Lets settle the "M" issue once and for all...

M

Marinakorp

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adrean8j

what constitutes a "proper" upgrades?

is iT a matter of adding ANY ///M component to the vehicle? At what point does a non ///M become a pseudo ///M?


does adding the brakes alone constitute "proper"... is it performance pieces only? If I add the rear valence and front bumpers to my car... can I add the ///M logo to my rear? IMHO - NO this is an act of someone who WANTS to be like the big brother and is attempting to pass the car off as such... imo this is posing


IMHO... if the car did not come from the factory as an ///M class vehicle... then we have no business rebadging iT to meet out vanity needs...
 
brahtw8

brahtw8

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IMHO, if a car did not come from the factory with the M badge, it should not be added in the aftermarket. M-logos on factory parts, like steering wheels, etc., are fine, unless you are adding M-specific 'dress-up' parts, like E36 M3 trim, door sills, etc.

A mock M-car is such a waste. [?|] I have seen some really ratty BMWs with M-badges. An old E30 318i (2-valve) and E28 528e come to mind.

I feel the only exception to this rule is a car with a transplanted M-motor. In that case, an M-badge on the trunk is okay.

Don't even get me started about non-BMWs with M badges.
 
Wadula

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Having a car coming out of the mill with all the ///M stuff is definetly worth the ///M badge.
Having a car that was pumped up with ///M stuff later can wear it as long as the added parts fit to what the car would wear when it comes from the mill is a question of taste. you can consider it missplaced or not right, but that is only taste.
Having a car with a ///M3 badge, but it is a stock 318 with the M engine is not allowed to wear the ///M3 badge. that one is only for real M-cars.

marina, i think drawing a line where a car changes to a ///M worthy is hard to define and different from person to person. in general, when it contents all the stuff as the sport series does, it is justified. adding only brakes is not enough. i think it should be all. aerodynamics from ///M, steering wheel, side markers and skirts, bumpers, etc. if the car wears all that, it is fine. Only some ///M mirrors are not enough, i woudl agree on that one.
And as far as i understood adrean he thinks about it the same way. only one or two things are not worth an ///M but a lot of stuff added that actually brings the car very close to the original one coming out of the mill is okay.
 
mrferg

mrferg

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vlad said:
I guess I should have been specific. The e30 325es had m stripes on a couple of places, most notably the steering wheel. I was assuming that the 325is whould have had the same. I've never seen a 328is up close.
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The 325is is the same.[:)]
 
S

shragon

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Marinakorp said:
actually they did put a M540 on the e34... this was a 540 sport with the M5 brakes (basically)
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this isn't quite right. in 1995, the us received 540i m-sport's (not to be confused with 540 sports, which are regular e34's with 6 speeds) and canada received m540i's. these cars were basically m5's minus the engines. the us and canadian versions are a little different. the us version came with 17" throwing star rims and smaller brakes while the canadian version came with 18" m-parallels and bigger brakes. the canadian versions came with "///M540i" badges, while the us version came with "540i" badges. most dealers in the us actually added an m badge to these 540i m-sports so they would say "///M540i" as well.

as for this whole m badge thing... it's cool if you use m and m-tech parts on your car or if your car came with those parts stock from the factory. just don't badge your car as an "///M3" or "///M5" or "///M" whatever if your car is not a genuine m car. doing that is being a poser.
 
Wadula

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some how i really gain the impression that the in the us people don´t make a difference between ///M3 and ///M badge. in germany atleast we do. maybe that is the reason for this little dispute.
 
S

South Africa E30 driver

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I was wondering what you guys would classify an E36 318is motorsport as, because the who car is done by Motorsport, the engine is tuned, suspension and bodykit. It does not contain the M designation but on the side sill it does say BMW Motorsport.
 
brahtw8

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South Africa E30 driver said:
I was wondering what you guys would classify an E36 318is motorsport as, because the who car is done by Motorsport, the engine is tuned, suspension and bodykit. It does not contain the M designation but on the side sill it does say BMW Motorsport.
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We didn't get that E36 in the US.

It may have been unique to South Africa. You guys have had a few unique models in the past, such as the E30 333i or the E23 745i (which had the S38/M88 inline six from the M5/M6, not a turbocharged M30 like the regular euro 745i).

I think classifying it as a 318is Motorsport is just fine.
 
B

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Wadula said:
some how i really gain the impression that the in the us people don´t make a difference between ///M3 and ///M badge. in germany atleast we do. maybe that is the reason for this little dispute.
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I think many in the US do understand the difference and some just never will. I did not understand the difference but I do now, after looking into it a little. "M3" and "M5" are a car, plain and simple. "M" motorsport IS different. My car comes from the factory with 'M" stuff but it is clearly not an 'M3".
 
S

South Africa E30 driver

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brahtw8 you are the first person I know of who knows about 333i BMW out of South Africa. In the next month im probably going to that a 333i motor and slot it into my E30 325i as it is just as quick as the E36 M3 but, just for good measure to make sure that not much on the road can touch me im gotta put a Supercharger and Nos into it. Does anybody know why the 333i was only made in South Africa.
 
B

Big Daddy

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Really it is like all the other designators that BMW uses, they start with a good idea then BAM! they mess it up. Take the whole body, engine, injection, coupe, convertible thing! A 750 use to be an "iL", now it's an "Li", a convertible 330, "Cic", or is it a "ciC"?, then take the roadsters, "MZ3" roadster, but then again they do not put "MZ3" on the badge and it does have the "M" motor? An "is" car was a two door, not today, you can get an "is" 4-dr, and a coupe is a "C"? Wow I need a drink, or is it a "Mdrink"?
 
brahtw8

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South Africa E30 driver said:
brahtw8 you are the first person I know of who knows about 333i BMW out of South Africa. In the next month im probably going to that a 333i motor and slot it into my E30 325i as it is just as quick as the E36 M3 but, just for good measure to make sure that not much on the road can touch me im gotta put a Supercharger and Nos into it. Does anybody know why the 333i was only made in South Africa.
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You guys have your own branch/version of BMW, known as BMW South Africa. I believe it is technically a separate company, but is of course still connected to BMW proper.

I don't know why you guys have had a few unique models. I think it is because you have your own plant down there (I believe), which gives the flexibilty to make changes. That, and management that apparently likes fast and unique BMWs.

I would love to see some pictures of the SA E23 745i, if you know of any.

There have been other unique models in other countries as well. For example, they made a special E30 320is for Italy that had the S14 engine from the E30 M3, but the displacement was decreased to 2.0 liters, from 2.3. That car was made to take advantage of a huge tax break for 2.0 liter and under cars.
 
Wadula

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Big Daddy said:
Really it is like all the other designators that BMW uses, they start with a good idea then BAM! they mess it up. Take the whole body, engine, injection, coupe, convertible thing! A 750 use to be an "iL", now it's an "Li", a convertible 330, "Cic", or is it a "ciC"?, then take the roadsters, "MZ3" roadster, but then again they do not put "MZ3" on the badge and it does have the "M" motor? An "is" car was a two door, not today, you can get an "is" 4-dr, and a coupe is a "C"? Wow I need a drink, or is it a "Mdrink"?
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whatever, i share the drink [rofl] [thumb]
 
///M SPEED

///M SPEED

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Big Daddy said:
Really it is like all the other designators that BMW uses, they start with a good idea then BAM! they mess it up. Take the whole body, engine, injection, coupe, convertible thing! A 750 use to be an "iL", now it's an "Li", a convertible 330, "Cic", or is it a "ciC"?, then take the roadsters, "MZ3" roadster, but then again they do not put "MZ3" on the badge and it does have the "M" motor? An "is" car was a two door, not today, you can get an "is" 4-dr, and a coupe is a "C"? Wow I need a drink, or is it a "Mdrink"?
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HAHA, true. My Y2k 328i has the 328i (4 door) emblem on the rear, but the registration states it's an "328is", go figure. I gave up trying to figure their logic. Just like you stated, I need an Mdrink as well. [:D]
 
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