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What to upgrade next?

19K views 92 replies 11 participants last post by  LopeyDeath 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi all,
Not long ago I had my bearings replaced and have been enjoying the feeling of safety it provided. Because I now have that warm and fuzzy feeling that my engine won't blow up, I really want to make the car that much more enjoyable to drive, so I need some assistance in where to begin. What mods would you recommend if I already have the following:
- H&R lowering springs
- CIC retrofit
- BPM tune
- CF Front splitter
- CF spoiler
- Gloss black kidney grills (I may replace these with CF ones).
- Matte white wrap
- All upgraded LED's
- Custom Orion V4 headlights
- E-race with x-pipe and no secondary cat or resonator
- Stoptech BBK (front only)
- RD Sport Sway bars

For reasons I haven't entirely figured out yet, the beast seems to truly hate the roads in SoCal, especially lately where she tends to ****her/sway in the ruts and imperfections in the roads. It seems to have gotten worse over the last few weeks and I would really like to minimize it if possible.
I have stock wheels with, IIRC, 12 and 15mm spacers in front and back respectively, and H&R lowering springs. I don't race or track the car so I couldn't quite justify spending the extra money on a coilover setup, plus I like the adjustable suspension as the GF isn't a huge fan of a very stiff ride.
Would the Dinan mono-ball setup make any noticeable difference to the way she handles?

I have also considered replacing the steering wheel for one of these:
https://www.bimmian.com/AutoCarbon-Carbon-Fiber-Alcantara-Steering-Wheel-for-BMW-E63-or-E64-6-Series

I bought a sportier steering wheel for my last car and it honestly was a very pleasant upgrade considering how much time is spent holding/looking at it.

I am also considering having the car wrapped again. I've been considering a frozen grey or potentially white again. I love the matte white wrap I have now and receive plenty of compliments but it truly is hard to keep clean and some marks never come out - (read: pieces of rubber kicked up at the car, or dirt which becomes embedded in the vinyl on the lower half of the rear bumper - probably somewhat related to the heat given off by the exhaust).

I also really need some upgraded rims, but am struggling to decide whether I want to stick with 19's and have a little more rubber, or upgrade to 20's and have a potentially "nicer" look, but have to deal with a slightly harsher ride...This may be one of the last mods unless I can find a really nice set of rims for a decent price :)

This is how she looks now:




An old pic - the front end now shows a fair amount of small rock chips/nicks in the vinyl.


What would you do? All recommendations are welcome.
Thank you,
~Pat
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Congrats on your rod bearings. Glad the guys at OMS were able to take care of you.

I have the monoballs; they are really overkill for the street. They are nice, but they really shine when you spend any time at the track.

Have you thought about RDSport F/R sways? Your ride quality will not go away, but you will feel it as soon as you make your first turn. The body roll is nearly eliminated.

I had Dinan's front roll control and rear sway bar, which was stiffer than stock but also kept the stock understeer characteristics.

RDSport eliminated the body roll and understeer.

My mods are in my sig...

Edit: I just saw you have RDSport sways...I'd go for a steering wheel!
 
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#4 ·
I really appreciate the referral - they did take care of me and although it was more expensive than I'd hoped, it does give you that safe feeling.
I forgot about my sway bars, which were indeed a nice mod. I take it the monoballs are not likely to help correct the tendency for the beast to slime into the ruts of the road? Just wasn't sure how much difference they would make on a DD - your comments do help shed some light. Do you notice them on the street, or not at all until you hit the track?

The steering wheel is mighty nice...
I also considered evolve headers, but those would have to wait as they are pricey and I'm not sure I want to make her that loud.
 
#5 ·
I like my current spoiler, although I really want a diffuser - they are just so $$$ for what they are. Wheels are tempting, but 19's or 20's, and then the most annoying question of all - which ones?! haha. I love the deep concave ones, but again $$$ grrrrrrr
 
#9 ·
I have had the 3.91 diff for about 2 years now and have had no issues. I have done a few track days with it.

Since the SMG manages shifts by torque, it actually shifts better with the 3.91 at low rpms. In addition, it should also cause the SMG to slip the clutch less as it takes less output to move the car.

I think there was a proper calculation of the speed difference on the forums here. If I remember correctly, you loose between 10 to 20 km/hr on each gear. Overall, I believe you loose about 30 km/hr on top speed.
 
#14 ·
Very interesting. How have you enjoyed it compared to stock? Are you glad you did it? Considering I don't track it, and barely even race it much (but wish I did more), would you consider it worth doing? I guess it would make flooring it from light to light more fun :2:
I don't, and don't suspect I ever will, hit top speeds, so I don't think that's a real concern. You are making me consider this more now.

Was mentioned here....while reading your original statement I would say the trammeling is due to your tires. What tires do you have?
I have 235 Pilot Sports up front and 285 Super Sport's in the rear. The former have been on the car since I bought it (tread is still good but would have to check how much) and the latter have been on the car for....several months (since I bought the BBK's).

I have noticed that my steering wheel seems to be off ever so slightly and I will bring it to the dealership for an alignment. That could be it I guess..
 
#11 ·
First thing nice car and like your mods
Steering wheel made my car feel new n fresh
 

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#12 ·
Concave wheels n 20s love n them no issues at all
 

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#15 ·
Thank you for the compliment. I have watched your progression and must admit I really like your wheels and steering wheel. Did you notice an increase in the harshness of the ride as you moved to 20's? I wonder how those wheels would look in 19's if I decided not to move up.

I think the steering wheel would make a huge difference when I drove it, but would be far less noticeable to others/from the exterior. I'm not sure which I want to address more now. I think the staggered look would make a big difference as well. It would just suit the car's aggressiveness much more. May I ask where you purchased your rims? New rims and new tires would probably force me to wait several months though as I just purchased plane tickets for Europe and I'm still paying off the bearings :p
Thank you,
~Pat
 
#13 ·
Land vehicle Vehicle Car Luxury vehicle Bmw
With these wheels those stop techs will look epic
 
#16 · (Edited)
I think it may also be time to upgrade from painted mirrors to CF. They aren't excessively expensive and would add a nice little touch, especially when folded. I think that may wait until I determine whether I do a new wrap or remove what I have, repaint the front and rear bumpers and the hood. Car is originally Monaco blue and I'm not sure how well it would work with CF mirrors, kidney grills, trunk spoiler, front spoiler and black rims. Thoughts?

Would I be better off getting a new gloss or matte white wrap, or potentially a frozen grey? :)
 
#17 ·
I think it may also be time to upgrade from painted mirrors to CF. They aren't excessively expensive and would add a nice little touch, especially when folded. I think that may wait until I determine whether I do a new wrap or remove what I have, repaint the front and rear bumpers and the hood. Car is originally Monaco blue and I'm not sure how well it would work with CF mirrors, kidney grills, trunk spoiler, front spoiler and black rims. Thoughts?

Would I be better off getting a new gloss or matte white wrap, or potentially a frozen grey? :)
I'm Interlagos Blue...not quite as dark as Monaco, but I think the CF looks good. You can see my rear deck spoiler is CF. My wheels are not black, but they are pretty dark.
 

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#18 ·
She looks great. The thing about interlagos blue is it's more blue than the monaco blue and I think the CF will stand in contrast better than it would on mine. I think that's why I have been hesitant to have the wrap removed, parts repainted (usual wear and tear) and then a full detail done. That and I'm at work 80+ hours/week, which means a quick wash here and there is much easier on a wrapped car than on paint. I do like the gunmetal looking color of your wheels though.
 
#19 ·
#25 · (Edited)
Depends on who builds the diff for you.

I had Jim Blanton from Performance Gearing build my custom 3.91, after my Dinan diff failed. The details are in my signature. http://performancegearing.com/product.php

Diffsonline or Turner Motorsports will build a fairly custom 3.91 as well:

BMW E60 M5 Differentials
E60 M5, E63 M6 Differential Upgrade - Custom Options - Turner Motorsport

Keep in mind, you can get your standard ///m differential built for much less. I figured if I was going to get a new diff, I might as well go hog wild. Also, remember that you will need to flush your diff fluid twice, so that will add to the cost. My diff was race ready and required zero breakin. I had it installed, then went directly to Shift S3ctor, drove 1,000 miles, and reflushed with Heavy Redline ShockProof gear oil.
 
#31 · (Edited)
That's sounds about right for just the ring and pinion. I had to do a full rebuild since mine grenaded -- and I went hog wild.

I think talking to the shop is the best bet. They can build one to your needs.
 
#33 ·
#35 ·
Interesting. I'll take a look.
 
#40 ·
My last car, 7.0L GTO with 3.91's was at the top of 4th going through the 1/4mile. Granted traction was a much larger issue than in the M6, but it was certainly fun to drive on the street. Switching from that car to the M6 has actually made me very shy about flooring her. Unfortunately, when you're used to 400ftlb's of tq at 3K RPM, you get so used to modulating the gas pedal that I often forget just how much I can floor the M6 and still get away with it. I think I'll give her a serious spin the next couple days...

I have a nice tune but don't think I want to get the headers just yet. I'm enjoying how "tame/mature" she is compared to my previous ride, and I want to keep it that way for now. She sounds good but not obnoxious....at least in my opinion :)
I think I am sold on not getting the gears for now. Maybe later on down the road, but I think I'll focus on the steering wheel, rims and another wrap first :)
 
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#42 ·
#45 ·
Here is Chris's thread - funny I just stumbled across it yesterday looking for busy threads to post the Unicef Campaign in and then it gets mentioned here.

He is doing some pretty cool stuff:

http://www.m5board.com/vbulletin/e60-m5-e61-m5-touring-discussion/398658-patina.html

:cheers:

Jim
Thanks for the link Jim,
I didn't realize which Chris we were talking about. He did my custom headlights and wrap. I now see he's out of the wrap business, which is a shame. Time to find somewhere else to take my work to :sad2:

That's certainly an interesting blue he has going on. As I suspected, the blue looks better gloss than it would matte and I think the same would apply to a burnt orange look, especially if paired with some darker rims.
 
#44 · (Edited)
Phu...this is SMG v 6MT. Both Garry and I are catless. He's on an Evolve tune, and I'm on a Dinan non-catless tune. I have been undecided of where to send my money for my catless tune. The reality: I am holding out for a custom tune.

Same race, with video from both cars.

From Garry's e60
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/wY1SJ-AzFDg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

From my e60

<iframe src="//player.vimeo.com/video/110043439" width="500" height="281" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/110043439">Garry dig 2</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user13590459">EightyFiveHundred</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
Yes, definitely a different story from a stop but I think the gains from the 3.91 disappear around 100 MPH and maybe lower. I think money is better spent on an aggressive tune, headers, etc. unless someone is an tracking their beast. Also, with tune, intake, headers and full exhaust already being done, I wonder how much you would really "feel" the 3.91 gearing (though I bet you still would).

Forcing a shift to 5th in the 1/4 mile would just suck, however -- and that's what I'm seeing from some of the guys who have posted on the upgrade, overall. They pick it up in the 1/8th and then give it back (if not more) at the top...

-b.

To confuse things further, above are videos of the same race from my last 1/2 event, but its SMG 3.62 v. 6MT 3.91

Garry's SMG has headers and scoops. He is running an Evolve tune that accounts for his headers.
My 6MT has headers, scoops, Dinan Intake. I'm running an old Stage I Dinan tune that does not account for intake or headers.

My 6MT is ahead, with the 3.91. The other races my margin was greater or Garry jumped the rolling start.

If you watch the video shot from Garry's SMG (external view), he's not gaining much on my 6MT shifts. We were both trapping at 146ish.

I really think my Blanton 3.91 was the difference. It just puts power down so much better than my old Dinan 3.91. By all accounts, the SMG should shift faster than the 6MT. :dunno:
 
#53 ·
I know it has been a little while but I finally got round to buying new tires. I replaced the worn Pilot sport's with Pilot Super Sport's and it is a world of difference. She handles the way she was meant to again. I had momentarily forgotten what these beasts were capable of and the comfort they could provide. The 255/40/19's were defeinitely more square (read: wider) than the originals, but now they match the rears. No rubbing and my front fenders are not rolled. Everything is on stock tires.

I think next will be another wrap - Frozen grey is on my mind.
 
#54 ·
I replaced the worn Pilot sport's with Pilot Super Sport's and it is a world of difference. She handles the way she was meant to again. I had momentarily forgotten what these beasts were capable of and the comfort they could provide.
Tires probably should be number one upgrade for beasts. Last year I got my car just in time for last BMW CCA Autocross of the season and I just hated understeer. I'll get PSS once weather gets nicer here. Can't wait to test the beast in its prime.
 
#55 · (Edited)
So, after deciding not to buy a C6Z06 just yet, I now have the itch to spend some more on the M6 :)
I've been contemplating some Evolve headers, and as always, some nice deep concave rims. As far as the headers, for those who have done it, was it worth it? Has anyone gone the more expensive route of decatting their headers and then going the evolve route after? If so, was there an appreciable difference? Decatting the primary cats, although expensive for what it is, is still a LOT cheaper than getting a new set of headers. Obviously there would be a much more pronounced gas smell, and I'm assuming a reasonably large increase in sound, but how was the performance? Anything?

On a side note, anyone thinking of selling their 20" rims? :)

EDIT: I bought new PSS tires and it was about time. What a difference.
 
#56 · (Edited)
Well it’s been about 4 years but I’m still around as is the beast. I’ve moved out to NoVa (stationed at Quantico), and between the commute and the weather I garage the car more than I drove her.

I did end up getting a Dinmann steering wheel which, while expensive, is absolutely worth it. Simply amazing.
Secondly I had my wheels powder coated again. - gloss black, and it looks far better than the satin black I had before.

I had some painful transmission repairs and actuator replacements but hey, such is life.

I’m getting that itch again so trying to figure out which route to go:

- LT headers (quite pricy)
- replace the H&K springs with coilovers (local shop I go to “RRT Racing” recommends KW or Fortune Auto’s and not BC.

I also had to ditch the front lip when I (well, the military), transported the car cross country because she was too low.

As such I’m looking for a new front lip but not quite as “big” as the normal one most M6’s have these days.

I’ll try to get some good pics one of these days.
 
#57 ·
Nice list.
I'd suggest touching base with Ryan over at RMS Fabrications and getting him to send you a set of his decat, coated and V-Banded headers. Much cheaper and the quality is amazing.
Not sure about the restrictions on running a de-cat in your area but worth it for noise and performance.
I'd recommend KW V3s over anything. I had them on previous cars and if I change to coilovers, that's what I'd use without hesitation. I've seen too many failures of BCs and from what I've read, the shaft diameter at the top tapers, creating a weak point.
Did you ever install the monoball upgrade? I'm looking at that now as my bushes are due.
 
#60 · (Edited)
Thank you. I should add I also got an Eventuri intake which looks sexy as hell under the hood!

I’ll reach out to Ryan and see what my options are. The car sounds great as is - have you heard these headers? Wondering what they do to the V10 sound. Decatted headers are probably loud as hell... not necessarily a bad thing, just wondering lol.

The KW V3s is what most seem to recommend, which is unfortunate because of the cost :/

Oh, and no I didn’t get the mono balls. I can’t recall why but it was probably because it wasn’t necessary for a DD which is what she was then.
 
#58 ·
Coming from someone that left NoVa 24 years ago, with family still in Fairfax...I would invest in a good radar detector and laser jammers.

Smog and state inspections are a B I T C H.
 
#59 ·
There are a lot of cops, I’ll give you that. I don’t find myself speeding a whole lot (nothing crazy at least), but maybe you’re right. V1?
What laser jammer would you recommend?
 
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