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10-01-2008, 09:02 AM | #1 |
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AFE Z4 M Coupe/Roadster Intake Review
After over a week with this intake I decided that I have spent enough time with it to write a review. Here goes....
I was going to wait till I had the money to buy the $3,000 plus bimmerworld CSL style intake to for my car but then I came across the AFE intake for our cars. I sent a pm to Harold at HP Autoworks and he shot me back a price that I could not refuse so I decided what the heck and decided to give the intake a try. During the whole ordering process Harold was great and he went out of his way to make sure I had the intake by the weekend so I could use it at the BMW CCA AutoX. Big to Harold and HP Autowerks! Install and Fit and Finish: Everything on he AFE intake is nicely finished and has a real quality feel to it. The coupler where the mass air bolts into is a thing of beauty! Everything on the intake bolted up like it should the only problem were the install instructions that AFE provided were a little less then great. It was nothing really major though as any person will limited mechanical knowledge could be able to figure out how to install it. It took me less then half an hour to get it in there and this was with me really taking my time. I did drop one of the nuts in the black hole that is the engine bay but a quick trip to Lowes the following morning fixed that minor problem. Performance: So people in the other threads have discounted this intake saying that heat soak, idle issues, and warranty turned them away. I am happy to say that I have no idle issues at all and this comes after using it in stop and go traffic, on the highway, around town, and an autoX. This was my one big worry with buying this product but no such issues. As far as warranty goes my tech at the BMW dealership was actually the one who pushed me to purchase it.... I can pretty much do any mods I want and he will turn a blind eye and always honor my warranty. Even if you didn't have a Tech and SA as cool as mine it would not be that hard to just swap it back to stock before going into the dealership. Now onto the big question of heat soak... If you look at the intake on the E46 M3 CSL it is also open to the engine bay just like the AFE intake. In fact it is ever more open to hot engine bay air then the AFE intake. I think the only time you will get heat soak is when there is not air flow over the front of the car. Every other time, especially when you are driving fast, I think there is enough air flow going into the intake that will being sucking up cooler air rather then hot air. I have an idea though that I think might make heat soak even less of an issue. As we all know the stock air scoop in the Z4M is not to good at ramming air into the intake whether it be stock or aftermarket. So I was thinking of pairing the AFE intake with the scoop from RPI as then there would def be positive air flow going over the intake. I might even fab up my own intake scoop that is a little larger then the RPI one to gain even more flow. I am still deciding what to do in regards to this so I will let everybody know once I come up with a plan. As far as actual performance goes I am going to have to give the AFE intake a positive review. The biggest difference is in the 1,000 to 4,000 rpm range where as the stock car seems to have a little lag in the is band the car with the AFE intake revs alot more free. I think the best way to describe it is as if you replaced a dirty air filter with a brand new clean one.. it just simply revs better. I am lucky enough to have my brother's M Coupe sitting in the garage right next to mine with which to make comparisons so I can def say this is just not a fluke. The car also pulls harder in the 7,000+ rpm range and overall I can say once the car hard a couple days to adjust to the new air flow it for sure is making a tiny bit more power. Even if it made the same power as stock the sound alone would justify the price of admission.... think CSL intake sound! It makes the car sound like it has an angry lion under the hood trying to break out. In the end I am happy with my purchase and idk if it helped or not but I did take a first place finish at the BMW CCA autoX I ran with the intake!
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10-01-2008, 09:54 AM | #2 |
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Thanks for sharing. Does it sound like this?
Cheers.
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2007 M Coupe w/NAV/Premium/Extended Leather, Clearbra, DICE, 4.10 BMW Motorsport Polished LSD, Active Autowerke Gen IV Headers, Supersprint Race Exhaust and X-Pipe, ESS Tuned DME, KWV3 Coilovers, Volk RE30, OEM Strut Tower Brace, Short Antenna, JL AMP, JL 10W7, Valentine V1.
Last edited by Burt Reynolds; 10-01-2008 at 11:11 AM.. |
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10-01-2008, 11:40 AM | #3 |
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It sounds almost identical to that... I would say if anything its completely identical to the sound of sixspeeds GruppeM intake. The CSL one might have a touch more bark to it. My brother and I were both remarking on how its almost overpowers the sound of my SS race from inside the cabin.
Some vids of sixspeeds car
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10-01-2008, 09:13 PM | #6 |
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get the ESS reflash, you'll prob notice more gain. just put it in today, still waiting for my gruppe m, but i have the rogue mufflers. if you want to experience it come thru queens!
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10-01-2008, 09:24 PM | #7 |
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I think I am going to be putting my name down for the ess flash group buy. I think the best bet to get them to turn off the secondary 02 sensors too. I was down at Rouge Engineering and they suggested this along with a set of ebay headers. I was asking Ben how hard the install would be and he was telling me I would pretty much be able to take off all the bolts from the headers on the top side of the engine bay... much easier then the m3. We should for sure meet up.. I want to feel the power of that ess flash. Are you going to Bimmerfest?
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10-02-2008, 05:59 PM | #9 | |
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Quote:
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10-02-2008, 07:04 PM | #10 |
More than you can afford pal....ferrari
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nice thanks f360. i have a feeling that you will get more power out of the intake with the ESS tune. post some vids in cabin. im thinking of ordering this piece after your review
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10-02-2008, 07:52 PM | #11 | ||
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Quote:
Quote:
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10-02-2008, 09:20 PM | #12 |
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MMMMM?
The headers are a tight fit but can be done. There are a few mods that have to be done to the headers to make it right. Ive had them on for over 3000 miles and no problems. Ive even ran 110 leaded and no cracks. Over all im very pleased with them. See you guys at BMFeast.
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10-03-2008, 08:20 AM | #14 | |
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I am sort of scared that I am going to end up seeing all this stuff I just have to have and I am going to come home and drain my bank account
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10-03-2008, 08:34 AM | #15 | |
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Now put your name on the ESS reflash GB list
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10-03-2008, 10:13 AM | #16 |
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both of you make very good points haha
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10-03-2008, 12:52 PM | #17 |
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I have had the JVT headers for 6,000 miles with zero problems. It is the best bang for the buck mod on these cars, not to mention the sound.
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10-03-2008, 01:20 PM | #18 |
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Are you running software to get rid of the CEL? Also did you do the install yourself or have some one else do it?
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11-02-2008, 03:19 PM | #20 |
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Check this out before you buy an Afe! Post shows an actual Dyno printout not a feel and hear review.
http://forums.e60.net/index.php?show...3222&hl=intake |
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11-03-2008, 07:24 PM | #21 | ||
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Oh here is a picture of what must be the most expensive "hot air intake" of all time.... but what does BMW know when making intakes?
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11-03-2008, 09:26 PM | #22 |
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I wasnt trying to cause any hard feelings. I just thought my fellow BMW enthusiasts should know whats been going on with certain aFe products. Yes the 5 and Z are totally different cars. But the materials and design of both intakes are close to similar. Both are non-sealed and made of metal which is a good conductor of heat.
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