 5-point harnesses, Turner Motorsport "Cool Willy" brake pads & headlight intake, Euro High Performance Cold Air Intake (Conforti style w/ heat shield I modified further), custom ducting cold air from left foglight cut-out to CAI-filter, non-stock 4-wheel alignment.



I'm a proponent of BMW Club Driver Education events and can't encourage you enough to spend some $ on further developing your driving skill & practicing same in a controlled environment (maybe autocross?). I remain a fan of the M3/4 since it's the right set of compromises for me. I am amazed at how hard I drive the '97 on the track; I never dreamed I would absolutely wail on a car like I have this one. Haven't had a catastrophic mechanical failure yet. Apologies for my verbose response, but BMWs one of my hobbies.

Good luck to you.

Fred



Thanks everyone for your responses. :wave:



After doing lots of reading, here's what I'm thinking of doing. Any comments or suggestions are welcomed.





Suspension: Koni DAs, either Eibach or H&R springs, Racing Dynamics adjustable swaybars, X-brace, Understeer E36 suspension install kit (except polyurethane RSMs), and some type of new RTABs (don't know yet)



AA CAI

Stromung exhaust

Spitsec chip/air/fuel calibrator

3.5" HFM (perhaps TMS?)

M50 manifold

BBTB (brand suggestions?)



JB Racing LtWFW



SSK (perhaps UUC or Rogue - thoughts welcome)

Illuminated shift knob

New Steering wheel - really need suggestions here



I'm going to keep the stock wheels for a little while. Have already changed the thermostat and housing. Decided not to change waterpump since car is a 98 (thought the build date is Sept 97 so do I need to change it?).

Staying away from pulleys and cams for the time being.

Not sure about the ASC delete - any thoughts welcomed.



If anyone has any feedback on the above, I'd love to hear it. :beer:

[m3f_Ty Vil_fe6451789c]

Talking to the guy with most of the mods you've named I say driving school is the best one by far. Followed distantly by headlights and SSK and then suspension.

[m3f_mbanks21]

Are you in Tampa, FL? I work on Fowler Ave. if you want to see my mods:



Cosmos Intake

Euro HFM

M50 manifold

Dinan stage 4 SW

ASC Delete

URI crank pulley

3.38 Diff

Custom Magnaflow dual exhaust

Reiger Inf. 1 rear bumper

Reiger Inf. 1 sideskirts

E39 M5 style deck spoiler

ZKW w/ DDE+ 6000k HID

Vaders

JTD Underpanel

Bilstein sports

Eibach prokit

18" ADR Msports with 225/40-18 Bridgestone SO3's

Axxis Ultimate pads

Understeer SSK





Gonna be doing the TB bore and stage 5 SW soon.

http://tinypic.com/eoq3s

http://tinypic.com/eopyo

[m3f_DTampa]

Fred,

We're on the same page. I'm going to do the suspension first and the flywheel at the same time. A month or two later, the intake, exhaust and software. A month or two after that, the rest of the power mods. The interior stuff will be added as I figure out the best places to get various things.



I wil probably add front strut tower brace but not rear. Also will add the Euro header kit.



Mbanks21, I'm in South Tampa and would love to come see your car which looks really nice and experience the results of all the mods. I'll pm you when I get back in town.



I'm definately going to do some driving school time and we'll see about track after that.



Thanks again all and keep those suggestions coming!

[m3f_fcocca_b87080e333]

Good luck DTampa,

I think one FL BMW club chapter is called First Coast or Sunshine. Website"bmwcca.org" can link you to US chapters; thence to "Driver Education" or similar. Oh, if you wanna start mods small, I think the front stru tower brace is a big bang for the buck. Makes an already great turn-in response even crisper.

Best :thumbsup: ,

Fred CoccaFred,

We're on the same page. I'm going to do the suspension first and the flywheel at the same time. A month or two later, the intake, exhaust and software. A month or two after that, the rest of the power mods. The interior stuff will be added as I figure out the best places to get various things.



I wil probably add front strut tower brace but not rear. Also will add the Euro header kit.



Mbanks21, I'm in South Tampa and would love to come see your car which looks really nice and experience the results of all the mods. I'll pm you when I get back in town.



I'm definately going to do some driving school time and we'll see about track after that.



Thanks again all and keep those suggestions coming!

[m3f_M3NOLA]

I had a '95 M3 for a couple of years and changed to Bilsteins and really enjoyed them. I have a '96 M3 now and after four years, I'm finally getting around to mods.



Before that, here is what I have had trouble with (after 90+k miles): brake sensor, rear wishbone, coolant level sensor, coolant thermostat, rear shock mounts. The wishbone failure I can blame on New Orleans roads. Things are smoother in my new world.



Here is what I plan to do (not in order) after reviewing the multiple posts for the past few months: Conforti Shark Injector and CAI, x-brace, front strut (and possibly rear - aatuning has a package for both for $350 and free shipping and the center section is removable for the rear when you need the trunk space), Bilstein Sport (happy last time - I didn't find them too stiff despite deplorable road conditions), H&R Sport springs (my BMW Master Technician favors them), rear shock mounts (haven't decided which ones yet, but will soon). Maybe new sway bars, but I doubt I'll have any money left at that point.

:beer:

[m3f_95RogueM3]

Before that, here is what I have had trouble with (after 90+k miles): rear wishbone,



:nixweiss: Do you mean the rear subframe?? I am confused as to what went wrong with your suspension.



-Richard

[m3f_cpm399_be3d0cdd14]

Thats untrue. You might be thinking of the thermostat housing which is plastic and fails around 60k miles. The upgraded waterpump will be good for pretty much the life of the car.



Regarding the manifolds....get the s50 as it flows better than the Schrick and costs much less.



As far as Dinan goes, you are much better off not buying all of your mods through them as in the end you will have spent far more than with www.turnermotorsports.com or www.aatuning.com

In regards to their products being of higher quality that is untrue. They use the same Euro HFMs, similar intakes, manifolds, bored throttlebodies, etc...all of these things can be purchased outside of dinan for much cheaper.



-Richard

I just want to make I understood you...I have a a 99M3...I DON'T have to worry about replacing my Water pump?

[m3f_orijinal_p_92d6bcd8a9]

I just want to make I understood you...I have a a 99M3...I DON'T have to worry about replacing my Water pump?



nope, from my undestanding most water pumps were changed from the shitty plastic design to the metal design around early-mid 1997. you are set.