Opions needed on MAJOR mods and upgrades!

[loftygoals]

I picked up a 1994 525i a few months ago for a song. I’ve been using it as a daily driver. To my surprise I’ve fallen head over heels for this car.

I’ve decided I want more out of this car. I really should dump this 525i and get a 540i, but I really like the M50TU. (Yes, I know it will never be a quick car, but that’s not the point.) I would like to turn this green beast into a fun street and light use track car.

I’m going to give my self a budget of around $12k. I shudder when I think about spending $12k on a 12 year old car, but I doubt I could find a new car for $14k that I would like half as much. Besides it isn’t about the value, but rather the fun. I’m hoping to do most of the work myself. It should be an education experience.

Here’s my list of mods that I think I can pull off for the money:

Exterior:

• New paint – same color, but the original is fading and separating
• DTM style front lip (Cheap from BavAuto)
• Eyebrows
• 525td lower grill extensions
• Euro projectors with AE and HID kit
• M3 style lip spoiler
• M5 style mirrors
• Window tinting
• Euro projector fogs
• Euro clear corners (already have)
• Euro bumper trim (already have)

Wheels:

• 18” M Parallel replicas (I know they are heavy, but they look great)

Drive Train:

• UUC Stage II LTW Flywheel and M5 clutch
• Stainless steel clutch line
• Used LSD (3.46 or 3.64)
• Complete SSK from autosolutions.net

Engine:

• UUC Pulleys
• Custom CAI with heat shield
• Dinan Chip (Already have it from my 325i)

Brakes:

• Brembo slotted rotors
• Pagid Sport pads (Still deciding on pads)
• Stainless Steel brake lines

Suspension:

• Sachs Performance Suspension kit
• Eibach Sway Bars
• Cosmo Racing strut tower bar (I know it is cheap, but like I said, it’s cheap)

Interior:

• Sport seats
• 5 point harnesses
• New floor mats

So do you think it can be done? Is there any thing you would change?

Thanks for your feedback,
-bj

[loftygoals]

What if I increased my budget to $15k... could I pull off a turbo? A quick search pulled up this TSI kit on turbo-kits.com: http://www.turbo-kits.com/325_turbo_kits.html. It doesn't say it will work with a 525i, but I don't see why it wouldn't work with a little fabrication.

Thanks again,
-bj

[Scott H]

and work on one area at a time. leave time and space between each modification to appreciate and learn the effect they've had so that you can determine the next appropriate modification. doing things all at once makes it hard to understand exactly what you changed.

What if I increased my budget to $15k... could I pull off a turbo? A quick search pulled up this TSI kit on turbo-kits.com: http://www.turbo-kits.com/325_turbo_kits.html. It doesn't say it will work with a 525i, but I don't see why it wouldn't work with a little fabrication.

Thanks again,
-bj

[loftygoals]

and work on one area at a time. leave time and space between each modification to appreciate and learn the effect they've had so that you can determine the next appropriate modification. doing things all at once makes it hard to understand exactly what you changed.

I'm definitely going to do one thing at a time. The wife would never let me pull $15k out of savings to do it all at once. To be honest, I'll probably do the cosmetic stuff first. Only because my wife hates going anywhere in the car because of the ugly fading paint. My whole reason for this car origionally was to keep miles off my 2002 M Coupe.

-bj

[Jay 535i]

and work on one area at a time. leave time and space between each modification to appreciate and learn the effect they've had so that you can determine the next appropriate modification. doing things all at once makes it hard to understand exactly what you changed.

I concur.

Contact Jon K for getting the most out of the 2.5.

[Brandon J]

and work on one area at a time. leave time and space between each modification to appreciate and learn the effect they've had so that you can determine the next appropriate modification. doing things all at once makes it hard to understand exactly what you changed.

I agree too. One thing about doing the cosmetic stuff latter is that the body may suffer from damage while doing the other mods. I would say ditch the turbo and install an S50 or S52 with OBDI conversion. You basically just need the long block and an M3 performance chip. Then do the flywheel/M5 clutch upgrade. Going over 3.46LS diff is too short of gearing. So, 3.46 should be the choice, plus paired with an S50, you won't need a 3.64.

Then do suspension which looks good as listed. Wheels, eh, I do not like the replicas b/c they are heavy. ust look for the e38 used ones. Then the body cosmetic. Instead of a DTM style front lip, look into getting an M5 or M-tech front bumper cover. I know a few people who has had their DTM front lip get cracked as it sat too low, especially with the lowered suspension. I was never a fan of the eyebrows. Don't think they look good on an e34. You might want to look into shadowline for the trim and some side skirts.

[Scott H]

if you want to go out in a nice car, take hers or the M coupe.....that's what we do.

changing the suspension first will help you feel a bit closer to your M coupe and maybe help you keep it in the garage a bit more.

shocks, springs, sway bars

I'm definitely going to do one thing at a time. The wife would never let me pull $15k out of savings to do it all at once. To be honest, I'll probably do the cosmetic stuff first. Only because my wife hates going anywhere in the car because of the ugly fading paint. My whole reason for this car origionally was to keep miles off my 2002 M Coupe.

-bj

[Evan]

BJ, the project sounds like a lot of fun... but $12K seems like a lot of money to put into a 525. Look for a 94 or 95 540 with a straight body and good paint. You'll start with 286HP and a $200 D'Sylva chip will add 15-20 HP to that. You'll have heated seats and mirrors and traction control... better brakes.. brake ducts... and so on. Then add a suspension, wheels, and tires... you'll have a monster right there for $9K... you can then add a turbo or supercharger and go nutso

Does anyone agree or disagree with me? I'd like to hear feedback.

[Jay 535i]

BJ, the project sounds like a lot of fun... but $12K seems like a lot of money to put into a 525. Look for a 94 or 95 540 with a straight body and good paint. You'll start with 286HP and a $200 D'Sylva chip will add 15-20 HP to that. You'll have heated seats and mirrors and traction control... better brakes.. brake ducts... and so on. Then add a suspension, wheels, and tires... you'll have a monster right there for $9K... you can then add a turbo or supercharger and go nutso

Does anyone agree or disagree with me? I'd like to hear feedback.

I dunno. It depends on how he feels about his current car. He says he loves it and that he got it cheap. So it might be cheaper for him to bring it up to 540-performance levels rather than trade it in for a 540.

From that point on (i.e. going beyond 282bhp) the 2.5 may well be cheaper.

Also, any used E34 is going to come with problems. If he's already sorted his car's problems then I can understand why he doesn't want to start over with a 'new' used car.

[loftygoals]

BJ, the project sounds like a lot of fun... but $12K seems like a lot of money to put into a 525. Look for a 94 or 95 540 with a straight body and good paint. You'll start with 286HP and a $200 D'Sylva chip will add 15-20 HP to that. You'll have heated seats and mirrors and traction control... better brakes.. brake ducts... and so on. Then add a suspension, wheels, and tires... you'll have a monster right there for $9K... you can then add a turbo or supercharger and go nutso

Does anyone agree or disagree with me? I'd like to hear feedback.

Like I said in the initial post, I would make a lot more sense to pickup a 540, but then I don't get as much experience with the some of the upgrades. Besides the 540 weighs quite a bit more than a 525. And I'm looking to dump the stock seats and mirrors. Really for the cost of the project, I should just pickup a M5 and be done with it, but wheres the fun in that?

-bj