Performance, sounds or looks?

[e30Pats]

I've got about £300 to spend on the car but I can't decide on what to do with it. It's a standard 325i with a Tech I kit on it.

I could get a new stereo for it and speaker pods (I already have the rest of the system from my old car). Or I could get a zone chip and either a BMC carbon airbox or a BBTB. Or I could get some decent wheels but I have just forked out on new tyres.

Also if I do go the performance route, which will give me more bang for buck? Airbox or BBTB?

This is how she looks at the moment:





I know it's up to me at the end of the day but I really can't decide.

[maxfield]

Performance

[Ziggy]

Wheels & chip.

[e30Pats]

Wheels & chip.

Hadn't thought of that. Which wheels in that price range?

[ant_318is]

wheels and chip definately

[oakey]

id go for some 15" wheels and some lowering springs personally

[e30Pats]

id go for some 15" wheels and some lowering springs personally

I want to lower it but want to do both springs and shocks. At the moment I don't have anywhere I could do that myself so I'd have to get someone else to which I can't afford. Hopefully when my mate has relocated his workshop I can do it but that won't be for a while.

[Ziggy]

Wheels & chip.

Hadn't thought of that. Which wheels in that price range?

15" Mims

[tim-ix]

Performance every time Pats. The best place to start might not be the engine though. You'll go faster if you can stop quicker, so a decent set of pads and discs plus a flush-through of your brake fluid will stop you better and give you some confidence.

Suspension would be where I'd spend the money though. You'll be amazed how much better the car will be to drive with fresh shocks and bushes. In my opinion new shocks and bushes are worth a lot more in terms of driving pleasure than the 10-15 BHP you might realise with a chip and filter.

[miniblob]

Get yourself a head unit and get your sounds in - you'll end up with more for your money (sort of) - buy a h/u and install all the rest of your gear which is effectively free!!!!
If your into your sound, you'll soon be missing not having anything decent in there!!

Wheels would also be good though - car looks sweet, but would look wicked on a nice set of wheels

Maybe a cheap set of 15" BBS and a slightly cheaper h/u - maybe ebay or something!!

edit: Just re-read - would be a shame to waste your new tyres - do the h/u and save up for some new wheels while you wear out those rubbers!!

[oakey]

in that case matey get a chip instead, when i had my car remapped it made a very nice improvement to the performance

[Ziggy]

Have to agree that I'd go for suspension before a chip, but if you've got £300 that you want to spend now, you won't really get anything worth having. Maybe like tim said though - brakes & bushes instead of the chip?
Would look a million miles better on some 15" wheels though, just don't go too modern - Mims / BBS / something similar.

[Bob_S]

personally I'd re-bush the whole car for that and look into some new shockers. A H&R cup kit is about £350 so might worth saving the extra

[DanThe]

That car is crying out for some 15 inch BBS

Cut a coil off the front springs for the 'nose down' stance until you can afford a decent set

[zaust]

Drop £200 all in and a chip around 100

[dazleeds]

if ya decide on some mims
gimme a shout i have a set that need a clean up with brand new tyres for sale

[mrLEE30]

sell your rims/tyres for 50quid...2nd hand 15inch rims, suspension drop with springs only can be done with 250 quid (assuming you fit yourself, you can then change the shocks later once your feelin flush again), then de chrome the window surrounds (paint and an afternoons work) clear side and front repeaters about 40quid, and sort the exhaust out for nought..i.e. fix the mounts and loose the tips!! remove the 325 badge or at least put it on correctly (to remove use hot water then saw at the glue with some fishing wire - free!!)

engine upgrades for 300 quid will be a chip and filter which will not really change much (people say 15 bhp but i am extreamly sceptical, more like 5 bhp)

otherwise it looks in great nick, is it a respray??

mrlee

[snoops]

give it a good service! then save more money

[march109]

If you haven't allready give it a very comprehensive service, which depending on when it was last done will free up a few (not many) cheap ponies, then re-bush the car, performance and handling should be noticably better with change.

Then find something fun and recklace to do with the change. I like the chrome suits your car I think!

[Cotty]

From the options people have suggested I would go

Service if needed
BBS wheels
Zone chip
fit all your old sterio then get save a bit for a new head unit. The Becker Mexico Pro look like it was made for the E30 dash

[ShineOn]

If the car is mechanically sound already, got to be perfomance. If yer money doesn't make it go, stop, or handle better, it was a waste.

You know it makes sense.

[Speedtouch]

How about modernising your car with a Miller MAF kit? See http://www.millerperformancecars.com/m20maf.html

I recently fitted one to my 325iSE, and it's made it alot smoother and easier-going to drive (gets rid of the nasty AFM) and it's easily possible to achieve 30mpg even on short runs (because you can drive the car with barely any throttle input at normal speeds), what's more it'll rev to 7,000rpm (they provide a chip with the kit). There's no need to cut your wiring loom like their ad suggests either!

Cheers,

[Turbo-Brown]

Gotta be performance every time

Save the money up and make yourself a turbo conversion!

[fuzzy]

got to be performance mate although im not sure what £300 will get you.

[Theo]

If had £300 to spend on that I would get a decent set of 15" BBS, some -40mm springs and a full dechrome set for the windows anad windscreens.

[gcorky]

If had £300 to spend on that I would get a decent set of 15" BBS, some -40mm springs and a full dechrome set for the windows anad windscreens.

i agree with theo...wheels make a car!

[e30Pats]

Blimey a lot of good ideas. Its not getting a dechrome for definite, I'm like cliffybabe, like it too much. To whoever asked if its a respray its not, car was sat in a garage for about 15 years which has preserved it. Don't understand about the 325 badge, how should it look? The exhaust tips were on there when I got it and as far as I know are original. I've seen another with them. Dread to think the condition of the exhaust underneath them if I were to take them off .

To be honest as I'm new to RWD and the power it has (I used to drive a Mondeo ), I think I'll wait a bit until I'm used to it. Only saying that as tonight I gave it some and the back stepped out quite a bit and scared the crap out of me. Don't want to have more power than I can handle otherwise I'll end up stacking it.

dazleeds, if I go the wheels route I'd be interested in the mims, forgive my ignorance but what size are they and do you have pics of them on the car so I can see how they look.

[Speedtouch]

Not surprised you're having problems getting the power down with those skinny bottlecap wheels! You really need some nice wide BBS or similar - 325i's need them.

[e30Pats]

How wide are the 15" BBS rims then? I thought the bottlecaps were quite wide compared to what I'm used to.

[miniblob]

BBS are 7j i think.

Mim's are sweet wheels too!!!!

[hammoj28]

I get a set of 15" BBS and a chip. Then think about dropping it.