Best Budget Performance/Handling Upgrades < $500

[HaloArchive]

I think a thread with all of the best performance/handling mods around for $500 and under would be a good thing for many people. Sorry if this has already been posted.

Ill add to the list:

BMW Performance Intake $310 USD
BMW Performance CF Strut Brace $270 USD

Lets keep them coming!

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Shelton, I don't think anyone has started a thread like this. Best mods for under $500 is a good idea.

[Jon D]

Active Autowerk's tune by far I paid under $200 at their open house

So far really impressed with AA strut bar as well. Bolt on no mods and the car is noticeably stiffer. Less than $300

[ZSP-Mafia]

Diff swap $300

[Nivo]

dynotune nitrous big bang for the buck, the guys over there I know personally since they used to own the dyno shop I ran. they have great prices:

http://www.dynotunenitrous.com/store/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=51

I haven't installed mine yet but I have been at the road course with a car that had them and these felt great up front.

http://www.treehouseracing.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/fce0da4085803c70025fe39cd5314964.jpg

[danewilson77]

Diff swap $300

Not a typical price.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

[ZSP-Mafia]

Not a typical price.

Sent from my Droid using Tapatalk

That's what I thought as well, but I spent about 8 hours on eBay yesterday and found a few for under $300. Of course there's the cost of install as well if you decide not to DIY.

[Rovert]

Advance Driver training!

As I have learned from the past in many endeavours, you have to learn how to handle yourself before you can grow yourself. Look at really huge bodybuilders who have grown so big that they start having back/joint problems. They grew their muscles before they conditioned everything else to handle that weight. Everything you begin in, you must start from the basics...learn how to do the basics REALLY well and build upon that after. Most people who own any car have never learned how to take full advantage of their vehicle in stock form. That's why you see wannabe racers with a lot of $$$$$$ in modded up cars that have crashed and totalled their car or make a fool out of themselves the 1st time they goto the track. We all know how to drive right? LOL.

In my beginning years of driving I took driver training on small and large cars. Pretty soon people were amazed at what our AWD minivan can do and the limits I put on that thing scared people. I could make that thing do corners that most BMW drivers wouldn't take their car through.

Invest in yourself and learn how to handle your own car before growing the car to match your limits. It took me 3 years of practice and training until I felt it was right to start upgrading my car performance wise. Today I fully appreciate what each addon does as I've learned the limits of myself and the vehicle in stock form. I modded my car to teach me how parts work and not work...not the impress the people around me who I don't even know.

But there are all sorts of different scenarios.....Your first modification performance wise should be handling. Dyno'ing and tuning my car has only given the engine a tiny more power which doesn't mean much when I'm racing the minivan next to me to the grocery store. You may get the thrill of having a car faster than someone else's but who's really paying attention to that and recording it? Making the car faster should be the last thing on your list. I've learned that BMW has done an outstanding job on the engine from the start. No wonder why they are the ultimate driving machine...at least during the E46 years. LOL. I had tuners fly in from California put my car on the dyno and tune my ECU by taking it out and reprogramming it on the spot then reinstall and test. Not many gains were made from such a great design engine.

So handling is the main thing you can improve on, but most of these addons will be more suited for the track to quicken your lap times compared to getting to work 2 seconds quicker. If I had to do it all again...I'd start with tires if you don't have them already. Then bushings to restore all the play that old bushings do to take away steering feel. Then a much more aggressive adjustable sway/stabalizer bar for the front and back to reduce the little roll the stock sway bar has already. If you're the type who has learned the feeling of understeer and oversteer in your car and you can make either happen in any given scenario, then the adjustable part of the sway will allow you to play around with the balance of the car to have more or less of whichever. After that then I'd either do springs if the lowering is minor but add shocks if you want to lower it aggressively. For more adjustability of how your car reacts to hard input, goto adjustable shocks to do the same as the adjustable sways do but in a much more finely tuned manner. If you're the type that wants to have the perfect height and love the control of how high the car should be, go with coilovers. They make nonadjustable shock versions too but as an enthusiast of handling you will want to spend the extra in adjustable. After that I'd goto wheels, either larger and/or wider so accommodate even more grip to each corner. This is when you'll notice all your suspension modifications at work because cornering will be faster and braking will be later with added confidence.

Braking modifications are the last on my list just because BMW again has done such a wonderful job of over engineering the stopping power of the vehicle. The main part that most change are the pads. You'll want to change them if you're tired of brake dust and want to sacrifice hard initial braking bite with cleaner wheels. Your balance of the two is your choice. Brake rotor size is adequate for light to medium-light track application and all street use. Once a lot of track time comes into play you may want to increase brake size or change rotors to slotted and/or drilled for better heat dispersion. I find with just a rotor change and OEM pads, I can come to a near stop from 60MPH more than 10 times without the feeling of a lot of brake fade. This is when my rotors are glowing red at night too! I think the only time you need BBK's as functionality, are when you're on 24 hours enduro races...haha.

Engine sound wise, if you want to pay for sound....then intake is the cheapest method, followed by muffler (or lack of muffler in some cases), resonator deletes, then full exhaust. Headers will add more raw/rasp to the sound as well as increase engine power marginally due to narrow and tight bends of the stock header.

Power wise, Forced Induction, nuff said!

Looks wise, the sky seems to be the limit there and it individualizes your car to the masses. Do what makes YOU feel good about yourself and don't let too many outside opinions force you into something you aren't comfortable with. Visual stuff is relatively inexpensive as long as you don't keep crashing into solid objects so if you did make a mistake that everyone else was cursing at you, you'll learn from that and grow as a modder to pass your added wisdom onto other n00bs.

Our car is a reflection of who we are and how we feel. Enjoy the process and the journey as it's never a final destination. There's always something to be added upon in any aspect of life. Have fun and ask as many question as you need here...that's what a community/hive/mafia is all about!

[kayger12]

Great write up, Rovert.

[mimalmo]

Powerflex FCAB's

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Nice write up, Trevor.

[pyreguy]

I will read Trevors writeup later when I have more time and better brain cells (looking forward to the knowledge drop) but I wanna mention the UUC short shifter with DSSR


Of course this will only work with MT's, but its something under $500 that you will use constantly and will give you MUCH PLEASURE.

[Rovert]

Shortening your shift points are soooo nice. They feel precise without any play. If you can live with something a bit more metallic and extremely precise, get that! Because shift points are lowered, your leverage is less which means you need a bit more effort to shift but it makes you feel like you're doing something. Just like you can feel the road with your steering wheel, you can feel your transmission with your short shifter! You may have to lift your car up to install as it's very tight under there because the vehicle's driveshaft is directly under the shift linkage. But once it's all in and done...you'll know you're in gear and won't question which one you went into with the proper hand placement. I have a smaller BMW Performance shift knob too which lowers the point even more.

This is stock height with the knob:
http://www.carpron.com/multisite/d/369411-1/bmw330+079.jpg

[pyreguy]

Nice use of alcantara on your knob.

[Rovert]

That's what she says!

[pyreguy]

Condoms probably work better.... :biggrin

[HaloArchive]

This is turning into a good reference thread guys!

Also, lets add the Clutch stop for $5 to the list :)

[Mtnman]

Excellent. Nuff said

Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk

[az3579]

Damn it Trevor; I just saw this thread and was gonna make an impact by just saying:



BMW CCA Driver's School: priceless
/thread
You beat me to the punch. :(

[Rovert]

Nice ninja edit. :eeps :ninja

[jvr826]

Not a typical price.


Got mine for $200 shipped. :rockon


Powerflex FCAB's

Werd

[04ZHP_PDX]

Love my aFe Intake (~$379). BMW Performance Rotors. SS lines.

[johnrando]

Active Autowerk's tune by far I paid under $200 at their open house

So far really impressed with AA strut bar as well. Bolt on no mods and the car is noticeably stiffer. Less than $300

AA tune for under $200? When did you get that, and was it at their FL HQ? I'd do that in a heartbeat at that price but I live in CA.

[Kudos]

Hey trevor, how much for the sezzy shift knob? and where'd u get it, it looks super sezzy.

[Rovert]

^ This whole package can be gotten here at a great price of $99.95! And if you purchase within 10 minutes you can get not just one! But TWO kits for $199.90!!! :D
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Short_Shift/ES46510/

http://c1552172.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/98130_x600.jpg

[danewilson77]

:rofl

I was getting ready to buy two......and I don't even need one.

[M0nk3y]

Strut Braces will not do anything...

Look into Sway Bars...Should cost you around the same price for front + rear as the Strut Bar would cost.

You won't see it, but your car will be on rails once properly adjusted

[Jon D]

AA tune for under $200? When did you get that, and was it at their FL HQ? I'd do that in a heartbeat at that price but I live in CA.

Yes was at FL HQ during the 2010 Open House.

[Rovert]

Look into Sway Bars...Should cost you around the same price for front + rear as the Strut Bar would cost.

You won't see it, but your car will be on rails once properly adjusted

Yes Sir....

Before:
http://img686.imageshack.us/img686/5141/stockzhprearsway.png
After:
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/2946/afteruucrearsway.png

Ignore the acceleration and braking as sway bars don't change that. There is a tight corner that I take for the lateral test which is safe enough for me to overspeed a bit which puts the car into a split second of understeer at 60MPH before grip is maintained with a decent line. :)

[spencers]

Strut Braces will not do anything...

Look into Sway Bars...Should cost you around the same price for front + rear as the Strut Bar would cost.

You won't see it, but your car will be on rails once properly adjusted
:headbang

[static667]

I would very much enjoy investing in a driving school mod. I have to get a lot of stuff in order to do that because there are none anywhere near where I live. I have a BMW performance short shift waiting to install that I got from jlevi street werks for $200 plus shipping. I installed a short shift in my last E36 and when I got in my current car, it felt like I was shifting a dump truck.

SSK FTW!

Sent from my Samsung Fascinate using Tapatalk.

[Kudos]

Trevor, is that shift knob on ecs the one with alcantara, or is yours custom?

[Hornung418]

Cosmos Racing CAI (http://www.cosmosracing.com) - Going to buy this summer.

$159.00 with Bimmerforums.com or BMWCCA membership discount.

[Rovert]

Trevor, is that shift knob on ecs the one with alcantara, or is yours custom?

Nope it's OEM from BMW! :)

[gdaddy]

^ This whole package can be gotten here at a great price of $99.95! And if you purchase within 10 minutes you can get not just one! But TWO kits for $199.90!!! :D
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Short_Shift/ES46510/

http://c1552172.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/98130_x600.jpg

Is this the same SSK that is stock on ZHP's? Very good price!

[pyreguy]

I'm getting my UUC Evo 3 installed tonight. It was on sale when I bought it so even with the DSSR and shipping it came in under $500. I don't know what installation would normally cost though since I'm sorta sponsored. Depending on the shop, or how much beer you need for the DIY, it may push it over the line.

[Kudos]

Wait, the ssk that trevor has is the stock zhp one or no?

[jjcools]

^ ??

I love that knob

[Rovert]

I have a different SSK lever installed in my car. Mine is from Auto Solutions. I bought mine on craigslist for $100 a couple years ago so I just went ahead and did it! It's lower than stock but not so low that you need to put in a ton of effort to shift because of less leverage. Shifts are quick and short with enough resistance to feel like man handling a girl who pushes back.....LOL I love it!

Here's an actual picture of my knob height, shift knob height that is:
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/6118/sideneutralsmall.jpg

[Kudos]

So the shifter from ecs is just the stock shifter from the zhp?

[Rovert]

You'll have to ask them but it sure doesn't look like the same lever. There's no "S" bend on the stock lever.

[kpro]

Diff swap $300

lol wut? you get an LSD for our cars for $300??? show me nows!!!

[Hornung418]

3.45 out of an auto. no lsd :(

[danewilson77]

lol wut? you get an LSD for our cars for $300??? show me nows!!!

Def not typical. That person has peeps. More like $2500 for us common folk.

Droid! Srs Legitness!

[ZSP-Mafia]

lol wut? you get an LSD for our cars for $300??? show me nows!!!

No, I wish! :)

I just got a 3.38 diff from an automatic for $250

[bcleaver]

You can probably get a diff with a different final gear ratio for under $500, but it most likely won't be a LSD. That would cost substantially more, or he got a very rare deal.

I would recommend a good set of tires as something that can make the biggest performance difference. Next would be (and now I'm basing this on setting up other cars, not a zhp) in order:

Driver training
Swaybars
Stiffer springs
Bushings

All as things that are under $500. A LSD and EM and struts would be things that would make the list somewhere but are generally over $500

[johnrando]

What is an EM? John


You can probably get a diff with a different final gear ratio for under $500, but it most likely won't be a LSD. That would cost substantially more, or he got a very rare deal.

I would recommend a good set of tires as something that can make the biggest performance difference. Next would be (and now I'm basing this on setting up other cars, not a zhp) in order:

Driver training
Swaybars
Stiffer springs
Bushings

All as things that are under $500. A LSD and EM and struts would be things that would make the list somewhere but are generally over $500

[Marcus-SanDiego]

EM=engine management software.

Unless bc had something else in mind.

[bcleaver]

EM=engine management software.

Unless bc had something else in mind.

Yup. Engine Management

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Thanks, BC.

[kaboom]

No, I wish! :)

I just got a 3.38 diff from an automatic for $250

Where did you get it from? I'm debating between the 3.46 and 3.38. 3.46 might be kinda tight for our low redline.

Ian

[ZSP-Mafia]

Where did you get it from? I'm debating between the 3.46 and 3.38. 3.46 might be kinda tight for our low redline.

Ian

I got mine from eBay, shipped for $250. I think 3.46 is gonna be a bit low, I can only really do about 20 mph or so in first gear with the 3.38.

[HokieZHP]

OP where is the BMW CF strut available for $270?

[kayger12]

OP where is the BMW CF strut available for $270?

It was ECS Tuning. Now sold out.

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[HokieZHP]

Dang...ok thanks. So are they getting more or are they out of production?

[GSEN820]

I can tell you that the Diff was great. Had the opportunity to drive on Friday and it was fast. Gets through the gears like nothing.

Great Mod

[kayger12]

Dang...ok thanks. So are they getting more or are they out of production?

Unfortunately, gone forever...

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

[danewilson77]

Unfortunately, gone forever...

Droid X. Tapatalk. Use it.

......@ that price.

[HokieZHP]

That's too bad. They're great looking pieces!

How much improvement is seen from a front strut compared to say sway bars?

I was eying the ECSTuning carbon strut but wondering if my money would help more going towards sway bars instead.

[danewilson77]

That's too bad. They're great looking pieces!

How much improvement is seen from a front strut compared to say sway bars?

I was eying the ECSTuning carbon strut but wondering if my money would help more going towards sway bars instead.

I would say the sway bar will be a better investment regarding driveablilty...but the strut bar will prevent/minimize strut tower mushrooming.

Droid + Tapatalk = FTW!

[HokieZHP]

thanks!

Ok last question before I place my order.

What's the difference between these BMW shift kits? Besdies the knob of course. They both say performance shift kit but one is $100 cheaper...

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Drivetrain/Shifter/ES46510/
http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Drivetrain/Shifter/ES1899441/

[danewilson77]

thanks!

Ok last question before I place my order.

What's the difference between these BMW shift kits? Besdies the knob of course. They both say performance shift kit but one is $100 cheaper...

http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Drivetrain/Shifter/ES46510/
http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E46-330i-M54_3.0L/Drivetrain/Shifter/ES1899441/

The SSk looks different? Made of different materials? I will ask Joe.....and see what he says.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

One of the differences between those kits is that you get a ZHP shift knob with one of them.

The kit with the ZHP knob also seems to work with all E46 cars. The cheaper kit doesn't work with E46 vehicles prior to March 2003.

[HokieZHP]

I noticed the different knobs. Personally I'd be fine with either. Looking through old threads, I saw someone had the cheaper kit and it looked very clean.

I'm just not sure if there's a performance difference between the two or not. They look too similar haha

[Marcus-SanDiego]

They look similar but there are some small differences. There is a different color on the shift lever (perhaps different material being used now?). There is also a bend at the bottom of the shifter.

ECS sells the ZHP knob for about $75, so I would not be surprised if this is most of the difference in the price.

[HokieZHP]

The knobs have the same mount correct? In which case if the cheaper one ends up being just as good as the more expensive one, I could theoretically swap in my current ZHP knob for the silver one.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Yep. You can throw your ZHP knob on the shifter. Should be same fit. Double check to make sure, though. Ask.

[HokieZHP]

Ok so I got it all figured out. I emailed ECS and Jay (the sales rep) said they are the same shifter, just with different knobs. So it looks like I'll be saving the $100 and putting that towards other upgrades :thumbsup

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Excellent. Slight design difference between the levers (but nothing major). And the knob is the major difference. Just use your current ZHP knob. You're set.

Good work, Hokie.

[danewilson77]

Ok so I got it all figured out. I emailed ECS and Jay (the sales rep) said they are the same shifter, just with different knobs. So it looks like I'll be saving the $100 and putting that towards other upgrades :thumbsup

But they look very different in the pictures?

[HokieZHP]

well they are leaning differently so it's hard to see what kind of curve the one with the ZHP knob has. They look similar in their shape though. The color difference may be an old picture vs a newer picture.

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Exactly. I am sure I'd opt for the cheaper one -- especially if I already had the ZHP knob.

[HokieZHP]

Yes, and my zhp knob isn't too shabby so I don't NEED another one. Plus I kinda like the silver knob with the alcantera accents. It will blend nicely with the rest of the interior

[Marcus-SanDiego]

Very good. Carry on, amigo.

[GSEN820]

I have that shift knob and I love it (even got the shft boot) do it you wont regret it

[HokieZHP]

^^So I guess I saw it on your car somewhere on here. Glad you like it! I'm ordering it tonight!

Did you DIY install? I'm thinking I am going to have my local shop do it but I figured I'd ask just in case it was easier than I thought.

[GSEN820]

It was actually easy if you bought the BMW Performance kit.

If you have an extra set of hands to help out makes it a whole lot easier. If you bought this kit you dont have to drop anything. You will need to get under the car for clip.

When installing one main thing is the spacer by the clip take it off.

[spig]

Any ZHP will want the S curved shifter. I for reasons I won't go into have both performance shift levers and the S curved one will shorten, while the straight one is about the same length as the normal ZHP shifter. I actually need to sell or return the straight one.

[johnrando]

Just an update to my AA tune. My gas mileage (lots of street driving, not a ton of highway but some of course) went up from in the 16's to the 18's after the tune (MPG that is).

[HokieZHP]

Has anyone experienced MPG increases with the shark?

[johnrando]

Just an update to my AA tune. My gas mileage (lots of street driving, not a ton of highway but some of course) went up from in the 16's to the 18's after the tune (MPG that is).

BTW, correction. I looked today and it's 19.7. Sweet. That's 3 MPG better, unexpected!

[Rovert]

I think tunes help lean out the fuel/air mixture. More power with less fuel with a minor bump in engine temperature if ran at 100% for long period of time. But it shouldn't affect street driving. My mileage went up too!

[static667]

BTW, correction. I looked today and it's 19.7. Sweet. That's 3 MPG better, unexpected!

That is sweet. Three miles to the gallon improvement is major with gas as high as it is. There are some times that I'm happy to have a lowly 325ci. My mileage is awesome.

[spencers]

That is sweet. Three miles to the gallon improvement is major with gas as high as it is. There are some times that I'm happy to have a lowly 325ci. My mileage is awesome.

Put euro tune on it and MPG will increase. As well as power :)

[static667]

Put euro tune on it and MPG will increase. As well as power :)

Where can I find this 'Euro Tune'?

[HokieZHP]

+1 I've seen references to it all over forums but what exactly is the Euro Tune and where do you get it? Also what are the gains?

[spencers]

Set up a diagnostic computer and you too can have the euro software. Or get a friend to do it. BMW Dealers or Indy mechanics will not do it for you.
As for what it is--it's simply the code that came on the engine computers on european vehicles. Breathes better, more stable, etc.

Gains? Only the BMW engineers know the difference between US and Euro code.

[johnrando]

The main tunes I know of are from Active Autowerks, Dinan, and a Shark Injector. From the previous post, I have heard of the euro version of updating our DME but I really don't know what the actual expected outcome of those are or where to get one. Guessing Indy's.

[MasterC17]

If I remember correctly, ZHP's can't get the Euro tune because no euro cars came equipped with the ZHP cams.

[Hornung418]

If I remember correctly, ZHP's can't get the Euro tune because no euro cars came equipped with the ZHP cams.
It's even worse than that...any car with the MS45 which is 09/03+ because no Euro car needed to meet those kinds of emission standards.

[MasterC17]

It's even worse than that...any car with the MS45 which is 09/03+ because no Euro car needed to meet those kinds of emission standards.

:( US Emissions suck.