E46 M3 Maintenance / Vanos Related

Is the CSL Bootlid OEM? Not many companies that make a semi-decent CSL Bootlid will ship to Australia, and then there are always fitment issues and then painting it... making it a really expensive exercise, but its something i'd love to do.

Are there any sacrifices when changing to the CSL intake? What is everyday driveability like? Does it suffer in any way?

I buy all my big ticket items from the US, however i manage to get good buy rates here in Australia for OEM BMW parts. I weigh up the cost of the part, plus freight, plus any down time and sometimes opt to pay little more to get the part locally to have the car back quicker, however i am finding at the moment that BMW Australia and other OEM parts retailers like SMG (Stillwell Motor Group) aren't keeping large amounts of stock of things that i need, and i find that i am often waiting for things to come out of Germany. From memory, i paid about $300 to replace my M3 MAF locally.

Have you done the CSL steering rack or considering it? I don't find much of an advantage with it... i only notice it at low speeds reversing out of my driveway, i also noticed it when i had to replace it - had to be made to order in Germany, that sh1t was expensive.

Do you get your car serviced at Auto Classic in WA? Its good that they allow you to bring your own parts, but i suppose these places need to become accustomed to people being more savvy with buying parts for cheaper than they can sell it for (or even buy it for in some cases). I've found that retailers (whether mechanical or tyres etc) don't really mind, as long as you don't ask them to put items of questionable quality on your car.

I am not looking forward to my next tyre purchase... it sounds like all the decent tyre manufacturers have tightened the screws on tirerack and all the tyres i like putting on my cars, can't be sent to Australia. The last time i checked, Goodyear still allowed tyres to be shipped to Australia (but that may have changed). I did an M-Dynamic BMW Driver Training day at Eastern Creek and thrashed an E92 M3 on the track all day, and all the cars were fitted with Goodyear Eagle F1s - i was pretty impressed with the punishment they took and how they looked at the end of the day. If i can still get my hands on those, i will probably buy a set.

Originally Posted by kook

Thanks, I've only ever seen one LeMans Blue M3, owned by a guy in Germany, I think its a pretty rare colour. Its an Individual package, that I'm slowly adding CSL bits too, done bootlid, diffuser, steering wheel and intake. Intake is definitely the best mod, if I had to recommend any one mod, that would be it. Bought all those parts from CA Automotive in the UK, they let you buy OEM CSL parts without supplying a VIN. Car now has an Evolve-R tune ( http://www.evolveautomotive.com/engi...ap-alphan_940/ ), the intake noise of the throttles sucking is mental, this is the sound you get



I buy ALL my parts from the US, the price differences between here and there are crazy. I always have enough parts in the shed for 2 full services. The BMW dealer here doesnt mind, I just rock up with my car & parts on the backseat, and pay for labour. I remember when I first got the car I got quoted $650 here for a MAF sensor, same part in the US was $107! Car is MAF-less now anyway with the new intake. CSL intake filters are still a bit rich though from either US or UK, around $130 a pop! Who knows what BMW Aus would charge for them, $6-700 probably...!

Yep, all OEM, just look on the CA -Auto site. You want to click on the section that says GENUINE BMW M3 CSL parts. Theres 4 sections, Chassis, Engine, Others, Styling. Be sitting down when you look at the prices

http://www.ca-int.co.uk/category-Y2F...lPWU0Nm0=.html

You can take the VAT off the price as we dont pay that, and you'll usually get another 10-20% off on top off that. Roy is a top bloke to deal with, I emailed, then eventually rang, just made things a lot easier to sort out. Parts had to come from Germany to him, then onto me.
To change to the CSL box you need to bend the dipstick over so you can reach it, and relocate the SMG reservoir if you have an SMG car. Its a big job, no way I would tackle it. Car fired up first time no problems, I was there as he finished it, I had the same mech from Auto Classic do all the work. Car has since been retuned by Evolve twice as I changed a few exhaust parts, they extract a few more HP out of it again. If you go down the CSL airbox route, the Evolve tune is recommended as they can really milk it. I hook my lappie up to the OBD port, ring Sal at Evolve in the UK, and he works his magic on the ECU file, sends it back, and reupload it onto the car. Done it once on a dyno, and once in my garage when they tweaked a few things.
As to driveability, at idle just sounds and runs exactly the same, can hear the throttles sucking a little bit. Once you hit about 4K rpm all hell breaks loose noise wise, throttles start sucking in small babies as you drive down the street. Sound is pure magic. Only problem is, you want to bury your foot all the time to hear that magic noise Jeremy Clarkson gives a good example of what it sounds like here



As to tyres, I'm on Michelin Pilot Super Sports, got them from tirerack. Best damn tyre I've ever used, grip levels are nuts! They cut it off for a while, but as far as I know the doors are open again on a lot of brands, you can bring in what you want. If not, I'll just freight forward them from tirerack or Tischer to address in US, I use Shipito

PS : What colour is yours, bloody nice as well...!

Originally Posted by kook

Once you hit about 4K rpm all hell breaks loose noise wise, throttles start sucking in small babies as you drive down the street.

Hahahhahaha

I have the M3 on Yokohama AD08s at the moment and wacked a set of Michelin PSS on my bosses XKR, both tyres are super impressive, i think i'll continue with AD08s though if i can because their wear is better than the PSS.

Mine is a Competition Package in InterlagosBlau Metallic, which is individual to the comp package.

I've always read that Evolve UK are the business with their tunes and customer service, especially when it comes to mafless tunes for csl airboxes cars. The install sounds like a pain in the assholes though, but i bet its worth it when your foot is buried from 3500rpm and you get to hear Dat Box. To be honest though, for that amount of coin, i'd probably opt to supercharge it.

I have an ESS ecu tune and csl smg tune in mine, they work quite well together. Its awesome that you had a dyno run when putting your tune file together - that would definitely ensure the tune is effective and safe.

You gotta stop posting vids of airbox noises, i am getting a persistent half mongrel watching them.

Nice colour, looks bloody great!
I agree, wear rates are probably better on other tyres, I read too many good reports on the PSS though so went with them. ESS and SMG tune should be a pretty damn excellent combo as it is, I've read good reports on ESS over at M3F. IF there was an option to supercharge with CSL intake noise, now that would be the perfect combo!
You reckon those vids sound good, you should hear it in a tunnel! We have a decent one near me, I dawdle along heading up to it trying to pick a decent break in the traffic, head in, knock it back to second and floor it. Bliss...