[Geighty7]

I wanted to start this thread with a hot topic, and place it in general threads because it’s conversational.

This is for everyone who is getting tuned, replacing downpipes, aftermarket turbos etc.

This is also for purists keeping stock or OEM+.

Scenario: you replace your downpipes, either piggy back or full unlock and tune. You then start to slowly replace engine parts and go FBO.

What happens in 3-5 years? Whats your mindset? Are you planning on keeping this car? And if so, how do you think it’ll run just for a Sunday cruise, or getting some groceries? What happens if you want to sell it? Can you even? Who would buy it?

What happens if something goes wrong, or (if you keep it) 6 years goes by and you just want to go back to normal?

I’m not sure about you all, but being in a 6MT carbon package, I plan on keeping my car OEM+. I also plan on keeping her forever hopefully, as one of the last manuals standing. I’ve done my exhaust, keeping my downs OEM. I have her lowered on H&R VTF, and replaced my air filters with BMC. I have BBS LM’s and I’m completely happy. I know in 5-7 years, she’ll be running still OEM.

I LOVE seeing wild tunes, insane builds, single turbos, etc. I think those owners are wild and fun people. A lot of my buddies are those owners and it’s super cool. However, I always think “what happens after that excitement and hype is gone, and they just want to go for a Sunday stroll?”

I’m asking because I honestly don’t know, call me naive. I’ve never tuned my cars. I’ve always kept them exactly the way I like them, fun but super reliable and drivable.

Aside from your warranty gone (another hot topic) what do you do with this monster you’ve built? I mean, it takes billions of R&D dollars to create this specimen we are all in, but then here comes one big spooly boi, a massive primary down pipe and a guy from Norway to make it 900hp.

If you’re this person, what’s your 5-7 year (or longer) plan with your car?

If you’re like me (kinda purist, maybe neo-purist) what’s your outlook on these builds?

Let’s hear it.

[ChrisM4]

What I’ve discovered after 30 years of modding and racing cars is if I plan to keep the car completely stock I get bored and sell/trade it in about a year. I need to tinker with the setup and that keeps me interested. I’ve gone down the full rabbit hole with built motors, race seats, different / modified transmissions, full roll cages, external cutoff switches etc. I haven’t modded my G80/G82 cars aside from drop in filters and am currently on my third M3/M4 car in four years lol. (Though I was forced to trade my manual M3 as I couldn’t drive manual after I had a bad bike accident almost two years ago)

I think if you’re smart with mods you can have a great livable daily driver that’s really fast. (Catted instead of catless downpipes, maintain full exhaust valve control, no roll cage, pump fuel map and race gas / E map, separate set of drag radials on wheels for the drag strip and a race wheel/tires setup for lapping. The G chassis and S58 is such an amazing platform you can build a low-mid 10 second platform easily and not compromise on daily driving ability at all.

[DrewNewM2]

My first BMW but one of the main reasons I bought it is for the potential of the S58 with minimal mods. Always impressed with potential of BMW turbos. I can’t keep it stock forever when there’s another 100-200 whp waiting to be unleashed.

I’ve had a few modified Subarus and my current STi makes about 200 whp more than stock but takes a lot of parts and $$ to get there on a Subaru and becomes less of a daily driver due to heavy clutch, etc. S58 is like downpipes, tune and E50 and will probably drive like stock and if you get bored, you take your parts off go back to stock and sell or trade or find a buyer for a modified car.

I’m not looking for a monster but these cars aren’t that fast stock compared to other new cars, especially EVs. Adding power and other mods makes them more fun and keeps them relevant. A 600 whp M2 would keep me smiling for many years.

[Carefree]

As an owner of many classic and muscle cars, I’m in the purist factory representation of the car.

And most likely in the minority.

[tylerdurdem]

Been thinking about it myself, I'll have had mine a year in a few days, and it'll probably barely see any track time. Being a street car, I really only need it to be fast up to 100 mph or so, and it's already there. Do I need more? Probably not. I may just do a mid pipe and intakes, or I may do a tuning box when it has some more miles on it, not sure yet. Originally I was planning on FBO, but with 92 octane in my area, what's the point?

[M_Power Rob]

Originally Posted by Geighty7

I wanted to start this thread with a hot topic, and place it in general threads because it’s conversational.

This is for everyone who is getting tuned, replacing downpipes, aftermarket turbos etc.

This is also for purists keeping stock or OEM+.

Scenario: you replace your downpipes, either piggy back or full unlock and tune. You then start to slowly replace engine parts and go FBO.

What happens in 3-5 years? Whats your mindset? Are you planning on keeping this car? And if so, how do you think it’ll run just for a Sunday cruise, or getting some groceries? What happens if you want to sell it? Can you even? Who would buy it?

What happens if something goes wrong, or (if you keep it) 6 years goes by and you just want to go back to normal?

I’m not sure about you all, but being in a 6MT carbon package, I plan on keeping my car OEM+. I also plan on keeping her forever hopefully, as one of the last manuals standing. I’ve done my exhaust, keeping my downs OEM. I have her lowered on H&R VTF, and replaced my air filters with BMC. I have BBS LM’s and I’m completely happy. I know in 5-7 years, she’ll be running still OEM.

I LOVE seeing wild tunes, insane builds, single turbos, etc. I think those owners are wild and fun people. A lot of my buddies are those owners and it’s super cool. However, I always think “what happens after that excitement and hype is gone, and they just want to go for a Sunday stroll?”

I’m asking because I honestly don’t know, call me naive. I’ve never tuned my cars. I’ve always kept them exactly the way I like them, fun but super reliable and drivable.

Aside from your warranty gone (another hot topic) what do you do with this monster you’ve built? I mean, it takes billions of R&D dollars to create this specimen we are all in, but then here comes one big spooly boi, a massive primary down pipe and a guy from Norway to make it 900hp.

If you’re this person, what’s your 5-7 year (or longer) plan with your car?

If you’re like me (kinda purist, maybe neo-purist) what’s your outlook on these builds?

Let’s hear it.

This is only made a hot topic by some who dont understand or won'tlet things go. Just cause you modify the car (whether it be interior, exterior, suspension or drivetrain), you warranty is not automatically gone.

[JMcLellan]

Honestly I bought my M2 thinking I wouldn't do any performance mods aside from the MP HAS kit added to the build. Now that I am used to the power delivery I am shopping around for a piggyback tune. Based on others' feedback about drivability adding 80 to 100HP and torque I feel good about moving forward. I will most likely pick up a tune this summer (deciding between JB4, AReeve, and Racechip). Adding a lighter tune with these piggyback systems doesn't really worry me in terms of reliability or warranty concerns. If the DME was unlocked I would go with MHD or BM3. If I had an automatic I would also get the XHP tune which is a game changer (at least it was for my M240i).

I don't have much interest in doing downpipes, or air intakes. However, I might consider an axleback exhaust like the IRL. I met another forum member here who is local and he has the IRL which sounds great. But for now the stock exhaust in sport and sport+ provides enough sound for me.

I plan to keep the car forever and hope that mindset continues over the years.

[wjones14]

Originally Posted by Carefree

As an owner of many classic and muscle cars, I’m in the purist factory representation of the car.

And most likely in the minority.

I don't know that you're in the minority, and I don't think anyone else in these forums knows either. How would they know?

I saw a BMW blog post saying that BMW produced about 10,500 M2s for the 2023 model. So, are there more than 5,250 owners doing tunes or other performance mods?

If you look at these forums, it seems everyone is modding stuff. But are there 5000+ owners (2023 only) modding their cars to make the modders a majority?

I don't mod my cars for performance either. (As long as you don't consider higher temp brake fluid for a track day as a mod.) So I'm with you, whether it's the minority or majority.

[iifymbro]

I modded my mk7 golf R a decent amount and part of why I've ended up in a M2 is so I don't have to do that again. I'll put the MP HAS on at some point, forged wheels, etc but I don't think I'll be doing any more serious mods like downpipes and tunes.

I do think the engine can handle a piggyback tune though, it's already detuned in the M2 compared to the competition models. Would suck to have a engine failure though cause it'll be coming out of your pocket and the S58 is not cheap. The manual box would be a question mark with added power, ZF8 should be fine until you go really nuts with tunes.

[RockCrusher]

My plan is to leave my M2 stock. And keep it as long as I want. That might be forever or next week. But I think forever more likely than next week.

(Although, I spotted a 2024 M8 Competition in Aventurin Red Metallic at the dealer the other day. Oh my what an awesome looking car. But $$$$. And the M2 spends too much time in the garage. Why have an even more expensive car sitting in the garage...)

Kind of related to my mention of the M8 above is when I want more performance I just buy a factory produced higher performance car.

I got my car mod'ing out of my system with my first car way back in the early 1970's, an Datsun 510 coupe with a 1.6l 4-cylinder. Overbore. High compression pistons. Isky cam. Dual side draft Weber carbs. Aftermarket ignition. External/electric fuel pump with fuel pressure regulator. No warranty to worry about. No emission systems. Car was easy to work on.

But I tired of it wanted something more suitable for work commute vs. a seldom taken advantage of track day.

Since then all my vehicles have been left stock. I have more important things to do with my spare time rather than spend time working on my cars.

[JMcLellan]

This video provides some context on the tuning ability of the S58. Pushing 1000 horsepower for 2 years on a couple of S58's. Now I'm sure this racing team has like unlimited resources for tuning, monitoring and all that but a cool watch.

[two_three_two]

my attitude has always been that OEM+ is the limit for tuning. as soon as i start trying to turn a platform into something it is not, i usually sell and buy a more appropriate platform. when i started eyeing up supercharger kits for my TL-S, i knew it was time to move on. my R32 is FBO with a N/A tune, lowered, etc. but thats as far as i will take that platform- the M2 will get wheel changes, maybe lowering, aesthetic/sound system mods, but a tune is doubtful for me.

[exmowner]

I bought the m2 as a daily. I have my fun alpha 11 GTR for the occasional drive. It’s loud, gets 3-4 MPG and runs on E85.

I like that the m2 is a luxury car in comparison. I might drop in some air filters but that’s about it.

One modded car is enough for me.

[Geighty7]

Originally Posted by ChrisM4

What I’ve discovered after 30 years of modding and racing cars is if I plan to keep the car completely stock I get bored and sell/trade it in about a year. I need to tinker with the setup and that keeps me interested. I’ve gone down the full rabbit hole with built motors, race seats, different / modified transmissions, full roll cages, external cutoff switches etc. I haven’t modded my G80/G82 cars aside from drop in filters and am currently on my third M3/M4 car in four years lol. (Though I was forced to trade my manual M3 as I couldn’t drive manual after I had a bad bike accident almost two years ago)

I think if you’re smart with mods you can have a great livable daily driver that’s really fast. (Catted instead of catless downpipes, maintain full exhaust valve control, no roll cage, pump fuel map and race gas / E map, separate set of drag radials on wheels for the drag strip and a race wheel/tires setup for lapping. The G chassis and S58 is such an amazing platform you can build a low-mid 10 second platform easily and not compromise on daily driving ability at all.

So if you go down this road, how long is long? Say I wanted to keep it for 10 years and make sure it’s “drivable”, how easy is this done? I’m asking because I freaking love the idea of making this thing faster, but I want to make sure it runs in 10 years totally fine.

[laughMan]

I tuned my subie wrx because they were only 200+ hp.
Now with almost 500hp in S58, I don't think I have mod the engine at all. I may mod the exhaust for better sounds, wheels for better looks, or brake pad for cleaner wheel, that's all. EV power delivery has killed the urge for going more power on ICE for me.

On top of that, this 6sp turbo inline-6-cylinder M2 will be my forever car to keep for my end of ICE era collection. I hope I can add a 911 GT3 to this collection, but probably not going to happen

So I plan to keep it as stock as possible.

[Kevin_The_Clean1]

As long as it's done correctly, there shouldn't be any fear or worry about this on the S58.

[ChrisM4]

Originally Posted by Geighty7

So if you go down this road, how long is long? Say I wanted to keep it for 10 years and make sure it’s “drivable”, how easy is this done? I’m asking because I freaking love the idea of making this thing faster, but I want to make sure it runs in 10 years totally fine.

Well that’s tough question to answer as the platform hasn’t been out ten years yet. That said mild bolt ons and a tune should be quite safe.

I find this helps with longevity:

- Not reducing torque management settings in the transmission (Reducing it can accelerate wear). I’d trust the CS trans flash as it’s OEM but haven’t seen the details on the others
- Not running up to the limit of injectors and pump and using another system to help band aid it (meth injection is a good example in other platforms). PI with a separate controller is a potential point of failure.
- Not Tuning to the ragged edge. “Moon tunes” are a recipe for issues
- Make sure you log regularly
- Perform regular maintenance more frequently
- Put safeties in the tune (ie: boost cut, IAT limits, etc.)

What I used to do in my other cars would be to tune for power at a given octane on the dyno, log on the street with extensive street driving. Then dial back the tune slightly to give octane buffer for extra safety. It would cost a little bit of horsepower but would be safer.

At the track I’d also run 5-10 liters of race gas with pump 93-94 for a bit of added safety for lapping sessions.

There are other items you can look at as well like upgraded heat exchangers inline to stock etc.

JB4s have logging capability and additional safeties above OEM built in so it’s very safe. The others do not but there are thousands of them out there without issues.

Cheers

[Msondeck]

Im no purist and appreciate go fast parts. With that being said, i dont plan on touching the dme in any way. To me the car has more than enough power. Traction and sound leave more to be desired. If my car was AT/4wd i may be more inclined for more power but even then probably not.

[DrewNewM2]

I’m gonna need another 100 whp so I can forget about my 450 whp STi and finally sell it!

[BroDoze]

450WHP STIs are fun.
I had a heavily modded 2005 I bought new back in the day. Good times. Mine didn’t have quite that much but I drove a buddy’s plenty that was there.
Such a raw vehicle. Such an awesome transmission.

[Kanrai]

Hard to say what I will do, but modding was not the primary reason I bought the car, but just like buying a house, after you live in it, you start to want to change things up for your own taste. So, I assume I will be doing something and I wish there was a tunner like Cobb having a control because it has been fun to have that on my STi.

What is more interesting to hear is how many of us have an M2 and STi…

[MineralGreyMetallic]

Engine mods and tuning seem like a potential rat hole and endless headache.

Also, I know we're all saying this is the car we'll keep forever, but how many times have you heard someone say that?

I've seen it a lot on forums over the years. It rarely turns out to be true.

My rule of thumb at this point is that I don't want my car, which I largely bought to enjoy, to turn into something I worry and obsess about. I definitely would if I started modding the engine, and not in a good way.

I also don't want to do anything that can't be easily and cheaply undone when the time inevitably comes that I want to buy something new.