Monthly Archives: May 2019

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5 Tips for Nailing Your First Summer Project Car

The weather is warm, the sun is shining, school is out, and that all means one thing. Summer is officially here, and that means it’s the perfect time to start a new car project. If this summer is going to showcase your first project car, here are some tips and tricks to help you nail your first summer project car.

1. Beware of Rust

If you’re looking for a budget project car, remember one golden rule: beware of rust. You may find a spot or two here and there — it happens with older cars, no matter how well they’re taken care of — but don’t take on a tremendous rust restoration job as your first project.

It’ll cost you a ton of money and chances are high that you’ll give up half-way through because it’s too much for a beginner to handle. Plus, if you pick up a project car that’s got rust on the frame, you might as well take it to the junkyard. Beware of rust when choosing your new project.

2. Stick To Your Budget

Project cars aren’t cheap but that doesn’t mean you should mortgage your house to rebuild your project — unless you’re planning on living in it, and we don’t recommend that. Set yourself a budget — either monthly or per paycheck, whatever works best for you. — and stick to it, within reason.

If the part you need is on sale and it’s a little bit over your budget for the period, feel free to buy it, especially if the price will be back to normal by the time your budget resets. For the most part, though, stick to your budget and don’t empty the bank trying to rebuild your summer project car.

3. Choose an Easy Build

Don’t pick the most complicated — or the newest — car to restore for your summer project. A lot of more modern cars rely on computers and advanced electronics that it seems like you need a degree in electrical engineering to figure out. Start with something simple, like:

  • Scion xB – The exterior is kind of goofy looking, but the engine is easy to work on and easy to boost.
  • Lexus SC 300 — You can pick up a used early to mid-90s Lexus for less than $7,000, and they’re fantastic beginner resto cars.
  • Any Honda Civic — There are so many aftermarket parts for the Honda Civic that you won’t even know where to start.

Start with something easy and work your way up to the more complicated projects as you gain experience and confidence.

4. Make a Plan

Now that you’ve got your project car on-hand, it’s time to start planning out your project. What do you want to do first — get it running, modify the engine, or improve the exterior?

Write out the big steps first, then break each of these down into smaller projects. If you want to get it running, for example, the first thing you need to do is figure out why it’s not.

5. Don’t Just Bolt Things On

We mentioned bolt-ons for the Honda Civic and while the parts might fit that doesn’t mean you should just start bolting on every add-on that crosses your path.

There’s no guarantee that your stock engine will survive the extra power of a supercharger or turbo, even if you install it correctly. Work up to major power modifications slowly, and make sure that you aren’t going to blow up your engine the first time you rev it up.

Don’t Rush, and Enjoy Yourself

Don’t rush through your project car this summer, especially if it’s the first one you’ve ever done. Enjoy it, because while you may work on new projects over the years, you will never work on your very first summer project car ever again.

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Exciting New Features Coming in BMW’s 2019 Summer Refresh

Even with a brand-new 3 series just released and the plastic wrapping just coming off of the new X5 and halo-car 8 series, there’s no rest for the wicked.

When your top competition is one of the world’s oldest automakers and you’re playing catch-up against a lineup with 14 distinct classes to fill every little market niche, you have to be a little obsessive.

Queue the mid-season refresh. For 2019, the refresh is a thing in a big way. We’re getting new engine options, enhanced technologies and additional colors, just to name a few of the seasonal updates. So if you just bought a BMW, pat yourself on the back because pining for a new one can start today!

The 3er Gets new Powertrains

BMW 340i GT M Sport Estorilblau

Even with the hot new 8 series turning heads in the media, BMW’s reputation is fully invested in the 3-series.

The new G20 car has only been out for half a year, but it’s getting expanded powertrain options such as the coupling of the new 374hp turbo six-cylinder and BMW’s xDrive all-wheel drive system.

This model will wear the name M340i xDrive, and will be the must feature-laden 3er short of the full-on M car, which is currently without AWD.

For bimmerphile environmental enthusiasts, the lineup expansion also includes the 320i xDrive, the 330e hybrid model, which combines the 320’s four-cylinder powertrain with an electric motor for extra grunt and efficiency, and a version of the 330d diesel-powered car that includes the xDrive system.

Topping things off are new M Sport suspension upgrades available through BMW dealers and a gaggle of new paint and interior options. Not bad.

A Baby M5 for Your Driving Pleasure

The last few iterations of the 550i have held sleeper super-sedan status thanks to impressive power and none of the harshness that comes with the M car’s sporting intentions.

A newly developed V8 makes its way into the current 550 and narrows the gap with it’s M sibling to just 77 horsepower, producing 523hp and 553lbs-ft. of torque. This might cause a lot of potential M buyers to consider whether at nearly $400 per pony and with no difference in torque output, 523 is enough Bavarian horses.

Other BMW Things

There’s also a minor refresh in M land with the M4 coupe and convertible now offering the competition package as standard. That means increased output from the S55 six-cylinder of 450hp, a sports exhaust, upgraded seats to hold you in while you hoon your M car as one does using the Active M differential included in the package and breathed-on Adaptive M suspension with specially tuned dynamic stability control.

You also get BMW drive recorder on all models, so you can show your hoonage off on social media after downloading it from your car, or even submit evidence in the case of an accident using the feature that auto-saves 20 seconds before and after a collision.

If you’re the type that’s more excited about batteries than rip-snorting German horsepower, you should be happy to know that electrified BMWs will now make a sound to alert pedestrians that you’re approaching. So you can no longer sneak up on unwitting Mercedes drivers, for that you’ll need to join the Prius Illuminati. But now then, who would lower themselves to the ranks of driving a Toyota?

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BMW M3 to Sport Rear-Wheel-Drive

BThe CEO of Mercedes-AMG, Tobias Moers, recently announced his company would no longer consider RWD cars for Mercedes’ go-faster division. All performance vehicles from Affalterbach will have a 4Matic setup. While this may seem like a progressive choice, BMW’s Markus Flasch sees the subject differently.

As the Chairman of the Board of Management for BMW’s M division, Flasch has taken a distinctly separate approach to the issue than Moers. Flasch argues that rear-wheel drive is still relevant for some segments of the market, and the BMW M3 will sport the feature. His logic is relatively easy to follow.

An AWD layout is more suitable for medium and larger cars, which customers tend to drive throughout the entirety of the year. Smaller and cheaper M cars — like the M2, M3 and M4 — usually remain in an owner’s garage in inclement conditions. They’ll often take them out when the weather is good, less so when it’s not.

Because of this, Flasch is determined to keep RWD alive as he continues to pursue xDrive, and in doing so, remain faithful to the spirit of the M division. Though he won’t please everyone, Flasch believes he’ll satisfy most BMW enthusiasts. Regardless, he has other exciting developments in line for the coming decade.

Progress and Innovation

Beyond the BMW M3’s rear-wheel drive, Flasch has also announced plans for new CS models. They won’t necessarily take the form of a coupe, and you may even see that CS suffix attached to an SUV sometime in the far future. Of course, these comments strongly suggest that BMW may bring back the CSL.

Flasch didn’t provide any model names, but the M2 is the likeliest candidate to benefit from this treatment if the Coupe Sport Leichtbau makes a comeback. However Flasch chooses to proceed, BMW enthusiasts can feel secure knowing the company’s highly regarded performance division is in capable hands.

With Flasch behind the wheel, it’s safe to say that BMW is on the right track. His ambition for a hypercar in the M division is one of the prime examples of his innovative mindset. Though his predecessor, Frankus Van Meel, ruled out the possibility of a hypercar in 2017, Flasch is taking things in another direction.

In the past, BMW has shown a reluctance to broach the subject of supercars and hypercars. However, Flasch feels that a low-emissions supercar is feasible with help from BMW’s i division. He’s shown an interest in collaboration between the M and i divisions, and the product of their teamwork will likely turn heads.

Looking Toward the Future

Flasch has a clear vision for the future of BMW’s M division. In addition to the rear-wheel drive for the BMW M3, enthusiasts should remain on the lookout for more exciting developments in the months and years ahead. The potential release of a low-emissions supercar is only a taste of what’s to come.

As Flasch moves forward with his plans for BMW, it’s reasonable to speculate his division will see a significant transformation. As it evolves and takes shape, enthusiasts will likely view the changes as positive, if not well-intentioned.