Need Advice On First Major Mod..

[mitch55]

solved.

[Salazar]

Option 4: Coilover suspension!

[Impervious]

Option 5: N54 Swap

[1SerieStud]

I think the OP means upgrades

Originally Posted by Impervious

Option 5: N54 Swap

[1SerieStud]

Quite frankly, I would start with suspension as someone else suggested. BMW performance suspension all the way!

Originally Posted by mitch5655

If you had to get one, which one would you choose and why?

Option 1: 19" VMR CSL's in Gunmetal

Option 2: Active Autowerke Signature Exhaust

Option 3: Berk Full Sport Exhaust System

[EINSER M]

wheels first

[KTS1010]

I would choose wheels, just because I feel it can make the car look so much better.

[mitch55]

added more options..

[CrazyIvan]

If you are on a tight budget, just get sway bar instead of the whole suspension. Or better yet, before you make make your car any faster, put yourself through a driving school, like BMW one in SC. That will go a long way...

[BrokenVert]

a years worth of autox

[marcus]

I would hold off on JB4/Procedes until there are more reviews from others. Either go with suspension(coilovers/swaybar) or wheels

[1-2MANY]

suspension and sways, or ditch the rft and get legit tires

[Bimmer-Bob]

Suspension!

[RimasRS]

Procede>IC&DP>Suspension>Wheels Breyton GTSR "18 or Forgestar F14 "18>LSD
....and you are done...

[rsjean]

I did my GIAC upgrade first. I wanted to get an idea for the power complection of the car first to let that influence need for other performance mods. It determined exhaust, FMIC, and even helped with suspension, ssk and wheel/tire choices because the car and feel dynamics changed with a whole new power curve.

So no real science in my approach but it felt logical

[Yvette]

suspension -> tires -> exhaust

[roo97ss]

biggest feel will be tune or non run flat tires.

if you've got good rubber you can get most of the money out of them towards a new set. If you don't want to hassle then i'd say..

Tune and front sway bar (e93 m3). The tune will give you the most feel as far as change to car, and sway will help to balance car in turns. Sure it will still float around, but you can take care of that in your next round of mods.

To me exhaust and wheels are last on my list of things to do....I'm not concerned about the look of wheels (the car already looks pretty good on the 18s), and i'm not into loud in this type of car, sports car - yes, but the practical 1 does better for me surprising people, plus the n55 already sounds decent, performance gains aren't that big. Figure 1000 for 10-15 hp and 15-20 ft lbs. procede will get you 35-45 hp and 80-100 ft lbs.

[Yogijet]

I went BMW Performance Exhaust first, with the BMW Performance Suspension and Dunlop Direzza Star Specs (non-rfts) plus BMW mobility kit finally on the way. Next stop is a Quaife ATB LSD. Now to the whys using my sequence:
(i) all about the sound at every point in the rev range;
(ii) suspension comes with a bit of slack to compensate for the stock rfts and my driving style and environment show up the slack a wee bit too much - will add suitable M3 suspension bits once I get my head around the benefit of each lil bit;
(iii) roads here are a bit on the knotty side, and I tried a friend's 335i with the Dunlops recently, and the ride comfort etc is night and day compared with the stockers - mobility kit is for cushioning if, God forbid, I should get a flat - those softies show up the slack in the suspension tho, hence (ii) above;
(iv) Quaife again because of the spinning inside wheel which either shuts down the power or burns a rubbery hole in my tire budget. Environment dictates that I am on multiple (wet, if it rains) hairpins on a short drive to work/town so I suffer;
(v) next would be brakes (just the rotors - cross-drilled and vented) and downpipes ; and
(vi) BMW performance power kit.

You will see I'm a bit conservative on the power mods coz I don't really see an immediate need for them but nevertheless want superb handling poise, great traction and stopability.

Hope this helps.

[infinitekidM2C]

Originally Posted by Salazar

Option 4: Coilover suspension!

[infinitekidM2C]

Don't add 70 hp + with Procede or JB4 until you get that thing handling better

[imported_mega]

dont you give up ride comfort with coilovers?

i did them on a previous car and swore I will never mess with suspension again, my back cant take it

[MarkR171]

Originally Posted by infinitekid2002

Don't add 70 hp + with Procede or JB4 until you get that thing handling better

It handles fine, stock. If anything, get the JB4 and a stiffer front sway bar for less money than the other options. That's all our car really needs unless you plan on being super competitive on the track. The sway bar will improve steering dramatically and will have no adverse effects whatsoever.

The stock wheels look good, no reason to spend over $1,000 to change them as your first mod.

Originally Posted by Impervious

Option 5: N54 Swap

So he can gain turbo lag at ~2-2.5k RPM like my friends with N54s? Yea, no thanks.