E36 Upgrades?

[anxious]

This is a anor good answer I got from anorher forum:-

Hi,
I am from Malaysia and enjoy reading BMW Car magazine.
My car is pretty much stock standard.
see http://www.bmwe36blog.com/2007/11/27...tter/#comments
I got the car in April 2007. The first few months of my ownership was very traumatic.
see http://www.bmwclubmalaysia.com/forum...ad.php?t=12081
I am currently enjoying my ride. Since I have decided to keep my car for anor 3 years or so, I was wondering what kind of upgrades can I do?
I have decided to get 16" or 17" rims but since my tires are still very new, I may only change the rims sometime next year. Anyway I am on the lookout for a good deal.
I shall be servicing my car in a couple of months.
(i)Thinking of iridium apark plugs. Some swear by them others say its snake oil, what do you guys think?
I understand that a set of 6 Iridium plugs cost RM250. The normal plugs cost me RM60. Are the plugs really better or do they only last longer?
I've tried them in the past. I didn't notice any difference. You'd have to have a highly tuned turbo engine for them to have any effect IMO.
(ii)KNN drop in filter, another hotly debated topic.
Again, tried K&N and others. Apart from a slight change in exhaust note and perhaps a 'little' more free revving (and I mean little), I don't think they're worth it. One of them I bought ended up putting a puddle of oil in my air box, not good for the MAF.
(iii)Suspension, well my absorbers are new Bilstein Black so Eibach spring + Yellow Bilsteins are out for now (maybe I;ll try them on my next car.)
Suspension is difficult to judge, what is soft for some is hard for others. Trial and error, really.
(iv)What abt Eibach Anti Roll Bar Kit vs MTECH/M3 Anti Roll Bar?
How does it suit standard absorbers?
Not tried this, so can't comment.
(v) What about strut bars?
Tried these as well, again, not convinced their worth the money. Very few of them actually work anyway. Other than looking nice, they won't really help a modern BMW, which is a pretty rigid car anyway.
I would appreciate your comments/input,which would not onlly benefit me but also all who read this forum.
My advice would be to spend money keeping the car in tip top condition, replacing any suspension bushes etc that need doing. I've found cars often feel better after some replacement of worn parts than they do after 'peformance mods'.
If you are going for mods, do it with your eyes open, don't expect huge gains but more for cosmetic enhancement or driver 'feel'. Don't go over 17" rims for the E36, unless the roads are very very good, as the suspension generally doesn't like 18"+.

Thanks.

Hi,
My thoughts are above in red.

 

[chairoger]

Whoa! I like what this Defector guy said especially in the last paragraph. Echoes my sentiment exactly. Better keep the RM2k for rainy days of the E36 cause its not a lot! Just suspension change (bushes,lower arm, ball joints,shocks and springs) can easily cost more than that. Good luck!

 

[loafer]

There u have it..

This is what you want to look like when u "grow up"..

Tmn Tun Esso car wash?

Nicely done E36 though. Beautiful.

 

[anxious]

Whoa! I like what this Defector guy said especially in the last paragraph. Echoes my sentiment exactly. Better keep the RM2k for rainy days of the E36 cause its not a lot! Just suspension change (bushes,lower arm, ball joints,shocks and springs) can easily cost more than that. Good luck!

As I said that is the rational thing to do but to most of my friends me getting a 12 year old BMW was pretty irrational. Spending RM800 on the armrest alone was mind boggling to them.

To them the RM60k+ I spent last year in buying and restoring a car could have been spent on as a downpayment on a Camry or Accord. Just pump petrol and drive...without any worries. It takes you from point A to B.

But then again they are not guys who spend their spare time reading car forums like us.

But I do agree that Defector's comments were pretty much spot on. I have done some of the bushes,the ball joint and shocks. Everything else seems to be fine for now.

Most of us are constantly thinking of how to make our rides better. I am tired of the worrying I went through last year.

Anyway we'll see how it goes.