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Thread: 330i e46 vs e90 for HPDE / Tracking

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2016
    Location
    Herndon, Virginia
    Posts
    57
    My Cars
    1992 325is

    330i e46 vs e90 for HPDE / Tracking

    I am seeing some e90 (2006) 330s come down into my price range .

    Is there any drawbacks to the e90 platform ?

    Were the subframe issues worked out ?
    Are e90s harder to work on the e36 / e46 ?
    less reliable ?

    etc...

    Goal is to have a HPDE car that can be street legal .
    -------------------------------------------------------------
    '92 325is
    '17 Mustang GT for a Daily
    -------------------------------------------------------------

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Alpharetta, GA
    Posts
    428
    My Cars
    06 330i, 88 M3
    I'd say that the E90 330i is a great car. I have tracked mine once, totally stock, while my E30 M3 track rat sat waiting for an alternator that got hung up in delivery.

    The components are very robust and last quite a long time. Especially the suspension parts seem well-specified. You can easily and rather inexpensively upgrade the suspension using M3 components. BMW's performance suspension with the matched springs is a very good upgrade and not more expensive than the competition.

    I have an E30 M3 and have had E36s in the past & the E90 is not harder to work on mechanically. You need a good torque wrench for the torque-to-yield fasteners. Here on BFc you can find the SW that you need for more in depth diagnostics. There are a lot of good resources out there.

    I find the chassis very well-balanced and easy to drive fast (like I would expect from any 3 series) and with the mechanical steering, the feedback is excellent. It is an easy chassis to play with.

    You might consider a 328i as well, as they were more prolific. An intake is required to get them to 330i levels, and now you have run into the only limitation: That BMW has done a good job optimizing the motors & the power that the 330i has is difficult to increase without spending a lot.

    Here in the Atlanta area, the 335i isn't that much more than a 330i and there are a lot of go-fast goodies for those, but they are more finicky. My 330i has been the most reliable car I've owned.

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