^considering that measly N/A E36 m3 had forged rods from factory, im not too concerned about rods breaking on factory boosted bimmers. rod bearings on the other hand are a diff story

9/30/2013 7:59:36 PM

what's the go to bmw shop in raleigh?

10/6/2013 10:01:51 PM

↑ ↑...

Ohh shut up. Just cause rods are forged doesn't mean they are great. Fuck my engine has billet Carrillo rods... And I'm still worried about them at the power level I should make

For any normal engine well selected and matched forged rods are good for about 150hp per piston so yes in your mundane road racer world I wouldn't worry about rods.

The point of that comment is a supra can make 900hp all day long with enough boost... Much past that and rod failure becomes a larger concern so the only replacement for displacement is boost.... Until you run out of head room then you need more cylinders to split the power between more engine bearings rod bearings and rods themselves.... Then add the boost back...

[Edited on October 6, 2013 at 10:27 PM. Reason : .]

10/6/2013 10:26:45 PM

Quote :

"what's the go to bmw shop in raleigh?"

10/7/2013 10:41:59 AM

I have no idea so I'm gonna spit some shit out

The place next to the wake county deck is always busy with nice cars that seem to be repeat customers.

Black Forest industries is starting to work on bimmers now too.

Wasn't metric mechanic the shit at one point in time too ?

Disclaimer I have never owned a bimmer nor have I had any work done at these shops.

10/7/2013 11:44:57 AM

Shadetree Garage is usually recommended.

10/7/2013 5:09:23 PM

Quote :

"Join Bill Jacobs BMW during the BMW xDrive Experience and be the first to test drive our all-new BMW models – the unforgettable 4 Series coupe, the entirely redesigned X5, the dynamic 3 Series Gran Turismo and the enhanced 5 Series LCI. During this exciting test drive event, you’ll put the Ultimate Driving Machines through their paces during an exhilarating autocross exercise. Rev the engine for a couple of hot laps around the closed handling course or go at your own pace while testing out xDrive, BMW’s intelligent all-wheel-drive system. You’ll also enjoy the vehicles in an everyday driving environment on the open roads."

I am going to this event this weekend. I'm excited!

10/10/2013 10:01:15 AM

Quote :

"Shadetree Garage is usually recommended."

I've had some work done there and they are pretty nice. When something wasn't done as I had expected (installed the wrong type of brake pads on two wheels) they were quick to rectify it at no cost. The owner Truett is very responsive over email too (within a day).

He was also nice enough to scan and reset some codes for me for free too

http://www.stgbmwservice.com/

10/10/2013 10:03:58 AM

Quote :

"Ohh shut up. Just cause rods are forged doesn't mean they are great."

why is that?

10/10/2013 8:17:27 PM

the material they're made of, rod ratio, rod angle, peak cylinder pressure, etc
all of these things can make a forged rod suck for your application.

10/11/2013 1:12:45 AM

Got the 3 lights - Brake, ABS, and DSC. Car seems fine, though, while driving. After some online research, it looks like it could be one of 4 things, ranging from cleaning the wheel speed sensors ($0) to replacing the abs hydraulic assembly ($2000+ and aint nobody got time for that)



anyone else had this happen to them before?

[Edited on October 11, 2013 at 7:15 AM. Reason : .]

10/11/2013 7:14:07 AM

i've seen an almost-dead battery do it too

10/11/2013 8:55:25 AM

^^I would get your electrical system load tested since the weather just changed

great time for weak batteries to kill alternators, so if you test it, you may catch it before it's too late.

Advance auto / Auto Zone does this for free.

10/11/2013 10:41:34 AM

Probably a wheel speed sensor.

And to the rod thing your question has been answered sufficiently by others.

Materials,cross sectional area, cross section shape, journal size, rod bolts, "meat" on the journal cap, and manufacturing tolerances are all things to consider. Shit surface finish, heat treatment, and the actual forging process also play a huge roll.

Lower end rods like eagle, rpm, hell even the low end Manley rods are all made in China at the same plant. They are as their name states they are forged.... But IMHO are too inconsistent for me to trust any more than powdered metal shit.

10/11/2013 10:49:29 AM

yeah all that makes sense, but im asking in specific to you statement that forged is not necessarily better than cast. why is that? you are assuming that QC is bad and that's not an explanation. if you have one lower grade forged vs higher grade cast rod, both which passed QC and are considered functional, why is that cast would be better in this case?

10/11/2013 2:50:49 PM

I had it happen in the 540i, required replacing the tc/abs computer

10/11/2013 3:33:49 PM

I all I said are not all forged rods are strong. I never said cast are better than forged I just said forged aren't always good.

Since I can't find a good BMW rod stack I'll show these Lexus ones.

This is in the Lexus v8 series



All of these rods are forged...

Now early on the 4.0 had nearly identical rods to the 2jz... Then Toyota started trying to save money. They kept forging the rods just reduced materials which had the side effect of reducing rotating weight and maybe picking up some efficiency.... But I wouldn't trust the later model rods with much power.

This is my point just because you have a forged bottom end does not mean its beefy.

10/11/2013 4:20:57 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XhZpF4Lepk

Probably one of the best days of my life, got drive an M3 DCT at an Autocross event hosted by BMW. It was freaking amazing!! Got to drive a 650i coupe,650i convertible and got a ride along in an Alpina B7.

10/13/2013 12:11:21 PM

Quote :

"This is my point just because you have a forged bottom end does not mean its beefy."

Didn't answer my question, but ok. Considering E36 M3 can take 600-800rwhp w/o upgrading internals, I'd say it has extremely strong rods given it wasn't built to be FI engine.

10/15/2013 8:14:25 PM

Quote :

"yeah all that makes sense, but im asking in specific to you statement that forged is not necessarily better than cast. why is that? you are assuming that QC is bad and that's not an explanation. if you have one lower grade forged vs higher grade cast rod, both which passed QC and are considered functional, why is that cast would be better in this case?"

Cast is rarely ever better. And I never said it was... All I said is forged doesn't mean good. And without seeing rods I'm reluctant to trust them just cause they are forged like the rods in the picture there is such thing as weak forged.

See you are trying to put words in my post that aren't there, then argue semantics.

10/15/2013 8:30:07 PM

heh, that "lextreme" rod is an eagle rod

10/15/2013 11:40:33 PM

Actually eagle doesn't even make it. It's the shit Chinese rod I've been talking about that I wouldn't trust much if any further than a factory rod. It's sold by eagle, rpm, Manley and probably a half dozen or more manufacturers. Now I happen to know that Manley and eagle may not make them but they do qc check them to a certain level. But from other smaller distributors I've seen one show up with a visible bubble in it.

(Eagle visually inspects them and I think Manley magnaflux's them)

10/16/2013 6:20:03 AM

Quote :

"Cast is rarely ever better. And I never said it was"

i think that concludes it. again the fact it has forged rods from the factory gives you much better assurance then any cast rod then, which is what i implied in my first post.

10/16/2013 12:49:33 PM

And I'm saying in that picture above that I would trust the factory forged one on the left more then the hbeam on the right more than all the rest which are probably weaker than the current mustang's powdered metal pieces .

10/16/2013 4:07:23 PM

that 1UZ rod looks meaty. are those used in old LS400?

10/16/2013 4:51:44 PM

And sc400 till 1993

10/16/2013 7:39:03 PM

http://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/bmw/bmw-r-ninet-ar160788.html

Well Done BMW.

10/17/2013 8:07:44 PM

^ i saw spy photos of a naked street fighter 1000 RR. would be fun but i am sure i would poke my eye out

10/22/2013 5:33:09 AM

M235i shots

http://www.bmwblog.com/2013/10/22/revealed-bmw-m235i/#

10/22/2013 7:28:44 AM

^ More of the car was seen in spy shots back in May
http://www.worldcarfans.com/113051657749/bmw-m235i-spied-virtually-undisguised-during-a-photoshoot

So anyway, they are saying the top of the line model will be the M235i. I have 2 comments about that:

1) I am assuming that's top of the line now. So can we expect an M2 in a year or so? If so, what engine would go in there?

2) The M1 1M had the almost the same power and performance levels as this new M235i, and still they are not calling the new car an M2. And that basically is the biggest clue that there will be an M2 later on.

10/22/2013 9:31:37 AM

Oh, those shots from May are much better. That's a damn good lookin' car.

10/22/2013 6:48:33 PM

that car looks SO much better than the 135. I might have to get an M2

10/22/2013 8:10:59 PM

E46 M3 Pickup Drifting Video

http://www.worldcarfans.com/113102264842/bmw-m3-pickup-goes-drifting-video

10/23/2013 9:23:31 PM

So are the 2008 M3 prices dropping yet?

10/29/2013 1:26:31 AM

yes finally! im still waiting for mid-end 2014 for purchase. skipping '08 due to potential rod bearing issues gossip. no concrete evidence yet as cars aren't up in that mileage, but no taking any chances after E46 fiasco with rod bearings.

found '09, all options, 66k for $34.9. 6-speed. more than dozen in '08s in high 20s/low 30s.
went and test drove 4th one. with every test drive, it grows on me even more

10/29/2013 6:20:06 PM

I like the e90 m3 less every time I drive a 911 turbo, yet you keep liking it better...

10/29/2013 11:46:42 PM

to each his own right?


1) resembles air cooled VW in ways I can't run away from
2) lack of almost any weight over front wheels creates an imbalance. as inferior as it is to 911, there is sense of balance and predictability in m3
3) i dont track the car
4) HATE the way 911 flat 6 (any year, any model) sound.

10/30/2013 12:32:52 AM

Quote :

"I like the e90 m3 less every time I drive a 911 turbo"

look, I'm no car expert here, but isn't that comparing apples to oranges, especially when it comes to cost? what does $35k get you in a 911 turbo? also the M3 is more DD ready with it's option for 4 doors, trunk space, and ride. look i'm just making shit up at this point but i don't think you can compare those two cars in this context.

10/30/2013 12:44:36 AM

while the creature comforts of an e90 m3 certainly outclass what was available in a 996 911, the driving dynamics are in every way better in the 911. the e90 isn't an e39, in terms of quiet and refinement like you may think. if you aren't going to track the car, you won't have much to complain about in the m3, but then why buy it over a 335?

it sure sounds cool

10/30/2013 2:00:40 AM

Quote :

" if you aren't going to track the car, you won't have much to complain about in the m3, but then why buy it over a 335?"

once you drive M3s you get spoiled by steering, suspension, LSD, seats, balance, driving position ...blah blah...we heard it before. 335 is beyond excellent daily driver, actually better than current M3 in many ways, but it lacks M3 feel.

motosports with e36 and e46 are/were fun, but e90 is 3700lb. too heavy and too expensive (for my budget at least) to track. with that weight it would chew through tires and brakes at a rate i cant afford.

agreed on E39. mine is 100% rattle/squeak free with 160k and 13 years old. well built vehicle.

[Edited on October 30, 2013 at 2:40 AM. Reason : r]

10/30/2013 2:39:14 AM

why does Ahmet always come in and humblebrag about his 911, and why do you guys always entertain his shit? synapse is right... why the fuck would you compare two different classes of car? that's like me saying I like my 335i less every time I drive a mclaren. of course I would, there's no comparison. wtf guys.

[Edited on October 30, 2013 at 7:43 AM. Reason : ahmet:911::shaggy:microsoft ... it's a fucking caricature now]

10/30/2013 7:42:09 AM

Used 996 turbos go for very similar $ as the e90 m3, and they're not really depreciating at this poin.

Anyway, I have driven both on track and on the street, I consider myself a BMW enthusiast. I started this very thread, I've owned a ton of m3s. I'd assumed I would be buying an e90 m3 in fact. I'm a fellow enthusiast giving my input, and it's not just empty words...

10/30/2013 7:53:43 AM

Quote :

"what does $35k get you in a 911 turbo?"

You haven't answered this one.

$35k gets you a 3-4 year old M3. It appears $40k+ gets you a 10+ year old 911 Turbo. Not really that comparable.

10/30/2013 10:01:09 AM

Yeah I'd rather have the Turbo.

10/30/2013 11:32:24 AM

To me there really are only two used cars at the $35-40k range and those are the e9X M3 and the 996 turbo. I look at the total ownership cost over a given period of time. Everybody's needs are different but I've yet to face a significant situation that I couldn't/wouldn't get through with a 911 (and a roof rack). -I take care of my house, play beach volleyball, run/mountain bike several times a week, in the winter I go snow boarding, etc. My car doesn't just get driven on nice days, I really do use it for everything. I do have a cheap Volvo wagon in case I need to haul something but I haven't needed it in a long time. To me, the driving dynamics noise/vibration/harness to performance/feel trade off is what's most important for a "daily driver" and in that field I look at what I'm willing to spend and what cars are available. If we were having this conversation 3 years ago, I was almost positive I'd go the e90 M3 route, trust me when I say this, the 996 is well worth a good, hard look, it's a better car.

10/30/2013 11:51:08 AM

this is a BMW thread

10/30/2013 12:00:59 PM

New M3, totally undisguised, caught by biker's helmet-cam

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/bmw-m3-saloon-spy-video-2013-10-30

What do you guys think of that color, Yas Circuit Blue? I like it! Color reminds me of the color of


[Edited on October 30, 2013 at 3:29 PM. Reason : ]

10/30/2013 3:29:29 PM

It is yas marina blue metallic. I like it... resembles laguna seca in 2001

10/30/2013 4:06:37 PM

^ haha yeah, i thought it was circuit because yas marina is a circuit!

this is an interesting inforgraphic mfographic

http://hss-prod.hss.aol.com/hss/storage/adam/bf78a780bca4c5973472fe3da4fbaff9/mfographic-628.jpg

10/31/2013 3:42:14 PM

next

11/4/2013 10:01:41 PM