E46 M3 vs. "Heavily" Modded WRX

[emretk]

This happened about a week ago or so, but I didn't really bother to post it up.

I was driving with my friend on the highway to go to see a movie when I came across this blue, modded WRX with an exhaust and loud blow off valve, from what I could hear. I got in the left lane, passed him, checked out the car, then sped up to about ~90 to see if he'd be game and follow along. I got back in the right lane, and shortly after he was right by my side.

I downshifted and got in my power band, about 6k in 3rd, and neither of us went for it and my revs just kept falling down. As we kept slowing down, we both knew what's up, and before I knew it, I downshifted into 2nd, once again at about 6-6.5k RPMs. This time we both got on it at nearly the same time, with him getting the split second jump. By the end of 2nd, I was half a car ahead. I shift to 3rd, my DSC quickly flashed and car bogged down for a second. As a result, midway through 3rd he caught back up and I was at his front fender. But, by the end of third at about ~100-105 I passed him again and he was probably at my rear fender. As the speeds increased, the more I gained. We stopped at about ~140-150, where I had just shifted into 5th, with about 1.5-2 cars on him.

My buddy and I were damn curious what this guy had to keep up with my factory freak. It's by far the closest encounter I've had in a long while.

So, we slow down, my friend and I throw him a thumbs up and he did the same. He rolls down his window and we line up again. I give him 3 fingers, and he gives me the nod. I honk it off, once again starting in my high rev powerband in 2nd. This time we both got on it DEAD even. Thanks to spot on shifting, he wasn't able to gain on me at all this time. By the end of 2nd, I was about a car ahead. Through 3rd the lead increased to 1-1.5 cars, and by the end of 4th once again shifting into 5th at about 140-150, I was about 2 cars ahead.

We once again slow down to below the speed limit and my friend and I asks him what he has done. He says he's got the STi turbo (which is what I had guessed as soon as I heard the BOV) and he's Stage 2 (not sure what other work that involves or he has done). I tell him I've got catless headers and an exhaust. He seemed surprised that that's all I had done. I complimented him, telling him his WRX is damn fast, and we both went our separate ways. Cool guy. Definitely a LOT faster than the regular STi with just intake and exhaust that I was easily able to pull several cars on. Considering some of my kills, I could swear I've got over 300 to the wheels, even with my minor mods. I need to find a dyno...

CLIFFS: E46 M3 w/ catless headers + exhaust and 1 passenger pulls about 1.5-2 cars from ~60-140 on a Stage 2 WRX w/ STi turbo and no passengers.

[m3chaser]

Good work. What makes you think you have a factory freak?

[mpwr enthuz]

You lose traction shifting into third? Never had that happen to me in a basically stock e46 m3, but then again I never have dsc on.

[330fly]

Sounds like fun. Good work.

[emretk]

Originally Posted by m3chaser

Good work. What makes you think you have a factory freak?

Thanks. I pull on and/or keep up with cars that I'm not supposed to. Had a couple friends tell me (one of my best friends has a 07 HR 350Z w/ 305 whp) tell me that I'm the only E46 M3 out of the handful that they've ran who they've lost to. Also, now after the headers, not always getting complete traction when shifting into 3rd is pretty convincing too (though that may have more to do with my worn out 255 tires in the back).

Originally Posted by mpwr enthuz

You lose traction shifting into third? Never had that happen to me in a basically stock e46 m3, but then again I never have dsc on.

It's not often, and it only started happening after my header swap. Kinda why I think I may possibly have a factory freak...I guess I won't find out til I strap her to a dyno!

[slickav]

What else have you beat besides the HR 350Z?

[emretk]

Originally Posted by slickav

What else have you beat besides the HR 350Z?

Hmm, haven't had as many encounters recently as I've used to, as I don't drive nearly as aggressively/spiritedly anymore. As far as what else I've beat, there are many, but obviously not all are worth mentioning to show where my car stands.

A few off the top of my head:

- Charger SRT8 with intake and exhaust. At the time I only had an aftermarket muffler. I'd be just about a car ahead from about 60 or 70 to 140, and after my 4th to 5th shift at 140, he'd blow by me thanks to the top end on those things. No passengers for either of us. I posted this back on here a while back.

- This guy with a moderately modded C5 Vette with several bolt ons including 4.10s, exhaust work, etc. (forgot exactly what else he had as it was a year ago) claimed he ran high 11s at the local strip. He pulled 2-3 cars on me easy both down low (relatively shorter run) and again on the highway (longer run). I was rather happy to lose by only a few cars to a Vette that claimed to run high 11s. He had one passenger, I didn't have any.

- S197 Mustang GT with a BOSS body kit. Obviously, it most likely wasn't the supercharged one, or else I would've lost. Was able to pull maybe 2-3 cars from 60-120ish. I was by myself, didn't pay attention to see if he had any passengers.

- S197 Mustang "Shelby GT" (NOT the 500) from a dig. Pulled on him by a car in 1st gear, shifted into 2nd, car bogged down (DSC on), allowing him to catch up and get half a car on me. As I began to reel him in, I was right next to him by the end of 2nd when we slowed down due to traffic at about ~70. I had one passenger, he was by himself.

I guess that gives you somewhat of an idea?

[Mathsjester]

Originally Posted by emretk

We once again slow down to below the speed limit and my friend and I asks him what he has done. He says he's got the STi turbo (which is what I had guessed as soon as I heard the BOV) and he's Stage 2 (not sure what other work that involves or he has done).

He doesn't need a BOV to run the STI turbo, as the stock WRX BPV is the same as the STi's. Actually, if he had an intake, it may have just made a little more noise than stock. Stage 2 for a WRX is typically up pipe, down pipe, and exhaust plus tuning. I can't imagine he'd be keeping up with only that work though. Maybe if it was a 2009 it would start to be more believable, but still not really.

[emretk]

Originally Posted by Mathsjester

He doesn't need a BOV to run the STI turbo, as the stock WRX BPV is the same as the STi's. Actually, if he had an intake, it may have just made a little more noise than stock. Stage 2 for a WRX is typically up pipe, down pipe, and exhaust plus tuning. I can't imagine he'd be keeping up with only that work though. Maybe if it was a 2009 it would start to be more believable, but still not really.

I don't understand what you're trying to say here. I didn't say I just guessed he was running an STi turbo just because I heard a blow off valve. The guy specifically told me after the 2nd run that he was Stage 2 with the STi turbo. I said "I thought so, after hearing that BOV and seeing as how you were right there behind me the whole time." I was just reiterating that it was my initial guess considering how well he kept up after the first run. From the research I've done, Stage 2 STi's put down around 300whp, some a bit less, others a bit more. It was a very good matchup.

[Mathsjester]

Originally Posted by emretk

I don't understand what you're trying to say here. I didn't say I just guessed he was running an STi turbo just because I heard a blow off valve. The guy specifically told me after the 2nd run that he was Stage 2 with the STi turbo. I said "I thought so, after hearing that BOV and seeing as how you were right there behind me the whole time." I was just reiterating that it was my initial guess considering how well he kept up after the first run. From the research I've done, Stage 2 STi's put down around 300whp, some a bit less, others a bit more. It was a very good matchup.

I guess I was just trying to say that a BOV does not help performance at all. A lot of guys just throw BOVs on their car and don't do anything else. But the fact that he was keeping up with you definitely says he had a bit of work done. Maybe he just had a freak that made really good power. It's all speculation from my end.

[Frogger]

That's quick for an STI turbo. I would have guessed he had a bigger turbo than that. Nice work.

[BMWFanatic]

nice kill man, get to a dyno

what mods did the HR have to make 305whp? and how much did you pull on him by?

[jbimflyer]

Originally Posted by emretk

Hmm, haven't had as many encounters recently as I've used to, as I don't drive nearly as aggressively/spiritedly anymore. As far as what else I've beat, there are many, but obviously not all are worth mentioning to show where my car stands.

A few off the top of my head:

- Charger SRT8 with intake and exhaust. At the time I only had an aftermarket muffler. I'd be just about a car ahead from about 60 or 70 to 140, and after my 4th to 5th shift at 140, he'd blow by me thanks to the top end on those things. No passengers for either of us. I posted this back on here a while back.

- This guy with a moderately modded C5 Vette with several bolt ons including 4.10s, exhaust work, etc. (forgot exactly what else he had as it was a year ago) claimed he ran high 11s at the local strip. He pulled 2-3 cars on me easy both down low (relatively shorter run) and again on the highway (longer run). I was rather happy to lose by only a few cars to a Vette that claimed to run high 11s. He had one passenger, I didn't have any.

- S197 Mustang GT with a BOSS body kit. Obviously, it most likely wasn't the supercharged one, or else I would've lost. Was able to pull maybe 2-3 cars from 60-120ish. I was by myself, didn't pay attention to see if he had any passengers.

- S197 Mustang "Shelby GT" (NOT the 500) from a dig. Pulled on him by a car in 1st gear, shifted into 2nd, car bogged down (DSC on), allowing him to catch up and get half a car on me. As I began to reel him in, I was right next to him by the end of 2nd when we slowed down due to traffic at about ~70. I had one passenger, he was by himself.

I guess that gives you somewhat of an idea?

Srt-8 with topend? and how bout yours, I missed your thread about this but I wouldn't think he had any topend that you don't have. I raced a 300c hemi from 50 mph roll to 140ish and started to walk him at about 100-110 w/v8 though. I'm not so sure those type cars are designed to handle that well up at those speeds so I think he got a little scared and climbed down. lol

[Steiner]

Good story but I'd hit the dyno. Just about the time you think you're sporting a factory freak you find out the guy you were racing just had a factory dud. It's happened to me. My recommendation is to find a tuner that sees enough E46 M3's to have a sound perspective as to an "average" stock baseline pull. I blew the doors off my buddy's N/A Porche 997 in my old lightly modded SRT-4 in 2005 and figured I was sporting a factory freak. He ended up having a power robbing software issue that was a result of botched chip install at the dealership. He picked up almost 40hp and the next race wasn't as fun for me.

[OxfordM3]

Forget the dyno, this car is a PITA to dyno correctly without the GT1. Hit the 1/4 mile and get a trap speed. How far are you from MIR? Maybe we can meet up.