Looking to get a Z4 3.0 si roadster + mod it

[Bing]

You can still get a cheaper M, but you'll be looking at higher mileage and need to be wary of buying a dog. £14k is not silly money for the right one, given what you're getting if you choose wisely.

I'm a bit confused though. You say the M is a 'hassle' and a 'headache'... But why do you think this ?

 

[GuidoK]

MAybe save up and go for an e89 35i/is.

With the turbo 'umph' you'll get an easier impression that it's fast with all the midrange torque. NA you have to work to get it fast

Tuning a n52 and getting real gains is pretty much unchartered territory.
If you look around you can find engines that do put out 300bhp, but that involves new (independent) throttle bodies, aftermarket/stand alone ecu, porting the head or cams....
Things that cost thousends....each
As of now I still havent seen a completed and tested consumer build of ESS new superchargerkit so that is also a guinneapig situation

 

[londonbmw]

I found with my 3.0Si the poke is there you just have to work it that bit more around the rev range to feel it kicking in .
tbh i found it more than quick if you wanted it to be , mine was a auto & in sport mode if i floored it there was no concern about being underwhelmed

It's seemed very lazy from 4k rpm onwards. Between 0-4k I was quite impressed tbh. Very responsive. Trust me I drove it hard the whole time.

Maybe a remap would solve it. It just seems quite flat for half the rev range. And need a sportier exhaust on there too. And some tighter suspension.

 

[ba3bas]

The 3.0si will match pace with an E46 m3

Z4m is csl fast

Nothing underwhelming about the 3.0si

Sport button sorts out throttle response and is what you need when pushing on.
Leave it off for normal driving

 

[Marlon]

The 3.0si will match pace with an E46 m3

Z4m is csl fast

Nothing underwhelming about the 3.0si

Sport button sorts out throttle response and is what you need when pushing on.
Leave it off for normal driving

+1

 

[Raj_UK]

Agree with others. Sports button makes a world of difference. Contrary to your experience though I find things really hot up further up the rev range.

 

[Z4M-2006]

A 3.0 si will not keep pace with an E46 M3...

Op.... surely you understand why the M is worth more,you have had M3's.....They are not the same price as a 330 are they ?
The Z4M is doesnt rot or have chassis problems,but shares the drivetrain...so if you have had pains with that in your M3's then i guess you would be cautious..

The 3.0si doesnt feel very quick but it covers the ground very well....The power id very linear..

You are in a quandry......You cant have your cake and hapenny,you will have to compromise on something.

 

[ba3bas]

A 3.0 si will not keep pace with an E46 M3...

/quote]

Yes it does...

Done plenty of runs to test this

M3 with and without ggsteel airbox and csl software with ss exhaust

But its fine you dont agree.

 

[Z4M-2006]

No problem..

I know the 3.0si i had wouldnt have kept pace with an M3.... Hardly suprising being 80 + bhp down,and official stats dont seem to be very equal either...

Is yours modded then ?

I assume it is if it can keep with a modded and mapped S54 engined M3 ?

 

[Beedub]

i love the 3.0si engine, i once owned a new 130msport and i actually loved that car and had one of the best drives of my life with it, the engine was absolutely a peach, i remember test driving a new z4mc at the time and decided the ///M was where i wanted to go, then for a touch more i was able to get a silver sub 1k mile roadster and the rest was history ! I can honestly say however it took "proper" driving to see the much bigger benefits of the s54 and still to this day i LOVe the 3.0si, its one of the best engines I've had the pleasure to own and enjoy. It wouldnt surprise me if a well driven z4 3.0si is quicker than alot would expect.

 

[Smartbear]

No problem..

I know the 3.0si i had wouldnt have kept pace with an M3.... Hardly suprising being 80 + bhp down,and official stats dont seem to be very equal either...

Is yours modded then ?

I assume it is if it can keep with a modded and mapped S54 engined M3 ?

It's more like a 70bhp difference isn't it? (265hp vs 335hp) plus isn't the z4 lighter than an m3?
As you must know, weight affects performance so this would make a 3.0si compare more favourably to an m3.
Regards

 

[ba3bas]

No problem..

I know the 3.0si i had wouldnt have kept pace with an M3.... Hardly suprising being 80 + bhp down,and official stats dont seem to be very equal either...

Is yours modded then ?

I assume it is if it can keep with a modded and mapped S54 engined M3 ?

Bmc air filter and custom intelligently made exhaust but not modded with anything special.

Just well serviced, good tyres and sorted chassis and suspension and kept healthy.
The Z is lighter and that makes up the difference along with how smoothly it delivers the power.

If you tried to keep up with an m3 you would have. It literally is neck and neck.
Plenty would argue otherwise and its not a debate. Purely for the OPs benefit.

I am also not encouraging anyone to go and start racing m3s

Find a friend or friends and private stretch of road/track

 

[Z4M-2006]

I thought M3's where rated at 343 bhp?

82bhp difference?

E46 M3 216 bhp per ton 1565kg
E85 3.0si 186bhp per ton 1408kg

Think your mate needs to learn how to drive a bit..

 

[srhutch]

I presume we are not talking straight line speed. If not then a 3.0si and even a 2.5si could keep up with an M3 depending on a number of factors. When I had my 2.5si I used to bump into a 3.0si coupe some nights and no matter which one of us was up front you couldn't shake the one behind.

 

[sk93]

E46 M3
BHP: 338bhp
Torque: 269lb:ft
Curb Weight: 1549kg
BHP Per Ton: 222
0-60::5.1
1/4 Mile Time: 13.13
1/4 Mile Speed: 109

E85 3.0si
BHP: 261bhp
Torque: 232lb:ft
Curb Weight: 1400kg
BHP Per Ton: 192
0-60::5.7
1/4 Mile Time: 13.78
1/4 Mile Speed: 103

About half a second slower in a 1/4 mile drag.. don't think you'd notice that on A roads at all.
Straight line, flat road, dry conditions, the M3 would pull away slightly.. but any other condition, I don't think you'd see it tbh.

 

[ba3bas]

I thought M3's where rated at 343 bhp?

82bhp difference?

E46 M3 216 bhp per ton 1565kg
E85 3.0si 186bhp per ton 1408kg

Think your mate needs to learn how to drive a bit..

And you should put your spreadsheet away and get out and play

 

[AndyBeech]

If you don't want the potential hassle of an M engine then deffo go for the 3.0si. Part of me wish I'd kept mine sometimes, cheaper to run, less to potentially go horribly wrong and less expensive if it does. On top of that your not a million miles off M performance in any case, without the potential headaches you talk of. As I've seen of you on Cutters mate, M ownership can be rollercoaster, so if you want a compromise the 3.0si is the way to go without a doubt.

 

[NeilP]

I thought M3's where rated at 343 bhp?

82bhp difference?

E46 M3 216 bhp per ton 1565kg
E85 3.0si 186bhp per ton 1408kg

Think your mate needs to learn how to drive a bit..

And you should put your spreadsheet away and get out and play

Nothing wrong with spreadsheets.

 

[Z4M-2006]

I thought M3's where rated at 343 bhp?

82bhp difference?

E46 M3 216 bhp per ton 1565kg
E85 3.0si 186bhp per ton 1408kg

Think your mate needs to learn how to drive a bit..

And you should put your spreadsheet away and get out and play

Oh dear...





Stats are stats i guess..... from the ones i am reading the M3 does 100 in 12.5secs,the Z4 3.0 in 14 secs....

The guys on here that have done santa pod in their 3.0's arent hitting 100mph on the 1/4 mile and done around 14 secs on there very best runs..


That said,3.0 owners have the fastest 3.0's out there...

 

[sk93]

I thought M3's where rated at 343 bhp?

82bhp difference?

E46 M3 216 bhp per ton 1565kg
E85 3.0si 186bhp per ton 1408kg

Think your mate needs to learn how to drive a bit..

And you should put your spreadsheet away and get out and play

Oh dear...





Stats are stats i guess..... from the ones i am reading the M3 does 100 in 11.5secs,the Z4 3.0 in 14 secs....

The guys on here that have done santa pod in their 3.0's arent hitting 100mph on the 1/4 mile and done around 14 secs on there very best runs..


That said,3.0 owners have the fastest 3.0's out there...

I've personally hit 96 over a quarter with a mid 14s time.. in a standard 3.0i
With the extra bhp, just 4mph more is achievable in a 3.0si...

14s and sub-100 on the very best run for a 3.0 sounds very much like a 3.0i - not the 3.0si...
else they're not experienced drag runners. (no offense meant by that, it takes a lot of practice to get off the line right, getting the changes just right, etc etc)