Need help deciding practical solution

[jrockbk]

I desperately want a 24v swap in me 318is now, my question is how do I decide on a motor? I'm looking into m52b28 vanos with m50 obd1 intake, or straight up s50/s52 swap. The difference in price performance and ease of swap are my deciding factors cost being the largest factor. Eg. Guy quoted me $3800 for s52 with 2yr warranty, $2500 for s50 with 2yr, and $1500 for m52 with 2yr. Huge price difference but knowing that I would have to buy obd1 parts to get m52 over 200hp. What to buy? Do you think I will be happy with m52b28? Or will I wind up wishing I bought an s5x? I currently drive a m42 stock

[Munich Man]

Buy an S50, you won't regret it. But by the way, does the seller know that it's going in an E30? It won't void the 2 year warranty, will it?

[I8UR911]

Those prices are nuts. If you plan on doing ANY upgrades on ANY of those engines....forget it....the warranty is as good as toilet paper. S5x engines can be had around $2k-$2500. M5x between free and $1k :)

Think of all the other expenses too....exhaust, trans mounts, engine mounts, brake booster, software, cooling, etc. This is the stuff that adds up.

I would build an engine (which I am.....stroker M42) before swapping in an unknown. Done the M/S5x swap......boring really and IMO, overdone.

Just my .02

[jrockbk]

S5x engines can be had around $2k-$2500. M5x between free and $1k :)

Where? Been looking everyone telling me closer to $3k, keep in mind if I buy a motor and it blows the following week I have no recourse from a private seller.

Think of all the other expenses too....exhaust, trans mounts, engine mounts, brake booster, software, cooling, etc. This is the stuff that adds up.

I would build an engine (which I am.....stroker M42) before swapping in an unknown. Done the M/S5x swap......boring really and IMO, overdone.

Just my .02

Thought about those things too which is why I decided on s50b30 easiest to swap in with least tinkering and already obd1

I asked levant at guten parts his opinion to make the m42 faster he said not worth the $ better do a swap. To stroke, bore, and get more than 200hp out of that 4banger cost more than the swap unless u have access to machine shop and do your own labor

Where

[jrockbk]

Buy an S50, you won't regret it. But by the way, does the seller know that it's going in an E30? It won't void the 2 year warranty, will it?

Yes seller knows, got those quotes from bmrparts dismantler there prices are for complete dropouts accessories, intake and exhaust mani, wiring harness and dme

[jrockbk]

So made a couple of phone calls to some shops in the area about doing this swap I found some reasonable engine tranny options even found a couple of whole donor cars like a 99 m3 runs and drives crashed in side frame damage $3.5k from that car I can get just about everything I need to complete swap including 5lug conversion with exceptions like
Oilpan
Motor mounts and bracket
Brake booster
Drive shaft (not sure)
Ecu ewe flash out
Radiator (not sure)
Full custom exhaust
Even if I'm forgetting some things those extra parts can't come to more than $2k-$2.5k
So far that's around $6k just to estimate plus labor (don't know how many hours this takes) but I estimated this entire process would cost me $7-$8k

According to the last shop I spoke to "you smoking crack if you think you can get an s52 swap done between $5k and $8k"

Am I smoking crack? $15k-$20k for these swaps? Or are these people buying them for that price on crack? For real what's the deal what should this cost me?

[DesertBMW]

If you will not be doing all the work yourself, the cost will be very high.