[Calgary Agent]

Originally Posted by Reggie@MWDesign

ps. Jim, if you ever consider getting a new Bilstien Suspesion, and you want to sell the KW V3's i am your man!!!

Reggie - can't see that happening anytime soon

I read your other past about getting tagged on Glenmore after the shoot Sat afternoon. Laser? They've been all over Glenmore westbound the past 10 days .... caution is the operative word

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by Calgary Agent

Reggie - can't see that happening anytime soon

I read your other past about getting tagged on Glenmore after the shoot Sat afternoon. Laser? They've been all over Glenmore westbound the past 10 days .... caution is the operative word

Etown been on a big crackdown too. I wonder if it province wide.

Drive with caution everyone.

[grkmec]

Here is a pic of my car from this past weekend. My instructor is driving it in this picture:

http://www.tracktimephotos.com/large...7_WGI_INS_3905

[M4TW]

Hey Sparkyg I think a Dinan solution would be great, but I don't see it happening anytime soon since it would mean (I think) Dinan acquiring an xi test mule. It strikes me that Steve is one of these blokes who think that BMW's are (or should be) a) RW driven and b) come with sticks. So I can't see him throwing a suspension bone to us red-headed stepchildren of the BMW enthusiast community.

I definitely think the KW's are worth the hefty price tag as the difference is pretty dramatic.

grkmec, that is a great photo! But why be so honest and add that your instructor was driving? It's not as though anyone is going to recognize his helmet and call you out on it. Try, "hey guys here's a sweet shot of me laying some KW v3 smack down at the track with my 335xi!"

[sparkyg]

Good point Terry, I am sure Steve does consider us xi'ers bastard children. But that said, he is in sales and if he can sell prob. more xi stuff than just the std 335i stuff he'll make the change.

We still need Koni to step up to bat. That is our first obstacle. I did call Dinan and they have no problem getting xi mules so that is no prob. They have done E46 xi's too so there is a precedent.

We'll see next year. Maybe by then I'll be so pissed with my xi I'll get an Audi. An S4 or S5 would be nice and plus no turbo worry.

As time goes on I am am finding myself less enamoured with my car and its handling. Power is great but the handling is so truly bad, what the hell was BMW thinking.

There is a Audi dealership opening 5 min from my house, I'll be by there for sure for a S4/S5 drive.

I gotta lay down $3k more for suspension the car should have come with, well this is starting to get silly. Where does this end.

[jgalaxy]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

Good point Terry, I am sure Steve does consider us xi'ers bastard children. But that said, he is in sales and if he can sell prob. more xi stuff than just the std 335i stuff he'll make the change.

We still need Koni to step up to bat. That is our first obstacle. I did call Dinan and they have no problem getting xi mules so that is no prob. They have done E46 xi's too so there is a precedent.

We'll see next year. Maybe by then I'll be so pissed with my xi I'll get an Audi. An S4 or S5 would be nice and plus no turbo worry.

As time goes on I am am finding myself less enamoured with my car and its handling. Power is great but the handling is so truly bad, what the hell was BMW thinking.

There is a Audi dealership opening 5 min from my house, I'll be by there for sure for a S4/S5 drive.

I gotta lay down $3k more for suspension the car should have come with, well this is starting to get silly. Where does this end.

I feel the same. This will be my last BMW. I purchased the sport package thinking I'm going to get a sport suspension (payed I dont know how much more) and got drek. It's crazy having had to have spent $2700 to make my car safe to drive at speed.

[sparkyg]

+1 jg. I am disappointed too. I thought that this is a BMW, a drivers car, should be no need and plus they know how to build cars.

Wrong!

My TL wiht sport suspension was grossly superior. This is probably the worst handling vehicle that I have ever had. I expected so much more and I am very disappointed.

And how about that BMW Performance stuff, vapourware. What a joke, an effin steering wheel and suspension for 335i. F*ck half of all the 3 series sales in Cananda or more are xi's.

Brutal, truly brutal.

[M4TW]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

+1 jg. I am disappointed too. I thought that this is a BMW, a drivers car, should be no need and plus they know how to build cars.

Wrong!

My TL wiht sport suspension was grossly superior. This is probably the worst handling vehicle that I have ever had. I expected so much more and I am very disappointed.

And how about that BMW Performance stuff, vapourware. What a joke, an effin steering wheel and suspension for 335i. F*ck half of all the 3 series sales in Cananda or more are xi's.

Brutal, truly brutal.

Maybe the suspension is good for 4x4ing or especially good in winter.

I think that your Stage III set-up is amplifying a flaw in the stock suspension for you Glen. You can wait on Dinan or see what the spring brings, but dude you went premium everything with your car.

You may just be $3 grand short of perfection.

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by Sparkplug

Maybe the suspension is good for 4x4ing or especially good in winter.

I think that your Stage III set-up is amplifying a flaw in the stock suspension for you Glen. You can wait on Dinan or see what the spring brings, but dude you went premium everything with your car.

You may just be $3 grand short of perfection.

I just called Calg BMW to check the "upgrade" price on an M3.

That'll go one of 2 ways depending on the $$$ shock value.

Perhaps you are right Terry. All I know is the car seems to be getting worse as the car breaks in. I am at 8k km and it is getting looser and I am getting less confident in driving it hard. Truly disappointed. I expected a lot better from a BMW. We all deserve better for the $$ we paid.

[Calgary Agent]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

I just called Calg BMW to check the "upgrade" price on an M3.

That'll go one of 2 ways depending on the $$$ shock value.

Perhaps you are right Terry. All I know is the car seems to be getting worse as the car breaks in. I am at 8k km and it is getting looser and I am getting less confident in driving it hard. Truly disappointed. I expected a lot better from a BMW. We all deserve better for the $$ we paid.

Glenn - I'd have to agree with Terry. The only Xi I rode in since I installed new suspension was Terry's, and it didn't inspire confidence *bouncing sideways as we hit a dip on a high speed exit ramp*

My car is awesome now .... the cost is about $3K in Canada.

As far as the M3, likely our cars (even with extensive suspension mods) will never perform quite as well at the track *suspension-wise* but on the street / highway I'd put my car up against any stock M3. Doesn't mean I don't want an M3 .... problem is it would only be a summer drive for us.

Perhaps the S4 or S5 is the route to go ... ?

[sparkyg]

Perhaps Jim, we sure paid a lot of money for a car that needs a lot of help from aftermarket vendors.

If these were Civics no prob but we paid big $$$ for a "Drivers Car". Kind of a waste. We shouldn't have to compromise this much

[Calgary Agent]

Glenn - let me know what price(s) Calgary BMW gives you for an M3 "upgrade"

[sparkyg]

No prob.

For $15k I'd do the dirty.

We'll see.

[jgalaxy]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

+1 jg. I am disappointed too. I thought that this is a BMW, a drivers car, should be no need and plus they know how to build cars.

Wrong!

My TL wiht sport suspension was grossly superior. This is probably the worst handling vehicle that I have ever had. I expected so much more and I am very disappointed.

And how about that BMW Performance stuff, vapourware. What a joke, an effin steering wheel and suspension for 335i. F*ck half of all the 3 series sales in Cananda or more are xi's.

Brutal, truly brutal.

I hear you on the TL. Even my Mazda 3 Sport performs better suspension-wise. But such is life. You have 3 choices. Keeps it as is (bad option), ditch the sack of crap or fork over the $2700 for the KWv3 (spend the extra for the KW - I changed my settings 3 times this year and you cant do that on H&R).

With Run Flats gone you have fixed 50-60% of the trouble (there goes another 2K). The KW's bring you the rest of the way there.

Originally Posted by sparkyg

I just called Calg BMW to check the "upgrade" price on an M3.

That'll go one of 2 ways depending on the $$$ shock value.

Perhaps you are right Terry. All I know is the car seems to be getting worse as the car breaks in. I am at 8k km and it is getting looser and I am getting less confident in driving it hard. Truly disappointed. I expected a lot better from a BMW. We all deserve better for the $$ we paid.

Since the change to the new shocks I havent noticed any looseness. I've since dropped in a SSK, better tires (boy are 17s a more comfortable ride - I have 17 for the track, 18 winter and 19 street) on different rims.

Nothing is perfect, but it sucks to have payed 65K and then have to fork out all that extra cash to make it normal. Likely the last BMW for me.

Originally Posted by Calgary Agent

Glenn - I'd have to agree with Terry. The only Xi I rode in since I installed new suspension was Terry's, and it didn't inspire confidence *bouncing sideways as we hit a dip on a high speed exit ramp*

My car is awesome now .... the cost is about $3K in Canada.

As far as the M3, likely our cars (even with extensive suspension mods) will never perform quite as well at the track *suspension-wise* but on the street / highway I'd put my car up against any stock M3. Doesn't mean I don't want an M3 .... problem is it would only be a summer drive for us.

Perhaps the S4 or S5 is the route to go ... ?

With a few tweaks here and there the E92-335XI can be made to handle well. Ditch the staggered stance, go 255 all around on 18s, and hotchkis chassis brace with the KWs and your set. I now have a balanced car that handles extremely well that I can safely at speed any time I want (not that we want to) and that is civilized on the street or the track. I have just a tincy bit of oversteer to correct and I can drift at will.

Joel

Originally Posted by sparkyg

Perhaps Jim, we sure paid a lot of money for a car that needs a lot of help from aftermarket vendors.

If these were Civics no prob but we paid big $$$ for a "Drivers Car". Kind of a waste. We shouldn't have to compromise this much

Hopefully, the new guys reading the forums will think twice before making their decisions. I'm still to see if I can jack the car up enough to prevent snow from clogging up my wheel wells. LOL

[535iNM]

I have the following 2009 335xi Sedan on order for last week of October production:

Space Gray, Gray Leather, Light Burl Walnut, Cold Weather Package, Premium Package, Sport Package, Sports leather steering wheel w/paddle shifters, STEPTRONIC, Navigation system, Rear window shades, HD radio, iPod, Logic7 sound, Satellite radio, Park Distance Control, Console mounted phone adaptor, Open non-smoker’s sun glass tray.

Because of greatly varying local road conditions (dirt roads, paved road w/ bad patches) & because this is my winter/ski vehicle, I ordered it with the 17" all season Run Flat Tires. Will the inherant suspension thump be noticable enough on this vehicle to warrant my purchase of the KW V3 set up?

[sparkyg]

I would say it depends on how hard you drive your car. I don't track it (I'd be afraid too with the existing suspension) but I drive it hard at times and I drive it into corners the way it should be.

The KWV3 settles the car down and plants the car on uneven roads when you are driving hard.

That said, even driving in Edmonton in the summer, the roads here have frost heaves and the car is a disaster over 60 km/h.

Drive the car and judge for yourself.

The xi car is not a bad car. I just think for what I wanted/expected it is a disappointment.

Looked at an IS-F today, nice interior, great seats. $70k cash and carry

[Calgary Agent]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

Looked at an IS-F today, nice interior, great seats. $70k cash and carry

Did you ask about a trade-in Glenn?

[sparkyg]

Yeah, they were talking $10k but phone talk so I am sure when you walk in to do the deal it'll change.

Plus all they have are E90, I want an E92, prob need to order from factory. Even then they said that they are having a hard time getting cars with DCT due to the world demand.

What demand, the US economy is bombing, there will be lots of cars and trannys soon.

We'll see. I am gonna talk to them again week next. I wanna work ou the details so I can better see how it fits my budget.

[Calgary Agent]

I priced out an E93 M3 today.

MSRP with all the goodies (DCT, EDC, Premium sound) is almost $95K

[phil_]

I recently picked up some style 185's for a winter setup. They had some contipro runflats on them.

While waiting for my winter tires to come in I decided to give the 17's a try. I had 162's on before. Obviously traction is not the same but the overall feel of the car at low speeds is much improved. Feels a lot nimbler and steering feel is improved (feels lighter).

Small bumps don't feel like the car is going to rip itself apart. But medium size pot holes / bumps in the road still cause the "wtf was that" sound.

This got me wondering if the Bridgestone's are to blame for the poor ride quality. I went from RFT to RFT and there's a huge difference. Could it be weight savings going from 162 to 185 helping with the steering feel.

[sparkyg]

Originally Posted by Calgary Agent

I priced out an E93 M3 today.

MSRP with all the goodies (DCT, EDC, Premium sound) is almost $95K

Yeah, it is less as an E92. I would go that route.

Look at it an upgrade to the 335. Not sure how I am gonna sell it at home. Good thing I am in sales.

I suspect if I go this route that'll be strike 3 for fancy cars so it'll be my last.

Is it worth it?

[Calgary Agent]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

Is it worth it?

I'd wait till the 1st of the new year. No telling what the economy will be like in 3 months.

That way you can order (Jan 1st is production start for '09 models) and take delivery about the time the snow is gone