95 M3 Vs. 96-99 M3....

[GT Mech Eng]

Hey,

I'm looking to buy an e36 and I was wondering if there is any differece in acceleration between the 95's and the later model m3's. I know the newer E36's have .2 liters more displacement, but the same horsepower (i'm assuming they were de-tuned for US markets).

Should I just stay away from the 95's?

(this car may also eventually be turbocharged by Active Autowerks)

Thanks all,

-Dave

[Cellardoor]

i personaly love the 95 M3.... i have one yes, but they have OBD1 wich is much easier to mod, from what i have heard OBD2 needs to b reprogramed rather then just chipped (correct me if im wrong guys) and yes the extra .2 liters has to do with emmisions regulations. the 96 + moddles dohave mayb 20 more Ft-lbs of tourqe but other then the stuff listed above they are pretty damn close. As for turbo i also plan to Turbo my M3 sometime in the future, if you check out tunermotorsports and active autowerks they both have some nice equipment strictly for the 95 M3. just my .02 hopes it helps.

-Hutch-

[CiscoKid]

hes right about the reprogramming.

the 95 is sweeter for mods.

[GT Mech Eng]

Thanks for the replies thus far.

The only mod I'm looking to get is the turbo kit, and it looks as if Active Autowerks already got the programming down pat for the 96+ models. Horsepower ratings for their 95 stage II kit is higher than the 96+ stage II kit though; 430HP compared to 400HP.

[MadBMW]

Originally posted by GT Mech Eng@Mar 21 2005, 06:15 PM
Thanks for the replies thus far.

The only mod I'm looking to get is the turbo kit, and it looks as if Active Autowerks already got the programming down pat for the 96+ models. Horsepower ratings for their 95 stage II kit is higher than the 96+ stage II kit though; 430HP compared to 400HP.

[snapback]315933[/snapback]

I asked the same question a little while back. You can look back in the M3 post and you will see the 3.0L or 3.2L which is better and that will answer some of your questions. I decided to go with the 3.2 because of the ACS and it was the same price as the 95 I was looking at. My 97 with 100k pulls hard as hell through all gears. For me I won't need to modify anything until I pull the motor and then I
will be dropping some coin. I would test drive both and ask yourself how much money are you willing to spend and how much work you are willing to do?

[GT Mech Eng]

Originally posted by MadBMW@Mar 21 2005, 06:51 PM
I asked the same question a little while back. You can look back in the M3 post and you will see the 3.0L or 3.2L which is better and that will answer some of your questions. I decided to go with the 3.2 because of the ACS and it was the same price as the 95 I was looking at. My 97 with 100k pulls hard as hell through all gears. For me I won't need to modify anything until I pull the motor and then I
will be dropping some coin. I would test drive both and ask yourself how much money are you willing to spend and how much work you are willing to do?

[snapback]315959[/snapback]

Ok thanks for the tip; I'll read that thread after I post this.

I test drove a 98 a few days ago, and was very impressed by the low end power. Up top though it seems to be lacking a little, which of course the turbo will help with. It should have a very nice torque curve in the end.

I'll see if I can test drive a 95 this weekend to see how it compares.

Thanks again,

-Davide

[Cellardoor]

GT Mech Eng, where are u located? im In RI if you are anywhere near the area let me know you are more then welcome to check out my M3 and take it for a spin.

-Hutch-

[97alpineM3]

About mods with the two... 95 is far easier.. if you are doing very very estensive mods.. like stand alone fuel systems.. and oil systems.. things like that... because those systems dont exactly play all the much into the OBD of the older car. As for reprogramming and what not... a 95 will take a hard chip... meaning it is an actual chip.. as for the later versions... they are programed via a flash system... which flashes the correctable said systems to better performance values.

Good Luck,

I got a 97... cause thats what I found.. and I havnt looked back.

Les

[Chant]

Originally posted by GT Mech Eng+Mar 21 2005, 08:08 PM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GT Mech Eng @ Mar 21 2005, 08:08 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-MadBMW@Mar 21 2005, 06:51 PM
I asked the same question a little while back.* You can look back in the M3 post and you will see the 3.0L or 3.2L which is better and that will answer some of your questions.* I decided to go with the 3.2 because of the ACS and it was the same price as the 95 I was looking at.* My 97 with 100k pulls hard as hell through all gears.* For me I won't need to modify anything until I pull the motor and then I
will be dropping some coin. I would test drive both and ask yourself how much money are you willing to spend and how much work you are willing to do?

[snapback]315959[/snapback]

Ok thanks for the tip; I'll read that thread after I post this.

I test drove a 98 a few days ago, and was very impressed by the low end power. Up top though it seems to be lacking a little, which of course the turbo will help with. It should have a very nice torque curve in the end.

I'll see if I can test drive a 95 this weekend to see how it compares.

Thanks again,

-Davide

[snapback]315969[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]
I found two things with my 98 M3 in the power band:
1) below 3,500 - 4,000 rpms there seems to be a slight lag before the power hits. Once it hits though you get thrown back into your seat. this i plan to fix with a S/C. Instant power, always on from the start.
2) above 6,500 there is a very slight lag as well. i plan to compensate this with the M50 manifold. so hopefully i should have power through the whole band and will not have any lag.
SWEET! i will let ya'll know how it goes. i plan on the manifold in the next two months.


Chant

[GT Mech Eng]

Originally posted by Chant@Mar 24 2005, 07:57 AM
I found two things with my 98 M3 in the power band:
1) below 3,500 - 4,000 rpms there seems to be a slight lag before the power hits. Once it hits though you get thrown back into your seat. this i plan to fix with a S/C. Instant power, always on from the start.
2) above 6,500 there is a very slight lag as well. i plan to compensate this with the M50 manifold. so hopefully i should have power through the whole band and will not have any lag.
SWEET! i will let ya'll know how it goes. i plan on the manifold in the next two months.


Chant

[snapback]317619[/snapback]

Cool. Yes keep us posted.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about lag though. If you have owned a turbocharged car with a big turbo, then you will experience what true lag is. The slight delay in response on the M3 is only a tiny fraction of time compared to, for example, my current car, which only gives power past 3800rpm. Prior to 3800rpm, there is absolutely no power since the turbo is still spooling up.

Needless to say, it takes some getting used to. When I test drove the M3, I was taken back by the seemingly instant power because I am so accustomed to driving turbo'd cars.

Blessings,

-Davide

GT Mech Eng, where are u located? im In RI if you are anywhere near the area let me know you are more then welcome to check out my M3 and take it for a spin.

Hey buddy,

I live in Connecticut; not too far from ya.

[Cruzin 323is]

ya, what les said!

[Chant]

Cool. Yes keep us posted.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about lag though. If you have owned a turbocharged car with a big turbo, then you will experience what true lag is. The slight delay in response on the M3 is only a tiny fraction of time compared to, for example, my current car, which only gives power past 3800rpm. Prior to 3800rpm, there is absolutely no power since the turbo is still spooling up.

Needless to say, it takes some getting used to. When I test drove the M3, I was taken back by the seemingly instant power because I am so accustomed to driving turbo'd cars.

Blessings,

-Davide

I do know what lag is, LOL i used to drive a 3000GT with two hybrid T3T04 monster turbos. LOL i compensated that with an Eaton M90 SC custom made for my GT. yeah a small turbo will spool a lot faster and is almost negligible in the lag department. I am not normally taxed with the loss on the low end of my M3 but that is cause i launch at 4000 RPMs anyways. My concern is during a speed shift there is a bit of a lag between the gears if the rpms drop below the 3,500 mark. that causes a slight pause before i get power again. This is where the SC will give me benefit. This is not a big deal in the higher gears but is very prominant to me as i used to race. All my other cars have not had this delay during shifts. Anyhoo those are my thoughts on the matter, sorry if i hijacked the thread LOL.

what car were you driving that you have such a huge lag?


chant

[GT Mech Eng]

Originally posted by Chant@Mar 25 2005, 06:07 AM
I do know what lag is, LOL i used to drive a 3000GT with two hybrid T3T04 monster turbos. LOL i compensated that with an Eaton M90 SC custom made for my GT. yeah a small turbo will spool a lot faster and is almost negligible in the lag department. I am not normally taxed with the loss on the low end of my M3 but that is cause i launch at 4000 RPMs anyways. My concern is during a speed shift there is a bit of a lag between the gears if the rpms drop below the 3,500 mark. that causes a slight pause before i get power again. This is where the SC will give me benefit. This is not a big deal in the higher gears but is very prominant to me as i used to race. All my other cars have not had this delay during shifts. Anyhoo those are my thoughts on the matter, sorry if i hijacked the thread LOL.

what car were you driving that you have such a huge lag?


chant

[snapback]318126[/snapback]

Those VR4's are pretty darn nice.

The car I am driving now (and selling) is a 97 Eclipse GS-T with about $10,000 invested into it. It has a BIG 16G turbo (which pushes about 550cfm of air flow), and all supporting mods for the turbo. Last time I dyno'd the car it was pushing about 300 HP to the wheels (~340 HP at crank) at about 19psi. She traps at 107mph, which is faster than a stock STi, EVO, and comparable to the times of a new SVT Cobra. So needless to say, she's a peppy little car.

When you say you used to race, do you mean autoX or at the strip?

Blessings,

-Davide

[Chant]

Originally posted by GT Mech Eng+Mar 25 2005, 07:59 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(GT Mech Eng @ Mar 25 2005, 07:59 AM)</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteBegin-Chant@Mar 25 2005, 06:07 AM
I do know what lag is, LOL i used to drive a 3000GT with two hybrid T3T04 monster turbos. LOL i compensated that with an Eaton M90 SC custom made for my GT. yeah a small turbo will spool a lot faster and is almost negligible in the lag department. I am not normally taxed with the loss on the low end of my M3 but that is cause i launch at 4000 RPMs anyways. My concern is during a speed shift there is a bit of a lag between the gears if the rpms drop below the 3,500 mark. that causes a slight pause before i get power again. This is where the SC will give me benefit. This is not a big deal in the higher gears but is very prominant to me as i used to race. All my other cars have not had this delay during shifts. Anyhoo those are my thoughts on the matter, sorry if i hijacked the thread LOL.

what car were you driving that you have such a huge lag?


chant

[snapback]318126[/snapback]

Those VR4's are pretty darn nice.

The car I am driving now (and selling) is a 97 Eclipse GS-T with about $10,000 invested into it. It has a BIG 16G turbo (which pushes about 550cfm of air flow), and all supporting mods for the turbo. Last time I dyno'd the car it was pushing about 300 HP to the wheels (~340 HP at crank) at about 19psi. She traps at 107mph, which is faster than a stock STi, EVO, and comparable to the times of a new SVT Cobra. So needless to say, she's a peppy little car.

When you say you used to race, do you mean autoX or at the strip?

Blessings,

-Davide

[snapback]318132[/snapback]

[/b][/quote]

I did AutoX, strip and Off road Rally (my race of choice). that is a nice ride. I had a 97Gs that was being modded for Rally but it got into two accidents (rear ended in the same spot by different SUVs) so i totalled it out. I used the Gt for Strip and light AutoX. Mostly used my audi for autoX and Rally though with the quattro sus. was looking to get an STI as i was gonna start getting into WRC but they are too expensive right now. $750,000 + is just not in my budget this year LOL. Plus having to move over seas to get my IA + B licenses is also not in the cards. oh well such is life eh?


Chant

[GT Mech Eng]

Originally posted by Chant@Mar 25 2005, 07:31 AM
I did AutoX, strip and Off road Rally (my race of choice). that is a nice ride. I had a 97Gs that was being modded for Rally but it got into two accidents (rear ended in the same spot by different SUVs) so i totalled it out. I used the Gt for Strip and light AutoX. Mostly used my audi for autoX and Rally though with the quattro sus. was looking to get an STI as i was gonna start getting into WRC but they are too expensive right now. $750,000 + is just not in my budget this year LOL. Plus having to move over seas to get my IA + B licenses is also not in the cards. oh well such is life eh?


Chant

[snapback]318139[/snapback]

Man, rally is fun stuff. I wish I had the money to do that professionally. You sound like a jack of all [racing] trades. It's good to run into true enthusiats on the forums from time to time.

Blessings,

-Davide