Debate - mod 318ti or buy something else?
 

So here it is - the standard debate on what to do with my current ride.

I posted something similar in another forum, but thought I would post a second up here - so if you're reading this for the second time I apologize.

Here's what I'm looking at - -

I have a 98 318ti sport (5 speed) w/ approximately 72k
So far I have:
Strut Tower Brace
CAI
SuperSprint exhaust (full)
other misc. exterior / music mods

Being a former mustang guy I'm used to a bit more power under the hood. I've been debating either

1.) Building up the Bimmer w/ a DASC

or

2.) Moving away from BMW and going with something with more aftermarket support - either a WRX or a DSM


So - that being said - aside from the DASC and ridiculous prices on a Dinan Throttle Body (compared to similar parts for other cars) what would you suggest? ?

Also - I checked out that Japanese 318ti club - why does it appear that there are TONS of parts available to these guys but I can't seem to find jack in the U. S. unless I want Altezzas and headlights???

do what im doing

use the Ti as that everyday car for optimal gas mileage especially with gas prices today

and get another car to mess around with (in my case my M3)

IMHO, the Ti is a great car but i can't see myself fixing it up. Not the greatest platform to fix up, I think E36 M3 would be better compared to it.

gluck to you

buy a motorcycle. :biggrin:

Heh - I'm deathly afraid of motorcylces, because I KNOW I would do something stupid and kill myself.

I'm fairly young, 21, I love my ti....

If i could afford an M3 I would :D

I'm really looking forward to fixing up all the little dents and stuff and putting a new kit on it....and then eventually the go fast bits and pieces :D

if you can afford payments on a 35k car...suburu WRXSti 300 horses...or an M3 is much hotter

i thought so too, but what i realize now is that it's going to be somebody else that does something stupid that will kill me, like not checking blind spots.


if i were in your position, i would find a project car for a few grand to work up (325is or something similar, maybe even old american muscle, perhaps an off-road machine.).

also, depends what you're looking for in this. running a bimmer at the strips is IMO a bastardization of its true capabilities. also, i'm bad with speeding so i've decided to find my fun in the turns. plus, i know that once i start making it faster, i'm not sure where i'll ever want to end.

am i the only one happy with the ti's stock power?

6 Cylinder motor from a 328 or M3.

The overall answer really depends on how much you like your ti. You are looking at $6K to $8K or more by the time you are done with the motor, brake and suspension upgrades.


If you sell the 318ti and really have $6,000, that gives you about $12K to $14K to spend on something else

Other options to consider

e30 325.
e34 535 (big, heavy, fast with a 5 speed and not too expensive)

You could put a high performance motor in either of these and have a ton of cash left over.

e30 M3
e36 328
Lease a brand new 325 sedan for something like $350 to $400 a month. Car does 0-60 in 7.1 bone stock. Current promotional lease deal is $315 a month.

Lease a brand new Z4 for about $400 to $450 a month. (promotional lease deal on a Z4 2.5 is $359 a month)

Yeah the Z4 is definately worth it. My family has a 3.0i with the 6 speed and it is extremely fast, and it handles great.

Absolutly. As I recall the 3.0 is 0-60 in about 6 seconds. Stupid fast. The 2.5 is more like 7 seconds. The 2.5 didn't beat us up like the 3.0 + sport package we test drove. Roads in Atlanta are terrible.

By the time we finally found a 325 sedan with a stick BMW announced a huge lease incentive on the Z4. We could have had a Z4 for the same payments as our 325. We went back and forth on it for hours. Finally decided we really needed the back seat. <sigh>

Lots of ideas on other cars to go with, but nothing to speak of for M44 performance??

Its borderline on depressing when the Hon-duh boys can build up faster cars than the Bimmer guys ('n gals??)

I have a buddy who has slowly put together a full Dinan M3 (E36 '99). When he bought it, it was a low mileage car in good shape - think he paid around $24 or $25 K.

Engine mods include Dinan intake, throttle body, HFM, and exhaust, plus necessary software, as well as suspension, brakes, and the best short shift kit I have ever used. Probably $5 K all together.

So he's done most everything, short of a supercharger, and the car is fast. And I'm not talking just highway fast, but zero to whatever fast. And it really has a split personality - handles and stops like a European sports car, but accelerates like an American muscle car. A blast to drive.

I tell you all of this because I am a little jealous. If I spent $10 to $12 K on my Ti, it still would not perform to the same level. That fact is something my friend reminds me of often, really whenever I talk about tuning my Ti.

But I got some good advice from my mechanic - anyone can have a hot M3, it's just a matter of how much money you want to spend. For me, his advice means the Ti is inherently a cooler car and worth tuning.

My goal for my Ti is to tune it into a giant go kart - not fast, but quick, handle extremely well, and stop on a dime.

Even with the DASC, it will never be as fast as my buddy's M3, but it won't be a slouch either. $3,000+ sounds like a lot, but I've found most worthwhile engine mods are pretty expensive. Again, quick, not necessarily fast.

Good handling is easy to achieve with the Ti. Starting with a small, light car, there are lots and lots of reasonably priced suspension mods available and a good wheel/tire package is easy to put together without breaking the bank.

Downer for me so far has been brakes (you may have read some of my other posts - can't seem to make up my mind). I've received lots of feedback that factory brakes are fine, but it's hot in Florida and I would feel more comfortable with more stopping power, especially after adding the DASC.

One of our regular posters had a good suggestion re: E46 330 brakes (fronts) and I'm currently exploring that option.

I think most Ti owners are pretty realistic about what they can expect to get out of the car. Having said that, I could easily spend the money on something else, but I believe the Ti is somewhat of a unique ride and definitely has potential. And most comparisons miss an important fact - performance is not cheap. Getting a good lease deal is one thing, but owning a low mileage M3 or WRX, much less tuning one, is an expensive proposition (props to AutoM3otives' E30 M3).

I think most any M44 parts are going to have to be custom. I know BMP also carries cams for our cars, but anything besides that and the DASC is not going to yield much power. I'd love to lower my compression and fab up a turbo for this car (run around 15-20 psi) but then I realize that I could sell my car and do the exact same thing to another car with the money I'd make. It's a viscous cycle.

I myself do wish that the M42/M44 had some more room to grow in terms of NA power.

you guys remember that Racing Dynamics K21.4 318Ti that appeared on Ebay with the stroked 2.1 engine a while back? I exchanged some emails with the guy during its duration on Ebay and he says it produced about 198hp at the rear wheels.

I wish I could make an NA M44 make that much power since I am planning on having an M44 transplant into an old 2002.

But alas, the price for high horsepower and customization is too much. :ashamed:

DASC.

75 more HP than stock at 4500 RPM.