New 325i owner, want advice on mods

[shootwillus]

Ok, I am buying a 1993 bmw 325i. It has 145,000 miles on it.

Here is a list of the current mods:


UUC Evo short shifter
UUC Short Shift Kits
ACS authentic Exhaust by Remus w/ chrome tips ACS engraving
Sachs genuine Clutch
Weitec Suspension: Lowering Springs, Shocks, Struts


I would really like to get this car in great shape and moving. I have a few questions...is 145,000 miles too much on this engine to start suping it up? Would a new chip, cold air intake, etc be too stressful? What about a turbo?

Basically, will I need a new engine?

Also, can these engines be bored out, and what are the advantages/disadvantages of making the engine larger vs. a new engine that is simply running hotter?


Anyway, please forgive my ignorance if any of the questions i am asking sound retarded, i am not an expert....barely a novice. I have done some internet research and I 'd like to make this car a project and i suppose that is what this forum is here for.


thank you

[Chr328is]

145,000 is nothing, these cars can go up to 300k. My dads '85 3 was at 280,000 until someone totaled it. You say you have the exhaust on it so go for the intake first and if you have money, get the shark chip. I don't even have the chip yet as I just ordered my intake

[e30e]

145,000 is nothing, these cars can go up to 300k. My dads '85 3 was at 280,000 until someone totaled it. You say you have the exhaust on it so go for the intake first and if you have money, get the shark chip. I don't even have the chip yet as I just ordered my intake

m20's are way more bullet proof then m50's.


To the OP, aside from opening up the head, your mod's do not make much power at all and really do no harm to the engine. If the engine is worn and in need of repair the mod's will only accelerate the existing wear and tear. Engine's are bored out and stroked all ready by BMW, that's why the m5x and s5x engines come in multiple displacements. The displacements come in the engine code name such as the m52b28 or the s50b32, the last two numbers are the displacement. A good source of reading material for information would be a bently manual or pelicanpart's diy book.

[e36mike]

yea u can build and bore them. and no 145k is find as long as its been maintained. but with the parts that are on it, it could have been beaten on already. just go for a tune up first. make sure everything is working nicely give some TLC and then go for it.

[AJ Gure]

well i have a 92 325i and it's all stock i was wondering wat mods should i add to the car to start with on a budget less than 1000 i mmyself am a big car noooob but wtf this Bimmer is f***ing slow i got beat by a Pick up with 4x4 last week

[AJ Gure]

and one more question do those performance chips actually work and price range wat are we looking at?

[Chris S]

I hear for a performance chip you get what you pay for and a good one will set you back a few hundred... and a cheap ebay one wont be too good for your engine

[AJ Gure]

how much are we lookin at for a good chip and wat companies offer reliable chips at a decent price

[the_brouhaha]

wtf this Bimmer is f***ing slow i got beat by a Pick up with 4x4 last week

Clutch on the left, brake in the middle, gas on the right.

Shifting as follows:

R 1 3 5
.. 2 4

[AJ Gure]

man i know how to drive lol but this car goes from 0-60mph in like 8 seconds and the pick up truck does it in like 6 seconds, how can i go faster????

[the_brouhaha]

Shift later, if you're trying to race someone, put the pedal on the floor and shift at like 5xxx rpms.

I got mine to go pretty effing fast.

110 in 65...

[Foxider2012]

man i know how to drive lol but this car goes from 0-60mph in like 8 seconds and the pick up truck does it in like 6 seconds, how can i go faster????

I had a 92 320I and the fastest I got that to go was 145 mph.... The acceleration is pretty slow tho.... the first thing you should do on any car it the Cold Air Intake... It makes a difference and gives ur car a good Growling sound under hard acceleration..:thumbup: And if your looking for a jump off of the line, put your rpm at about 3500, then go (if you have a standard).... I shift at about 4500 rpms, 5500 if I am feeling extra frisky... I have won allot of races that I probably shouldent have that way, the First race I had was with a buddys 7 series, after the race he said, " Wtf how the hell did you do that? Good shifting goes along way....

[Eric Devier]

Shift later, if you're trying to race someone, put the pedal on the floor and shift at like 5xxx rpms.

I got mine to go pretty effing fast.

110 in 65...

Holy S*!#

.......................


:yikes:

[the_brouhaha]

Holy S*!#

.......................


:yikes:



the ticket is pretty expensive..:cry:

[Jim Spence]

A 93 doesn't need sharked, just a chip. Go to Turnermotorsports.com and buy the Conforti chip.

Worth every penny.

[Philip81193]

yea u can build and bore them. and no 145k is find as long as its been maintained. but with the parts that are on it, it could have been beaten on already. just go for a tune up first. make sure everything is working nicely give some TLC and then go for it.

OP. Please don't listen to tools. "Mods" can help your engine or they can harm it. It depends on the condition of the internals. Well, I suppose it could also depend on other things besides the internals, but you mentioned a turbocharger....
Not OP: If you were beaten by a pickup truck, one of the following things happened.
A. You're terrible at driving.
B. Your car isn't running to its potential.
C. It's a truck. I'm going to stereotype all heavy duty trucks right here and say that they put down massive amounts of torque. If you want torque, you should go forced induction, or you shouldn't have purchased a 3 series BMW.
D. All or some of the above
Moral of the story is: Don't race your BMW in straight lines, AKA drag race. Find some twisties and if you still lose,
A. You're terrible at driving.

[Foxider2012]

Fu*k that... Do what ever the hell you want to do to the engine, it is ur car.... As long as you dont go puttin the euro tailights on there or big ass wings and try to make your car fly then I dont think you should be looked down upon because of a few engine modifacations.

[the_brouhaha]

just dont do this with it....

[Foxider2012]

:rofl: You got the Idea....:rofl: