BMW 320d Sports - Limited Edition

[gameover]

btw my 320d is drifting left, not so obvious on city streets but quite obvious on the highway. Should I do the alignment at Auto Bavaria's service center or somewhere outside? AB salesperson said there's alignment "warranty" but as was mentioned here several times, AB's service isn't exactly up to par.

After one visit to AB's alignment plus 3 visits to MPS Auto in Sunway, the car still drifts to the left. In short no change from before when I went through the different workshops.

My concern is tire wear. I was with the guy at MPS when they did the alignment, all the numbers were green, nothing obviously wrong with them. MPS guy said that he can't push the wheels out any further to improve the alignment. Advice anyone?

 

[melvyn]

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Fellow N47D20 owners, have you guys ever noticed a puff of soot coming out of the exhaust when the car is thrown into full throttle. I was following behind my car when someone was test driving it, and I noticed the puff of soot from the exhaust. It only happens at the initial stage when the car is floored. Is this normal or it there something wrong with my car?

I suspect it is caused by the sudden increased flow from the exhaust, and consequently flushing out the settled carbon on the walls of the exhaust.

What do you guys think?

 

[docrayboy]

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Fellow N47D20 owners, have you guys ever noticed a puff of soot coming out of the exhaust when the car is thrown into full throttle. I was following behind my car when someone was test driving it, and I noticed the puff of soot from the exhaust. It only happens at the initial stage when the car is floored. Is this normal or it there something wrong with my car?

I suspect it is caused by the sudden increased flow from the exhaust, and consequently flushing out the settled carbon on the walls of the exhaust.

What do you guys think?

Yes there is actually and that's why there's a fine coat of soot lining the back bumper which needs regular wiping off. Maybe its because we don't have the particulate filter in Malaysian BMW diesel cars-its been removed because our diiesel is still not Euro 4 standard.

 

[Schwepps]

It's normal for a diesel engine melvyn. They produce less greenhouse gases but more smog pollutants. That's why they're banned from being sold in 5 US states: Massachusetts, Vermont, New York, Maine and California, and not popular in the rest of the country either.

Europeans have little choice but go diesel - the current price of gasoline in the UK is GBP1.20, close to RM6 per litre, and even higher in some parts of Europe. We're headed in that direction too.

 

[melvyn]

Thanks for the info guys.

With that in mind. I think its best not to reverse park our diesel cars against a white wall garage. Also, it might be better if we leave our ///M rear diffuser unpainted.

 

[melvyn]

Next topic...


What do you guys think is a good performance mod for our diesel engine cars?

 

[sunnypuan]

Next topic...


What do you guys think is a good performance mod for our diesel engine cars?

Melvyn, Check out this G-Power Performance ! You can get this from Imola from Jln Ampang...

135.090.010I G-POWER performance kit D-TRONIK III additional electronic module incl. adaptor cable
E90/91 320d with 177 hp and 350Nm, performance gain to approx. 214 hp (157kW) at 426Nm
-Including European G-POWER PERFORMANCE guarantee up to 3 years without mileage
limitation on the engine and gearbox .**

For this upgrade, I think you should also upgrade the intercooler and the fan from BMW Performances Parts of which you can order it through Stuttgart in Tmn Mayang.... Happy Modding !

Cheers

 

[gameover]

Question is how will the auto gearbox handle the extra torque and hp or are we looking at replacing the gearbox 2 years down the road?

 

[melvyn]

Melvyn, Check out this G-Power Performance ! You can get this from Imola from Jln Ampang...

135.090.010I G-POWER performance kit D-TRONIK III additional electronic module incl. adaptor cable
E90/91 320d with 177 hp and 350Nm, performance gain to approx. 214 hp (157kW) at 426Nm
-Including European G-POWER PERFORMANCE guarantee up to 3 years without mileage
limitation on the engine and gearbox .**

For this upgrade, I think you should also upgrade the intercooler and the fan from BMW Performances Parts of which you can order it through Stuttgart in Tmn Mayang.... Happy Modding !

Cheers

I've already done this... I have the ACS ECU piggyback, K&N Ram air intake, Custom cat-back exhaust.

What else can I do to get that extra oomph?

Considered going on a diet, but there isn't much in the car that I can do without...

 

[supergripen]

I've already done this... I have the ACS ECU piggyback, K&N Ram air intake, Custom cat-back exhaust.

What else can I do to get that extra oomph?

Considered going on a diet, but there isn't much in the car that I can do without...

Are u getting those figures already? On Euro2M? If I'm not mistaken,those figures are based on the latest Euro diesel rating.

One thing u gotta watch out..the turbo manifold is a weakpoint when u chip the 20d.Look it up.U should upgrade ur cooling system and also the intercooler.

I'm thinking of remapping my car as well but I'm not taking any chances,first need to get additional oil cooler and also upgrade the intercooler.Take it slow,one step at a time.

 

[melvyn]

Are u getting those figures already? On Euro2M? If I'm not mistaken,those figures are based on the latest Euro diesel rating.

One thing u gotta watch out..the turbo manifold is a weakpoint when u chip the 20d.Look it up.U should upgrade ur cooling system and also the intercooler.

I'm thinking of remapping my car as well but I'm not taking any chances,first need to get additional oil cooler and also upgrade the intercooler.Take it slow,one step at a time.

After all the mods, the car is only giving a bit over 170Whp. Assuming I lost 30hp in the transmission, I think at the flywheels is about 200hp. We can't obtain the claimed hp gains with our current fuel quality.

I have done my homework prior to modifying the car, the intercooler is OK. I will only need to upgrade the intercooler if I drastically increase the boost, ie: turbo up-sizing. The manifold is one of the minor concerns, but since the car is brand new, I don't think its a major concern right now.

 

[melvyn]

As much as I love the fuel economy of a diesel engine, I often wondered if I should have bought a different car instead. All this extra mods are going to put a hole in my pocket. A set of good coil-overs is upwards of RM$4k. Rims and tires cost me over RM$15k. Strut-brace is another RM$2k. Not to mention performance brake pads, sway-bars, engine mods, etc.

Why aren't there any interesting daily drive cars bellow RM$400k? (Don't expect an answer for this)

 

[Schwepps]

The only way is to live in the US, Australia or the Middle East where cars are cheap and fuel is cheap. Live anywhere else and cars are cheap but fuel is expensive, or vice versa. I've just spent a few weeks in the US where a great car is only US$40k, the choice is awesome, and fuel is the same price as here.

 

[supergripen]

After all the mods, the car is only giving a bit over 170Whp. Assuming I lost 30hp in the transmission, I think at the flywheels is about 200hp. We can't obtain the claimed hp gains with our current fuel quality.

I have done my homework prior to modifying the car, the intercooler is OK. I will only need to upgrade the intercooler if I drastically increase the boost, ie: turbo up-sizing. The manifold is one of the minor concerns, but since the car is brand new, I don't think its a major concern right now.

Parasitic loss of RWD cars is 15-20%,theoretically.

Do u know what ur boost is now compared to the standard factory setting? Cuz most of ur power increase comes from upping the boost over standard.Anyways,I hope u've done a thorough enough study for the sake of longevity cuz the damage can be pretty costly if not done right.

 

[melvyn]

The only way is to live in the US, Australia or the Middle East where cars are cheap and fuel is cheap. Live anywhere else and cars are cheap but fuel is expensive, or vice versa. I've just spent a few weeks in the US where a great car is only US$40k, the choice is awesome, and fuel is the same price as here.

I actually grew up in Australia, and I for one can tell you Australia is not a place for sports cars. The speed limit is very strict, you could lose your license for driving a little bit over the speed limit. Unlike Malaysia, my beloved home, where everything is "flexible". There is no point in having cheaper cars and lower fuel cost when your right foot isn't allowed to stretch.

 

[Schwepps]

Very true about Oz, melvyn It's the same in the US too, although I found that people were still driving at 140-160 on the freeways and didn't stick to speed limits on B-roads either. They're more strict with driving under the influence than speed limits.

"Where everything is flexible" is the cause of much that's gone wrong, including potholed roads and high duties on non-national cars. Think about it...

 

[supergripen]

The US and Germany is the place to be if u love cars.

I'm sure there are places where u can unleash ur car's full ability,especially in the US and Germany.Enthusiasts there are just spoilt for choice,be it cars,tuning or racetracks and in Germany,there's the autobahn of course.

I'd probably have the Panamera Turbo for my family car.Car for fun,wow..there's just too many to name.

 

[melvyn]

Very true about Oz, melvyn It's the same in the US too, although I found that people were still driving at 140-160 on the freeways and didn't stick to speed limits on B-roads either. They're more strict with driving under the influence than speed limits.

"Where everything is flexible" is the cause of much that's gone wrong, including potholed roads and high duties on non-national cars. Think about it...

Agreed. Some "flexibility" is always welcomed, but I guess there are always 2 sides to a coin. We some times get away with going over the speed limit, but we pay the price with the potholed roads during our daily commute.

 

[melvyn]

The US and Germany is the place to be if u love cars.

I'm sure there are places where u can unleash ur car's full ability,especially in the US and Germany.Enthusiasts there are just spoilt for choice,be it cars,tuning or racetracks and in Germany,there's the autobahn of course.

I'd probably have the Panamera Turbo for my family car.Car for fun,wow..there's just too many to name.

I don't know about USA, but I've had some experience in Germany before. The market may be offered a range of choices, but only the truly well-off can afford to enjoy them. The standard of living is actually rather high, a large portion of income is taxed by the government and health insurance is considered a necessity by those who can afford it; hence most of the aftermarket mods are targeted towards higher end cars. Unlike in Asia where most mods are for the low and mid end cars.

Btw, after you have spent a few months in Germany, the Autobahn isn't all that much different from most highways around the world. Sure the commuters have better road discipline, but driving fast on a straight road isn't that much of a challenge.

 

[melvyn]

Any ideas on what else is doable to improve our E90s' performance? Suspension and structure work is being taken care of, but still need a bit more power... Looking for mods that hopefully won't cost an arm and a leg.