Torque & horsepower 3.0si vs. S54

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by djlogan33

=================================================
When I had my S54 Z3 M Coupe, I put lots of $$$ into upgrading the springs, shocks and 3.73 diff...and it did help my lap times @ Mid-Ohio, but the car was still hard to handle in some of the corners.

I got better lap times with my completely stock Z4 Coupe 3.0si than I did with the upgraded S54 Z3 M Coupe.

The only thing I did to the Z4 Coupe 3.0si was upgraded to BBS wheels and better tires and brakes.
When I did laps with track tires, the Z4 Coupe 3.0si was even better.

I knew what RPM range to keep the 3.0si in for the best performance and that helped.
It did require more shifting into lower/higher gears, while navigating the track.

What's nice about the S54 engine is that, because of its wide power range, it requires less shifting to lower/higher gears, so I can concentrate more in setting up for corners, braking and steering.

I'm looking forward to see how the Z4 M Coupe handles @ Mid-Ohio with track tires.

“A Need…for Speed”…:

That sounds about right. During my first day on the track, I keep my 3.0si in 4th gear which can usually get me the whole way around. Once I get familiar, I find myself heel toe'ng to 3rd when entering a turn and that usually leaves me some time to get into 5th towards the 2nd half of a long straight.

[GomboRombo]

Originally Posted by Huz-Z

Jesus. the point I am trying to make is that you can say that one car has a superior characteristic, without coming across like some egotistical, callous zealot. Your kind of condescending commentary serves to benefit nobody here. In fact, I know of several Z4 owners who have stopped posting here because of all the bashing of non M cars.

with respect to the steering, I don't know what you did to your non M cars, but on my SI, the steering is fine by me. The only pathetic thing here is your arrogant attitude.

Totally agree. I appreciate the M cars but lets keep this a Z board everyone can use. A little less MTosterone please....

[djlogan33]

Originally Posted by djlogan33

=================================================
When I had my S54 Z3 M Coupe, I put lots of $$$ into upgrading the springs, shocks and 3.73 diff...and it did help my lap times @ Mid-Ohio, but the car was still hard to handle in some of the corners.

I got better lap times with my completely stock Z4 Coupe 3.0si than I did with the upgraded S54 Z3 M Coupe.

The only thing I did to the Z4 Coupe 3.0si was upgraded to BBS wheels and better tires and brakes.
When I did laps with track tires, the Z4 Coupe 3.0si was even better.

I knew what RPM range to keep the 3.0si in for the best performance and that helped.
It did require more shifting into lower/higher gears, while navigating the track.

What's nice about the S54 engine is that, because of its wide power range, it requires less shifting to lower/higher gears, so I can concentrate more in setting up for corners, braking and steering.

I'm looking forward to see how the Z4 M Coupe handles @ Mid-Ohio with track tires.

“A Need…for Speed”…:

================================================== ===
I had several people suggest I place it on Craigslist...so I did this morning...

I can hear them now:
• What’s a Z4?
• It only has a 6 cylinders?
• Would you take a F150 as a trade?

[chickdr]

Originally Posted by djlogan33

================================================== ===
I had several people suggest I place it on Craigslist...so I did this morning...

I can hear them now:
• What’s a Z4?
• It only has a 6 cylinders?
• Would you take a F150 as a trade?

I actually bought my M Roadster off CL in 2009. It is a great venue IMO. Free and easy to weed out scammers.

[psygnosis]

I bought my 2004 3.0i off CL as well, and my blazer before that. Not that I've sold a car on there before, but I did sell my old iPod.

[gcochard]

Sold three cars on craigslist, autotrader didn't even get me a single bite.

[beta]

Might be the area. I got a few hits on craigslist but no one serious. Had 4-5 serious buyers on auto trader, sold my 2.5i in 2 days.

[djlogan33]

Originally Posted by beta

Might be the area. I got a few hits on craigslist but no one serious. Had 4-5 serious buyers on auto trader, sold my 2.5i in 2 days.

================================================
My Z4 Coupe 3.0si was on CL for less than 6-hours and a guy (I feel) tried to scam me.

He emailed and wrote consider it sold and even offered me an extra $100 not to sell it to anyone else.

He wrote that he was out of the country and that he wanted to pay me via PayPal and would have "an agent" pick up the car.
He emailed me several times wanting my PayPal email address as soon as possible so he could pay me via PayPal.

I emailed back saying I normally insist on a bank's Certified Check and wait until my bank verifies the funds and the money is successfully deposited in my bank account, before I sign over the title and give the buyer the car.

I told him if I would agree to use PayPal, that there would be a several day wait while PayPal and my bank verifies the funds and deposits the money in my bank account.

I wrote that I would not sign over the title or release the car until the money was deposited in my account.

He never emailed me back……

[gcochard]

Originally Posted by djlogan33

================================================
My Z4 Coupe 3.0si was on CL for less than 6-hours and a guy (I feel) tried to scam me.

He emailed and wrote consider it sold and even offered me an extra $100 not to sell it to anyone else.

He wrote that he was out of the country and that he wanted to pay me via PayPal and would have "an agent" pick up the car.
He emailed me several times wanting my PayPal email address as soon as possible so he could pay me via PayPal.

I emailed back saying I normally insist on a bank's Certified Check and wait until my bank verifies the funds and the money is successfully deposited in my bank account, before I sign over the title and give the buyer the car.

I told him if I would agree to use PayPal, that there would be a several day wait while PayPal and my bank verifies the funds and deposits the money in my bank account.

I wrote that I would not sign over the title or release the car until the money was deposited in my account.

He never emailed me back……

Sounds like a typical scam. You seem to have enough common sense to tweed those out though.

[mfanatic325]

Originally Posted by djlogan33

================================================
My Z4 Coupe 3.0si was on CL for less than 6-hours and a guy (I feel) tried to scam me.

He emailed and wrote consider it sold and even offered me an extra $100 not to sell it to anyone else.

He wrote that he was out of the country and that he wanted to pay me via PayPal and would have "an agent" pick up the car.
He emailed me several times wanting my PayPal email address as soon as possible so he could pay me via PayPal.

I emailed back saying I normally insist on a bank's Certified Check and wait until my bank verifies the funds and the money is successfully deposited in my bank account, before I sign over the title and give the buyer the car.

I told him if I would agree to use PayPal, that there would be a several day wait while PayPal and my bank verifies the funds and deposits the money in my bank account.

I wrote that I would not sign over the title or release the car until the money was deposited in my account.

He never emailed me back……

lol I've had a lot of encounters with those scam artists. It's really funny sometimes to troll them

One time some guy e-mailed me saying he wanted to buy something from me, but said that he was in the military and was in a submarine somewhere in the ocean, and wanted me to hold the item for him blah blah blah. He kept insisting on sending me a check, saying he already sent it via mail.
I was thinking to myself. Hmmm...wouldn't it be kinda difficult to get internet access in a submarine? Also, how could he have been "at sea" and mail out a check to me at the same time? Some kind of USPS aboard the submarine?

Just use some common sense and logic when being approached. Yes, that goes for people of the opposite gender, even if they're attractive

[Hunter Rose]

Originally Posted by mfanatic325

Hmmm...wouldn't it be kinda difficult to get internet access in a submarine? Also, how could he have been "at sea" and mail out a check to me at the same time? Some kind of USPS aboard the submarine?

Not saying the guy was legit but submarines do get e-mail and they do make port visits/ replenishment stops. Mail is factored into training cruises.

[mfanatic325]

Originally Posted by Hunter Rose

Not saying the guy was legit but submarines do get e-mail and they do make port visits/ replenishment stops. Mail is factored into training cruises.

Ah I see. Well, also, he was claiming that he'd been at-sea for months lol, without access to any post-offices on land, etc.
So I was like ORLY...?! *owl face*

[pokeybritches]

Depends on the kind of submarine. Boomers would stay under for 3 months at a time, with little to no contact from home. Their whole mission is to disappear. Fast attack subs are a different story.

You would think they could come up with a better scam story though. OP, GLWS.

[txz4]

Originally Posted by djlogan33

================================================== ===
I had several people suggest I place it on Craigslist...so I did this morning...

I can hear them now:
• What’s a Z4?
• It only has a 6 cylinders?
• Would you take a F150 as a trade?

someone tried to trade me a supercharged mustang gt, an 05 or 06 maybe? for my Si. ended up making the sale on CL and not from autotrader. Just some advice, stay on the other persons ass about transferring the title... found out the person i sold my Si to didnt register the car in her name....FOR SIX MONTHS.

[mfanatic325]

lol I heard about this car sale by an acquaintance of mine. And before the new owner of the car could get insurance, he got into an accident. Total loss
Moral of the story? Don't drive on public roads without insurance

[gcochard]

Originally Posted by mfanatic325

lol I heard about this car sale by an acquaintance of mine. And before the new owner of the car could get insurance, he got into an accident. Total loss
Moral of the story? Don't drive on public roads without insurance

My car insurance covers it retroactively if you notify them of the purchase within a week

[Aries326]

Originally Posted by chickdr

I don't think he is talking about the si in general - specifically he is talking about the steering. I have to agree, when I drove an si for the first time, I was disappointed with the steering feel(and I was driving an S2000 at the time which also has electric steering). The steering feel alone made me decide on the M. If I could have specified the M's steering rack in an si, it would probably be a different story.

I admit it. When I first drove my SI, I was also shocked at the steering. I can definitely feel the "tram tracking" that some guys use to describe the handling. It took some getting used to. But I looked past it and bought it anyway. Hopefully getting rid of the run flats will improve the handling a bit. Other than handling issues, the power is there, I love the sound system, the heated seats and I've enjoyed my car to the fullest.

I even drove it during cold weather at night with the top down, skull cap on and music blaring. Buying this car was the best thing I could've done for myself. Driving too and from work is the only time it seems like I have to myself. I never knew commuting could be so fun.

It's too bad I just detailed it last night and covered it up for the winter. Back to the Civic for the next few months.

[beta]

Originally Posted by Aries326

I even drove it during cold weather at night with the top down, skull cap on and music blaring. Buying this car was the best thing I could've done for myself. Driving too and from work is the only time it seems like I have to myself. I never knew commuting could be so fun.

[krusty]

Just noticed that according to BMW figures, the 3.0si coupe is 21mm LOWER in total height than the M coupe ... which is the opposite of what I would have expected.

I wonder what causes the M to sit higher? Did they measure with different wheels? Would that make 21mm difference? Maybe half-an-inch, going from 17inch to 18inch, but surely not a full inch? I should measure my 3.0si (has 18inch M wheels) - but it is being serviced at the moment.

[psygnosis]

I think a 2003-2005 with the sport package is even lower still.

[pokeybritches]

Wheel size and tire diameter are two different things. The non-M cars have a smaller tire diameter, 18" wheels or not. My 3.0i sport sits much lower than my M.

[Huz-Z]

Originally Posted by Aries326

I admit it. When I first drove my SI, I was also shocked at the steering. I can definitely feel the "tram tracking" that some guys use to describe the handling. It took some getting used to. But I looked past it and bought it anyway. Hopefully getting rid of the run flats will improve the handling a bit. Other than handling issues, the power is there, I love the sound system, the heated seats and I've enjoyed my car to the fullest.

I even drove it during cold weather at night with the top down, skull cap on and music blaring. Buying this car was the best thing I could've done for myself. Driving too and from work is the only time it seems like I have to myself. I never knew commuting could be so fun.

It's too bad I just detailed it last night and covered it up for the winter. Back to the Civic for the next few months.

Hey Aries!

Two things.

First, it's way too early to store your car. I am in Canada without heated seats and my 3.0 SI is what I am driving to work today, and for the next few weeks.

Second, I too found the tram lining and rough/loud ride when my car still had it's run flat tires. Last August, I installed a set of Hankook Ventus V12s, and the transformation in the car is nothing short of remarkable. A massive improvement - quieter, smoother and almost no tramping (you will still get a bit owing to the fact that the front tires are wide compared to other cars like your Civic).

Cheers!