The New Car Fanatic Thread

[Atxracer 797]

You will also need a tech inspection.  A lot of people in Austin use Moorespead. Just a heads up, COTA is VERY hard on gearboxes, pads and rotors and if you hit a wall or drop fluid, it's VERY expensive.  Lastly, get a garage when you sign up, it's worth it.  

[ChickenSandwich 9798]

shameless plug...

buddy's shop does track inspections I believe, or used to

http://soulspeed.com/

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 2, 2019 by ChickenSandwich

[HoustonHorn 1059]

550i should be delivered today. Having it delivered to EVS Motors for tint and full satin wrap. They use Prestige SatinGuard which i went and looked at and its pretty slick looking.

The 2020 550i comes with 523hp and 580 lb-ft torque. Dinan apparently isn't supported by BMW anymore, but they said they can tune the car and add 100hp and over 100 lb-ft of torque. It's all electronic tuning and basically turns it into an M5.

Anybody have experience with tuning like this and had any issues with the warranty?

[Bert Orange 1115]

1 hour ago, HoustonHorn said:

550i should be delivered today. Having it delivered to EVS Motors for tint and full satin wrap. They use Prestige SatinGuard which i went and looked at and its pretty slick looking.

The 2020 550i comes with 523hp and 580 lb-ft torque. Dinan apparently isn't supported by BMW anymore, but they said they can tune the car and add 100hp and over 100 lb-ft of torque. It's all electronic tuning and basically turns it into an M5.

Anybody have experience with tuning like this and had any issues with the warranty?

I’d hold off. No need to void your warranty day 1. It’s going to smoke the old M5 as-is. Let your butt get used to the power before you tune it. It’s going to be a lot of fun out of the box anyway. 

 

I tuned my X5M prematurely and shit started failing fast with the limits pushed. 

[Gravy Train 974]

2 hours ago, HoustonHorn said:

550i should be delivered today. Having it delivered to EVS Motors for tint and full satin wrap. They use Prestige SatinGuard which i went and looked at and its pretty slick looking.

The 2020 550i comes with 523hp and 580 lb-ft torque. Dinan apparently isn't supported by BMW anymore, but they said they can tune the car and add 100hp and over 100 lb-ft of torque. It's all electronic tuning and basically turns it into an M5.

Anybody have experience with tuning like this and had any issues with the warranty?

Hell, there's a flash tune already for the 2020 550i?  I'd ask who they're using.  But yes, if anything acts up with the powertrain, there's a good chance BMW will discover it once it's connected to dealership diagnostic tunes.  If the dealer applies any updates to the car, they'll overwrite the flash tune also.  Like Bert mentioned, get used to the car first and then go back for the tune if you get bored with the power.

Audi isn't tune-friendly any longer-- any difference in the flash counter or checksum will flag the VIN as 'TD1', allowing them to dispute powertrain service claims if they can point it to a modification.

[Pato del Muerto 52333]

523/580 jus not enough for you?

[Gladeite 375]

 

On 10/1/2019 at 6:50 PM, Armybrat said:

First I’ve heard of this “wrap”.

What does it cover, how durable, and does it yellow/deteriorate with age.

I would be hesitant after the aftermarket tinted window craze of the 1980s. That was a fiasco from personal experience and observation.

I have all of my 2015 F150 wrapped with the exception of the roof.  Same color as factory color.  Did it because I hunt a lot and tend to get lots of mesquite scratches on my trucks which bites my ass when I trade them in.  Now, the film has lots of scratches, but none have gone thru to the paint.   I will take it off in the next year when I trade for a new one.

[HoustonHorn 1059]

I think the tune is probably already available because it's the same engine as the 850 but I'm going to hold off for now.

[G650 14070]

17 hours ago, Bert Orange said:

I’d hold off. 

This.

 

I was positive I was gonna put a Dinan on my latest X5M. Until i drove it once and was like 'Uh, yeah I'm good".

[Goofyboy 3191]

Got to drive the wife’s M340i from Sugar Land to League City. I really like that car. It’s a lot of fun to drive. Enjoy the 550.

[davidg 4025]

 

[pepper brooks 579]

On 10/5/2019 at 11:40 AM, Bert Orange said:

I’d hold off. No need to void your warranty day 1. It’s going to smoke the old M5 as-is. Let your butt get used to the power before you tune it. It’s going to be a lot of fun out of the box anyway. 

 

I tuned my X5M prematurely and shit started failing fast with the limits pushed. 

bwwaahaahahahahahahaahahahah.  you're making a huge leap in thinking the tune was the reason.  

[fattyflattie 4636]

21 minutes ago, pepper brooks said:

bwwaahaahahahahahahaahahahah.  you're making a huge leap in thinking the tune was the reason.  

I hate it for you, that you had to live those experiences.  But I'll be damned if it doesn't make this thread funnier that you can bash with such authority.  

[Chewbacca 7729]

On 10/5/2019 at 9:35 AM, HoustonHorn said:

550i should be delivered today. Having it delivered to EVS Motors for tint and full satin wrap. They use Prestige SatinGuard which i went and looked at and its pretty slick looking.

The 2020 550i comes with 523hp and 580 lb-ft torque. Dinan apparently isn't supported by BMW anymore, but they said they can tune the car and add 100hp and over 100 lb-ft of torque. It's all electronic tuning and basically turns it into an M5.

Anybody have experience with tuning like this and had any issues with the warranty?

So when are we getting pics of this thing?  

[Bert Orange 1115]

1 hour ago, pepper brooks said:

bwwaahaahahahahahahaahahahah.  you're making a huge leap in thinking the tune was the reason.  

I will admit that the pos is without reproach. But tuning it makes it even more reprehensible. 

[HoustonHorn 1059]

So when are we getting pics of this thing?  

Supposed to be delivered to the dealership this past weekend but looks it comes in on the 11th. Then several more days to get the tint/satin coat. Pissed because I am going out of town this coming weekend and it really worked out perfect before.

[Chewbacca 7729]

10 minutes ago, HoustonHorn said:

2 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

So when are we getting pics of this thing?  

Supposed to be delivered to the dealership this past weekend but looks it comes in on the 11th. Then several more days to get the tint/satin coat. Pissed because I am going out of town this coming weekend and it really worked out perfect before.

What exterior/interior combo did you get?

[CHIEF 5067]

Well Mrs. CHIEF is starting to travel more with her career, so we got her a new ride. Found a '16 GSF with 17k on the clock, but she wanted to keep her 250k 2003 4Runner to leave at the airport. She always wanted a silver car for some reason.

Should last her a good 10 years or so.

CHIEF

[pepper brooks 579]

2 hours ago, HoustonHorn said:

4 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

So when are we getting pics of this thing?  

Supposed to be delivered to the dealership this past weekend but looks it comes in on the 11th. Then several more days to get the tint/satin coat. Pissed because I am going out of town this coming weekend and it really worked out perfect before.

And so it begins before it even begins. Peace be unto you. 

[TwiceHorn 31229]

So many of these eurocars (really all cars these days) are so critically engineered, I'd be extremely wary of tunes. 

They're squeezing every last drop of power and weight/mileage out of these things.

These things aint 350s with four-bolt mains that can double their rated hp without breaking a sweat.  Nor are the trannys TH350s or Rock Crushers that can do the same.

 

[Goofyboy 3191]

Sorta my feeling as well. I’m not messing with anything on the wife’s car.

[Gravy Train 974]

You'd be surprised to see how much headroom all the German turbocharged motors have left in them.  2.5L RS3s and TT-RSs making over 500HP with a tune and a couple bolt-ons, the new X3M just cracked 10.80s tune-only, RS7s making 800 HP on pump with a turbo cartridge swap and 991 turbos putting close to 1000HP to the wheels with a turbo swap on E85.

Direct Injection, advancements in turbocharger design and target-based tuning kicked off this new horsepower war no more than five years ago.  The Germans were already sandbagging on stock power estimates, building their performance-oriented engines with forged rotating assemblies and fuel systems capable of 150-200% flow beyond stock duty.

Behind all that are the BMW M-DCT, Audi DSG and Porsche PDK 7-speed dual-clutch gearboxes and ZF 8HP90 rated to or capable of taking 1000Nm without wincing. 

[HoustonHorn 1059]

What exterior/interior combo did you get?

Bluestone Metallic with Black Nappa/Aluminum interior. With the wrap it will be a satin finish.

[52-80 19075]

12 hours ago, CHIEF said:

Well Mrs. CHIEF is starting to travel more with her career, so we got her a new ride. Found a '16 GSF with 17k on the clock, but she wanted to keep her 250k 2003 4Runner to leave at the airport. She always wanted a silver car for some reason.

Should last her a good 10 years or so.

CHIEF

smashing   interior.   is that the v8 lexus?

[TwiceHorn 31229]

Question on the Lexus.  Looks like the armrest/console cover is Alcantara?  Yes?  Is it as poopy looking in real life as it is in the photo?

[CHIEF 5067]

58 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

smashing   interior.   is that the v8 lexus?

Yep, it isn't a rocket ship like an M5 or an AMG. But if she can put 200k on it, with only routine maintenance like the 4Runner, I'll be a happy camper.

This is our first car with Alcantara, will have to see how it holds up. She normally works from home, so it won't be driven daily.

CHIEF

[pepper brooks 579]

1 hour ago, 52-80 said:

smashing   interior.   is that the v8 lexus?

im only seeing 6 there, but either way it's a really kick ass rig.  

[52-80 19075]

5 minutes ago, pepper brooks said:

im only seeing 6 there, but either way it's a really kick ass rig.  

very good eye.  the design of the  plastic  housing  seems   to  obscure  the front  2  intake   runners.

pretty sick that lexus of all  companies   would  run  an   NA  V8...    in   their luxury sedan,of all vehicles

[G650 14070]

13 hours ago, TwiceHorn said:

trannys TH350s

Uhn, not a great example if you are trying for something in the vicinity of bulletproof or even somewhat reliable.

[TwiceHorn 31229]

6 minutes ago, G650 said:

Uhn, not a great example if you are trying for something in the vicinity of bulletproof or even somewhat reliable.

Actually, I was wrong, TH400.  When it was a plain, fluid coupled 3-speed, no lockup, no overdrive, it was damn near bulletproof.  Whatever my 69 Delta 88 had.

It's the 4L80s and others that were pieces of shit.  I knew it was 4 in the designation that was problematic, and thought TH350 without looking it up.  But the 400 preceded the 350.

Edited October 8, 2019 by TwiceHorn

[elfenix 34169]

1 hour ago, 52-80 said:

very good eye.  the design of the  plastic  housing  seems   to  obscure  the front  2  intake   runners.

pretty sick that lexus of all  companies   would  run  an   NA  V8...    in   their luxury sedan,of all vehicles

 

[G650 14070]

22 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Actually, I was wrong, TH400.  When it was a plain, fluid coupled 3-speed, no lockup, no overdrive, it was damn near bulletproof.  Whatever my 69 Delta 88 had.

It's the 4L80s and others that were pieces of shit.  I knew it was 4 in the designation that was problematic, and thought TH350 without looking it up.  But the 400 preceded the 350.

They were all pieces of shit my man.

[TwiceHorn 31229]

4 minutes ago, G650 said:

They were all pieces of shit my man.

Well, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and a couple of generations of drag racers might disagree.  You can quibble about torque converter ATs, but the TH400 was the pinnacle of the art.

[Okie State 3788]

I know a lot of people bash on the Lexus, but I'd really like one of those GS-F's. NA V8 being the biggest reason why.

Edited October 8, 2019 by Okie State

[G650 14070]

14 minutes ago, TwiceHorn said:

Well, Ferrari, Rolls-Royce and a couple of generations of drag racers might disagree.  You can quibble about torque converter ATs, but the TH400 was the pinnacle of the art.

There's a reason most drag racers actually ran C6's.

I've bought probably 100 turbo 350's over the years. I'm familiar with them.

[Gravy Train 974]

2 hours ago, 52-80 said:

very good eye.  the design of the  plastic  housing  seems   to  obscure  the front  2  intake   runners.

pretty sick that lexus of all  companies   would  run  an   NA  V8...    in   their luxury sedan,of all vehicles

It's so cute of Toyota to try to be competitive in the luxury performance segments.

In a world of small-displacement, turbocharged Germans, I suppose it's nice to still be able to purchase a high-strung, Yamaha-designed, 5-liter NA V8.  But that motor is going on 10 years of age.

[Chewbacca 7729]

14 minutes ago, Gravy Train said:

It's so cute of Toyota to try to be competitive in the luxury performance segments.

In a world of small-displacement, turbocharged Germans, I suppose it's nice to still be able to purchase a high-strung, Yamaha-designed, 5-liter NA V8.  But that motor is going on 10 years of age.

That's Toyota's biggest problem right now.  They're WAAAY behind in terms of engine performance (and fuel economy) vs. their competition.  I have no doubt the Toyotas will be more reliable in the long term, but the driving experience vs. the Germans is seriously lacking.

[elfenix 34169]

3 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

That's Toyota's biggest problem right now.  They're WAAAY behind in terms of engine performance (and fuel economy) vs. their competition.  I have no doubt the Toyotas will be more reliable in the long term, but the driving experience vs. the Germans is seriously lacking.

mazda is building toyota a new rear drive platform and a new skyactiv-x I6. 

i think all of toyota's R&D is in hydrogen. 

[Pato del Muerto 52333]

Isn’t the new Supra half German?  What did they put in that as the drivetrain?

or is it like the Chrysler crossfire and 300 that used some obsolete last gen bucket parts?

Edited October 8, 2019 by Pato del Muerto

[Brew 3045]

35 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Isn’t the new Supra half German?  What did they put in that as the drivetrain?

or is it like the Chrysler crossfire and 300 that used some obsolete last gen bucket parts?

It uses a BMW Z4 powertrain and a detuned one at that.

[Fuck Tim Beck 3806]

1 hour ago, Okie State said:

I know a lot of people bash on the Lexus, but I'd really like one of those GS-F's. NA V8 being the biggest reason why.

This. And open up the exhaust lol 

[Gravy Train 974]

52 minutes ago, Pato del Muerto said:

Isn’t the new Supra half German?  What did they put in that as the drivetrain?

or is it like the Chrysler crossfire and 300 that used some obsolete last gen bucket parts?

The whole car is contracted out to Magna Steyr in Austria but the sheetmetal is Toyota's design.  Some say the suspension tuning and powertrain calibration is Toyota's also, but everything underneath has BMW's part numbers stamped on them, the turbocharger system is BMW Mahle and the DME is BMW Bosch Motronic.

I'm probably the most prominent TMNA-basher here but I just don't see why they should be awarded with sales and a decades-old reputation of reliability when most of their lineup is produced with yesteryear's tech.  They're price-competitive and reliable for a reason-- they've had the better half of a decade to perfect a product.  Their kitchy techno-art design language coming out of Aichi seems to be lost on the U.S. consumer and is the only barrier from completely associating the brand with the olds. 

[Pato del Muerto 52333]

Toyota prefers proven reliable design to innovation. But they also seem slow to adapt when innovation becomes reliable.  Highly risk averse company. 

[Okie State 3788]

Believe it or not, some people want reliable cars.

[52-80 19075]

2 hours ago, Gravy Train said:

It's so cute of Toyota to try to be competitive in the luxury performance segments.

In a world of small-displacement, turbocharged Germans, I suppose it's nice to still be able to purchase a high-strung, Yamaha-designed, 5-liter NA V8.  But that motor is going on 10 years of age.

Nothing wrong with an old design if they work.  The Ford coyote v8, gm 6L V8, VW 2 liter turbo, BMW n55, etc, all had a long shelf life and were all great.motors

Edited October 8, 2019 by 52-80

[Gravy Train 974]

19 minutes ago, Okie State said:

Believe it or not, some people want reliable cars.

There are plenty of reliable, capable and competitive alternatives out there that don't look like a failed Pikachu model. $52K for a new 4Runner, built on a 12-year old V6 and 5-speed auto?  No thanks.

[Okie State 3788]

I'm not saying I agree with their approach completely, but it does work. In general, people don't want to fuck with car repairs.

That said, even Toyotas break. Wife's Lexus hybrid just shit the bed on us and is essentially worthless at 9 years old and 141K unless someone can figure out what the hell is wrong with it. Was a trouble free car until two months ago though.

[Okie State 3788]

13 minutes ago, 52-80 said:

Nothing wrong with an old design if they work.  The Ford coyote v8, gm 6L V8, VW 2 liter turbo, BMW n55, etc, all had a long shelf life and were all great.motors

Yes. A huge selling point for my car was the tried and true LS3. Unfortunately, it's the other shit that's going to fail on me long before the drivetrain does.

[pepper brooks 579]

17 hours ago, Gravy Train said:

You'd be surprised to see how much headroom all the German turbocharged motors have left in them.  2.5L RS3s and TT-RSs making over 500HP with a tune and a couple bolt-ons, the new X3M just cracked 10.80s tune-only, RS7s making 800 HP on pump with a turbo cartridge swap and 991 turbos putting close to 1000HP to the wheels with a turbo swap on E85.

Direct Injection, advancements in turbocharger design and target-based tuning kicked off this new horsepower war no more than five years ago.  The Germans were already sandbagging on stock power estimates, building their performance-oriented engines with forged rotating assemblies and fuel systems capable of 150-200% flow beyond stock duty.

Behind all that are the BMW M-DCT, Audi DSG and Porsche PDK 7-speed dual-clutch gearboxes and ZF 8HP90 rated to or capable of taking 1000Nm without wincing. 

the Porsche PDK's are just unbelievably good, reliable, and take an absolute beating with an absurdly low failure rate.  Oddly enough the manual boxes they used in the early 997's were one of the very few things in those cars not made in germany, but japan and they have pretty high failure rates.  knocks on wood......

[Atxracer 797]

9 minutes ago, pepper brooks said:

the Porsche PDK's are just unbelievably good, reliable, and take an absolute beating with an absurdly low failure rate.  Oddly enough the manual boxes they used in the early 997's were one of the very few things in those cars not made in germany, but japan and they have pretty high failure rates.  knocks on wood......

They really are pretty much bullet proof.  Talked to several mechanics that say they have only seen one or two ever come in. So, if you couple that with the 2015 GT3 having a 120k mile warranty on the engine, that’s hard to beat.  Been tempting for awhile.