[ronnyek]

I come from a background of muscle cars like camaros and mustangs, as well as imports stis,evos,supras etc...

My move to BMW was for mainly because of what the 135i/n54 was... and that is a relatively affordable luxury sport. Its todays supra (not claiming it necessarily has the tuning potential of the 2jz).


Anyhow, I've got to say now that I am here... it seems like the tuning community, bmw enthusiasts etc IN GENERAL, are first most bmw enthusiasts, and then secondly performance and tuning.

I've seen some of the worst advice being given, and uneducated answers being given as fact.

I love my 135i but really finding the community lacking... any other converts feel the same way?

[corpsman]

No, not at all. Mustangs and camaros are fun when you're young. When you get a little older, it's time to get a more mature car. Of course one which will kick a$$.

[1HungryMan]

I have no idea what the original poster is saying? Anyone else?

[ronnyek]

I said, I love my 135i, I hate the community... seems like its not the typical pack of car guys that actually know what there talking about... just a rant tho nevermind me

[1HungryMan]

Originally Posted by ronnyek

I said, I love my 135i, I hate the community... seems like its not the typical pack of car guys that actually know what there talking about... just a rant tho nevermind me

Correct the misinformation rather than blanket insults.

[corpsman]

Originally Posted by ronnyek

I said, I love my 135i, I hate the community... seems like its not the typical pack of car guys that actually know what there talking about... just a rant tho nevermind me

196 posts??? It doesn't sound like you hate the community. If you did, come on 196??

[Dave Mac]

Originally Posted by 1HungryMan

Correct the misinformation rather than blanket insults.

Yes, correct the mis-information AND insult them, just like the NASIOC Forums, EvoM and VW Vortex.

The truith of the matter is that many BMW guys are not necessairly "car -guys", at least not yet. It takes time to develop a car board to develop the core "car-guy" posters.

Dave

[atr_hugo]

Some of us have been here for awhile - and some of us are actually car guys - hell if it's mechanical and well built . . . (cars, trains, bikes, planes, watches)

We do have a bunch of 'kids', some that are really clueless about cars (and they're some of our more vociferous posters). So we need to look to the informed to politely, tactfully, straighten things out.

And yes there are fanboiz - comes with the badge on the hood - hopefully we can broaden their horizons.

And that's about all I should say. (And probably too much ; -)

[ronnyek]

I agree I agree...while I think the frustration is people stating misinformation as fact, I also dont think that should come to bashing them, I was just frustrated.

Also, prices for these parts are way out of hand... but thats good, I'll just put my fabrication hookups to work, and start my own parts line.

[atr_hugo]

Yeah - parts prices and eventual maintenance will be a real pain.

Did you know that ol' Harry Miller used to use a foundry for his engine blocks in the east bay area, Berkley IIRC.

Indulge my passion for US racing cars for just a moment. Harry Miller came out of LA and rebuilt Wild Bill Burman's Peugeot engine in 1915 (the Peugeot GP car that won Indy in 1914 and had a DOHC valvetrain). Miller rebuilt it and used it as inspiration for his engines. Won a few Indy races with them in his cars.

But it was a 151 cu in marine engine that Miller made that is recognizable to most. That became the basis for the Offenhauser engine which dominated Indy up into the seventies. (Offenhauser was Miller's shop foreman and ended up purchasing the Miller works when Miller went into bankruptcy.)

http://www.harrymillerclub.com/

Thanks for putting up with this digression. ; -)

[Wolfpack]

I guess I am not sure what you mean by a "car guy" exactly.

I feel that I am a "car guy", but let's see if my definition meets anyone elses. I spend most of my valuable non-work time driving my cars to and from and on the tracks, instructing people in how to drive better, etc. When I want to make my car do something that it won't, like turn-in faster or exit a corner with more speed, I research and buy the parts, put them on the car and continue to work on the settings. I don't just modify a car for the sake of bragging about it, I want to be able to use what I change and I do it for me. To through parts at a car is uneducated in my opinion.

I spend other weekends cleaning and detailing the cars.

I sometimes hang out with friends and we talk cars, watch racing and wrench on them. I have no interest in sitting in a circle and drinking beer telling kill stories or street racing.

I want a car that will do everything well. Straigthtline speed means very little to me as a whole.

I am more concerned with what I can do with the car than what the car can theoretically do in a perfect world. Stats mean very little also.

Anyone else?

[ARES45]

Car-guy is a subjective term, though I could not and would not rebuild my engine, I love cars, car shopping, driving, etc. I guess that would make me more of an enthusiast. What I like best about this forum is you get opinions from people with different backgrounds, i.e. Economic, political, legal, mechanical, etc. Generally speaking, we all like/love cars though we carry with us varying experience and knowledge about cars.

[mbrunner]

I will agree with the original poster. There is good advice given on BMW forums but also a lot of uninformed nonsense to go along with it. I have never been in a car community where a lot of people do not and cannot wrench on their cars.I also find some enthusiasts come off with an elitest attitude but of course tis isnt true for everyone and is even true for other forums. I just tend to notice it more in the BMW world. it wont keep me away but the OP is not alone here.

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by ronnyek

I said, I love my 135i, I hate the community... seems like its not the typical pack of car guys that actually know what there talking about... just a rant tho nevermind me

Yeah, I know what you mean. I used to work at a shop that tuned RX7's and Supras, and a decent amount of the people knew what they were talking about on those forums that actually owned cars. Here it seems that it is more of a civic forum where many are childish and claiming things without any knowledge on tuning cars.

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by Dave Mac

Yes, correct the mis-information AND insult them, just like the NASIOC Forums, EvoM and VW Vortex.

The truith of the matter is that many BMW guys are not necessairly "car -guys", at least not yet. It takes time to develop a car board to develop the core "car-guy" posters.

Dave

X10000000
It seems like the older the car gets, the more true car enthusiast and tuners post. At least that's the way it seems to be in higher priced cars. (civic, 240sx, and many other cheap cars just get worse with clueless idiots who think they know everything post constantly)

[Dave Mac]

atr_hugo, rcracer_tx, ARES45, mbrunner, Wolfpack= car guys.

A car guy is an enthusiast. He can be a builder, driver, collector or a shower. They respect other cars and are not fanboys. They appreciate the form, function, construction and style of many cars. Car guys take care of their cars and they use them.

Is that a close enough description?

[adrean8j]

I agree that misinformation can be frustrating and misleading. I consider myself a car guy but also a "noob" to many of the details when it comes to engines and tuning. So what do I do to learn? I focus on the posts by guys like: WAY, atr_hugo, LarryN to name a few. The others...I take with a grain of salt. Another thing I am doing to "become" that car guy is educating myself. Within the last six months I have bought books and magazines that focus on details: Forced Induction Performance Tuning, Modern Engine Tuning (A. Graham Bell, Haynes Publishing), the Tech Tidbits Column from Road & Track to name a couple. Education is the best way to turn enthusiasts into so-called "real" car guys.

[Italteen3]

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

Yeah, I know what you mean. I used to work at a shop that tuned RX7's and Supras, and a decent amount of the people knew what they were talking about on those forums that actually owned cars. Here it seems that it is more of a civic forum where many are childish and claiming things without any knowledge on tuning cars.

Though I may not know as much as most of you I disagree with your comment comparing this forum to a civic forum. A civic forum common?!? It is no where near that bad, I actually like this place because the flaming is kept to a strict minimum and there are no "bro I beat this kid on a moped in my civic" kill stories allowed. :smile:

This is my first car forum being on as an actual owner of the make & model and I would not want to be anywhere else. The amount of knowledge I have gained about my car and engine from this forum is invaluable. Me having no previous experience with modifying cars this place is great. For some of you who have already gone well above what has been accomplished with our cars, with other cars of course, it might seem like repeating a grade in school but I think it is what's so great about the community. We get to watch our platform grow because of us. I am not saying this place is a perfect Mecca but it is a very helpful community filled with some great members.

[JKAWB]

I have found more useful information and non-assholes on this car site than on other sites i post/posted on. There is no real trash talking here, like when I was on srtforums.com. I don't see mustang/camaro/GTO/WRX/Honda/Acura/Evo fan boys on here constantly trolling. I am not a BMW fanboy as you are claiming everyone on this site is. I usually buy cars after I get informed on them and the hype excites me. This is my first BMW, maybe my last, who knows. But to generalize everyone on this site as being BMW fanboys and lacking knowledge, leads me to believe you are just as ignorant as any other "car guy" on the other forums.

[Evolved]

Originally Posted by ronnyek

I come from a background of muscle cars like camaros and mustangs, as well as imports stis,evos,supras etc...

My move to BMW was for mainly because of what the 135i/n54 was... and that is a relatively affordable luxury sport. Its todays supra (not claiming it necessarily has the tuning potential of the 2jz).


Anyhow, I've got to say now that I am here... it seems like the tuning community, bmw enthusiasts etc IN GENERAL, are first most bmw enthusiasts, and then secondly performance and tuning.

I've seen some of the worst advice being given, and uneducated answers being given as fact.

I love my 135i but really finding the community lacking... any other converts feel the same way?

Originally Posted by ronnyek

I said, I love my 135i, I hate the community... seems like its not the typical pack of car guys that actually know what there talking about... just a rant tho nevermind me

Originally Posted by mbrunner

I will agree with the original poster. There is good advice given on BMW forums but also a lot of uninformed nonsense to go along with it. I have never been in a car community where a lot of people do not and cannot wrench on their cars.I also find some enthusiasts come off with an elitest attitude but of course tis isnt true for everyone and is even true for other forums. I just tend to notice it more in the BMW world. it wont keep me away but the OP is not alone here.

Originally Posted by rcracer_tx

Yeah, I know what you mean. I used to work at a shop that tuned RX7's and Supras, and a decent amount of the people knew what they were talking about on those forums that actually owned cars. Here it seems that it is more of a civic forum where many are childish and claiming things without any knowledge on tuning cars.

Originally Posted by adrean8j

I agree that misinformation can be frustrating and misleading. I consider myself a car guy but also a "noob" to many of the details when it comes to engines and tuning. So what do I do to learn? I focus on the posts by guys like: WAY, atr_hugo, LarryN to name a few. The others...I take with a grain of salt. Another thing I am doing to "become" that car guy is educating myself. Within the last six months I have bought books and magazines that focus on details: Forced Induction Performance Tuning, Modern Engine Tuning (A. Graham Bell, Haynes Publishing), the Tech Tidbits Column from Road & Track to name a couple. Education is the best way to turn enthusiasts into so-called "real" car guys.

I agre with all of these. This site has become better though. When I first signed up it was a real mess.

There doesn't seem to be as much technical discussion here as there is on other sites.

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by adrean8j

I agree that misinformation can be frustrating and misleading. I consider myself a car guy but also a "noob" to many of the details when it comes to engines and tuning. So what do I do to learn? I focus on the posts by guys like: WAY, atr_hugo, LarryN to name a few. The others...I take with a grain of salt. Another thing I am doing to "become" that car guy is educating myself. Within the last six months I have bought books and magazines that focus on details: Forced Induction Performance Tuning, Modern Engine Tuning (A. Graham Bell, Haynes Publishing), the Tech Tidbits Column from Road & Track to name a couple. Education is the best way to turn enthusiasts into so-called "real" car guys.

We are not talking about members like you. You are asking legitimate questions and not posting the same questions that were answered 3 threads down. you have asked many questions that I was going to and have been a good contributing member to the forum. Nobody knows everything about a car, and it is fine to ask questions about things that haven't already been discussed.

[adrean8j]

^^^Yeah I did not really think you were...I just used that post to show anyone that THOUGHT they were the targets how NOT to become the target....LOL. Those books from Haynes Publishing are great reads though...even for old gearheads (the book was recommended in Road & Track and I went to Amazon and ordered it....its kinda like a Textbook from school but with the good stuff we are interested in!)