Selling tuned N54 for stock M3?

[BimmerMan33]

Given that these cars are at least 11 yrs a old, I’d compromise color & options for one with good condition & timely maintenence history at a reasonable price..
Otherwise, EAG (Enthusiast Auto Group) in Cincinnati, Ohio is always open to provide you with the rarest colors/options & lowest mileage in excellent condition.., just don’t ask for the price.. Ha Ha

[Honda]

Originally Posted by ee90

Will do that for sure! Just need to find an owner that allows others to drive. Lots of people are scared to let a random test drive which I get, I never let anyone drive my cars either lol.

You are from Ottawa, ON. I am not sure I have seen many M3s while I am there. They are more common in Montreal or GTA area

[ee90]

Originally Posted by Honda

You are from Ottawa, ON. I am not sure I have seen many M3s there while I am there. They are more common in Montreal or GTA area

yeah none here unfortunately. Will need to travel to a dealership in Toronto or Montreal. Will be going to Toronto in May so I'm going to book a test drive then.

[neilum]

E9X M is fast enough plus the sound and character and throttle response of the S65 alone make this a no brainer step forward.


Unless you're looking to build a highway monster with 600 HP I'd choose the S65 all day. In fact I did, I had an n54 then graduated to an E9x a few years later and looking back it was a big step forward overall.

[Scharbag]

And if you want to liven things up, put a SC on the S65 - still revs to 8400 but just makes more power

[ee90]

Well, I found a fully spec'ed out E90 M3, but with 250k km. Worth it? I got him down to 21k CAD. I am ready to just send it tbh. The car is very very very well serviced and babied. Original owner. Full service history. Orginal rod bearings so I will be doing them asap. If I do get it.

[E92Bean]

Originally Posted by ee90

Well, I found a fully spec'ed out E90 M3, but with 250k km. Worth it? I got him down to 21k CAD. I am ready to just send it tbh. The car is very very very well serviced and babied. Original owner. Full service history. Orginal rod bearings so I will be doing them asap. If I do get it.

155k miles is decent, but many examples live at that mileage and well over. I’d do it!

[Brandoch]

Originally Posted by ee90

Well, I found a fully spec'ed out E90 M3, but with 250k km. Worth it? I got him down to 21k CAD. I am ready to just send it tbh. The car is very very very well serviced and babied. Original owner. Full service history. Orginal rod bearings so I will be doing them asap. If I do get it.

Did you drive it?

[ee90]

Originally Posted by Brandoch

Did you drive it?

Drove an E90 in Toronto, and yes I need one lol. Have not driven this one though still arranging that.

[Scrippy]

I transitioned from a tuned 335 to M3. The low ends are vastly different. The M3 pulls all the way to 8400 RPM where the 335 falls on its face at 5k. On a track you will heat soak your tuned 335 but not the M3. The 335 will tram-line on freeway groves but the M3 doesn’t. The 335 will produce >650hp with only bolt ons but not the M3. The M3 costs more to make more power unless you leave the NA world. The sound from the S65 destroys any turbo blow offs or anything the N54 can produce. The N54 is silky smooth compared to the S65 sowing machine. The final nail in the coffin for the 335 are the wider hips and better esthetics of the M3.

Dragging car - I’d go 335 and surprise the fuck out of Corvettes and whatever else pulls up.

Track car - The M3 crushes the 335 easily by being more robust and able to take a flogging and for longer.

[Shrike360]

I think a lot of us had 335s before moving to the M3. Probably the best way to summarize it is that I owned 1 335i for ~1.5 years, and have totaled 7 years across 2 M3s. I do go against the grain here regarding dailying M3s; I think it is much better as a toy to tweak and play with on the weekend. It is high strung and wants open space. Sure, it can be a comfortable commuter, but it is basically automotive blue balls in those situations. For driving around town or to the office, I take my Cayenne almost every time over the M. This is a situation where the 335i actually shines. It's just a torquey, entry luxury sedan. Comfortable, very quick, easy to deal with.

But there is a reason I ditched the 335 so quickly. It drives and feels like a German entry luxury sedan with some boost shoved through it. Even with bolt ons, it always felt kind of... joyless. The first time I got into an M3, it instantly felt special. Then I drove it. Good lord, the S65 dominates the experience. Especially once opened up with a proper exhaust. Then you throw it into a corner at a speed the 335 would give up at, and it just dances through. The chassis feels so balanced, and the engine matches it perfectly, with minute precision through your right foot. You get to a straight. The 335, you basically sit there riding the torque curve. In the S65 you begin the chase to redline and listen to the engine sing. You don't even need to be going hard to enjoy the S65. It still feels glorious to sit between 4-6k, playing with the exhaust and intake. Regarding shear speed, with E85 out of the equation (and there is basically none in my area), I honestly think a FBO N54 and FBO S65 are evenly matched. Now you can throw a big turbo on the N54 and make a lot of power for cheap. But I don't think it makes it feel any more "special". And having watched a couple big power N54s at Shift Sector (including Wedge and Vargas), the big power cars always seem to have something wrong with them.

Regarding reliability, my M3s have all been effectively bullet proof. I think I've had a thermostat and O2 sensor go bad. I've done preventative maintenance like bearings and upgraded TAs, but those are one and done deals. My 335 was not horrible, but I also had a 535xi wagon. That was straight up the worst car I ever owned, in large part to the N54. So many little issues and gremlins... That car was far too mediocre to put up being that unreliable. The 958 Cayenne that replaced it is better in every single way.

[crypticc]

Do it

My post applies here too

https://www.m3post.com/forums/showpo...84&postcount=3

Originally Posted by crypticc

Not quite the same comparison but my short story might help


BMW 335i 07 plate from new
First COBB installation in UK (I self imported and uploaded my ROM to enable the install)
The torque is intoxicating.
I then got a Quaife LSD and Birds automotive "B2" aftermarket suspension and ARB.
The slightly flatter cornering offered by the ARB upgrades helps you to read the car and steer on the throttle quite easily. Much much better than stock and I'd imagine better than g series too, (even though latter has locking e-diff instead of the Quaife)


Shortly after that I purchased the M3 suspension arm aftermarket bits with the aim to put them on the 335i


Before installing them I thought again.

I bought my e92 M3.

No contest.

Yes a potentially faster fettled turbo might make you feel like a hero at the beginning of an on-ramp. But the M3 will make you feel better getting on it, through it, off it, and maybe go around again because, well, there's a few free roundabouts and some redline opportunities, so why not


Even if just trundling around town at 30mph it can be a nice experience. Not quite to the degree of my 993 where I don't even mind getting stuck in traffic it's that nice, but close.

And that's even before you get to "B" roads.

Do you have those where you are? The G series car is a bigger car and you might be surprised how busy a few cm on each side of the car can help a twisty road feel wider or narrower than you expect.


Cheers
Chris

[ee90]

Well, after some thinking I pulled the trigger. My newest purchase a manual 2011 E90 M3 finished in Silverstone II has about 250k km on it. High km but in very good shape, single owner.

Do not have the car as it is across the country I will be receiving it in 2 weeks.

Thank you to everyone for all your comments. Now the biggest hurdle is figuring out what brand rod bearing to use. Leaning towards BE bearings and ARP bolts but we shall see.

I also purchased a 4 post lift, meaning I will be keeping both the N54 and S65! The N54 will be my new daily/winter car. The M3 has never seen snow so I will be keeping it like that.

[PiZauL]

Congratulations!! BE and ARP bolts is the way to go. I'm having BE and BE-ARP bolt's (from what I gather these bolt's are just as good but a hair cheaper for a stock application) put in mine as we speak.

[ee90]

Originally Posted by PiZauL

Congratulations!! BE and ARP bolts is the way to go. I'm having BE and BE-ARP bolt's (from what I gather these bolt's are just as good but a hair cheaper for a stock application) put in mine as we speak.

Thanks! and yeah I have read that these seem to be the best. Will be talking to my local BMW shop before purchasing as there seems to be a lot of different opinions and options.