S65 E46 touring...Potential maintenance issues?

**marcva** · 05-25-2018, 01:09 PM

Yes 2009 E46 wagon that was rebuilt with M inteior bits and an S65 motor, etc. Not buying, but thought I'd float it as a curiosity.

This car was auctioned on BAT and didn't meet reserve @ 44k. For any of you more technically (and financially?) astute members that might be interested, this seems like a really nice implementation. It definitely has room to get the track tires to the track. Maybe an update for Chris's E39Ms. I'll chip into a fund in exchange for a couple sessions around VIR or Mid Ohio.

http://www.thedrive.com/news/20799/t...-perfect-wagon.

Marc

**dworthy** · 05-25-2018, 01:33 PM

Umm that's a E-91 amigo...

Yes I have seen a E-46 wagon with a S-54 in it, there was a guy out in Cali who made a couple out of some wreaked vert's.

**marcva** · 05-25-2018, 01:43 PM

Oops, my bad.I had E46 on the brain...still an interesting touring model

**bmwdirtracer** · 05-25-2018, 06:55 PM

Thanks for thinking of me, Marc. It's cool to think about, but a 12 to 1 compression motor with an aftermarket supercharger just seems sketchy, to me. Besides, no way could I afford a car that expensive....if I could, it would probably be something with a stock engine, or maybe a Dinan tune....I really like reliable. I just don't seem to have the desire to work on my own car, after working on everyone else's, every day.

**shadowpuck** · 05-25-2018, 07:07 PM

Originally Posted by bmwdirtracer

Thanks for thinking of me, Marc. It's cool to think about, but a 12 to 1 compression motor with an aftermarket supercharger just seems sketchy, to me. Besides, no way could I afford a car that expensive....if I could, it would probably be something with a stock engine, or maybe a Dinan tune....I really like reliable. I just don't seem to have the desire to work on my own car, after working on everyone else's, every day.

it's interesting - in my part of the world, i've watched instructors tend to move back toward stock after they've danced with highly modified vehicles. anymore, in our run groups, if you want to see the new cars you go to the student groups. if you want to see the "old" and mostly stock cars, you watch the instructor group.

even though i've never been fully into modding my track car, i've done quite a bit to it. i now find myself starting to consider my next track build, and, i keep coming back to reliability and as few variables as possible when i have to troubleshoot. i have given more than one thought to some type of touring for my next build....

**marcva** · 05-25-2018, 07:59 PM

We've all gone through the progression looking for speed then finding our place in the world. I modified my 325 somewhat in pursuit of lap times, but I always had to use it as a commuter with no backup. Now that I'm a parent, the situation is worse as I have limited time windows to make repairs that *have* to be done to get to work the next day. When life is a big pass fail test, your properties change. Plus it's more fun to get lap times with technique, or to show your student a steady squeal in the street tires around a carousel rather than just going fast.

Chris, understand your perspective. Bill Shook drives absolute S$&t cars and will help someone else before he works in his own cars. As an instructor, he barely even drove because he couldn't get his car track worthy. He's an awesome instructor and a great driver. He was lead skidpad and chief instructor at ncc in the 90s when I started. I need to get my sim running so he can play on it.

**bmwdirtracer** · 05-25-2018, 08:08 PM

I still play, very hard. In fact, I destroyed a set of Michelin PS4S's in a single weekend....$1200, gone. Of course, if I'd afforded a set of coilovers, or maybe even Bilsteins and H&R's, to keep the body roll controlled, I might not have destroyed those expensive tires. I had been praying for rain, as always, but it never came.

(When it rains, I don't hurt my tires....and besides....everyone gets out of my way....because their mirrors look scary.)

**marcva** · 05-25-2018, 08:12 PM

Go to mid Ohio. It's an awesome track and the locals hide in the paddocks when it rains. Wet diving truly is the best. Easy on the car and...all the c world's a skidpad.

**bmwdirtracer** · 05-25-2018, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by marcva

Go to mid Ohio. It's an awesome track and the locals hide in the paddocks when it rains. Wet diving truly is the best. Easy on the car and...all the c world's a skidpad.

I learned to race, in England. And taught skid control to racing drivers for 7 years..... (If you spin, it shouldn't cost you more than 1.5 seconds from that lap's time.....)

Now, as for DIVING....yes, wet is best. Dry really sucks...

**shadowpuck** · 05-25-2018, 08:29 PM

oh yes - MidO in the wet is one of the strangest experiences you can have.

COTA in the wet, other than the wipers going, is almost like in the dry. the track is stunning.

**bmwdirtracer** · 05-25-2018, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by shadowpuck

oh yes - MidO in the wet is one of the strangest experiences you can have.

COTA in the wet, other than the wipers going, is almost like in the dry. the track is stunning.

Never been to either one, my friend. Why is Mid Ohio in the wet so strange? Maybe I'll get lucky enough to go there, and I'd sure like to hear what's "strange", from someone I trust, before I hang it out....

VIR is pretty much expected....we've got rivers, and lakes, and green and yellow painted curbing that you need to stay off of, when it's wet, and, well, the front straight can catch you out.

**shadowpuck** · 05-26-2018, 08:33 AM

usually, in the wet, there's a fairly standard "wet" line or a fairly obvious path of more grip/less grip in the wet.
at MidO - i think due to the patches in the track, the wet line is, imo, best described as "all over the place."
the other really strange thing is i constantly felt like areas where i would expect grip, there often wasn't - and in areas i didn't expect grip, there was!