Turbo BMW 330xi advice?

[Kooldino]

Thinking of picking up a used 330xi and boosting it when I'm done with my Mazda.

What do you guys think?

Read here: http://www.forcefed4.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2499

Post here. Thanks.

[ZokesPro]

Who's the somewhat blurry cutie in the avatar under YOUR nick in the other forum eh, EH?

I know nothing about BMW's, but the model your looking into is nice. What year is it?

[Gurm]

You can easily get a lot more performance out of a 330. The issue is - do you really WANT to? I mean, an M3 is nice and all - but it's a sports car. It's high strung and breaks down a lot. The 330 is more than enough car for most, especially after a few performance mods. Beef up the suspension a bit, tweak the computer, better intake and exhaust... heck, you could get an M3 body kit and make it LOOK like an M3, but that's pretty lame IMHO.

[GuchiGuh]

Why do you want all wheel drive? (So you can do inverse donuts?)

I think its a great idea, but I am sorry for all your money. Looks like its going to cost you half a neck and house!

I don't know much about tuned BMWs, but I've seen supercharged M3's beating 360 Modenas (at higher speeds) and I hear many praises for BMW straight 6 (not so much the AWD sedans thou, may I add). But I'll make u feel good, when you get on par with an M3 (just make sure it won't cost as much/more than one).

Don't worry Gurm, you haven't seen lame. Lame is when asian kids with rich parents, buy 318i's (to get the badge), debadge the '318i', screw on some big shiny mags, maybe a rear spoiler, a loud exhaust and the pretend it can go fast....now that is LAME!!! I enjoy watching from the inside of my friends "cheap..not highclass...plastic.." turbocharged Skyline as we speed past them, with a big grin on our face

Anyway man, I'd like to be updated if you go ahead with this project!

[Elie]

Do not turbo charge a BMW! It will give more trouble than a Pinto!
To do it right you have to spend thousands of dollars and still no garanties, the BMW engine is not meant for turbo charging, and depend where you take it, they can screw it up big time!!!!

I'll give you more info by Monday.

But for now, you can visit the BMW forum www.maxbimmer.com and see what they have to say.

Regards,
Elie

[xortam]

... I mean, an M3 is nice and all - but it's a sports car. It's high strung and breaks down a lot. ...

Bullshit! I've had an E36 M3 coupe for seven years and it's been very reliable. True, its a very low mileage car since I haven't commuted these last six years but it's been my most trouble free car ever. I do drive it rough when I do drive it (hey, its an M3 after all). The only repairs have been some tightening of a screw in the sunroof when it was brand new and a replaced fuel sending sensor (problem on all versions of the E36). The car has also given me very respectable gas mileage and has been a phenomenal car all around. High spirited in capability yes, but certainly not temperamental. That is one of the things that first attracted be to this car. I didn't want something like a Ferrari that only the mechanic gets to drive.

[Gurm]

Bullshit! I've had an E36 M3 coupe for seven years and it's been very reliable. True, its a very low mileage car since I haven't commuted these last six years but it's been my most trouble free car ever. I do drive it rough when I do drive it (hey, its an M3 after all). The only repairs have been some tightening of a screw in the sunroof when it was brand new and a replaced fuel sending sensor (problem on all versions of the E36). The car has also given me very respectable gas mileage and has been a phenomenal car all around. High spirited in capability yes, but certainly not temperamental. That is one of the things that first attracted be to this car. I didn't want something like a Ferrari that only the mechanic gets to drive.

The M3 breaks down a lot... in comparison to a regular 3 series.

Not in comparison to other sports cars. And not if you drive it like a normal human being.

But most people with M3's can't restrain themselves...

(God knows if I had one, I wouldn't be able to! It'd be in the garage fully half the time!)

But then again, I can't honestly believe that I wrote "breaks down a lot". Hmm... *shrug*

[Wombat]

M3? My coworker just got a nice new S60R. Daaaamn.

[Gurm]

M3? My coworker just got a nice new S60R. Daaaamn.

You really can't compare an M3 to an S60R.

6 cylinders versus 5, RWD vs. FWD... it's just not even a comparison. I love Volvos, and the S60R is a fine fine vehicle, but it's in a completely different class from the M3.

[KvHagedorn]

The S60R is 4 wheel drive, actually:

* Transversely Mounted, 2.5-Liter, 5-Cylinder Turbocharger with Aluminum Cylinder Head / Block and Dual Wide Range Continuously Variable Valve Timing on Intake and Exhaust Camshafts
* 300 hp
* 6-Speed Manual Transmission
* Electronically Controlled All Wheel Drive
* Driver and Front Passenger Supplemental Restraint System - Dual-Threshold Air Bags
* Side Impact Air Bags for Driver and Front Passenger
* Inflatable Side Curtains (IC)
* Whiplash Protection Seating System (WHIPS)
* Antilock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD); Brembo 4-Piston Aluminum, Front and Rear
* Dynamic Stability and Traction Control (DSTC)
* Bi-Xenon High and Low Beam Headlamps
* Power-Adjustable Driver Seat, 8-Way with 3-Position Memory and Lumbar Support
* Power Adjustable Passenger Seat, 8-Way with Lumbar Support
* "R" Full Soft Leather Multi-Contoured Sport Seats
* "R" Blue Instrument Gauges with Watch-Dial Bezels
* Premium Audio System with Single In-Dash CD
* 17" Alloy Wheels

I wouldn't mind having one..

[GuchiGuh]

S60R, best dials ever ..if you ignore the AMDB9
Although the new M5 ones are pretty damn cool too...but doesnt reach up to the Volvo's

[xortam]

The M3 breaks down a lot... in comparison to a regular 3 series.

Not in comparison to other sports cars. And not if you drive it like a normal human being.

But most people with M3's can't restrain themselves...

(God knows if I had one, I wouldn't be able to! It'd be in the garage fully half the time!)

But then again, I can't honestly believe that I wrote "breaks down a lot". Hmm... *shrug*

I think you're just speculating about the reliability. Show me your data. I haven't looked into the reliability of a non-M E36 versus the M variant (haven't even driven another BMW than an M3) but you must realize that the M3 has been ruggedized in preparation for its harsher typical usage. I haven't read of any increased problems on the streets with the E36 M3 versus other E36 variants. M3 drivers shred through tires quickly and will warp rotors on the track but they'll upgrade the rotors if they continue to track their car. I haven't taken my coupe onto the track ... yet (maybe when its older and the paint gets chipped). I love the way car performs stock and I don't want to mess with the careful balance that BMW engineers have designed this car to meet both street and high-performance needs. My M3 has proven to be much more reliable than a Mercedes sedan and wagon that we own(ed) (both also straight sixes).

The thread was about turbo-charging a 4-wheel drive BMW straight six. You people are getting off the topic bringing up these other cars. The additional weight of the 4WD is going to make the car much less tossable than an M3. You will get more power out of an M5 but an M3 will smoke it on technical tracks due to its superior braking and handling. I haven't read anything about the 330xi ... this could be a good thing or a bad thing. I would think I would have read something by now if there was much interest in these vehicles. The current Roundel (May 2005) has an exciting article about the latest xDrive vehicles, the X3, X5, and the 530xi wagon (this one's got me wondering if I'm reading about an eventual replacement for our 4-WD MBZ wagon). The writers and racers tore up the ice in Rovaniemi, Finland while testing these new vehicles and they all came away very impressed. These are the babies to keep your eye on.

[Gurm]

Not to completely nitpick, but the "all-wheel-drive" in the S60R, and in ALL Volvos, is in fact FRONT wheel drive. They use a viscous clutch which puts 90+% of the power to the front wheels at all times UNLESS the front wheels slip. In that case, SOME (not all) of the power can be directed to the rear wheels. Under no circumstances should Volvo's AWD unit be construed as "4 wheel drive".

BMW's AWD unit, on the other hand, like Audi's and Subaru's, distributes the power evenly to all four wheels most of the time.

[xortam]

... BMW's AWD unit, on the other hand, like Audi's and Subaru's, distributes the power evenly to all four wheels most of the time.

Not if you're driving an xDrive in other than the straights.

[Gurm]

Not if you're driving an xDrive in other than the straights.

Ok. I'm open to correction, when appropriate.