munchen

I'd like to convert religions from BMW to MB, but I'd like an e class coupe that can replicate the performance/sharp handling/dynamics of the lighter 335is/m3 with a 550 or even a 350.

anything to lighten the weight, improve the suspension, boost power or speed up the tranny would get this more like an AMG e class coupe if it existed. I'm new to MB.. and in south florida.

i've read about rennsport and carlsson.. but lowering the air suspension height doesn't always = much tighter handling. the 350 might be better for tuning. coilovers? any ideas to make this work or anyone who has tried this?

vcruiser

350 engine is terrible for tuning, trust me!
go with the 550

highroller550

i have a e550c mild tuning done.. and i play with m3's all day.

munchen

the prob with the 550 is its 150lbs of weight..... any suspension good mods other than just lowering it? the big problem with the e 550 is handling.

YYZ-E55

The E coupe is designed to be a baby GT car. You're never going to get with M3s due to:

- weight
- mediocre handling (especially on the track)
- over-boosted steering
- auto transmission that you cannot force to do what you want (ie: hold gears at redline)
- lazy powertrain
- inability to deactivate ESP (without going into DYNO mode, which is a real PITA)

I love my E, but it will never ever compete with M3s (or C63s for that matter). If you do give it a shot, you're going to be really disadvantaged with the 350. At least the 550 has some torque to yank you out of the hole.

Pennetta

I came from a string of four BMW's. I have found handling with the sport package to be 9/10th of what BMW offers for absolute handling. Better than i had thought. The 350 engine is no match for either the 335 or M3, so I would ( and did) get the 550 version.

munchen

m3's have no torque and its DCT is clunky from neutral to first or reverse. .. the e550 is probably a better daily driver

any feedback on this?:

http://www.motorworldhype.com/2009-0...-program-andy/

that might kick the handling up a bit? any feedback on this? but the steering feel will still suck.

steelgrey

I personnaly don't feel that comparing the M3 to the stock 350/550 is a fair comparison. I think a fairer comparision would be the C63AMG or E63AMG to the M3. The M3 is BMWs performance car as are the MB AMGs.

munchen

well... yea... you can't compare an edgy m3 to an e550 coupe. I wish I could get an amg e550 coupe, but some guys in germany decided that wouldn't be in the cards. so the question is... what can be done to make the big *** e550 become more like what an AMG could have been?

horsepower.. check.. no problem.. can boost it up to 450 with some common tunes and exhaust. this issue is solved.

brakes.. check..you can get better brakes.. but unless you are tracking it this is pointless.

handling... lower 30 mm... software out there lowers the air. who knows how much this improves handling???

tranny... sorry, it isn't a DCT and no software out there kicks it up. if the tranny is very slow then you can't fix this one.

there are other issues like steering feel and accuracy that might make this a lost cause.

Pennetta

The ideologies of BMW and MB are indeed different, so their product line focus is different. If you want a sure fire way to duplicated all of the features of the M3 get an M3.

YYZ-E55

Suspension is not AIRMATIC.

The tranny could be improved with proper software, not sure if anyone is offering it though. Same for the steering.

munchen

m3 is fugly, crap interior, no torque, overpriced, dct can't shift from neutral to reverse without delay (not nice at traffic lights). very overrated car. they just did a comparo where the mustang GT tied it on the track. a base corvette will beat it on the track. 290ftlbs of torque... is that a joke? you need to flog the engine to get anywhere. nice sharp handling though.

Pennetta

I was at BMW M School a few months back (I'm pictured on page 59 of BMW Magazine current issue) and I drove the M6, M5 and M3 around the test track at Spartenburg, SC.
I clocked the fastest time in my class around the track. The M's are designed specific for track and the cars were bone stock (brakes and tires also).
They are not about torque and the DCT is a great transmission for it's purpose. I owned a 545 SMG and I loved it.
Mercedes is a car with a different focus.

michoblb

+1

munchen

http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/...son/index.html

Ford mustang GT is equal to an M3 on the track. The m3 isn't such a hot track car because it has no torque. Try accelerating an m3 up a hill... feels like a prius

I've driven and m3 and a base vette. vette is faster on a track. the vette is absurdly low slung (an M3 feels like an SUV in comparison) and the vette's engine is better.. the light huge aluminum v8 with 430lbs of torque. grandsport vette or z06 against similarly priced m3 would be a blow out. track = vette.

So the M3 is over-rated and not a great track car for its price. It has an ugly gaping front spoiler, blingy chrome accessories and a hideous bangle inspired lower rear that should be on a pontiac. BUT, the handling feel and subjective factors favor the m3. try getting stuck under a traffic light with an 18 wheeler coming waiting for the DCT to engage and you won't like it anymore.

getting back to the issue... how do you give that e550 some decent handling? lower 30 mm? anybody done that? any way to get 100lbs off the e550? I would rather be cruising with 400+ torque and the giant sunroof open in the e550... one of the most beautiful cars on the road.

Pennetta

Munchem, I read the article that you supplied the link for. Certainly the Mustang and Vette have improved over the years but that doesn't make the M3 a bad car. Also they said that the electronics hampered the M3 more, when you go on the track you typically turn that stuff off in the M3- I did when I was on the track and it's a huge difference, no more understeer.
If I was picking a car to drive on a teacake, it still would be the M3 with the electronic nannies shut off this time.
But why try to make a Mercedes into a Mustang? Just buy the Mustang. My 550 handles great, so not sure what you want to improve upon. I do have the sport button and summer rubber which makes a big difference does yours have those?

munchen

BMW m3 is just getting dated... the new three series has been out for 5 years. it is no longer compelling. even with traction control, etc.. mustang's straight line numbers, grip, etc.. are comparable to an M3.

want more of a sharp feel in an e550 coupe and more power. sharper than the sport suspension and ideally a little lighter if possible. it would then be a solid GT car... more like a jag xkr.

efan

E550+ H&R springs (non dynamic package) + Vath ecu+C63 amg brakes= M3 killer,
check the lap times by Autozeitung magazine for the E coupe 250cgi, it is very surprising that even the 204hp and 310nm torque baby E coupe due to it's low center of gravity is faster around a track, ranked #121, above bmw 335i coupe which was 124...
http://www.fastestlaps.com/track24.html so the E500/550 should be even faster!

here in Hong Kong guys in 335i with 400hp are able to take the standard M3 (in a straight line) and the C63 i have seen with Vath kit can equal the Nissan GTR.

PGT

I cross-shopped the M3 and the S5. The only thing I think I'm missing out on is the laser handling of the M3 and AWD of the S5 (we get snow around here). Other than that, for 99.9999% of the daily time I spend in a car, the E550 coupe was a better choice.

benn.

honestly if you can pull this off and not waste a ton of money on aftermarket modification, you just might convince me to get an e550 over the m3..
but as of now, still love the m3

benn.

btw. dont get rear side airbags and drop the spare tire lmao

and the reason i woudlnt get e550 is cause i already have a c350 and the inside is almost identical lmao.. i dont like the idea of buying a new car and feeling like im in my old car

munchen

the 335is bmw is very awesome.. with the dual clutch tranny and you can mod the n54 engine to over 400hp... plus your insurance rates are lower than an M3 (which it can beat with 400lbs torque) in most street driving or hilly driving.

eclass coupe drivers down in boca raton are ALL over 65 years old. put the golf clubs in the back and head to the country club. that's what MB is thinking.. this is an old man's car. sorry, I like my cars twitchy and crack addled like a 911... but some good mods (sorry, springs alone aren't doing), monoforged rims could do the trick. I'm not wearing diapers yet and could use a more exciting vehicle.

Speedriven1

Handling and that throttle software. An ECU flash should fix that problem, which is at least half (if not more) of what causes that floaty feeling mid-corner on these.

That said, I've had some conversations with JRZ about doing a coilover setup for the W212 sedan. Not sure how close it would be to the coupe, but I'll ask.

PGT

any solutions for reflashing if you're not local? I don't care for an ECU remap to add power but I would like a crisper throttle angle and or course some tuning on the dampers/active handling pkg would be nice too

Speedriven1

Where are you located? PM me?