Project M3: V8 noises and kid seats

[D_Eclipse9916]

Instead of clogging up an autox thread, might as well make my new project a thread itself.

  I am an E36 guy through and through.  I love them, my latest red one was 5th E36 M3.  I bought it as a "keep this forever" car and therefore took my time and found an excellent example.  Fast forward 7 months and now it's for sale.  Why?

  With a kid, I am suddenly paranoid.  There are no "anchors" as most modern cars have (even my truck has them).  What this means is looping a seatbelt around in the back seat that is still "loose" and moves around more than I am comfortable with for my first born.  So my attempt at getting a 4 seater has me not 100% comfortable using it as such.  Plus it's just more of a pain than the anchor method.
  Secondly, for something that is supposed to be around town, the noises are a bit lackluster.  A proper E36 M3 sounds good, but nothing like a V8. When your wife comments on the exhaust being "meh", you know got a problem.  Making it louder would just introduce more of the same type of noise.
  Third, it needed more power.  I planned on S54 swapping it, and had accrued 99% of the parts.  With the kid, I just dont want to be taking on a lot of new projects
 Fourth, moving down to NC means my cars needed to pass an OBD2 Emissions. I could possibly get away with it, it just depends on an inspector, and it's just another tick against the swap.
  Fifth, no classing. I thought it might be "somewhere in the realm" of STR but even locally being 1000lbs heavier than the competition (STR NDs are 2200 or less) and on the same size and compound of tires meant there is zero chance.

I overlooked a lot of these things because my love for the E36 and cost.  Nothing under ~$32k with 4 seats really peaked my interest and was a competitive car.  Really the only 4 seater competitive cars is the 2011+ Comp Package E92s in the 30s, 2015+ 1LE Camaros in the upper 30s or a BMW M2 in the $50s.  I just couldn't afford them knowing the depreciation would kill me in 3 years.

 Then a friend posted up about a 2011 Comp Package with zero options.  The car had been tracked a couple times in One Lap but well taken care of and what really peaked my interest was they needed it gone NOW.  And priced it accordingly about $10k below Kelly Blue Book.  Finally it was in my price range and I pulled the trigger.

2011 BMW M3 with Competition Package and zero other options 76k miles
White with Black Interior
Carbon Roof Coupe
Black Speed Clothe Interior
Comp Package Includes:
ZCP EDC Shocks with 10mm lower ride height and "slightly" stiffer springs
1/2 wider wheels all the way around (this was needed especially for stock classing)
Retuned EDC mapping/traction control mapping
No heated seats, no Nav, no fancy things.  Lightest available Factory combo.

Came with Aftermarket:
Dinan "cat-back" Exhaust
Dinan Tune
Dinan Underdrive Pulley
5x 18x10 Volk "Rays" wheels with Michelin Pilot Sports
Ohlins Road and Track Coilovers

It was posted on Cyber Monday, so I went and drove it that day and promised to buy it. Owner couldn't get paperwork till Friday.  Since I knew I would be building it for FS, I went ahead and took advantage of Cyber Monday Deals and bought:
Bimmerworld Race Exhaust
18x9 +30 and 18x10 + 25 Apex ARC-8 FS legal wheels
Dinan Front Sway Bar

 I had RRT before pickup reinstall stock tune (Dinan is locked to VIN and is free to get reloaded if I want later), grab me a stock crank pulley and clear all services.  Plan is to reinstall stock crank pulley, sell the Dinan Exhaust, Rays wheels, Ohlins, and underdrive pulley while installing stock stuff and Bimmerworlds exhaust (lighter than Dinan). This also will help me recuperate a significant amount of money and hopefully after all is said and done only be 2k more than the E36 +S54 swap will sell for in the end.

Picked up the car Friday night along with the BW race exhaust.  Woke up early Saturday and installed the BW Race Exhaust.  I couldn't help myself  [emoji1] .


Sunday went out and autoxed it.  The Pilot Sports were garbage and I pretty much looked like I had never launched a car before but still had a ton of fun and proved to be more competitive than I thought against the proper RE71R shod STR cars.  The car makes great noises, and compared to a lot of the E90s/E92s I have driven feels good because of the weight advantage.

[*insertusernamehere*]

Edited

Congratulations it sounds like it'll be the right fit!

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[D_Eclipse9916]

lol you were quick on the draw! Just added them!

[JustinG]

I completely agree with getting the safer car.

But just as a note for the future, tethers shouldn't be used past like 45lbs. Check your car seat to confirm.

Seat belt anchoring is a giant pain in the D, I have to throw my knee into the seat and pull til I feel a hernia about to happen. The seat still slightly moves, but the car also moves with it.


[Flamesuit]Also, I'm with Jess. But, I've never thought e36s sounded good. I feel the same way about e46s.[/Flamesuit]

[JPolen01]

Love it. One of the best sounding modern V8s in my opinion.

[WRXtranceformed]

Great choice! One man's loss is another man's gain! Should be a fun platform to race on. My brother's felt very visceral compared to the other sports cars we have both owned

[ScottyB]

nice DJ!  i bet that thing's a hoot and a half.  what weight does a comp E92 come in at?  

With a kid, I am suddenly paranoid.

i completely understand and had the same issue with the 2.5RS...priorities change. it was either going to get sold or racecar'd and someone else made that decision for me. also, thanks to most of our population for insisting on commuting in 7 passenger SUVs and 2500-series pickups, its hard to want to drive around with a kid in a smallish car with that kind of weight in the other lanes.

Seat belt anchoring is a giant pain in the D, I have to throw my knee into the seat and pull til I feel a hernia about to happen. The seat still slightly moves, but the car also moves with it.

i think i mentioned this before to someone, maybe Gerald, but last year when i was trying to get my kid's seat tight with the anchors i literally cracked one of my ribs while i was yanking on the tether to tighten it down.  literally felt it snap, and it didn't feel too nice. THEN i knew it was tight enough 

[.RJ]

I wish those suspension bits fit my wagon. Dammit.

[D_Eclipse9916]

nice DJ!  i bet that thing's a hoot and a half.  what weight does a comp E92 come in at?  

With a kid, I am suddenly paranoid.

i completely understand and had the same issue with the 2.5RS...priorities change.  it was either going to get sold or racecar'd and someone else made that decision for me.  also, thanks to most of our population for insisting on commuting in 7 passenger SUVs and 2500-series pickups, its hard to want to drive around with a kid in a smallish car with that kind of weight in the other lanes.

Seat belt anchoring is a giant pain in the D, I have to throw my knee into the seat and pull til I feel a hernia about to happen. The seat still slightly moves, but the car also moves with it.

i think i mentioned this before to someone, maybe Gerald, but last year when i was trying to get my kid's seat tight with the anchors i literally cracked one of my ribs while i was yanking on the tether to tighten it down.  literally felt it snap, and it didn't feel too nice.  THEN i knew it was tight enough 

Yeah Eli is 16lbs, a little man but growing!  I haven't smacked myself yet but I know it's coming.


I dont know OEM weight (just finding curb weight listed by manufacturer at 3700lbs).  Most FS E92 comp apckage guys are 3450-3500 with a lighter cat-back, wheels, and a heavier sway bar.  So I would guess about 3500-3550 for my "package" from the factory.  I will weigh when I get my scales back from a friend and once I am fully legal.

[Apoc]

Anchoring a carseat with the belt is best accomplished by two people. One person to kneel in the carseat and take up slack, the other to actually pull it taught. I initially didn't trust the belt, but our kid is actually getting close to the weight limit, so we had to sack up and get comfortable with it. When done right, it's just as secure as the anchors. Of course, then you never want to move the seat because it's a PITA to get it tight again. Doing it in a two door will be... fun.

[Beej]

Seems like a much better fit for what you need than the e36.  You may be a little nuts for going 2 door with the kiddo, but a good deal is a good deal.

And shit at least it's white.   Looking forward to how this thing treats you!

What are the Achilles' heels on these things?  Just the rod bearings and TB actuators?

[D_Eclipse9916]

Seems like a much better fit for what you need than the e36.  You may be a little nuts for going 2 door with the kiddo, but a good deal is a good deal.

And shit at least it's white.   Looking forward to how this thing treats you!

What are the Achilles' heels on these things?  Just the rod bearings and TB actuators?

Yeah 2 door isn't ideal but I wanted a coupe for the lighter CF roof.  Considering we have Jess' car and my truck we use 99% of the time with the kid, I figured I could get away with it for random trips to autoxes/random events.

Achille's heels are rod bearings/TB actuators. BMW already replaced the transmission and motor tracking down a sound when it was under warranty so those are all new as of 44k miles.  I will go in and replace the rod bearings at 100k just to get ahead of it as they don't go usually that quick.  Plus I am a fanatic about leaving rpms down while the car is cold.

I also have heard under heavy abuse wheel bearings up front tend to be a "problem".  A wheel bearing every couple years isn't going to bother me, I am used to heavy maintenance of a race car.  For someone used to Mazdas/Hondas the M3 of every generation is high maintenance, for me a street car seems easy.  That's what happens when you officially lose your mind.

[Goodspeed]

Congrats on the purchase, it looks rad in its current storm trooper look. Also these just sound absurdly good with an exhaust. Need vids!

[D_Eclipse9916]

My monday has been mostly useless browsing port-installed accesories (legal for FS) for the E92... I wish I hadn't.
Drool...

[Senor_Taylor]

Wow, that is the bee's knees. It will certainly help resale value in ~14 months!

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[D_Eclipse9916]

Wow, that is the bee's knees. It will certainly help resale value in ~14 months!

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Haha touché

[V1GiLaNtE]

Oh my lawd.... The steering wheel indicators.

[.RJ]

Dibs on whatever you replace with this expensive port installed bmw performance shit

[D_Eclipse9916]

Dibs on whatever you replace with this expensive port installed bmw performance shit

So you want to test drive these coilovers?

[Steve85]

Congrats! Looked good out there Sunday and sounded good from what I heard. I would have gotten some pics and video for ya if we weren't running in the same heat...