I.S. a good track car ??

[Andyboy]

I've done several trackdays in a mechanically standard 320i, both saloon and touring. Underpowered? It'll do 100+ on Bedford's back straight and nothing teaches you car control like a slow car. A 318iS would be fine.

[dannyboy759]

Start slow and build up!

[ShepsEvo3]

how come peope assume the 2.5 will be well down on its quoted power figures but no mention of the same for the 'is'? itss all relative. if an 18 year old 325 will be 25bhp down then its likely so will the 18 year old 'is' so the power difference remains the same.

But it has shown that most iS' put on the rollers do indeed still make they're factory power.
Whereas, it's rare enough to have a 325 still putting out 171bhp

its also been shown that some standard 2,5's are not only making standard power but a couple of bhp's more than the quoted figures so thats a pointless argument to make to assume all 325's are under and all 318's are running perfect .

I know its been specifically asked not to turn this into a 4 v 6 pot thread but in my experiance on my dyno, most 325i's make less than the 171bhp, usually around the 165-170mark especially facelift ones. Early 325i's make more power. I don't think I have had a standard 318is make less than 140bhp yet even with 200,000 miles on the clock!

Driving wise, down a B road, I would much rather be flat out in the is than the 325i. Just my 2 pennies lol.

[hammoj28]

From what iv seen M42's do seem to hold their power very well and a lot have more than quoted whereas a lot of m20's loose a few shetland ponies as time drags on it seems

Defo go for an iS track car, its plenty fast enough for the track, especially if its put on a diet, good suspension setup and a few choice engine mods.

As mentioned above, a very capable car in the right hands (prob not mine,lol). Plus the iS lets you get away with quite a lot of mistakes which would be good for a first track car, the handling is brilliant.

Completely agree with sheps, i prefer gunning my iS down a back road than driving 325i's, but its horses for course. Depends what you want at the end of the day. Im tired of this whole 6 pot vs 4 pot thing tbh.

[bss325i]

.....I've never seen a 18 yr old M20 put out the quoted 171bhp on a set of rollers..

Mr S, my sport has put out 171 on two different sets of rollers.

[oguz327]

My old tech 1 when it was a 2.5 made 203bhp with a btb, bbtb and a remap at Chipped Uk!

[Brian28]

you would have to be Lewis Hamilton to notice the difference a couple of extra KG's up the front makes on these already rather heavy cars

When a nobber like me can tell the difference on track, I don't think Lewis H would struggle to

Only raced a 318 and 320, but in relative weight balance terms the comparison is probably fair. For anybody into bikes, the difference is like 2 stroke and 4 stroke, both can be a good laugh, just depends on personal preference. Carry more speed into and through the corner (4 pot) or have more grunt coming out of the corner (6 pot). A 318is would be my choice every time.

[Bob_S]

.....I've never seen a 18 yr old M20 put out the quoted 171bhp on a set of rollers..

Mr S, my sport has put out 171 on two different sets of rollers.

yours has hardly turned a wheel though ;)

[Karan]

either is ok.... id go for the iS if i was starting out as i think its a more edgy car to drive and you need to have your wits about you a bit more than a 325 which i think is easier to drive on the limit.

so for learning the iS is better... especially as if you do crash u'll only be doing 25mph

[tomstickland]

I've taken mine to the ring twice now, done about 35 laps. They are a huge amount of fun. Everyone who comes out as a passenger comments on what a laugh it is.

I reckon I could get a 10 min straight out of it with the current level of knowledge and no lost time letting faster cars past. After that I expect to be able to dip into the 9s, but the level of commitment required starts to be out of line with the issue of driving the car over from the UK and wanting to go home at the end. Meanwhile, a 325 can take the corners with a similar speed but make up 10s of seconds on the big straights. Personally I like the 318iS a lot, enough not be bothered by lack of power.

The lap times of low 9s were done in a car with coil overs and non-road tyres. There's an article somewhere.
They would have also been pushing on quite hard. There's no substitute for knowledge on the ring. After 35 laps I know all the corners, but reckon it'll take a similar number to extract the best line from some of the complicated sets of bends, then another 35 perfecting it. etc.

An LSD has no real advantage on the ring when dry.

On a busy track the iS has a lack of power which is a bit of problem going up the big hill from Adenua. Foot to floor in 3rd gear, 6000rpm for about a minute. The engines love it.

I doubt that a chip is going to get 150BHP from them, but they do go well. Losing some weight out of them would be the best course for improving acceleration.

My advice:
-sort the suspension
-std brakes are up to the job, use the BMW pads (Textar)
-put decent tyres on
-consider a chip if you want to take advantage of a higher rev limit, but the std engine and chip are fine
-lose weight out of it
-drive and enjoy
-I'm going to try some stiffer anti roll bars because they do lean over a bit on corners.

The fun is in the sport of surprising people. You'll be outdragged in a straight line by a car with +200BHP, but things with a bit less than that can really struggle, especially if you maintain momentum on corners.

[fuzzy]

I dont want this to go into a 6 pot vs 4 pot

thats a bit like going upto the biggest angriest dude in the pub and saying "i dont want any trouble mate but your wifes a fat dog"
and not expecting to go home in an ambulance.......

[Gibson]

I dont want this to go into a 6 pot vs 4 pot

thats a bit like going upto the biggest angriest dude in the pub and saying "i dont want any trouble mate but your wifes a fat dog"
and not expecting to go home in an ambulance.......

Fair point. so the short answer is

"its ok, but you can do better"

there we go, over and done with

[Sanchez]

Completely agree with sheps, i prefer gunning my iS down a back road than driving 325i's, but its horses for course. Depends what you want at the end of the day. Im tired of this whole 6 pot vs 4 pot thing tbh.

Ive been driving my mates 320i for the last week and then went an drove my 'is' for 5mins and the difference is magical.

Im never sellling my 'is'

[Steve-E30]

My advice:
-sort the suspension
-std brakes are up to the job, use the BMW pads (Textar)
-put decent tyres on
-consider a chip if you want to take advantage of a higher rev limit, but the std engine and chip are fine
-lose weight out of it
-drive and enjoy
-I'm going to try some stiffer anti roll bars because they do lean over a bit on corners.

The fun is in the sport of surprising people. You'll be outdragged in a straight line by a car with +200BHP, but things with a bit less than that can really struggle, especially if you maintain momentum on corners.

I think im a pretty confident driver , Not the best by a long shot but can hold my own , As jamie mentioned the car owes me not a lot so instead of stripping it and earning a few quid i fancied a go at the track day , I could just strip the sport out but id be gutted if anything happened to it , I know its safe but you never know , The reason i asked no 6 pot vs 4 pot is it bores the pants off everyone and had a look if i could see if anyone else did regular track days in a i.s a couldnt so wondered how it would get on round the track.
Read a few have put there is not a lot of weight difference between a 4 and 6 pot and you would find it hard to tell the difference in the corners , So the 6 pot is no longer a boat anchor then
Its all about fun at the end of the day , If i out handle a 6 pot in the bends and he blows me off the track down the straight will i be bothered ?? Nope , Ill look forward to the next set of bends
Im not doing this to earn money im doing it for a laugh and something different that i cant get fined and points for .
Again cheers for the advice and imput .
Much appreciated

[rob0r]

I recently took my near standard IS, full interior and slightly lowered, on an RAF airfield trackday. It was certainely enough for me and I had a great laugh and it was no where near the slowest car there. Although it won't be the quickest, it will still be a lot of fun. The next airfield day is in september, where I plan to take my IS powered E21, now that should be good

[JungleGus]

there is definately a difference between 4pot and 6pot handling, even on the road - the balance of the 4 pots is much better. 6pots arent bad, the 4 pots handle better but are down on power...6pot still going to be faster around a track (more power/torque easily)

my iS makes a fun track car =)

[kadettc]

All I can imagine is an iS struggling up hills.

130bhp at 1050kilos+ doesn't really cut it anymore

I suspect it would be fun'ish, but desperatly underpowered

Er not too many hills on trackdays i'e been on, as in trackday not hill climb, with an Evolve chip and lightened, it's nearly 150BHP ideal for a novice to trackdays IMHO.

Distinct advantage over a 6 pot in tight bends as well, less weight up front so less understeer.

I can sort of see where he is coming from with the hills remark. Donnington and Thruxton are not exactly flat circuits. Even so an IS will be more than capable on ANY circuit, novice driver or otherwise.

[oldroydsr4]

Ive been driving my mates 320i for the last week and then went an drove my 'is' for 5mins and the difference is magical.

Im never sellling my 'is'

Thats not a fair comparisson, 320's are shit

[Sanchez]

Ive been driving my mates 320i for the last week and then went an drove my 'is' for 5mins and the difference is magical.

Im never sellling my 'is'

Thats not a fair comparisson, 320's are shit

Im not starting a 4pot 6 pot as i like the 325i and used to have one just not the 320i, mines lowered and handles much better.

[Oversteer]

I've done some trackdays with my IS.
The car has an Evolve chip, KN panel filter, LSD 4,1 and a Bilstein B12 kit. Standard trim!

It feels great fun at the track, one of the best I've driven so far (bar my old 205 GTI, perhaps), and the only thing I REALLY need to sort it the steering, as I have a non PAS on.

Other down side is the gearbox ratios. There's a very big gap between 2nd and 3rd, and for more than one occasion I felt the 2nd too low and the 3rd too high, plus it make the revs drop more than you want to, and as the IS engine needs to be kept above 5K to deliver, that's a negative point...

[Rosc0PColtrane]

Just make sure the track is reinforced, so the immense cornering g forces of the IS don't shred the tarmac!

[hammoj28]

Just make sure the track is reinforced, so the immense cornering g forces of the IS don't shred the tarmac!

"sniff, sniff", is that envy i smell rosco.

[hoshy]

I've done some trackdays with my IS.
The car has an Evolve chip, KN panel filter, LSD 4,1 and a Bilstein B12 kit. Standard trim!

It feels great fun at the track, one of the best I've driven so far (bar my old 205 GTI, perhaps), and the only thing I REALLY need to sort it the steering, as I have a non PAS on.

Other down side is the gearbox ratios. There's a very big gap between 2nd and 3rd, and for more than one occasion I felt the 2nd too low and the 3rd too high, plus it make the revs drop more than you want to, and as the IS engine needs to be kept above 5K to deliver, that's a negative point...

I'm also on an iS with a 4.1 slipper - with my rev limit at 7k I didn't find too much of a problem between 2nd and 3rd. Previously with the stock 6250? limit I didn't think it was a problem. What limit is the evolve chip on? (oh I was running 185/60/14s so that helps to shorten 3rd too.

Last day out at the track was also running no PAS - i really thought it would be a problem but even with the arse right out at on point it wasn't a problem.

Just my tuppence

[Rosc0PColtrane]

Just make sure the track is reinforced, so the immense cornering g forces of the IS don't shred the tarmac!

"sniff, sniff", is that envy i smell rosco.

Yes I admit it, I'm green with envy at missing the noise which is so quintessentially 1960's typewriter at full tilt

[Oversteer]

I'm also on an iS with a 4.1 slipper - with my rev limit at 7k I didn't find too much of a problem between 2nd and 3rd. Previously with the stock 6250? limit I didn't think it was a problem. What limit is the evolve chip on? (oh I was running 185/60/14s so that helps to shorten 3rd too.

Evolve chip rev limit is around 7K, although it cuts at 6,5K with the standard chip.

185/60R14 are way too short, compared with the 205/55R15 I'm using.
With those large tyres and the fact that I have M3 control arm bushes (more caster), make the steering a lot more heavy.

In this previous trackday, I drove an MR2 (last model) and an Alfa Gt1300Junior, so in terms of steering comparison, that's not fair for the E30 at all!! Maybe that's why I found it terrifying!

[hoshy]

205/55/15 are my normal road tyres. a pita with no pas. the 185s were surprisingly pleasant and I really like the drop in overall gearing.

how do you mean it's not far for the e30??

[Oversteer]

how do you mean it's not far for the e30??

Sorry, I meant it's no fair for the E30!

[tomstickland]

The car has an Evolve chip, KN panel filter, LSD 4,1 and a Bilstein B12 kit. Standard trim!

It feels great fun at the track, one of the best I've driven so far (bar my old 205 GTI, perhaps), and the only thing I REALLY need to sort it the steering, as I have a non PAS on.

Are you sure you don't have my car?
Evolve chip,
K&N
4.1 LSD
B12 kit

well, I've also got a Z3 rack and shifter, but apart from that all the same.

Yes I admit it, I'm green with envy at missing the noise which is so quintessentially 1960's typewriter at full tilt

That is so true! On a cold start they sometimes sound like a 1983 1.1 Fiesta.
It's odd though, because when I had no back box it sounded absolutely amazing. So cleary a nice engine in there, just they sound proofed it so well that all you can hear is the rattley tappets and timing chain.

[ShakeyC]

In all honest be happy with either make sure its mechanically sound, fit some good brakes and learn how to extract better lap times out of what you have before spending more money as it will not improve driving skills and wont be as truely satisfying knowing it the car more than you.