well iv been toying with the idea lately of selling/swapping my BMW for an MX5 but the option is also to keep the bmw and have a go at tuning it.
Iv tried to do a bit of research and apparently the 2litre 6cyl isnt great for turboing/charging and i would be better off looking for a e34 24v block or a e36 325i block because they are iron rather than ally and can take a lot of abuse standard (abuse basically being turbocharging/supercharging).
Im just wondering what peoples opinions are on the subject, is there other engines i could look at dropping in to my e39 that would give a massive instant power or would i be better going for a turbo/supercharged 325 block?
You can buy a 535 (245bhp) / 540 (282bhp) for less than £2k these days - well equipped as standard.
A 520 is normally 'poverty spec'. Plus, fitting an engine, gearbox / drive-line and appropriate brakes etc ain't cheap - then how are you going to insure it?
If you've got 3, 4 or more £k to spend that's E36 M3 money or half way to an M5!!!
On older / cheaper cars, it's rarely worth doing more than a CAI, remap and exhaust (that, and the M50 mod, where applicable).
Yeah agree with whats been said,if your doing it for a challenge by all means go for it as the personal satosfaction will be good but if its just more power youd be better just buying a bigger engined one, a 530 around near me is going for £2200 which is brilliant. Although if you have a lpt to spend M5 would be the only way to go
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So if i wanted to fit a V8 from a 540 to my 520, is it a like for like swap seen as they are both E39s would i have to get the whole lot from the 540.. ie engine management, gearbox etc etc or should the engine just fit straight in?
It'd be engline, ecu & loom, gearbox, prop & carrier, diff, brakes (and wheels big enough to house them), steering box and exhaust at a minimum.
Cost just for breakers parts? Probably at least £2k separately... then the hassle of fitting.
Insurance would then kill you... a standard car would be much easier to insure.
Instead, you could sell the 520 (say, for a grand) and add £2k to buy a 280 bhp M3. Or a £2k 535i Sport / 540i6 with money for a remap / fruity pipe / insurance.
I wouldnt be selling my 520 for a grand, i know thats the going rate for some of them but mines hardly tatty had an engine rebuild/full respray and has a genuine full M5 bodykit fitted.
It's always a hard choice mate. I had a really nice 328i Coupe - but adding up the cost of an M50 conv, CAI, remap, LSD, 300mm brakes would have cost about £1400. An M3 engine would have cost even more.
Selling my 328i and adding £1800 got me my 535i Sport - 235bhp stock, twin climate, full-leather, cruise, MTec suspension and 320mm anchors etc etc etc.
...although, one day I'll have to stump up for a loud-ish exhaust and remap.
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