is it worth modifying a Z4 into an M? or should u just go with the m off the lot?

m off the lot....its never worth modding your car when you can just buy the real thing

i gotta think one from the lot is the way to go.

i know it just wanted to know. thanks its buggin me like crazy had to get it off my chest!!

Didn't realize you could do this. How?

Didn't realize you could do this. How?

Buy an S54 motor and the new ZF tranny (~$12,000 if you don't need the transmission, $15,000 if you do). Buy all new suspension from an MZ4 (including all bushings, lower control arms, strut hat/bearings...etc. $5,000). Buy an entire rear subframe from an MZ4 ($800). Buy new MZ4 diff ($1,200) Buy new steering rack( $1,000), steering wheel ($600), seats (if you don't already have them, $800), new hood ($500 plus $500 for painting), new front bumper ($350 plus $500 for painting), new rear bumper ($300 plus $500 for painting), new side skirt ($250 plus $300 for painting), new fenders front and rear ($3,000 plus $2,500 for painting), and new exhaust from the MZ4 ($1,200). Buy new brakes and steering knuckle for the MZ4 ($2,000 for the brakes, $1,200 for the steering knuckle). Buy the new front subframe from the MZ4 ($2,000). Buy new wheels and tires from the MZ4 ($4,000). Buy new trunk mat and liner, new battery bracket, and M Mobility kit ($500). Buy new steering pump ($200).

Total cost will probably be around $45K plus ~$25K for installation, and you'll need a doner Z4. When done you'll have a nice MZ4 conversion kit that runs you about $70,000 plus whatever it cost you to buy the Z4. :lol

Buy an S54 motor and the new ZF tranny (~$12,000 if you don't need the transmission, $15,000 if you do). Buy all new suspension from an MZ4 (including all bushings, lower control arms, strut hat/bearings...etc. $5,000). Buy an entire rear subframe from an MZ4 ($800). Buy new MZ4 diff ($1,200) Buy new steering rack( $1,000), steering wheel ($600), seats (if you don't already have them, $800), new hood ($500 plus $500 for painting), new front bumper ($350 plus $500 for painting), new rear bumper ($300 plus $500 for painting), new side skirt ($250 plus $300 for painting), new fenders front and rear ($3,000 plus $2,500 for painting), and new exhaust from the MZ4 ($1,200). Buy new brakes and steering knuckle for the MZ4 ($2,000 for the brakes, $1,200 for the steering knuckle). Buy the new front subframe from the MZ4 ($2,000). Buy new wheels and tires from the MZ4 ($4,000). Buy new trunk mat and liner, new battery bracket, and M Mobility kit ($500). Buy new steering pump ($200).

Total cost will probably be around $45K plus ~$25K for installation, and you'll need a doner Z4. When done you'll have a nice MZ4 conversion kit that runs you about $70,000 plus whatever it cost you to buy the Z4. :lol

or you could buy a supercharger for 5-7 k and have the same perfromance

or you could buy a supercharger for 5-7 k and have the same perfromance

No you can't. Steering, suspension, brakes, exhaust, differential...All the intangibles that makes an M perform like an M isn't there.

The Motorsports chassis was NEVER about more horsepower. The E30 M3 wasn't that much more powerful than the average 2.5 liter, but it handles, drives, and COMPETES 1,000x better from all the various parts coming together only BMW Motorsports can put it together.

Slapping on a supercharger doesn't mean you get to wear that ///M badge.

No you can't. Steering, suspension, brakes, exhaust, differential...All the intangibles that makes an M perform like an M isn't there.

The Motorsports chassis was NEVER about more horsepower. The E30 M3 wasn't that much more powerful than the average 2.5 liter, but it handles, drives, and COMPETES 1,000x better from all the various parts coming together only BMW Motorsports can put it together.

Slapping on a supercharger doesn't mean you get to wear that ///M badge.

I fully agree. An M is different in so many ways.

There can be temptation for an average Z owner to want the new M bonnet or front bumper or both. They are wild.

I am going to respectfully disagree with you guys. You will never convert a non M to an M, but you can mimic the look and tune the chassis to exceed what BMW has done with the M's

I normally post in the z3 forum, so I'm new over here. That said, I know it can be done. I did it on a 2.8 Z3. Cosmetically it isn't distinguishable from an M. The chassis far exceeds what BMW did with the MZ3. The car is a N/A 3.4 with a 6 speed. Yes, there is a small fortune in the car, but its all mine.

My only point in all this is that you can do it, and for less than you think. Now if what you want is and M... get it! If what you want is a blazingly fast car, that looks cool... build it!

Cliff

well, I personally think you could do better then an M performance wise:

1. coilovers
2. bbk kit
3. twinscrew supercharger

and if your car cost $30k, you're marginally on top

you won't rev to 8k, but you'll have much more torque under 4000rpm

I am going to respectfully disagree with you guys. You will never convert a non M to an M, but you can mimic the look and tune the chassis to exceed what BMW has done with the M's

I normally post in the z3 forum, so I'm new over here. That said, I know it can be done. I did it on a 2.8 Z3. Cosmetically it isn't distinguishable from an M. The chassis far exceeds what BMW did with the MZ3. The car is a N/A 3.4 with a 6 speed. Yes, there is a small fortune in the car, but its all mine.

My only point in all this is that you can do it, and for less than you think. Now if what you want is and M... get it! If what you want is a blazingly fast car, that looks cool... build it!

Cliff

well said thats what i did with my e46

weird seeing people new to bimmers thinking the M is just a badge that comes with a bigger engine...

tru, very tru

i say buy an M, AA supercharge it, take the badges off, and make it look like a Z and have a crazy sleeper

Who said its just a badge with a bigger engine?

Who said its just a badge with a bigger engine?

or you could buy a supercharger for 5-7 k and have the same perfromance

.

...Ohhh gotcha.

but I went into more detail about upgrading other things...

No you can't. Steering, suspension, brakes, exhaust, differential...All the intangibles that makes an M perform like an M isn't there.

The Motorsports chassis was NEVER about more horsepower. The E30 M3 wasn't that much more powerful than the average 2.5 liter, but it handles, drives, and COMPETES 1,000x better from all the various parts coming together only BMW Motorsports can put it together.

Slapping on a supercharger doesn't mean you get to wear that ///M badge.

Brakes? Hah! The BMW ///M brakes still stink, relatively speaking. Suspension? Again, a 4k upgrade makes that a loser. S/C (esp if they have or start doing the twinscrew for the Z4) plus an upgrade of shocks and brakes will more than compensate. OTOH, you still have a standard Z4 when it comes time to resell. That is the *only* area that the ///M will outperform. Of course, I'd still probably buy the ///M presuming I was buying new and didn't already have a standard Z4.

Brakes? Hah! The BMW ///M brakes still stink, relatively speaking. Suspension? Again, a 4k upgrade makes that a loser. S/C (esp if they have or start doing the twinscrew for the Z4) plus an upgrade of shocks and brakes will more than compensate. OTOH, you still have a standard Z4 when it comes time to resell. That is the *only* area that the ///M will outperform. Of course, I'd still probably buy the ///M presuming I was buying new and didn't already have a standard Z4.

If we're going to go that route, 4K upgrade in suspension for the M plus a SC will make the M run circles around the Z4 with the same $$$ upgrades. :dunno

And it still doesn't get you bigger brakes (have you actually driven the Z4 M with the CSL brakes?), better suspension parts (M control arms, steering, strut hats...etc are all different), and the trick LSD.

At the end of the day it still doesn't make it an M. And I think the OP is asking what it'll take to make his Z4 "look" like an M, not perform like an M. At least that's the sense I get.

.

I was talking straight line acceleration, just curious how much faster do you think a z4m is on a track without the 100 hp advantage?

No you can't. Steering, suspension, brakes, exhaust, differential...All the intangibles that makes an M perform like an M isn't there.

The Motorsports chassis was NEVER about more horsepower. The E30 M3 wasn't that much more powerful than the average 2.5 liter, but it handles, drives, and COMPETES 1,000x better from all the various parts coming together only BMW Motorsports can put it together.

Slapping on a supercharger doesn't mean you get to wear that ///M badge.

I didn't say it did, I was stating you could get similar performance by fi, was refering to accelleration.

I can't see selling a car, loosing money on the re-sale, which you will like it or not. Then putting 25 G's on top of it for an M.

Sorry, I bought and paid for mine before BMW said they were going to do an M. I have a slight grudge for that because I would have gotten an M. Now I'd rather take that money and play with enhancing and learning more about the car. Just fun in my opinion