Anyone else like their car "as is"?

[okusa]

I LOVE my car "as is" in its current form.

[M3 n X5M]

It is natural to mod: either to add an individual characteristic or to increase a performance parameter.
These changes to a base BMW car are the origin of an M car. The stock M car comes with careful considerations for reliability, refinement and longevity.

We can add more power, more sound, more looks. However, some mods will sacrifice functionality, longevity, refinement and reliability and this is a deterioration of the M form.

I have done mods to previous cars and most were regrettable. Lots of time on a lift fixing mods that failed. Suspension swap outs after failure in shocks... Back to stock due to overly loud exhausts. What a damn headache. It is like going to court after a speeding ticket. It all became a waste of time and money.

After all that mess, I prefer my cars OEM. So far, the only mod was to replace the 220 M wheels with 359 ZCP on the e90. The X5M has a muffler for sound, and I already forgot the name brand. It was dirt cheap. Now, I am thinking of going back to stock. The stock sounds way more refined.

[LarThaL]

Originally Posted by Beemdog

Man, some guys lead exciting lives, sounds like living a rap lyric. The only risk in my 'hood is getting yelled at to "Slow Down" by some neighborhood watcher in her tennis outfit (while I drive by at 25.1 MPH).

I agree with you mostly. The M3 is close to perfection out of the box. It needs nothing done in terms of mods. By that I mean that there is nothing that is deficient, a full bore track machine notwithstanding.

I am in the OEM+ camp with my ZCP 6-speed M3. M Performance grilles, splitters, spoiler, pedals, GTS door sills, spacers, MPE, painted reflectors & side gills, Lux angel eyes, AA green air filter. That's it. As you can see, this is mostly all cosmetic tweaking.

In actuality, while you certainly can mod an M3, I don't feel it is a particularly good modding platform. The bang for the buck just isn't there in terms of improvement. And remember, if you ever go to trade your car, mods will actually hurt the value. When selling, certain mods can make it harder to sell as well.

On the other hand, my Audi S6 is a phenomenal modding platform. A $1400 ECU tune gives you an extra 100hp and 120lb-ft that you can actually get to the ground with AWD. A $1400 plug-and-play air suspension module gives you a fully adjustable lowered suspension that transforms handling and yet can be completely removed in literally 5 minutes. There is plenty of room to go with more aggressive wheels/tires with no worries about rubbing.

The S6 has minor deficiencies, and a few relatively inexpensive and easily reversible tweaks transforms the car. This is a what a good modding platform should be. The M3 really needs nothing done to it, especially the ZCP model.

[MKE_M3]

Originally Posted by Rupes

I have an Alpine White / Fox Red M3 which I just cannot seem to modify. I recently posted my conundrum with painted reflectors and ended up going back to the amber ones. "Heresy!" you may say, but I just liked it better.

I recently thought about tinting the windows. Again, I just couldn't do it, that red looks so nice I just want to show it off!

Even a seemingly simple mod like the $10 clutch stop that everyone's raving about just didn't feel quite right to me.

Wheels, suspension, brakes, etc., all feel like they work in harmony with the rest of the car.

Anyway, long story short...I really love this car just the way it is. Could it be possible that BMW did this car right without me needing to do anything to it? I know I'm very much in the minority, especially on these forums, but anyone else feel this way too?

I have a no-brainer modification. Get the European visors! I can't imagine you'd miss the giant warning labels. If so, then you've proven you have a serious problem.

[mercedesc63]

When I first bought the car I already decided that I didn't want any mods. Mods are expensive and mostly useless.

But in the first few months of owning it I somehow managed to spend mod money on it somehow on repairs. It felt like the car just wanted me to money into it for no reason. I had to buy a new undercarriage and the angel eyes went out so I had to buy some OEM angel eyes.

Also my car got vandalized and I was close to buying new trim but I was able to bend it back about into shape.

[Groundpilot]

I kept my m3 stock for 4 years, but i got bored with stock power , the way she looked, the way it handled on stock susp., so i did some changes and let me tell you, instead oh selling it i feel like i got a new car and fell in love with her all over again

[Sal@AUTOcouture]

Originally Posted by Groundpilot

I kept my m3 stock for 4 years, but i got bored with stock power , the way she looked, the way it handled on stock susp., so i did some changes and let me tell you, instead oh selling it i feel like i got a new car and fell in love with her all over again

Glad to hear that

[Groundpilot]

Originally Posted by Sal@AUTOcouture

Glad to hear that

I am glad i let your guys work on my car

[Sapper_M3]

I constantly play around with the idea of doing test pipes, a tune, coding, and maybe an aftermarket exhaust, but two things keep stopping me:

1) I worry about warranty work being denied by BMW should something happen to my car.

2) I always end up spending my money on tires, oil, brake fluid, and track day fees....

[FVM3]

stock is conservative ,always love modding

[radiantm3]

Originally Posted by LarThaL

I agree with you mostly. The M3 is close to perfection out of the box. It needs nothing done in terms of mods. By that I mean that there is nothing that is deficient, a full bore track machine notwithstanding.

I am in the OEM+ camp with my ZCP 6-speed M3. M Performance grilles, splitters, spoiler, pedals, GTS door sills, spacers, MPE, painted reflectors & side gills, Lux angel eyes, AA green air filter. That's it. As you can see, this is mostly all cosmetic tweaking.

In actuality, while you certainly can mod an M3, I don't feel it is a particularly good modding platform. The bang for the buck just isn't there in terms of improvement. And remember, if you ever go to trade your car, mods will actually hurt the value. When selling, certain mods can make it harder to sell as well.

On the other hand, my Audi S6 is a phenomenal modding platform. A $1400 ECU tune gives you an extra 100hp and 120lb-ft that you can actually get to the ground with AWD. A $1400 plug-and-play air suspension module gives you a fully adjustable lowered suspension that transforms handling and yet can be completely removed in literally 5 minutes. There is plenty of room to go with more aggressive wheels/tires with no worries about rubbing.

The S6 has minor deficiencies, and a few relatively inexpensive and easily reversible tweaks transforms the car. This is a what a good modding platform should be. The M3 really needs nothing done to it, especially the ZCP model.

You are just looking into the wrong mods. I've put a lot of time and money into performance mods and my car is so much more fun to drive than a stock m3 yet I spent almost nothing on power mods.

[mermar]

Originally Posted by ChrisF

I've been a serial modded for years but as I've gotten older, I've got less patience for non OE fit/finish/feel. I think the E92 is pretty damn close to perfect stock. Only mods for me are tint, black grills, angel eyes, + size Super Sports. 5 years ago, I'd have probably done super charger, suspension, etc. Not anymore.

Some like to personalize; some like to wrench and mod; some like to just drive the damn things. I'm now in the 3rd category

What size is ideal for + size super sports?

[Amirsm3]

I just bought a BMW M Performance alcantara wheel....does that still count as my car staying OEM+? lol

[Kurt_OH]

Originally Posted by mermar

What size is ideal for + size super sports?

I just put 295/30/19 PSS on the back. Initially had some rubbing but wore off the nub so all good now.

Gonna put 275 on the front next year.

[Carl L]

Originally Posted by gatorfast

I understand not wanting to change major things like suspension or exhaust, but painted reflectors? Come on. Also, I don't know how anyone can drive a car without tint. Besides the privacy it provides, it keeps the car so much cooler and really dims exterior ambient light.

Well said. The front reflectors aren't even proper M Gmbh, they're US DOT additions.

[MrPrena]

I am extremely happy with way it is (OEM). Only thing I did was a clutch stop.

(some one can disagree, but oh well. I am set)

rear military hat style spoiler- No, My E93 already is too heavy in the rear.
Rear Diffuser, outlets, step plane, side skirt- NO.
Engine mod- no
Brake upgrade- Strongly considering it distant future.

[Rupes]

Since I created this thread a few months ago I must admit to making a few changes. I swamped out the chrome grills / gills for the glossy black ones. Still rocking the amber reflectors though. I bought the white ones, but didn't feel they color matched just right and looked a bit like a pimple. By no means do I like the amber, but at least it looks functional (to me).

[kscarrol]

Come to the dark side...

[Petros]

Its easy to like the car as is at first, before you run into its limitations. The stock exhaust is mute, and that was fixed with the OEM exhaust sound. An afe air filter opens up the intake noise quite a bit. And when you go to the track, you will quickly notice the inadequacies of the brakes, the PSS tires, and the soft suspension. I quickly switched to AD08 tires instead. And I recently bought JRZ RS coilovers and an AP racing bbk. Next step might be solid subframe bushings and possibly a front lip with cooling ducts.

Oh and those front reflectors are ugly! Fortunately the previous owner of my car had them painted. I'm also beginning to hate those tacky chrome grills and exhaust tips. A matte black color might be in the cards next summer.

[Canuckistanian]

I bought my car with H&R Coilovers and Rays Strahlen wheels on it, as well as black kidneys and tint.

Since then I added painted reflectors and did the OEM exhaust mod yesterday (LOVE IT).

I don't think I'll be doing anything else to the car beyond minor cosmetic (pedals / side grills / exhaust tips). May even go back to the stock suspension. TBD.

Love it (almost) OEM.

[calidiplomat05]

My car has a few subtle cosmetic mods installed when I bought it and ZCP. I don't plan on modding it anymore and I like it "as-is"


Edit - Ok I lied, I might get an exhaust sometime down the road

[AdonM3]

I agree with you for the most part. I have an AW E90 with comp wheels and the combo looks perfect in my eyes. I like to leave my cars mostly stock but wheel gap bugs the crap out of me so If I do end up modding I'll only mess with the suspension.