NOR-CAL General Chat.

[CarsonE30]

I have driven my friend's NC a handful of times, a few in anger. It seriously opened my eyes as to how amazing a car it is...Could use another 50-75 HP though.

My Dad has had a couple of them, all stock though, and they never really wowed me. My good friend just bought an NB on Sunday though and he let me drive it. It's a hardtop, coilover, rollbar, Starspec equipped car and I was grinning the entire time. I love how readily they get into totally controlled 4 wheel slides.

[jpod999]

I love how readily they get into totally controlled 4 wheel slides.

That's what I was noticing about the NC, the lift off oversteer. Tons of fun going around one of those loop around offramps!

[CarsonE30]

Anyone have a driveshaft for a manual '89 325is?

[mr2peak]

Anyone running the RHD ITB's in the bay area? I'm really thinking about pulling the trigger on a set

[Toodaloo]

About to start ordering goodies for my headgasket replacement. Any recommendations (or a parts list) of what to get for the job?

I hate not being able to drive her... :(

[Steven]

About to start ordering goodies for my headgasket replacement. Any recommendations (or a parts list) of what to get for the job?

I hate not being able to drive her... :(

HG
Valve cover
Intake manifold gaskets
Timing belt
water pump
thermostat
^ housing
tensioners
new belts
fuel line clips (if you haven't already changed yours to the crimp style

Anyone else have anything else in mind?

[Toodaloo]

HG

Valve cover

Intake manifold gaskets

Timing belt

water pump

thermostat

^ housing

tensioners

new belts

fuel line clips (if you haven't already changed yours to the crimp style



Anyone else have anything else in mind?

Thanks for the info! I actually just recently replaced the fuel lines and clips. Then just did my water pump, timing belt, and associated parts <3k miles ago, so I was hoping I'd be able to reuse some of that stuff. If not, then simply replace the belt alone. I also replaced the thermostat 10k miles ago.

I'm thinking I'd like to throw in some ARP studs while I'm at it, and a headgasket that can hold boost pretty well. That way in the future if I decide to add a little power I'll have the potential to do so. (Any recommendations on a HG brand?) definitely not VR...

Are there any "one time" parts that need to be replaced with the job? I'll obviously be replacing the intake manifold gasket, HG gasket, exhaust manifold gaskets, valve cover gasket, etc.
I plan to have the head and intake manifold hot tanked and machined if necessary (highly doubt it) so I'll have to disassemble the head as well. While I'm in there I'll replace the valve seals and camshaft seal. Is there anything else I need to replace?

I'll start researching and ordering parts tonight.

Thanks again

[BlackbirdM3]

I'm partial to NB's for some reason. I just want one that's cheap, like 2.5-3k, that I can AutoX because the 135 is too fast in a line for AutoX courses. You get out of a corner and hit the gas and you're already braking too late for the next one.

That means you need more seat time. Its not too fast. You are too slow as a driver. Get better as a driver. 135s in stock form are not that fast.

Will

[2mAn]

Good thing he doesn't have to shift too! :poke:

[CarsonE30]

You guys are brutal today Will, when did you drive a 135?

[Toodaloo]

You guys are BRUTAL today Will, when did you drive a 135?

Word on the street is, Carson can't even drive a manual trans.


P.S. Sorta want a manual 135i more than any other new car

[CarsonE30]

Word on the street is, Carson can't even drive a manual trans.


P.S. Sorta want a manual 135i more than any other new car

The 1st 135 I drove was an '08 6spd full bolt-on car and it is solely responsible for why I have a 135 now and a room full of parts for it. I really liked it as a manual but after driving/owning the DCT, there is no way I'd take a manual over it, speaking solely from a performance stand-point. It is shit around town where there's lots of stop signs and what-not in full automatic mode but manual mode solves that. I don't think anyone actually drives them in auto mode anyway. Come to think of it, out of all the cars I've owned, only 2 have been manual. Oh well.

[BlackbirdM3]

You guys are brutal today Will, when did you drive a 135?

I've autoXed against them and I've beaten them. Is it faster than an E90/92 M3? Nope. Have I driven Lotus Elises and Exiges (those are fast and very unforgiving. Do not lift mid corner) I've driven a few different Porsches. I've driven a number of fast cars. No I haven't driven a 135, but as I said, I've beaten them.

You should bring it up to the Autocross at Sears Point August 27th. You will get lots of seat time. I'd be happy to ride along with you and take you for a spin in whatever I bring out. I can't officially give you any tips, but what is said in the car stays in the car ;)

Will

[CarsonE30]

I've autoXed against them and I've beaten them. Is it faster than an E90/92 M3? Nope. Have I driven Lotus Elises and Exiges (those are fast and very unforgiving. Do not lift mid corner) I've driven a few different Porsches. I've driven a number of fast cars. No I haven't driven a 135, but as I said, I've beaten them.

You should bring it up to the Autocross at Sears Point August 27th. You will get lots of seat time. I'd be happy to ride along with you and take you for a spin in whatever I bring out. I can't officially give you any tips, but what is said in the car stays in the car ;)

Will

An '06 Elise was actually the first sports car I ever drove, I couldn't believe how fun that thing was although this was before I had any closed circuit experience, I'd love to get back into one for a day. There are plenty of E30's and E36's that consistently beat E9x 335's and M3's at AutoX events with veteran drivers behind the wheel. I know that the E9x is a faster car but I'm talking about with strictly AutoX, the 135 will not be able use all of it's power for more than 1 second at a time to go through the turns at the same speed as miata's and similar cars.

[Bimmerman325i]

An '06 Elise was actually the first sports car I ever drove, I couldn't believe how fun that thing was although this was before I had any closed circuit experience, I'd love to get back into one for a day. There are plenty of E30's and E36's that consistently beat E9x 335's and M3's at AutoX events with veteran drivers behind the wheel. I know that the E9x is a faster car but I'm talking about with strictly AutoX, the 135 will not be able use all of it's power for more than 1 second at a time to go through the turns at the same speed as miata's and similar cars.

Eh, I agree with Will. You need driver mod, not slower car or modified car. Buying a Miata won't make you autocross any better if you don't have anyone teaching you how to do it, and your 135i is just as good a learner's car as a Miata. Doubly so, since you already own it.

Drive the 135, and rather than mod it spend the money on driving/autox schools and track time. Guarantee it'll be more fun once you get used to thrashing it around the course.

I like miatas, but in your case it seems like a $3k bandaid on a driver inexperience problem.

Car chassis matters a lot less on autocross than skilled driver.