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      01-15-2011, 10:25 PM   #45
3002 tii
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arxangel View Post
Right, well I guess I will stick with AA then, but this is going to be the final stage, I would like to go through the other mods before that so that the re-mapping can be done to my specific configuration.

I am guessing now there is only one final question left, and then I would be able to summarize everything.

If I decide to get only the SS Y-pipe and muffler, is the Y-pipe compatible to the OEM system or is the OEM pipe a straight one?

Can I get the Magnaflow cats and replace mine and put the SS Y-pipe and muffler right after that? Should I buy 1 or 2 units of the Magnaflow cats for the 3.0si?
Like I said before, CONTACT Supersprint, Magnaflow or whoever. Or better yet, get under your car and take a look yourself. What started off as good inquiries about the N52 platform has morphed into product details that any respective manufacturer can confirm for you. Plus if you saw my pictures on the first thread, you'd see the contents of the Bastuck exhaust and how it connects to the oem piping. You would then notice there is NO y-pipe, they are 2 pipes running in parallel.

The link below shows all Supersprint parts for you car:
http://www.supersprintna.com/categor...ategory_id/139

The only "Y-pipe" they offer is the center pipe which is just 1 large pipe as opposed to the oem 2-smaller pipes. That y-portion of their exhaust if what mates to the 2 cats. I mean they pretty much lay it out for you and it's fairly simple:

Headers -> 2 cats -> SS "y-pipe" -> Muffler

If your next question is, will the SS center (y-pipe) connect to OE cats? I'm not sure but I believe so because that other picture I showed (the one with the SS muffler hanging too low)... I believe that guy had the SS center & muffler but kept his stock cats so either they connected plug-n-play or his shop welded an adapter. But if you call or email Supersprint, they can confirm.

Back to the cats, can you replace them with Magnaflows? Yes I see why not, you just need to get under your car and measure the piping diameter so you know what inlet/outlet diameters you need for your exhaust components. Then ask Magnaflow if they offer any generic high flow cats, ie 200-cell.

But let me remind you once again, full disclaimer nobody here including myself can confirm nor tell you this will work, or work flawlessly. We're merely throwing ideas as to what theoretically would work but the only one who can confirm is either the manufacturer or yourself after actually doing it. My best advice though would be make sure to bring all these parts to a competent exhaust shop because chances are they will need to fab something up on the fly.
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      01-16-2011, 03:51 AM   #46
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OK then, thanks for your input guys . The mist has been lifted a little. Lets summarise then what we have so far.

1. Exhaust system - I will certainly procure the Supersprint Y-pipe and Muffler, not sure about the rest of the system since you say the headers are really good as OEM (One thing that puzzles me is that the SS muffler in the SS North American web site: http://www.supersprintna.com/product...arch_model/388 costs USD 1200, and in what I believe is the European site: http://www.supersprint.com/USP0000bmwZ46.asp it costs 658 euros which in USD is around 930-940, weird). In any case, this bit would cost me around USD 1210, fitting NOT included (There is a reason I do not include fitting in the cost, I will explain at the end).

2. Catalytic converters - This is still a bit of a grey area, BUT I will not torment you any further with questions about them. I have found this tuning centre: http://www.overdrive.bg/overdrive_en.php?start=0 in my city which appears to be the only professional looking tuning shop around, so sometime next week I will pay them a visit and talk about the cats. Will let you know how it turns out. In any case I expect that to cost around USD 400 at the most, fitting NOT included.

3. Intake system - I have decided to go with the Gruppe M Ram Air System and couple that with the RPi Scoop Intake. I will have to purchase both from the US since I could not find a Europe dealer, actually I found one for the Ram Air System in the UK, but price was 30% higher and I believe that the higher delivery cost from the US would be justified. So this would set me back around USD 1200 for the Gruppe M and something like USD 200 including postage for both, NOT including fitting.

4. ECU - This will probably be done a bit later on. I am not sure if AA has a representative in Europe, I still have to figure out how this will happen. One option is to buy a spare ECU from BMW, copy my programming to it, send the original one to AA and drive with the spare until the original is done, but this is just one option IF I have to send the ECU to the US. Not sure how much that costs yet.

5. Cooling system - now this is something else I have been thinking about. Before I decide on the ECU I will, for sure, upgrade the cooling system. I have tried to find something on the web and on forums but had no luck so far. If anyone here can help it will be great. I have been thinking along the lines of a higher capacity radiator (if such a thing exists) and a more powerful fan (I am thinking both, or any one alone would be able to cope with the AA's 8-9bhp increase from the ECU re-mapping). No idea about the costs yet.

6. Front bumper - One thing that is absolutely certain about my car is that I will get the M front bumper. Even if nothing else happens, this one is certain. I have asked the dealership about this and if I remember correctly they said that the bumper would be something like USD 1500, fitting NOT included.

7. Brakes - I have been giving this a thought, it is not urgent but I would like to know my options here. I am actually thinking between Brembo and Stop Tech, the latter one being a bit cheaper, but I hope that quality is still high. I saw someone in the forum has equipped his with a Stop Tech kit. Any information would be appreciated. Also would 330mm disks fit on 18 inch rims on the Z4? This might cost between USD 1500 to over 3000 for some of the Brembo kits, fitting NOT included.

8. Tires - I have decided on both winter and summer tires. For the colder parts of the year I think I will get Bridgestone Blizzaks. They cost around USD 1100 for all four. The summer tires would be Michelin Pilot Sport (I also like the Pilot Sport 3, but sizes are limited and I am not sure what I can put on the front). They would set me back around USD 1300-1400. I do have a question here in relation to tires. Is is absolutely critical to keep to factory specification for the tires on 18 inch rims, which are Front: 225/40 R 18 88 W and Rear: 255/35 R 18 90 W. I was wondering if I could put 225/35 R 18 88 W on the front? Would it be a problem?

9. Rims - I have decided to put the winter tires on the rims the car came with. I am going to buy separate rims for the summer tires (the picture below features the car with the rims it came with, BTW this is the picture the dealership used to advertise the car, I have not yet taken pictures of the car myself). The picture next to the one of the car is of BMW's Performance Rim which they say could be ordered for the Z4 and I do believe that they might be lighter than the standard rims (I do love the look of the BMW Performance Brakes Kit and I will ask the dealership if the kit is compatible with the Z4). I am not sure how much those rims cost, but if I remember correctly the price I saw on them in the dealership it should be somewhere around USD 550 a piece, so around 2200 for the set.

10. Pain job - Now I am not the biggest fan of black for a car colour, so I am thinking of having it changed in the near future. I am still trying to decide between some sort of BMW blue (I absolutely love that colour on BMWs) and a yellow-ish/green-ish looking colour on the other Z4 pic I have attached below. In any case the maximum this would cost me, since it can be done in the dealership, would be USD 2500.

11. Seats - Although red wound not be my first choice for the colour of the seats, I have to admit that this one looks great. However, if I change the car colour to blue, I am thinking that I could have the seats and the red door panels redone in some darker blue leather in order to avoid tear and wear marks and still would look great and blue. Would appreciate some comments on that. I have no idea how much this could cost, but I will know when I go to the tuning shop next week for the cats.

Now to summarize the costs, or at least the ones I am certain of:
1. Exhaust system - USD 1210;
2. Catalytic converters - USD 400;
3. Intake system - USD 1400;
4. ECU - Not sure;
5. Cooling system - Not sure;
6. Front bumper - USD 1500;
7. Brakes - Around USD 2000;
8. Tires - winter USD 1100, summer USD 1400;
9. Rims - USD 2200;
10. Paint job - USD 2500;
11. Seats - Not sure;

Total: USD 13710; (I would like to say that this number probably would go down a bit since if I decide on the BMW Performance Brakes, Rims and the M bumper (this one is certain) I will get huge discounts on those, so I reckon I will knock at least 800-1000 USD off of that total cost)

I have NOT included fitting costs because as it happens My family has worked with BMW for over 20 years now, and my father owns one of the BMW dealerships here in Bulgaria so fitting, as you could imagine, would be free. Earlier when I referred to my other car as company (I have to clarify that none of us have paid for a car in the last 20 years since we are driving dealership cars) this is what I meant. The drawback of driving a dealership car is that you cannot mod it. So imagine the Manager's surprise when I walked into the dealership one day and told him that I wanted to buy this car. Lets just say that it took him some time to get his head around the idea. I did get a nice discount though . This baby cost me just 20 400 USD at 28 000 kms and with a brand new gearbox. I could have bought the new Z4 BUT, and this is a big BUT, I like the solid feel of the Coupe, and besides I will have wait for the warranty to expire before I can mod it, and furthermore, I still do not trust retractable roofs, I just like coupes and I particularly like the E86 Coupe. So as you can see, I am not worried about the fitting costs, hence the calculation. In any case I think that if someone has to pay for fitting for all of the above, if you do it all at once, which is unlikely but not un-doable, it would cost an additional 1000-2000 USD depending on who is doing it.
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      01-16-2011, 06:46 AM   #47
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The 3.0si has the same front brakes as the e46 330i so you can look up any brake system for that car in terms of what works. Stoptech is cheaper than Brembo and they have so many pad options. But unless you're tracking the car and worry about brake fading, you can simply upgrade by getting 2 piece rotors, better biting pads, higher boiling pt fluid and stainless steel lines - all this will be far cheaper than a big brake kit. BMW does not offer any performance upgrades like the e90 system (the yellow floating calipers you posted above).
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      01-16-2011, 06:48 AM   #48
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Btw you should consider losing weight if you want better performance, ie bucket seats, carbon fiber body parts (offered by TC Kline).
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      01-16-2011, 07:34 AM   #49
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to be perfectly honest, why don't u just trade for an m coupe and bite the bullet on the manual gearbox? i understand ur considerations but the amount of money u have calculated to spend is far in excess of being reasonable for the amount of performance improvement u will notice + actually get.

regardless, check how much u'll pay to import a gruppe m from japan as opposed to the usa. ur quote for an m bumper is also way too expensive - usd$500 is a lot more of a fair price. as opposed to a completely new paint job, u might want to consider vinyl wrap to preserve the original oem finish and reduce those costs dramatically as well.
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      01-16-2011, 08:24 AM   #50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by r4gs View Post
to be perfectly honest, why don't u just trade for an m coupe and bite the bullet on the manual gearbox? i understand ur considerations but the amount of money u have calculated to spend is far in excess of being reasonable for the amount of performance improvement u will notice + actually get.

regardless, check how much u'll pay to import a gruppe m from japan as opposed to the usa. ur quote for an m bumper is also way too expensive - usd$500 is a lot more of a fair price. as opposed to a completely new paint job, u might want to consider vinyl wrap to preserve the original oem finish and reduce those costs dramatically as well.
Well I have send an email to Gruppe M, but so far have received no answer. I am willing to spend that much money on this car rather than get an M. I just like to surprise racers on the road with a car that does not look fast. After all the 2.2 engine has the same looking exhaust. For someone who is not a fan of BMW, and even if they are it would still be difficult to see the difference on the Z4 as it is not a very popular model here, it would look just like a normal car until I decide to throttle it . Besides, I plan to drive the car stock for a while to get used to pull and the handling and performance. Then when I make improvements I will be able to actually notice them, and even if they are small I would still be happy with the money spent.

As for the M bumper, I might be wrong about the price, which makes things even better. I have to call the dealership tomorrow and ask for the exact price. Also, I am not really a fan of any wrapping, even window tints. Its either a new paint job or no paint job at all. I like the look of the paint and I will try to choose an original BMW colour and paint.

Any ideas for the cooling system? I know BMW offers a Performance Kit for the 120d and 320d that includes a chip and a more powerful fan and a secondary radiator, which is very cool. I know there isn't a ready kit for the Z4 but still I have not been able to find a larger or high capacity radiator or a more powerful fan.
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      01-16-2011, 11:03 AM   #51
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Actually any advice on the tire sizes?
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      01-16-2011, 04:00 PM   #52
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Originally Posted by Arxangel View Post
Actually any advice on the tire sizes?

Stop asking and start searching
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      01-16-2011, 05:37 PM   #53
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Originally Posted by Dubbedown View Post
Stop asking and start searching
Right then . I am just curious what other people are using.

I have done some reading and it appears that I can put 225/35 R 18 88 W on the front and 255/35 R 18 90 W at the back. The only difference would be the rim's width. I will call the dealership service centre and ask them if a wider tire, something like 260/35 R 18 90 W or even 265/35 R 18 90 W could be put in the rear.

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      01-16-2011, 09:31 PM   #54
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2006 BMW Z4M  [8.50]
2003 BMW Z4 3.0i  [9.00]
3. There are threads about losing power with the Gruppe M and RPI combo. Do a search across all of the BMW forums.

5. I still don't understand why you want to upgrade the cooling system. The reason no aftermarket system exists is because there's no need for one. Get one if you start having cooling problems. An AA tune won't cause cooling problems.

8/265 = 0.030

You're looking at a 3% increase in power. Until you start to see temps rise, forget the cooling system. Not necessary.

The 3.0si doesn't even come with an oil temp gauge. If you want to upgrade something, get a gauge that tells you what your oil temp is. That way you can watch it stay in the middle and smile as you think about all the money you saved.

6. Price is way too high for the bumper.

7. Why do you need larger brakes? Are you reaching the thermal limits of the stock system? Start with different fluid and pads. If that doesn't solve your brake cooling issues, then and only then increase the mass of the rotors with a BBK. Larger brakes will actually hurt performance. More unsprung weight, more rotating inertia... the car won't react as quickly over bumps... and the system is no longer OEM so it can't be serviced at the dealership. Larger brakes WILL NOT decrease stopping distances. Your tires are your limit. The only time a BBK helps is on the track, when after repeated high speed stops, the rotors start to get red hot. A BBK rotor is more massive, and thus has a greater thermal capacity. "More massive" is a bad thing any other time except when at the track, after many hot laps. They hurt performance.

Basically they will be a fancy cosmetic mod with no real use, unless you plan on doing repeated (more than 10 in a row) 140 mph to 20 mph stops on the road back to back. Treat the brake "upgrade" like the cooling system upgrade - don't do it until you have a need for it. Otherwise it's a waste.

8. Tires - why would you want to go with a smaller diameter tire size?

9. Don't get the OEM cast wheels. They are overpriced and there are much better (lighter) options out there. If you have $13000 to throw down, get forged wheels. Forged wheels reduce unsprung weight and rotational inertia. Some say for every pound you reduce off your wheels, it's the performance equivalent of reducing 10 pounds off the car. If you get wheels that are 5 pounds lighter each than stock, your car will feel like it's lost 200 pounds. Personally I think that's a bit optimistic, but you will still see noticeable performance gains. DO get forged wheels. DO NOT get any BMW factory wheels.

10. If you're going through the trouble of painting your car, get the factory aero kit. I'd paint it carbon black to be unique, but your color choice is up to you.

11. Rather than reupholstering your seats, get Recaros and have the installer put the weight sensor for the side airbag in the passenger seat. Recaros can save you 80 pounds or more.

If I was going to throw down that kind of money, I would get a limited slip differential with higher gearing ($3k tops from Performance Gearing), lightweight Recaros (depends on how much you want to spend), forged wheels ($4k), max performance summer tires ($1k), AA tune (??), and save the rest. If necessary, get the aero kit and paint the car.

Why are you so against putting a limited slip differential in the back or changing the final drive? With all of the mods you've listed, a base 3.0si could out-accelerate and out-handle it with 3.64 LSD.
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      01-17-2011, 01:36 AM   #55
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by the way, if you cant find a reputable tune where you are located im sure that veizu has a dealer out there. They are one of the larrgest tuners out there. i have it on my car and i imagine that it is similar to the AA (tune Maybe not as good? i have no idea im the first American z4 to have it). the tune makes a very noticable difference with the mid range very similar to the AA dyno charts. everything said above is right though, and i would strongly recomend giving the Aero bumper a look over the M bumper
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      01-17-2011, 02:09 AM   #56
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just in case your interested her is the difference between the stock muffler and the stebro muffler.
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      01-17-2011, 02:55 AM   #57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pokeybritches View Post
3. There are threads about losing power with the Gruppe M and RPI combo. Do a search across all of the BMW forums.

5. I still don't understand why you want to upgrade the cooling system. The reason no aftermarket system exists is because there's no need for one. Get one if you start having cooling problems. An AA tune won't cause cooling problems.

8/265 = 0.030

You're looking at a 3% increase in power. Until you start to see temps rise, forget the cooling system. Not necessary.

The 3.0si doesn't even come with an oil temp gauge. If you want to upgrade something, get a gauge that tells you what your oil temp is. That way you can watch it stay in the middle and smile as you think about all the money you saved.

6. Price is way too high for the bumper.

7. Why do you need larger brakes? Are you reaching the thermal limits of the stock system? Start with different fluid and pads. If that doesn't solve your brake cooling issues, then and only then increase the mass of the rotors with a BBK. Larger brakes will actually hurt performance. More unsprung weight, more rotating inertia... the car won't react as quickly over bumps... and the system is no longer OEM so it can't be serviced at the dealership. Larger brakes WILL NOT decrease stopping distances. Your tires are your limit. The only time a BBK helps is on the track, when after repeated high speed stops, the rotors start to get red hot. A BBK rotor is more massive, and thus has a greater thermal capacity. "More massive" is a bad thing any other time except when at the track, after many hot laps. They hurt performance.

Basically they will be a fancy cosmetic mod with no real use, unless you plan on doing repeated (more than 10 in a row) 140 mph to 20 mph stops on the road back to back. Treat the brake "upgrade" like the cooling system upgrade - don't do it until you have a need for it. Otherwise it's a waste.

8. Tires - why would you want to go with a smaller diameter tire size?

9. Don't get the OEM cast wheels. They are overpriced and there are much better (lighter) options out there. If you have $13000 to throw down, get forged wheels. Forged wheels reduce unsprung weight and rotational inertia. Some say for every pound you reduce off your wheels, it's the performance equivalent of reducing 10 pounds off the car. If you get wheels that are 5 pounds lighter each than stock, your car will feel like it's lost 200 pounds. Personally I think that's a bit optimistic, but you will still see noticeable performance gains. DO get forged wheels. DO NOT get any BMW factory wheels.

10. If you're going through the trouble of painting your car, get the factory aero kit. I'd paint it carbon black to be unique, but your color choice is up to you.

11. Rather than reupholstering your seats, get Recaros and have the installer put the weight sensor for the side airbag in the passenger seat. Recaros can save you 80 pounds or more.

If I was going to throw down that kind of money, I would get a limited slip differential with higher gearing ($3k tops from Performance Gearing), lightweight Recaros (depends on how much you want to spend), forged wheels ($4k), max performance summer tires ($1k), AA tune (??), and save the rest. If necessary, get the aero kit and paint the car.

Why are you so against putting a limited slip differential in the back or changing the final drive? With all of the mods you've listed, a base 3.0si could out-accelerate and out-handle it with 3.64 LSD.
Well, where to begin .

So, I will have research the Gruppe M thing, but there are also comments that the aFe/RPi combo could cause power drops. The general opinion is that The Gruppe M/RPi combo usually causes a power increase. In any case I might just get the Gruppe M only. We will see.

I still have not decided anything on the cooling system and chip tune. So lets say that goes into the backup list for a while.

I also said that I was not sure about the bumper price. But As I explained in a earlier post, as my father OWNS the BMW dealership I reckon I can get the bumper at cost and have it fitted for free (have never paid for anything there anyway ).

I am not sure about larger breaks, BUT I would like to put some grooved or drilled disks on the car, purely for cosmetic purposes. I DO NOT have overheating issues with the breaks. I will look into the BMW Performance Brake Kit, IF it fits the car, again I will buy it at cost and have it installed for free (there's a money saver for you ).

Where did I say that I want to reduce my tire size? The 18 inch rims are a standard on the Z4 3.0si, at least here, and if you are referring to the 225/35 R 18 88 W Front tire size, I just feel that it is going to look more symmetrical, no other reason.

As for the rims, the BMW Performance rims are certainly lighter than the stock ones. As I already said, they will not cost a lot for me, and to tell you the truth I have never liked another brand's rims more than the BMW Performance rims.

The reason I want to pain the car another colour is to bright it up a little. Black is bit of a sad colour for me, and until recently, at least in Bulgaria, black was the base colour for all of the new BMWs. So as you can imagine there are a lot of black BMWs and I want to get out of that category.

I do NOT want to change the seats, just to remove the red from them and from the car. I kill for electric seats and I am not going to take them out now . Furthermore, the only sport seat that I would consider putting in that car would be the BMW Performance seats, and that is IF they fit at all. And still this is just I MIGHT CONSIDER, I am not saying I will do it.

To tell you the truth the USD 13 000 that is currently the cost for the mods is almost exactly the discount I got when purchasing the car, so basically, if I had gone and bought it from another place, I would have spent that much on top of the USD 20 400 that I spet for the car and would have had any mods on it.

As for the LSD, I read somewhere that the stock diff on the automatic gearbox is something like 3.71. I know its not much over the MT, but I also read that some people were having problems with their replacement LSDs. I am not sure about this one, but will look further into it.
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      01-17-2011, 08:00 AM   #58
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I already told you the BMW performance brakes do not fit, you'd need custom brackets and even if you found a shop that could provide them I don't see why you'd want them seeing how it'd mess with the brake biase because they were never tested or meant for the Z4.

+1 on smaller profile tires, makes no sense. Go wider if anything for more grip but keep to stock height.
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      01-17-2011, 08:55 AM   #59
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dubbedown View Post
I already told you the BMW performance brakes do not fit, you'd need custom brackets and even if you found a shop that could provide them I don't see why you'd want them seeing how it'd mess with the brake biase because they were never tested or meant for the Z4.

+1 on smaller profile tires, makes no sense. Go wider if anything for more grip but keep to stock height.
OK then, Performance brakes are officially off the list, as well as same size tires.

Capristo have not yet answered the email I sent. I understand that they might not have read it yet seeing as I sent it end of last week. I will update when/if they answer.

So lets look at the new mod bill then:

1. Air intake - Gruppe M (no PRi Scoop for now) - found a UK dealer, will get them for close to USD 1300. I have emailed Gruppe M directly but no answer yet. Vividracing sell them for USD 1100 excluding delivery, but they still have not answered on postage costs to Bulgaria.

2. Catalytic converters - I figure those will not go over USD 400. Will update when I decide on the make and get a final price.

3. Exhaust system - Still sticking with the SS Y-pipe and muffler. The SS bits will cost around USD 950-1000. Will talk to the guys over at Overdrive when I get the time to visit them to see if they can order a custom muffler from Akrapovic.

4. ECU - From what I've recently read in the forum I guess the AA re-mapping with cost around USD 1000 if they can do it for an European model. Still have to contact them to get a quote.

5. Front bumper - I did take a look at the suggested Aero kit. I absolutely hate the rear bumper. The skirts are nice, but the M front bumper looks a lot better than the Aero one. So will have to check on the Aero skirts price, but I reckon they will cost around USD 1000 at the most including the M front bumper.

6. Colour - I am still trying to decide between the original BMW Le Mans Blue (offered with the M sports package) and the Deep Sea Blue. In any case I don't expect this to cost more than USD 2500. The thing is, my dad and I have always driven Le Mans Blue BMWs and we love the colour and I am sort of a stickler for tradition .

7. Seats and door panels - Will definitely reupholster those with black or dark-ish blue leather. No idea on the cost YET, but for calculative purposes lets say that it probably will not cost more than USD 1500 (Even that seems a bit high).

8. Tires - Bridgestone Blizzaks - around USD 800 for all four. Michelin PS2s - around USD 1100 for all four.

9. Wheels - Not sure yet, but lets put it at USD 1500 for all four.

So:
1. Air Intake - USD 1300 (Worst case scenario);
2. Cats - USD 400;
3. Exhaust - USD 1000;
4. ECU - USD 1000;
5. Bumper - USD 1000;
6. Colour - USD 2500;
7. Seats - USD 1500;
8. Tires - USD 1900;
9. Wheels - USD 1500;

Total: USD 12 100;

See a little discussion could potentially save some money. Furthermore, I am certain that this number would go even lower since I am calculating supposed costs for some of the items which I will get a cost from the dealership.
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      01-17-2011, 09:54 AM   #60
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Update...

Found an AA dealer in the UK and emailed about a price quote and how they could be able to do the tune. Will update when they get back to me.
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      01-17-2011, 10:41 AM   #61
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As for the LSD, I read somewhere that the stock diff on the automatic gearbox is something like 3.71. I know its not much over the MT, but I also read that some people were having problems with their replacement LSDs. I am not sure about this one, but will look further into it.
What replacement problems? There are only handful of us that have swapped LSD's and I don't recall anyone ever posting issues. I had gear whine which was resolved but that was a different issue all together. Where are you reading about these problems???

For all the money being spent on this project, you'll have a Z4 that nets 10 extra hp lol. For 12k + cost of the car, I would've rather gottan a P-car, yea you can't drive a stick... PDK would've made it that much better lol.
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      01-17-2011, 11:03 AM   #62
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What replacement problems? There are only handful of us that have swapped LSD's and I don't recall anyone ever posting issues. I had gear whine which was resolved but that was a different issue all together. Where are you reading about these problems???

For all the money being spent on this project, you'll have a Z4 that nets 10 extra hp lol. For 12k + cost of the car, I would've rather gottan a P-car, yea you can't drive a stick... PDK would've made it that much better lol.
Well there is no need to get angry now (or at least this is the feeling I get from reading your post).

It might not have been in this forum, but I read that some people were getting some grinding in the LSD after the swap. In any case this is not something I am willing to consider just yet.

I do not see what is the problem with the 10 extra hp. So OK, it is not going to be the original 25-30 that I was hoping for, but then again this engine, apparently, does not allow much in the way of performance tuning.

Only about 1/3rd of the total cost will actually go towards the 10 hp increase (which in fact I am hoping to be a bit higher), which I am happy with since I now understand the tuning limitations of the engine. The rest of the money is purely for cosmetic modifications, and weight reduction is not my primary goal here but rather making the car look the way I like it and I do believe that most will agree that this last bit is PRICELESS. So I didn't order a brand new, before the E89, ánd I didn't choose the right colour, and leather, and rims. Its fine, and I am willing to spend money to rectify that.

P.S.: And for your information, I can drive a manual, the fact of the matter is that I do not want to. I still have my dealership car and it is a manual. One is more than enough. Now I want to treat myself to the joy of the automatic for the time being.

Last edited by Arxangel; 01-17-2011 at 11:09 AM..
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      01-17-2011, 11:58 AM   #63
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Well there is no need to get angry now (or at least this is the feeling I get from reading your post).

It might not have been in this forum, but I read that some people were getting some grinding in the LSD after the swap. In any case this is not something I am willing to consider just yet.
No anger it's just that there's so much misinformation in your posts, from y-pipes, spark plus, tire size and now this - all of which could have been avoided if you had actually read, searched, or called the company.

Seeing how no bimmers minus the M come with a LSD, you'd realize it's one of the common upgrades among Bimmer enthusiast (especially those who auto-x or track) across all platforms so there are no specific issues to just the Z4. Any issue with noise would most likely have been due to installer error. Nlink720 and I both have LSDs and they work flawlessly without any increased NVH.
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      01-17-2011, 12:13 PM   #64
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Originally Posted by Dubbedown View Post
No anger it's just that there's so much misinformation in your posts, from y-pipes, spark plus, tire size and now this - all of which could have been avoided if you had actually read, searched, or called the company.

Seeing how no bimmers minus the M come with a LSD, you'd realize it's one of the common upgrades among Bimmer enthusiast (especially those who auto-x or track) across all platforms so there are no specific issues to just the Z4. Any issue with noise would most likely have been due to installer error. Nlink720 and I both have LSDs and they work flawlessly without any increased NVH.
Hey, that's fine. Thing is, the closes race track is in Greece, some 200kms away from where I live. I really do not need a LSD for track or auto-x since I don't do either. As I have said before, this is a mod that I put at the bottom of my list. I understand what it does and what the gains are, but still I am not sure I want such a modification.

Also, I wouldn't call my posts mis-informative, it's just a question of grinding through all of the information to get to what is actually applicable and works. I do intend to start a thread about my mods when they get under way. The biggest problem I have now, except with the parts I am going to get from the dealership, is the availability of some of the mods in Europe (i.e. Gruppe M Ram Air System). I will have to look further to see if there are dealers around here.
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      01-17-2011, 12:38 PM   #65
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Hey, that's fine. Thing is, the closes race track is in Greece, some 200kms away from where I live. I really do not need a LSD for track or auto-x since I don't do either. As I have said before, this is a mod that I put at the bottom of my list. I understand what it does and what the gains are, but still I am not sure I want such a modification.

Also, I wouldn't call my posts mis-informative, it's just a question of grinding through all of the information to get to what is actually applicable and works. I do intend to start a thread about my mods when they get under way. The biggest problem I have now, except with the parts I am going to get from the dealership, is the availability of some of the mods in Europe (i.e. Gruppe M Ram Air System). I will have to look further to see if there are dealers around here.

No, your posts are mis-informative because they lack accurate information. Not just the LSD, but the need for a cooling system upgrade, brakes, tires, etc.

What made you think the N52 needed a cooling upgrade? You compare it to the kit available for the 120d, whether or not there is such a kit it wouldn't be an apples to apples comparison seeing how the 120d is a twin turbo diesel. Then you mention getting the BMW Perf Brakes off the e90 to fit on the Z4. Why? If you're going to mess with bias but have access to custom brackets, why stop there? Might as well put on Cayenne calipers - bigger and more bling... In response to someone's inquiry regarding a 35 profile tire, you responded

Quote:
Originally Posted by Arxangel View Post
Where did I say that I want to reduce my tire size? The 18 inch rims are a standard on the Z4 3.0si, at least here, and if you are referring to the 225/35 R 18 88 W Front tire size, I just feel that it is going to look more symmetrical, no other reason.
We obviously know what's standard on the Z4 3.0si. But what do you think a lower profile does? By having a smaller sidewall, the tire effectively becomes shorter. The 225/40 and 255/35 put you between 89.25 and 90mm or about 3.5". A 225/35 puts you at 3", so you lose about 1" of height.

End of day, nobody here cares what upgrades you do. None of us are vested in your car, but you came to us for questions/advice so you're going to get our feedback. And if you're post wrong information, it will be addressed, simple as that.
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      01-17-2011, 01:07 PM   #66
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I'd forgotten that you drive an automatic, but you can put whatever final drive ratio you'd like back there... 3.91, 4.10, etc.

The grinding issues you read about are probably related to guys who fitted the Dinan LSD on the Z4M. Those were corrected by Dinan, so it was more of a hassle than anything else. There are many, many companies out there that build a quality LSD. You don't need to be at a track to realize its performance benefits. Search for "limited slip" or "LSD" and you'll get some good info.

With regards to rotors, you can buy slotted or drilled rotors separately that fit the OE system to give you the look you want.
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