as some of you guys know my R was stolen and my replacement is bmw 330i, even with the suspension upgrade (dinan) i still feel the car is really soft (chassis) when i'm cornering, is it because the itr chassis is much more solid then bmw ?
any R own who also has e46 please share your opion.

 

At the track there was a e46 ( non-m3), no clue what suspension mods it had but it was hanging/passing ITRs with no problem.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B2FiNiTY &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">At the track there was a e46 ( non-m3), no clue what suspension mods it had but it was hanging/passing ITRs with no problem. </TD></TR></TABLE>

That's cause west coast ITR stunnas can't drive...

 

i'd venture to say a modern bmw has a chassis equally as solid as that of the older ITR....might be wrong, but I bet its close. However, the e46 is very soft from the factory, even with the "sport" package, and probably with any aftermarket stuff save for the high end aggressive suspension packages. Dinan stuff is most definately is the "slightly less *****" ride/handling quality category. If you want a real upgrade, try looking into ground control's e46 options.


rob- who thinks every stock new bmw is for built for sissies, yes, even the ones with the marketing badge...and yes i've driven them.

 

i've driven a 330ci and although it felt soft, i got that feeling more from the weight of the vehicle. i didn't really get to get on it, but i imagine there are other suspension methods that will get you great handling considering the weight of the car.

 

I have an E46 330ci and an '01 ITR. I recently put the Mugen Lowdowns on the ITR, so it's not a fair comparison to make anymore.

But, stock vs stock, yes, the 330ci is a bit softer, even with the sport package and 17in wheels compared to the ITR. But, I've driven both cars on the track, and let me say, the 330ci is very comparable to an E36 M3. It might lack a little bit on the suspension side compared to an R, but more than makes up for it with all that torque and HP, plus you can never go wrong with RWD and that perfect 50/50 balance.

The 330 is not my track car, so the way it is now, it's perfect for the street, twisties, and an occasional track car with the local BMW club days. But if you want to track the car more often, the suspension is soft, and needs to be tightened up.

Dinan is more for show, and their products cost a lot more. You can get some Konis and GC for a lot less. But my recommendation is the first mod should be UUC Swaybars. Those things definitely transform the car, and it's a good bang for the buck.

For the record, the 330i/ci is a world class car, and it's not fair to compare it to the ITR, it's apples vs oranges. The chassis is solid, build quality is superb, and it's one of the finest cars on the road today. Every time I close my door, it's like a freaking bank vault. They're solid cars, so no worries there.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by fso_BamBam &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Every time I close my door, it's like a freaking bank vault. They're solid cars, so no worries there.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

it's a very solid car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Ross R &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

That's cause west coast ITR stunnas can't drive... </TD></TR></TABLE>

psshhh..not all cant drive.

 

hmm.. well for some reason i dont really like the 300i, and once i move out of the place and move in somewhere safe i'll definately get another R, i thnk bmw is a nice daily drive, but on track i really dont know, just push a bit hard on the street i can tell it's kinda nothing compare to R, or may be just i dont know how to drive FR

 

i stole my boss's 330Ci and let him watch me try to drift it around the parking lot. I must say it felt pretty stiff, not quite as stiff as the R but very close. jm2c