Looking to add HP on a budget

Hey guys, I recently purchased a 2008 m3 e92. The previous owner put on an afe intake and a few other exterior modifications but I am looking to add some more performance parts to the car. I am looking to get the most HP without spending anymore than $4-5 K. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Originally Posted by MarkyMark112

Hey guys, I recently purchased a 2008 m3 e92. The previous owner put on an afe intake and a few other exterior modifications but I am looking to add some more performance parts to the car. I am looking to get the most HP without spending anymore than $4-5 K. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

removing the primary cats via turner test pipes and a tune will get you some decent power gains for about $1500 (depending on who's tune you get). turner has dynoed this combination at +40hp vs stock. i would also replace the axle back exhaust with a light weight titanium exhaust, there's probably not much HP in that mod (some companies claim 10-15 hp); however, the stock exhaust is a pig. i couldn't believe how heavy it was when i pulled mine off. i think it weighs about 55lbs. my titanium exhaust weighs 19lbs. i have the vanguard titanium exhaust, you can get it from a board sponsor and great vendor modbargains.com for $2600: http://www.modbargains.com/Vanguard-...ust-System.htm

here's a comparison video i did so you can kind of hear the difference in sound:


after that, some people say pulleys will net you 10-15 hp for $400ish, i don't have any experience with them but am considering turner's and macht schnell.

i'm not sure that you can simply add up all the gains claimed by manufacturers and vendors to arrive at an expected gain for these items, but in my research i've found these are the items most people install for power gains in your budget. my "shopping list" above would total about $4500, right in the middle of your range

Wow, the exhaust makes all the difference in the world, great video. Thanks for the recommendations, those are substantial gains for limited funds.

I would agree with the above......biggest bang by far is to go catless. This was the biggest difference in HP for me. As you can see in my signature I have a couple mods . My set up works well as a package......if you only want to do one or two......loose the cats and get a tune...............Phil

That does appear to be the best way to get big gains however I would still like to pass emmisions testing. Wouldnt removing the cats cause the car to fail emissions? Maryland is pretty stringent about emissions, is there a way around it??

Originally Posted by MarkyMark112

That does appear to be the best way to get big gains however I would still like to pass emmisions testing. Wouldnt removing the cats cause the car to fail emissions? Maryland is pretty stringent about emissions, is there a way around it??

i don't know maryland's emissions testing process but given the political climate there, i'm pretty sure you won't pass emissions after you remove the primary cats. your option would be to either keep your x-pipe intact so you can install it for emissions testing or get a hi-flow cat x-pipe that would pass emissions. the former is probably technically illegally so i wouldn't officially endorse it but the latter is more expensive and will generate less in terms of HP gains.

If you want big gains, I'm the performance guy over here you can talk to. I'll send you a PM, maybe we can get some kind of packaged deal worked out for you