So last year I purchased a 1990 325i track car with a SpecE30 legal roll cage and stripped interior. The car drives awesome, sounds awesome, and has GC coilovers, camber plates and some other suspension bits so it handles awesome as well. Only problem is it doesn't have any interior fans in it, much less air-con...it's leaky when it rains, and you have to drive with the windows down or it fogs up. It's also a pain in the ass to get in and out of when you just want to go get some groceries. There aren't any sunvisors even, so you have to drive around like Ari Vatanen in Climb Dance.
My solution was to buy a second 1990 325is. Now it's luxurious, comfortable, and smooth. It has some bilstein shocks and lowered springs, and a nice stereo.
The only problem now is that the new car is just waaay too tame. The exhaust appears stock, and is way too quiet. Also the engine is lethargic and unresponsive compared to the track car. When I blip the throttle on the track car it just sings and spins up freely. On the new car there is a half-second hesitation and then it begrudgingly spins up.
The only major differences between the two are as follows:
1. Track car has AC delete
2. Track car has rusty, loud exhaust and, presumably, high-flow cats - it still passes smog.
3. Track car has 4.10 LSD, I think the new car has a 3.73 or something...not quite sure yet.
4. Track car is significantly lighter and has little to no insulation.
5. Windage tray and oil-pan baffle in track car.
6. Track car dyno'd at 149whp - 150ft/lbs
I don't think the track car has anything special in the form of a light weight flywheel, we had a replacement engine dropped in it and the tech told me the flywheel was stock, "Heavy as sh!t" to quote him.
So what should I do to spice up the new car?
Option 1. Strip all the fun stuff off the track car and see if that helps.
-Good: If it works then I will have a spicy, easy to live with 325is that is just a total hoot to drive around.
-Bad: If it doesn't quite solve the problem then I have two shitty cars instead of one great one and one meadiocre one. It also detracts from the whole point of having a track car...why put a lame exhaust and sh!tty suspension on something with a roll cage?
Option 2. Start buying stuff to upgrade the new car.
-Good: It's always fun spending money. I'm thinking IE Exhaust and maybe Miller PSIK MAF conversion, high-flo cat. As far as suspension goes, possibly switch to GC coilovers and camber plates or throw in some Bilstein Sport shocks (I think it has the HD ones it it now) and some vorshlag plates or something. Stiffer springs too?
-Bad: Wow I just described about 3000$ worth of stuff to put on a car I just bought ( and spent all my spare money on). I have this money where???
Option 3. Quit complaining and shutup, I wish I had problems like yours.
-Good: It gets quieter when I close my mouth, and I save money and effort by doing nothing.
-Bad: Nothing changes
What do you guys think? I think for me option 2 is the most fun, but it will take alot of time and detract from other things I want to do in life, like eat.
EDIT: I put this in the engine forum because I want the new car to be as responsive as the track car. Does deleting the AC make that much of a difference or is there something wrong with the new car?
My solution was to buy a second 1990 325is. Now it's luxurious, comfortable, and smooth. It has some bilstein shocks and lowered springs, and a nice stereo.
The only problem now is that the new car is just waaay too tame. The exhaust appears stock, and is way too quiet. Also the engine is lethargic and unresponsive compared to the track car. When I blip the throttle on the track car it just sings and spins up freely. On the new car there is a half-second hesitation and then it begrudgingly spins up.
The only major differences between the two are as follows:
1. Track car has AC delete
2. Track car has rusty, loud exhaust and, presumably, high-flow cats - it still passes smog.
3. Track car has 4.10 LSD, I think the new car has a 3.73 or something...not quite sure yet.
4. Track car is significantly lighter and has little to no insulation.
5. Windage tray and oil-pan baffle in track car.
6. Track car dyno'd at 149whp - 150ft/lbs
I don't think the track car has anything special in the form of a light weight flywheel, we had a replacement engine dropped in it and the tech told me the flywheel was stock, "Heavy as sh!t" to quote him.
So what should I do to spice up the new car?
Option 1. Strip all the fun stuff off the track car and see if that helps.
-Good: If it works then I will have a spicy, easy to live with 325is that is just a total hoot to drive around.
-Bad: If it doesn't quite solve the problem then I have two shitty cars instead of one great one and one meadiocre one. It also detracts from the whole point of having a track car...why put a lame exhaust and sh!tty suspension on something with a roll cage?
Option 2. Start buying stuff to upgrade the new car.
-Good: It's always fun spending money. I'm thinking IE Exhaust and maybe Miller PSIK MAF conversion, high-flo cat. As far as suspension goes, possibly switch to GC coilovers and camber plates or throw in some Bilstein Sport shocks (I think it has the HD ones it it now) and some vorshlag plates or something. Stiffer springs too?
-Bad: Wow I just described about 3000$ worth of stuff to put on a car I just bought ( and spent all my spare money on). I have this money where???
Option 3. Quit complaining and shutup, I wish I had problems like yours.
-Good: It gets quieter when I close my mouth, and I save money and effort by doing nothing.
-Bad: Nothing changes
What do you guys think? I think for me option 2 is the most fun, but it will take alot of time and detract from other things I want to do in life, like eat.
EDIT: I put this in the engine forum because I want the new car to be as responsive as the track car. Does deleting the AC make that much of a difference or is there something wrong with the new car?
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