Performance uprgrades...

[MaxSteel]

I just got a BMW e34 1995 525i and being fairly new to cars (I'm in high school) I could use some help with where I should start with some engine mods. I have around 1000$ to spend and I was wondering where you guys think I should start with a performance upgrade, for example: Nitrous, supercharger, turbocharger, chips, etc. Specific brands and models would be awesome too.

PS It's an auto =/

Thanks.

[NetoTun]

I just got a BMW e34 1995 525i and being fairly new to cars (I'm in high school) I could use some help with where I should start with some engine mods. I have around 1000$ to spend and I was wondering where you guys think I should start with a performance upgrade, for example: Nitrous, supercharger, turbocharger, chips, etc. Specific brands and models would be awesome too.

PS It's an auto =/

Thanks.
Nice buy..
Start off with the basic bolt-ons bro...intake..exhaust..ect.(no NOS!)
i would get used to it b4 spending too much money on it.;)
is it automatic?

[MaxSteel]

Yeah it's an auto.

What kind of place do I take my car to to do that kind of stuff? Would just a regular mechanic do it or should I go to a customs place?

also could you give me some details like specific models and all that?

[moroza]

Unless you happen to find a turbocharger and some pipes and other odd bits lying around or sold for pennies, 1k isn't going to get you anywhere near the cost of an FI (forced induction) system. I imagine nitrous also costs well above that, and comes with its own problems. Don't do FI/nitrous until you're at least passingly familiar with your car's mechanicals and have a lot of money to spend on maintenance/repairs.

Exhausts won't help you much - you don't have a Honda. Besides, you're young and drive a BMW. I advise against your car being louder ( = more attractive to cops) than it already is. Intakes might help a smidge and they make a cool noise, but there's considerable controversy regarding how good or bad they are for engines. Specifically, there are a lot of claims from knowledgeable people that the oil that comes on most aftermarket filters (like K&N) clogs up your AFM (airflow meter), which is bad.

Get a chip - best bang for the buck, highly recommended mod. It improves power throughout the RPM range, but especially in the low-mid range where it matters most for daily driving. You have to run premium gas, but that's the only drawback. It might increase your fuel economy as well. It'd set you back $250 (unless you get one used) and you can install it yourself in about 30 minutes. The two major options are the Jim Conforti (JC) and EAT Ultrachip.

You might be able to get a MAF (mass airflow sensor/meter) for 1k. I don't know of anyone who makes them for the 525i, and the power upgrade is, from what I gather, only slightly more than a chip.

You mentioned only engine upgrades, but if you're interested in other upgrades, 750 could probably get you a nice springs/shocks upgrade (people who've done this, please confirm).

Save up for a manual swap.

Read this (http://www.bmwe34.net) a lot.

Und wilkommen im BF.c.

[Antrieb]

Spend your $1k on a BMWCCA membership and 3 driving school events next summer. That is the best mod you can possibly do for $1k.

[xatlas0]

Spend your $1k on a BMWCCA membership and 3 driving school events next summer. That is the best mod you can possibly do for $1k.

Yup. Might even save your life.

[Antrieb]

Just to add to the reason why I said that, you should learn to use your car to its full potential before you go modding it and wasting money.

[autophile]

I just bought a 1990 525iA, and here's how I spent the first $1000 in mods:

Parts Car - $ don't ask
H&R Springs/Bilstein Sport shocks - $700 shipped
Plugs, Air & Fuel filters - $54
Throttle cable adjustment - $Free

The last 2 items cut my 0-60 time from 13 sec to 8 sec. Not bad for $54, but I either do the work myself or have a friend help me out.

The great thing about BMWs is the community of enthusiasts. Help them out and you'll get lots of advice and help in return.

BMWs are very well balanced and stop really well. Tuning the suspension and brakes will help your car corner and stop even better. Making a BMW go faster is a very expensive proposition, normally involving $$$$ turbos, superchargers or engine swaps.

If you focus on learning to take advantage of your cars strengths, and spend your money maintaining/tuning those strengths, you'll meet some great people and have a great time doing it.

My advice?

1. Check that all maintenance is up to date.
- Water Pump
- Radiator
- Plugs, Belt, Filters
- Oil Change
- Transmission Fluid (drain and replace if necessary)
- Differential Fluid (drain and replace if necessary)
2. Suspension: Sport springs and shocks will lower the car for better performance and looks
3. Driving Experience
4. Start saving for a 540 or M3. (Both are available for less than a Dinan turbo for your car.)

Hope this helps.

[moroza]

I thought the driving school stuff is something like 2-3k for a single event.

And yes, I was going on the assumption that the car doesn't need anything. Fix whatever it needs first - it's daft to have a tricked-out car that doesn't go anywhere.

[Quagmire]

drive the car for awhile before modding. i drove my car for almost 2 years before modding, granted it already had a performance chip. you may decide quickly that it is not the car you want, and then you've gone and spent a grand upgrading a car you'll probably sell. i highly doubt that this will happen, but who knows. the $54 routine mentioned by autophile is definitely the place to start, from there, i'd say get the chip. this will give you just about as much power as you're gonna get without spending a few thousand. but if there's one thing i learned from watching cartoons, it's that "with great power comes great responsibility". improve that handling asap. i got koni adjustables with h&r spring from shox.com in cali. should've been a little over $800, but with tax it ended up at about $900. bilsteins should be a little cheaper. to this day i've only lost control of my car once. thank god it was raining and my tires didn't catch cause i would've gone straight into a tree. good luck :D

[Uriah]

Your in high school with a old BMW. Save your money, it WILL break. Even on a stock E34, very few owners take them to their limit, or even know where it is.

A chip is really the only bang for the buck. Intakes do little if anything, exhaust will have a slight improvement at best, same with coils, ect...

It's a 525, so unless you run a turbo or something ($$$) I don't think you'll see any big gains. On the plus side, your engine is in a million 325s so parts should be easy to get.

Like my 540i for example, it has a V8 they didn't exactly make many of, same with the 5 speed automatic. It's hard to find a good used engine or trans, and rebuilding either is likely to cost more then the cars worth.

These are fairly durable reliable cars, but again, they cost lots of money to play with, not quite like a old Chevy.

[brosher]

I just bought a 1990 525iA, and here's how I spent the first $1000 in mods:

Parts Car - $ don't ask
H&R Springs/Bilstein Sport shocks - $700 shipped
Plugs, Air & Fuel filters - $54
Throttle cable adjustment - $Free

Parts Car - $246? :shifty


Get an EAT chip and keep your money for when something breaks. I think EAT is having a 10% off sale for x-mas too. :alright

[bradhouser]

I thought the driving school stuff is something like 2-3k for a single event.


That is one of the great things about the BMW CCA. Membership is $40 a year. The drivings schools are taught by volunteers, who are very good at what they do. The cost is only $249 for an all day school.

The Golden Gate Chapter of the BMW CCA (http://www.ggcbmwcca.org)is the local chapter to Maxsteel91, the original poster. They have a driving school coming up on Jan 22 at Laguna Seca! You must be 18 or older, so you may not be able to go if you are still in High School. Also, you probably couldn't sign up without having attended the Car Control Clinic.

You should definitely take the Car Control Clinic, which is open to younger drivers too. It is $100 and you will get a lot out of it. They teach slaloms, skid pads, and emergency braking maneuvers. It is a prerequisite for driving school anyway, so if you could take this and if you are 18 by the time they hold the next driving school at Infineon Raceway in the spring you will be all set.

[Frost]

I say work on suspension. After that go on looks, you car has good power already so all it needs is something to handle it better.

[Goat128]

you're missing a zero on your budget. gl. however you can get a chip and intake for what your looking at spending, but you may want to consider any repairs or maintenance the car might need first - a chip won't make you go faster when you're stuck by the side of the road...

[Goat128]

You might be able to get a MAF (mass airflow sensor/meter) for 1k. I don't know of anyone who makes them for the 525i, and the power upgrade is, from what I gather, only slightly more than a chip.



He has a '95 so it should already have a mass airflow sensor.

[WillDV]

Welcome!

I agree with what the majority here is saying. If you must mod, go with the chip. Otherwise, save for maintenance/repairs. Remember though, you've just bought a BMW enjoy it for what it is, a great car. If you only bought the car as a status symbol, prepare to be disappointed, its an OLDER BMW. Which while killing its status symbol power over most women of loose morals, makes it all the more valuable to an enthusiast, because these cars freakin ROCK.

Also, get yourself a repair manual and start out by doing simple things like an oil change. These cars are fun to drive, but theyre a dream to work on because of how well theyre engineered. I get just as much fun out of working on the car, as I do driving it. Plus, the more you learn how to fix, the cheaper the larger mods like a supercharger or suspension upgrades get.

[Goat128]

I say work on suspension. After that go on looks, you car has good power already so all it needs is something to handle it better.

It should already handle well unless the suspension is worn. I would say go for rims & tires. The tires are the most important item and you can get the most aggressive tires on 17" rims. But if you're happy with the stock units then I don't know that I would do the suspension first.. especially on a 525i where you may want the extra power (but again this gets into the same debate of how hard it is to get real gains by modding a stock engine).

[moroza]

Which while killing its status symbol power over most women of loose morals...

Uh...speak for yourself, big guy. ;)

[GuinnessDraught]

You've got an automatic 525, and you're in high school. You don't exactly own a sports car. Just appreciate the car for what it is: a comfortable cruiser. Be glad you have such a nice car in high school. Don't go pissing away money on superfluous, expensive mods that don't do anything. You have nowhere near the cash to afford an FI system and the increased maintenance involved, and nitrous is a bad idea in all but a few select situations.

Use your money to replace worn out parts. All the filters, all the fluids, O2 sensor, et cetera. The suspension probably needs work (which you can use as an opportunity to put some more performance-oriented suspension parts on). Save the rest for anything that breaks or wears out.

Get familiar with the car, do some high performance driving schools with your money. However, I will support a performance chip. They really are a great bang for the buck at around $200. They improve engine responsiveness and can even increase fuel mileage (theoretically, you'll want to put your pedal to the metal more often and as a result kill your fuel economy :devillook).

Don't rice out your bimmer. That's a waste of a perfectly good car.

[autophile]

Parts Car - $246? :shifty


Haha - close. Actually, the parts car was basically free. I bought 2 cars at the same time and resold one for $25 less than I paid for the pair.

But I forgot to add the $350 I spent on wheels ...

Breyton Inspirations look great on black e34s IMHO.

[GuinnessDraught]

Double post somehow :nuts

[Uriah]

Double post somehow :nuts

It happens.

[E34nication]

IMO you're not going to get a lot of power out of the 2.5L without going forced induction. Work on suspension... springs/shocks/swaybars...

[MaxSteel]

Thanks, I'm feeling the suspension cause I do like to go around corners fast rather than just accelerate fast. So maybe a chip and suspension/tire upgrade. And for the people not telling me to do anything and just "accept it" didn't you guys have to start somewhere?

[moroza]

Yes, we do. Don't take this the wrong way, but the best start is gaining a fair bit of experience with a well-running car. Not shoving in a turbocharger a bare year or two after getting a license and having nothing left over to fix stock parts. Fix what needs fixing, keep ~500 as an emergency buffer (you may not need it, but you'll be much happier having it if you do, than whatever else that 500 will get you), and if you've got anything left over, get a chip. As for a suspension upgrade...my argument is that the car's handling limits should be kept as low as is reasonable. Fucking up, say, while taking a corner in the rain too fast in a RWD car, should happen at as low a speed as possible. I know there's at least one person here (4500RPM or RVAE34, I believe) who I'm sure will tell you the same thing. Raise the limits, and it'll be all the worse when they're exceeded. If someone who knows this stuff better than I do has a plausible argument for the opposite, do speak up. But this is my reasoning.

[autophile]

Everyone has to start somewhere. Where did you start? I mean, what have you owned/driven before getting your 5er? How long have you had your license?

If you are a go-kart racer, you may know a little about handling. However if you learned to drive in a farm truck, that may not be the case. Some sort of baseline would be helpful here.

All people are trying to say here is get to know yourself as a driver, and take some time getting to know the car's limits in its current configuration before spending hard-earned money on the wrong mods for your overall goals for the car.

And post pics ASAP!

[MaxSteel]

Don't rice out your bimmer. That's a waste of a perfectly good car.

Damn, so no gaint spoilers, raiders stickers, and fart cans? man, that's all I wanted.

[MaxSteel]

And post pics ASAP!

I want to but I need 20 posts...

[autophile]

Damn, so no giant spoilers, raiders stickers, and fart cans? man, that's all I wanted.

:lol

The kid's got style!

Where in Cali are you? Bay area?

[MaxSteel]

:lol

The kid's got style!

Where in Cali are you? Bay area?

Yea, Marin (North Bay).

ugh what 9 more posts?

[ToppedOut525i]

I've got a 95 525i and my favortite thing to do is put it in sport-shifter (it's an auto like yours) and really hustle it through the corners. I would not recomend doing this while it's wet :D but pick a good, dry day and a long, twisty road, and watch that bimmer stick to the road. It's so incredibly fun!

[autophile]

For the local scene, have you checked www.baybimmerz.net or the regional subforums here on bimmerforums?

Meet some other people, see what they've done with their cars, and make yours as unique or as similar to theirs as you want.

[MaxSteel]

i need

[MaxSteel]

more posts

[MaxSteel]

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[MaxSteel]

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[MaxSteel]

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[MaxSteel]

MY bad if that annoyed anyone. But her are some pics. Nothing too special (ha compared to some of you guys) but still a great car.

<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/Maxsteel991/CIMG2324.jpg">

<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/Maxsteel991/CIMG2325.jpg">

<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/Maxsteel991/CIMG2326.jpg">

<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/Maxsteel991/CIMG2327.jpg">

<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/Maxsteel991/CIMG2329.jpg">

[Cereal Killa]

Nice looking :)

A 525i isn't the best start with looking for power. Just get a chip as everyone else said for power. Get some clears and some euro trim on there and that car will look great. Springs/Struts would also be a nice improvement.

Definatly dont start down the road of FI/Nitrous with only 1k. Everything is going to cost more then at first glance, ask me how I know :(

Just keep her clean and in one piece.

[Antrieb]

Dibs on side skirts when you wreck it!





























:shifty Seriously though, be careful and don't do anything stupid or you will wreck it. I was once in high school too.

[autophile]

Nice, clean car.

17x8 rims off any e39 (lots of styles to choose from) with hubcentric rings (available at tirerack.com) will help in looks and handling. Then I'd go for a sport shock/spring setup (will lower the car a little), and attend a BMW Driver Experience day ASAP.

Later, go for the chip, or save up for a 540 or an eventual engine swap for more power.

[MaxSteel]

Dibs on side skirts when you wreck it!





























:shifty Seriously though, be careful and don't do anything stupid or you will wreck it. I was once in high school too.

Yeah before I drove this I had a 92 explorer and I was coming out of a corner and hit an oil puddle from a previous accident and it sent my car fishtailing and it rolled. Theres nothing that makes you realize that kind of thing more than having your car skid and your head 6 inches away from the pavement. Although it wasn't much of my fault (thank god cause then my insurance would at least triple) it really makes you realize this is serious stuff. The city was shivering in their little spaceboots over a lawsuit and paid for all medical bills (prob 10k worth of CAT scans) and even part of the new car.

Its good to walk away from something like that and just learn so much.

<img src="http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a14/Maxsteel991/CIMG2180.jpg">

[Uriah]

Decent looking car Max, and you've already got the good cupholder and Euro lights on the side. I still find it ironic that in the Land Of Beer, they didn't offer a cupholder until the last few years in anything they made. Well, unless you got a dealer accessory...

[Goathumper]

I'll sell you a 5-speed conversion for $1000 :cool

[Fahad525]

first post here
i bought a 525ia recently too but mine is a 93
i had lots of faster cars before and when i started looking for an E34 i thought i wont be satisfaied with anything less than a 540.
while looking for a 540 and test driving few, i found a good 525 and thought i would test drive it too. i found out that the power is enough for my daily driving style now, beside what i read about 525s being less expinsive to mentain and repair so i decided against the 540 which im sure i would not be able to use all its power on our stop and go streets here.

i was in ur position too with some cash in my hands to spend on my new (old) car.
i spent almost 1k on the car till now but all went for preventive maintenance without hasitation.. changed all fluids and filters, changed battery, fuel pump, plugs, thermstat and thermostat housing, valve cover gazket and some other parts. and im much happer while driving the car now knowing all the questionable parts are changed.

my next 1k will go for suspension upgrade for sure, althou im happy with the stuck suspension. more power will be in the bottom of my list for now.

your car is clean and nice by the way..just relax and enjoy "driving" it smoothly.. your car was not made for street ricing.

all the best

[boshmark]

first post here
i bought a 525ia recently too but mine is a 93
i had lots of faster cars before and when i started looking for an E34 i thought i wont be satisfaied with anything less than a 540.
while looking for a 540 and test driving few, i found a good 525 and thought i would test drive it too. i found out that the power is enough for my daily driving style now, beside what i read about 525s being less expinsive to mentain and repair so i decided against the 540 which im sure i would not be able to use all its power on our stop and go streets here.

i was in ur position too with some cash in my hands to spend on my new (old) car.
i spent almost 1k on the car till now but all went for preventive maintenance without hasitation.. changed all fluids and filters, changed battery, fuel pump, plugs, thermstat and thermostat housing, valve cover gazket and some other parts. and im much happer while driving the car now knowing all the questionable parts are changed.

my next 1k will go for suspension upgrade for sure, althou im happy with the stuck suspension. more power will be in the bottom of my list for now.

your car is clean and nice by the way..just relax and enjoy "driving" it smoothly.. your car was not made for street ricing.

all the best
Nice first post ........and welcome!