What can I do for more performance?

Originally Posted by kris6957

TOTAL COST: $3370 ESTIMATED HP GAINS: 35-40. Maybe that does not sound like much, but it is 20% or more.

Realistically, you'd be LUCKY to get 25 out of that list of mods. On a good day.

Originally Posted by kris6957

Now, for the icing on the cake: 3.91 custom differential. Since we both have autos, we are running 3.46 rear ends. Cost is not cheap at $2000, but well worth it. I don't have the cash right now to do it, but I plan to put one on the later half of the year.

THAT is one of the only mod that will give you significant, tangible "performance enhancement". However, to best take advantage of a shorter rear end, you need more REVs up high. The SHARK should be the perfect compliment for that.

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing on the list worth getting are the diffs and the Shark.

Of course, for $6,000 you can take up to 14 BMWCCCA driving schools. Good for at least 100+ HP. I'm on my 10th school and I can easily pass inexperienced E39 M5 drivers on the track. In my 323Ci. Seriously.

Originally Posted by Staszek

Its still not going to equal the price of an M3 or new 330. You can never think of a car as an investment, unless its a classic.

Base Edmunds TMV private party for a 2000 323ci - $15,564
For a 2001 330ci - $21,449
For a 99 M3 coupe - $20,155

Now consider that a 323 with $5,000 of engine work is worth either no more - or a lot less - than a stocker. Aside from people who want a dedicated track car (and maybe not even them, since they want to pay for new tires, not new engines), and 17 year olds from Pasadena backed by their parents' bank accounts, how many potential buyers will want to roll the dice on someone else's Rude-Boy-mobile?

I'm sure the 323 is a fine car, but the most economical way of proceeding if the objective is more power, more speed, is to sell it and spend a little more on a 240hp M3 or a 220hp 330. Now, if the question had been, how do I improve my lap times, perhaps the answer would be, put sticky tires on and invest in some track days and/or coaching.

Originally Posted by The HACK

Realistically, you'd be LUCKY to get 25 out of that list of mods. On a good day.

What experience or knowledge to you base this on? Seriously, I'm getting conflictiong info and I'd like to know. I'm going to order the cams today. From what I've learned, the 323 is pretty detuned. The airbox is very restrictive, and even the pulley should be good for 8 hp.





THAT is one of the only mod that will give you significant, tangible "performance enhancement". However, to best take advantage of a shorter rear end, you need more REVs up high. The SHARK should be the perfect compliment for that.

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing on the list worth getting are the diffs and the Shark.

Of course, for $6,000 you can take up to 14 BMWCCCA driving schools. Good for at least 100+ HP. I'm on my 10th school and I can easily pass inexperienced E39 M5 drivers on the track. In my 323Ci. Seriously.

What experience or knowledge to you base this on (25hp)? Seriously, I'm getting conflictiong info and I'd like to know. I'm going to order the cams today. From what I've learned, the 323 is pretty detuned. The airbox is very restrictive, and even the pulley should be good for 8 hp.

I totally agree with Roadstergal, HACK, and the others. Start your mods on the driver! Way more bang for the buck. Upgrading the power before the nut behind the wheel can handle it can get you in trouble. (And I'm not trying to bash you for wanting more power) I can't say enough good things about learning how to drive really well before you upgrade the machinery. There is no good reason that someone in an M3 or M5 should ever get passed by someone in a 323, 325, or 330. If someone can't extract most of the potential that a 325 or 330 has to offer, there is no reason for he or she to get an even faster car.

Originally Posted by norihaga

Base Edmunds TMV private party for a 2000 323ci - $15,564
For a 2001 330ci - $21,449
For a 99 M3 coupe - $20,155

Now consider that a 323 with $5,000 of engine work is worth either no more - or a lot less - than a stocker. Aside from people who want a dedicated track car (and maybe not even them, since they want to pay for new tires, not new engines), and 17 year olds from Pasadena backed by their parents' bank accounts, how many potential buyers will want to roll the dice on someone else's Rude-Boy-mobile?

I'm sure the 323 is a fine car, but the most economical way of proceeding if the objective is more power, more speed, is to sell it and spend a little more on a 240hp M3 or a 220hp 330. Now, if the question had been, how do I improve my lap times, perhaps the answer would be, put sticky tires on and invest in some track days and/or coaching.

I understand what you are trying to say, but You are not getting $15564 for a 323, unless it has NO miles, and even then its very hard.

Also I never said put $5000 in engine work in. For $2000 (as Slow323ci has proven on another board) you can have 330 times.

The 99 M3 is an option I wasnt considering the E36 platform, but you are also getting an older car.

I am not sure if he has owned his car from day one, but I would rather keep my car put a few thousand in mods in then buy a used car that I dont know what has happened to it.

I would keep my car over a used 330 anyday. Now a new one thats a different story. And with a new one I would be in payments again.

Also then he has a 330 with no modding money what fun is that lol!

Thats the fun part about paying a car off then you can do things to it an not still be paying for the car.

Also selling mods afterwards is not a bad thing, sure its worth half of what you paid for it but that also brings your formula back down as well.

$2000 in mods, say I sold for $800 afterwards (differentials hold their value pretty well) then I only spent $1200 add that to your value of $15500 and that puts me at 16700 still much less that that 2001 330.

Originally Posted by Masko

I heard that. one way to increase performance is obviously reduce weight in your car. Take out the spare tire, get lighter wheels, invest in carbon fiber (like it really makes much of a difference), lose weight.


first post on these forums

I increased my 0-60 time by 0.01 seconds by doing 45 minutes on a treadmill last night ! Cheapest performance upgrade ever.

If you will be keeping the car for 5-6 years dropping 5-6 grand on the car makes sense (somewhat), if you will be selling the car within a couple of years forgetaboutit.

If you must spend money to make the car go faster buy lighter rims with high rated performance tires... and practice shifting and braking that is where you will gain the most time.

Originally Posted by kris6957

What experience or knowledge to you base this on (25hp)? Seriously, I'm getting conflictiong info and I'd like to know. I'm going to order the cams today. From what I've learned, the 323 is pretty detuned. The airbox is very restrictive, and even the pulley should be good for 8 hp.

When you add various mods together you can't add the accumulated HP. For example, if a cold air intake makes 15hp and a pulley makes 5 and a chip makes 20, you don't get 30 hp total when you dyno. Simply put, advertisers post their max HP gains, but all those max HP gains all occur at different RPM on the power curve...So where the cold air intake is adding 15hp, the chip is only adding 5 but later in the RPM, the chip may be making its maximum 20 hp, but at that point the cold air intake is making 5 more than stock.

Various Dyno results will show that when it comes to car mods, the total gain is ALWAYS less than the sum of the parts.

To bring this back from the dead, would a 328i intake manifold really help a 2.5l 323 breathe better?

To answer my own question: the M52U intake manifolds are the same between 323i and 328i:

1999 328i:
INTAKE MANIFOLD 11611439965
1999 323i:
INTAKE MANIFOLD 11611439965