test drive

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 1:38 pm

drove a friends alpina last night and just thought id share my experience. hes had some work done do it, its got an mbe engine management system, ported gas flowed head, btb manifold and alpina stainless exhaust, wilder cam. its a 4 dr c2 2.7

first of all the noise - ive never heard anything like it, when your driving it normally it sounds pretty flat and normal, however as soon as you start to accelerate and when it comes on load it make the most awseome trumpetty midbass noise! its just flippin amazing!

the speed is awesome its a 210+ bhp car and you can feel it, it just goes, and because of the mbe and lighter flywheel; throttle reponse is basicaly instant, its like the accelerator pedal is directly attached to the engine somehow, it really is very good.

i took it on some a-roads but couldnt really cane it as the roads were really greasy last night, but on straights i felt the power, 3rd feels like 2nd on my car and seemed to go on forever. the best thing about the car was the linear power delivery which made it really predictable, a normal 325/327 has a peaky power delivery so you tend to get sudden surges of power at certain revs, but with this thing it was all power, its been mapped very well.

overall, i want it! but the guy aint sellin lol no surprises there, but i might do similar mods to my car to make it drive similar to this, and that noise, m5pilot thought it was an eisenmann type of sound, so i might have to get one of these soon.

sorry for going on a bit, but this really was a special e30!

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 1:55 pm

Apparently that's been mapped more towards town driving than out-and-out power! (That's if it's the one that Sal used!)

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:07 pm

Its the same car Jim. Mapping has been changed since the exhaust was fitted to all be normal performance mapping everywhere.

The noise is bloody amazing! Anyone that hears this thing is going to want this exhaust. It sounds like no other M20 engined car out there.

Its alot faster and gruntier than at Lakeside.

Taxidriver did pick up on something about the linear power delivery. It starts off having massive power in the first place and just goes up in a linear fashion. Beacuse there is no peak in the delivery it does give that normal M20 boost at around 4000rpm. However, keep it at 4000rpm in 3rd and plant the lopud pedal and you get an almighty shove.
The only M20 engined NA car ive been in which compares is the Bexley engined car. Car was last dynoed at 215bhp. Engine has 3000 miles on it. Should be more to come with more miles as the total seal rings bed in more.

If anyone wants this exhaust it needs top go through a group buy of 5. The system was designed for Alpina downpipes which are very different to 325i ones. It would be better to buy just the boxes and have the pipe work done by longlife (Ãƒ”šÃ‚£150). Its the boxes which matter. This way youll be sure of an exact fit.

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:11 pm

M5pilot wrote:The noise is bloody amazing! Anyone that hears this thing is going to want this exhaust. It sounds like no other M20 engined car out there.

im guessing this is the car me n richy went out in at lakeside
sounded mad with just the 6 branch and standard 325i exhaust.

Its alot faster and gruntier than at Lakeside.

yeah was slow as sin then :lol:

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:13 pm

You have no idea how different it sounds!

Slow as sin...LOL!

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:29 pm

M5pilot wrote:You have no idea how different it sounds!

Slow as sin...LOL!

so whats on it now then sal?

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:46 pm

Alpina replica which I bought off Hap. Plus the fuelling is much better now so that affects the noise alot. It was running very lean when you went in it.

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 2:51 pm

M5pilot wrote:Alpina replica which I bought off Hap. Plus the fuelling is much better now so that affects the noise alot. It was running very lean when you went in it.

i think i need another trip out in it

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:04 pm

Next time you take it for a spin and enjoy the throttle respone aswell.

Post Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:17 pm

thatd be superb sal