I'm planning way to far ahead already, I haven't even looked at the car yet, but ideal would be some adjustable dampening struts, lowering springs, I have some OZ wheels already, stiffer sway bars, e31 control arms, m5 spoiler, all that fun stuff
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HAHA wonder who that sounds like
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No coilovers for the E34?
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I want da color
Valve adjustments are not that hard, but you need the tools to do so. Find an SMG with VANOS and subframe locked down, should be in the 10k range. Manual would be 12-13k for a bit higher miles....
SMG is not THAT bad, with a CSL tune it's not nearly as bad as the forums make it out to be.
Silver cars with lesser options are much cheaper. For some reason the "rare" colors seem to demand exorbitant prices....
I bought a TIAG w/imola interior carbon trim - Manual with a couple dinan bits. 11k. 135k miles VANOS locked down, no subframe cracks (still need to address). Post rod bearing recall so should be good for 50-60k more miles.
Last edited by sooch; 05-30-2017 at 09:20 AM.
Right. And shims. A shop will have a big box of em. But also some forum owners have bought the box so you can source a few that way. And sometimes you can reuse swap them aka the one that was on #1 can go to #3 etc.
Mine needed virtually nothing. A few but the ones that got changed were barely needed/past spec. Felt a lot like an expensive overkill when I had it done, like I'd let it go a lot longer unless the car was really driven hard all the time.
Agreed. That hyperbole toolbag on jalopnik has a conversion thread about how the E46M3 is the most amazing car ever ever ever but the SMG is the most terrible horrible humanitarian crisis ever. As usual he's talking exaggerated "turn a tiny sand grain of truth unto a mountain of bullshit". Nothing is ever as good or bad as he says, period.
The SMG is not dual clutch brilliant that's for sure. But it's drivable and indeed is certainly faster / better than a manual driver. by that I don't mean the car is better, just that driving hard the SMG isn't bad.
I think a lot of the bad rap comes from people trying to "automatic" drive the SMG which indeed is pretty poor. You want to treat it like a clutchless manual really. The guys who bought the SMG for a true slushbox driving experience - especially "for my wife who doesn't drive clutch" it's more of a disaster.
True. A silver SMG vert would be the bargain leader. I'm 2/3 of way there and indeed I think my car was a bargain at the time.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Thanks for that info! Will I be able to get away with this https://www.ecstuning.com/b-assemble...300493743~kt5/.
Personally, I'm trying to stay away from SMG I'd rather spend the couple extra thousand and get a manual. Cuz in the ends that's what I want a 6 speed. I've done all the research for conversion and while that article is true, it's also garbage cuz there's no way its going to be done for $1200. You can't find just a bellhousing for the 6MT along with there's parts that aren't for sale.
You guys know that was Tavarish same guy who complained about the M62 being shit.
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Absolutely. That whole case is Exhibit A for his usual retardation modus operandi... For long time he was "540's are the best ever! Budget M5! Total awesome bargain!!!!" without even owning one. Then he bought apparently nearly the crappiest screwed up example in the country, and when it had issues took it to an extremely crappy shop apparently, got scrood by them, and ever since has repeatedly posted at every opportunity about what shit E39's/540's/All-BMW'S are, and anybody who argues with him is dumb bmw fanboiz.
Our own Dannyboy bought his nightmare car in fact, and now he and Danny are buttbuddiez tho' so don't let him hear you slagging Ol' Freddo.
Yeah that's th shim set but like I said, try and find somebody who has it already. Might be good approach to open up head and see what shims you need first...
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Oh and yeah. If I was to de-SMG a car (I did coding for one some years ago) no doubt I'd def source a manual tranny, not try to machine. If it was better condition/miles than the SMG I'd just toss it in, or if I thought the SMG box was minty inside I'd do the housing swap.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
Oh man, I gotta get you and Freddy into a restaurant at some point and film the results.
I know I'm biased because I'm good friend with him, but he really isn't as opinionated as he might seem in his articles. You gotta keep in mind that clicks/views are what get him paid on Jalopnik, so stirring up controversy = $$$. Most opinions/viewpoints are exaggerated on Jalopnik, that's kinda the spirit of the site. I just know to not take it too seriously— there are far more informative sites out there anyways, I only go on Jalopnik for the entertainment value.
And for what it's worth, I fixed Freddy's nightmare car, made it drive semi-reliably, and sold it for a decent profit, so I ain't even mad.
1995 525i 5-speed - Thread
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
lol at the slaggin' of Ol' Freddo.
I too would avoid de-SMGing the car just for the fact that the costs offset... The SMG pump can now be rebuilt/replaced for ~1k instead of those crazy 3-4k pumps that BMW typically charges.
While the SMG is not nearly as engaging as the manual, I would love to see an SMG S54 in a sedan or wagon- ultimate DD. Or somehow attach an SMG to the S62, why? IDK but cool/different factor alone...
Yeah the SMG is cool for what it is especially for that time. I just haven't been a huge auto or paddle-shifter kinda guy.
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just making my monthly check-in
F10 535i
Formerly Owned:
2000 540i/6
E23 733i
E90 M3
E53 X5
Honestly, no words
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out of all E46 M3 exhaust which has any one had experience with AgencyPower, Miltek, or Status Gruppe. Do I need to go full exhaust for any improvement?
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There is a bunch of different ways to go with the exhaust, but the best are usually the most expensive. Currently there is a new exhaust on the market that is making waves.... See here: http://www.m3forum.net/m3forum/showthread.php?t=582564 the boys over on M3forum have torn into ARH and TTFS about the claims they are making. Their design is different and could be a good alternative...
Supersprint stepped headers will give the best whp, but they are $$$4k for the catted version I believe. They are arguably the best quality, fitment, and power gain. That goes for most of the bits of supersprint, there is a reason all the euro guys are going to them.
My set up, in the near future will be: EURO oem headers, AR20 resonated section 1 (no rasp), stock section 2, gutted OEM section 3. This provides good sound/tone/decent power. Keep in mind the euro version of these cars made 10-15 more hp than the US flavor. When you jump into all of those aftermarket companies you are splitting hairs in terms of quality and gains. While they look cool and are lighter, they tend to sound like a honda and are very raspy. Pay for the BEST and get the best, or run a budget set up of OEM pieces in different variations and you have a solid sounding M3.
I was kinda hoping to stay stock with everything and just doing muffler or is that not worth it?
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I'd attach SMG to an S62 just because the 5HP30 is impossible to get working properly.
Automatic M5 = win
SMG M5 = slightly less win
SMG is a neat thing for its time. I'd like it on the track, but I don't get the point of automatically banging into every single gear in traffic and missing a pedal when I want it. DCTs give you more, and modern super slushies\even the older tip chips offer a nice compromise.
Last edited by XAlt; 05-31-2017 at 09:03 AM.
You won't experience many gains and often times you run the risk of drone. There's about 20 different section 3s that you can run, but hearing them in person is the only way to make the right call for you.
AR20 resonators in the oem section 1 are $45 a pop. Unless you like drone and rasp, this is a necessity. Also a neat trick with 2 oem section 1s that you can take the resonated sides from both and combine (there is a thread out there somewhere)
Interesting. Hadn't caught up w that.
Amusingly that was the dialog when Frank first came on the scene. "Everybody" said "who's this new guy making huge claims for tunes, must be total BS, stay away, buy a long term tuner brand instead or you'll risk your motor!"
Looks like interesting design. Bet it's slightly PITA to fit being one piece. Bet it sounds good aka not super raspy.
I run Agency headers, Euro cats, Status single pipe resonated, then Status rear. It's one of better sounding setups I've heard in person and I get lots of experience BMW S54 guys saying same... But I still would say the S54 doesn't sound fantastic in general vs really good sounding motors like my old Audi I5. That ARH collector might be different.
Muffler alone won't do dickleypoo. The stock config for those is headers (w cats in usa) - then what is the euro cat-pipe section ("section 1") - another half-resonated twin pipe section ("section 2") - then muffler. Headers and mid pipes are the real gainers. As Sooch says theres not a lotta difference in the low to mid priced stuff (it's all early version SS knock off copies AFAIK). And as he says it'll sound raspy and ass-y unless you do mid pipe stuff to manage it. X-pipes or single pipe mids are the key there. The mid price stuff gets you something for gains, and can be ok, but... Will sound like crap with just straight twin mid pipes ("section 2" in the lingo) IMO.
Any S54 fanboiz who tell you otherwise and that their raspy razor blade setup sounds great have zero understanding of a great motor/exhaust sound and probably couldn't tell a flat-plane V8 from a moped with no muffler, and in fact would like the moped sound better as long as it was louder.
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Oops didn't refresh before posting. Yeah the AR20 or something like it is for sure another answer to X-pipes or single pipe. Or both. Aka as I say I have resonated single pipe, i think that's key to my setup not sucking.
2003 M3CicM6 TiAg
2002 540iT Sport Vortech S/C 6MT LSD TiAg
2008 Audi A3 2.0T DSG (the daily beater)
2014 BMW X1 xDrive28i (wifemobile)
Former:
1985 MB Euro graymarket 300SL
1995.5 Audi S6 Avant (utility/winter billetturbobattlewagen)
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