Cal Club Autocross Forums

I put my green M3 up for sale with a website I created Monday night, and I had a cash offer tuesday evening, and it's now in the hands of the new owner. See: http://web.me.com/cpteague/Site/1997_BMW_M3_4.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I've had this car for over 11 years, and it was a lot of fun. It's going to someone local, but he isn't an Autocrosser. He has a 95 M3 already, and this one will be for his wife to drive.

My 16 year old daughter will be taking the driving test today, so soon she will be driving on her own (maybe tonight even!), so I need to drive my car everyday, and the M3 was more of part time car. I've got a new 135i on order. Mike and I can use that as a backup SM car!

Chris

Awwwww it'll be ok, she'll go to a good home.

Congrats on the 135, I think you should do a full STU build on it! }:)

Chris Teague wrote:Mike and I can use that as a backup SM car!

Will the new differential fit?

Mike Simanyi wrote:Will the new differential fit?

Sure. The Quaife unit will work fine in with the OE 3.08 gearset, or we can get one with the 3.46 from the automatic. Either way, the whole unit just bolts right in.

But don't you think we should wait for it to arrive before we order parts? :ibrightdea:

Congrats on the sale Chris. The E36 M3s are hard to sell in this economy but glad it sold. I just got a letter last week for a service recall from BMW for all E46 M3s (2002-2004) for SEL (Service Engine Light) that was smog related. Took it to South Bay BMW in Torrance and they gave me a loaner for the day. 3 choices: 328i, 335i, 128i. Only the 328i was free, the others were $10/day (still a great deal).

I chose the 1-Series to see what it was like. I was MIGHTY impressed with this little rocket. Has the feel and compactness of the E36 M3 but with almost enough power of the E46 M3. Narrower, slippery, and nice torque. And it looked sweet in Alpine White with black interior. You'll definitely enjoy it. And at the last BMWCCA auto-x, it is very very competitive. Can even match or beat E46/E92 M3s!

Sebastian Rios wrote:I think you should do a full STU build on it! }:)

That'd be pissing money away. The E36/E46 M3s couldn't keep up with the boost buggies, and although the 135i would do ok, it has no LSD (what were BMW thinking )

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:

Sebastian Rios wrote:I think you should do a full STU build on it! }:)

That'd be pissing money away. The E36/E46 M3s couldn't keep up with the boost buggies, and although the 135i would do ok, it has no LSD (what were BMW thinking )

But you can add a real LSD in STU.

I was talking to Navid Kahangi at Wendover, he is planning to do a pretty extensive STU build on his 135, including a real LSD. I'm interested to see how it goes for him. Besides, the 135 is a boost buggy, so no more complaining about them!

Chris Teague wrote:

Mike Simanyi wrote:Will the new differential fit?

Sure. The Quaife unit will work fine in with the OE 3.08 gearset, or we can get one with the 3.46 from the automatic. Either way, the whole unit just bolts right in.

But don't you think we should wait for it to arrive before we order parts? :ibrightdea:

I thought the ring gears were welded to the diff case?

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:I chose the 1-Series to see what it was like. I was MIGHTY impressed with this little rocket. Has the feel and compactness of the E36 M3 but with almost enough power of the E46 M3. Narrower, slippery, and nice torque. And it looked sweet in Alpine White with black interior. You'll definitely enjoy it. And at the last BMWCCA auto-x, it is very very competitive. Can even match or beat E46/E92 M3s!

The 128 or the 135?

Sebastian Rios wrote:But you can add a real LSD in STU.

Yes you can. Turner Motorsports sells one --> OS Giken Limited Slip Differential Unit for E82 135i & E90/E92 335i (LSD) for about $4,000!!!
For a fun building experiment, yeah it'd be fun to see an STU build, if you've got money.

Kurt Rahn wrote:

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:I chose the 1-Series to see what it was like. I was MIGHTY impressed with this little rocket. Has the feel and compactness of the E36 M3 but with almost enough power of the E46 M3. Narrower, slippery, and nice torque. And it looked sweet in Alpine White with black interior. You'll definitely enjoy it. And at the last BMWCCA auto-x, it is very very competitive. Can even match or beat E46/E92 M3s!

The 128 or the 135?

It was the 128i.

Steve Ekstrand wrote:I thought the ring gears were welded to the diff case?

You are CORRECT Herr Ekstrand. See my URL to the Turner Motorsport LSD. They have 3 asterisks next to optional LSD, and if you read the notes you'll see WHY it costs $4k!

Steve Ekstrand wrote:
I thought the ring gears were welded to the diff case?

Steve,

They are. The "bolt-in" unit I was talking about is the whole diff case. You can buy the complete unit from Turner or HP Autowerks. It's very expensive thought. For now I'll make due with the electronic version.

The 135i is a fun car. You shift to second and the thing just takes off. My bro has one and my Dad is trading in the 08 M3 for one today.


(Steve no more M3 I am very )

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:It was the 128i.

Huh...I never figured the 128 for that fast a car. I might have to test drive one.

Sebastian Rios wrote:

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:

Sebastian Rios wrote:I think you should do a full STU build on it! }:)

That'd be pissing money away. The E36/E46 M3s couldn't keep up with the boost buggies, and although the 135i would do ok, it has no LSD (what were BMW thinking )

But you can add a real LSD in STU.

I was talking to Navid Kahangi at Wendover, he is planning to do a pretty extensive STU build on his 135, including a real LSD. I'm interested to see how it goes for him. Besides, the 135 is a boost buggy, so no more complaining about them!

Did he give you a reason for not continuing in DS with it, I was thinking it would be a great DS, But it didn't do as well as i thought it would have at the ,SD tour.

Tom Denham wrote: Did he give you a reason for not continuing in DS with it, I was thinking it would be a great DS, But it didn't do as well as i thought it would have at the ,SD tour.

Because it went through a set of new Hoosiers in 12 runs!

Kurt Rahn wrote:

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:It was the 128i.

Huh...I never figured the 128 for that fast a car. I might have to test drive one.

It is actually pretty fast. But for the price I would just spend the little extra and get the 135.

Max Hayter wrote:

Tom Denham wrote: Did he give you a reason for not continuing in DS with it, I was thinking it would be a great DS, But it didn't do as well as i thought it would have at the ,SD tour.

Because it went through a set of new Hoosiers in 12 runs!

Max Hayter wrote:

Tom Denham wrote: Did he give you a reason for not continuing in DS with it, I was thinking it would be a great DS, But it didn't do as well as i thought it would have at the ,SD tour.

Because it went through a set of new Hoosiers in 12 runs!

Sounds like he needs more camber. I'd suggest 3.5 degrees.

That lack of front camber is a big limitation in stock form...

Before anybody builds a 135/335 I would get an explicit clarification from the SEB that it is legal to swap the whole diff.

It is my understanding that turner is using first year 335 diff cases that did not have the ring gear welded in. Later 335's and all 135's have the same components (though I don't know if the part numbers match) but added the weld for some reason.

There would be no issue in an early first year 335 that didn't have the weld-in ring gear.

The 135/335 for STU would be a very expensive build and worthless without a real LSD. I think we need a tech bulletin on this.... Cough Cough---Mike!

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:

Kurt Rahn wrote:

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:I chose the 1-Series to see what it was like. I was MIGHTY impressed with this little rocket. Has the feel and compactness of the E36 M3 but with almost enough power of the E46 M3. Narrower, slippery, and nice torque. And it looked sweet in Alpine White with black interior. You'll definitely enjoy it. And at the last BMWCCA auto-x, it is very very competitive. Can even match or beat E46/E92 M3s!

The 128 or the 135?

It was the 128i.

So a 128 beat the M3s at the last BMWCCA AX? I thought it was a 135 on Nitto R compounds.

Then again a stock 100K mi 330Ci beat all the E92 M3s too, including an instuctor in a e46M3. }:) (Isely hat on )

Richard Jung wrote:

Giovanni Jaramillo wrote:It was the 128i.

So a 128 beat the M3s at the last BMWCCA AX? I thought it was a 135 on Nitto R compounds.

Then again a stock 100K mi 330Ci beat all the E92 M3s too, including an instuctor in a e46M3. }:) (Isely hat on )

No what I was saying is the my "loaner" car was a 128i. As for the driver in the 1-Series, that was a 135i and yes it's lighter and enough torque for our long courses that it can get our heavier E46/92 M3s. Here are class results. Yes you enjoy your victory Richard....for now!:) But the course was fast but car just has way to much sway for me to get on the gas early, else I oversteer. And you even got the winner in M-Stock in an E92 M3.

And I want a rematch! Next event is Sunday, August 9th! Be there!

Tadd Ekstrand wrote:The 135i is a fun car. You shift to second and the thing just takes off. My bro has one and my Dad is trading in the 08 M3 for one today.


(Steve no more M3 I am very )

Wow.. trading 08 M3 for 135i? That good?

Jack-

Its a better trade than when he turned in the M6 for the 328i....
He did that one by choice.... Summer gas mileage spike.

He gets a new Bimmer ever few months. And he gets to try out about everything as they are available. The M3 was in the corporate fleet as a learning car for techs here. Dad put mileage on it so it could be sold used. Errr .... Tadd put mileage on it???