BMW and M Power Owners

Whoever drove that last must be very very short :eek: Look at the seat, it's almost on stilts it's so high up :D
 
Hahaha - I had a memory setting where the seat was at its highest but furthest back to help hoover under the front of it...maybe the owner was the same - or an oompa loompa
 
mrk said:
Hehe I can understand that. It is of course a big GT car with a V8, I can't think of a more usable V8 GT car that's as luxurious inside for that kind of money either. In before someone lists out a page full of compatible cars...
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Probably are better cars that do similar for a good price, but I love the 6, not many people like the looks of them but I think they're great, that's why I'm attracted to them
 
Will said:
Just curious as to what difference the CSL ECU makes? :)
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For quite a bit.

My car is early 2002 so it has the earlier MSS54 ECU, 2003ish cars at somepoint got the faster and larger memory MSS54HP ECU.

Then on the CSL version it has far more aggressive mapping, so on the regular M3 map, if ignition target cannot be hit it will retard timing by a whopping -2.0, whereas in the CSL it will hold ignition and only reduce if absolute necessary and then it will reduce by the amount it needs to reduce by and not just a number picked out the air.

The CSL map is also much better than the regular M3 map, come on how do you think they managed to take claimed PS from 343PS to 360PS, a lot of it was in the mapping as the only actual hardware changed were CSL air box, CSL cam (hardly any different though) and that is it. The exhaust is identical flow wise, all they changed on the CSL exhaust was the materials to make it lighter but flow characteristics are the same.

The CSL also used a map sensor and IAT sensor again to allow it to be more aggressive, faster reacting and giving better drivability, these are parts I shall be adding in when I do this conversion. In short I will have ultimate drivability, maybe upto 20BHP increase in lower areas of the rev range because no offence to the great remapping companies out there but BMW did a better job, top end I will probably gain nothing compared to my current Evolve map, maybe a bit less.

Once I am all up and running the car will go to Evolve for them to dyno as is, to compare the result from how it ran with their map and then they shall map the car to the standard M3 cams to see if they can improve it at all, then at a later date I shall add schrick 280/272 cams with map to match which should net a real 380-390BHP from the car. :)

But the CSL ECU I want really for drivability, the CSL's were a much better drive, it is hard to explain but in order of drivability:

1. Real CSL Map with CSL setup - AMAZING!
2. Stock M3 - Pretty epic!
3. CSL air box with Alpha-N map - Damn good, but the above two have better drivability.

Some people might say I am crazy as what I am doing (ECU Swap) will probably yield no more ponies to brag about in the pub but having better drivability such as smoother power delivery, quicker throttle response, absolute no hesitations anywhere no matter how much you floor it from low rpm's and gaining torque/power across the rev range is better than peak gains. Plus having an ECU that runs your engine essentially in realtime and is not being conservative because it is to slow to keep up, the benefits are great. Plus this kind of modification really adds value too. :)
 
Gibbo said:
Any members here who are experts at coding E46?
I've got an CSL ECU and will need it either putting in Virgin state or EWS disabled so car starts with it and then certain settings changed such as cruise control on, type of steering rack and DSC etc.
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Have you tried Enda? He's pretty clued up on ECU's so I would have thought he'd be able to do it.
 
I'd be surprised if you get 20bhp from a CSL map only. You'd get more from the CSL ECU and a custom remap.

EDIT - then again I'm just speculating.
 
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Looking at an F10 530d, SE or M-Sport. As someone who has never owned a BMW is there anything I should look out for in a used one and what sort of optional extras are *really* worth having?

I got hold of a 520d F11 demonstrator for a few days and was actually *really* surprised by the refinement and iDrive was excellent. Just would like to make sure I get the 6 cylinder diesel, or perhaps even a 528i/530i.
 
FirebarUK said:
Looking at an F10 530d, SE or M-Sport. As someone who has never owned a BMW is there anything I should look out for in a used one and what sort of optional extras are *really* worth having?
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On the SE, get the Dynamic Pack. It adds 19 inch wheels, Sport Seats, Sports steering wheel, anthracite headlining and high gloss shadowline - it's only missing the wheels, suspension and bodykit of the M Sport. It was popular in 2010 as it was the most 'sporty' option you could buy when the F10 first came out as the M Sport didn't follow until later.

It's a useful compromise as a decent spec 530d M Sport with sensible miles is the wrong side of £25k usually which for a 4 year old diesel 5 Series is just utterly barking mad. The price of these cars continues to amaze me.

You almost certainly won't find a 530i as almost none of them were sold. It was a curiously strange re-addition into the range in 2011 alongisde the new 2 litre 4 pot 528i which was more economical and faster.
 
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NVP said:
Has anyone driven a four pot petrol from BMW? How's it compare to the 6?
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The only one I've driven was a 2006 320i and it was crap. I'm really keen to try the 4 cylinder turbo engine but have not had the opportunity yet. They are quite hard to find used.

That said my experience of 4 cylinder turbos in general isnt that great, I have done about 5000 miles in 270bhp 2.0T Cadillac's and whilst the performance is great the refinement and engine note very much isn't.
 
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