What the hell, it's only money!
Discussion
Well, after months of procrastinating I've decided to book my mapped 330d in at birds for some LSD 
I know it's a lot to spend on an old car but I intend on keeping it for a long time to come. This is my first winter with the car so the wet greasy roads have really highlighted how badly a car with high torque figures needs 2wd to try and stop the one tyre fire. Am I crazy or what?
I know it's a lot to spend on an old car but I intend on keeping it for a long time to come. This is my first winter with the car so the wet greasy roads have really highlighted how badly a car with high torque figures needs 2wd to try and stop the one tyre fire. Am I crazy or what?
I'll come clean and say I'm not just doing it because of the lack of traction, there is an element of fun to be had as well
Also going xdrive means going from an E series to an F which is obviously way more expensive than an LSD.
I've had 4wd cars in the past and just can't get on with them, too FWD feeling on the limit for my liking.
Also going xdrive means going from an E series to an F which is obviously way more expensive than an LSD.
I've had 4wd cars in the past and just can't get on with them, too FWD feeling on the limit for my liking.
E92 MANual. The receipt for the re-map says bhp is from 231 to 305 and 660nm of torque from 500. Don't know how true it is so thats next on the list, to get a power run done. I'll post my thoughts on here when the LSD is done but I pretty much know I'm going to love it. I've only had 2 cars I think with one, a 2.8i capri and the M3. Both were factory fitted LSD's so I'm expecting the quaife to transform my present car!
julian64 said:
Before you spend lots on an LSD look at an xdrive. You lose a little feel on the front but the 4wd drive system on BMW is pretty damn good on the sort of roads we have at the moment. I'd be loathed to go back to a 2WD with LSD which I now regard as summer fun..
RWD is both perfectly suited and entirely use able on UK roads 365 days per year. LSD is the way to goBirds are doing it as they seem to be the go to guys for quaife. Not cheap at £1600 fitted but I think well worth it and if I swap my car for similar I'll buy an open diff and swap it but if I move on I'll just sell it separately. It's always going to be valuable on the second hand market ass they never come up, believe me I've been looking for months!
Mine being a pre 2007 car makes it a bit cheaper as the crown wheel is bolted on whereas most of the later cars had it welded on so theres a lot more work involved in the fitting, naturally making the price higher. Still just under the 2k mark I believe.
I would have gone for the 335d when I was looking for mine but I'm a complete manual lover so it counted them out, shame because they must be amazing mapped.
Mine being a pre 2007 car makes it a bit cheaper as the crown wheel is bolted on whereas most of the later cars had it welded on so theres a lot more work involved in the fitting, naturally making the price higher. Still just under the 2k mark I believe.
I would have gone for the 335d when I was looking for mine but I'm a complete manual lover so it counted them out, shame because they must be amazing mapped.
nomis36 said:
Birds are doing it as they seem to be the go to guys for quaife. Not cheap at £1600 fitted but I think well worth it and if I swap my car for similar I'll buy an open diff and swap it but if I move on I'll just sell it separately. It's always going to be valuable on the second hand market ass they never come up, believe me I've been looking for months!
Mine being a pre 2007 car makes it a bit cheaper as the crown wheel is bolted on whereas most of the later cars had it welded on so theres a lot more work involved in the fitting, naturally making the price higher. Still just under the 2k mark I believe.
I would have gone for the 335d when I was looking for mine but I'm a complete manual lover so it counted them out, shame because they must be amazing mapped.
You obviously like "pressing on" you would have been pulling your hair out with the suspension on the 335d so let that regret go Mine being a pre 2007 car makes it a bit cheaper as the crown wheel is bolted on whereas most of the later cars had it welded on so theres a lot more work involved in the fitting, naturally making the price higher. Still just under the 2k mark I believe.
I would have gone for the 335d when I was looking for mine but I'm a complete manual lover so it counted them out, shame because they must be amazing mapped.
nomis36 said:
Birds are doing it as they seem to be the go to guys for quaife. Not cheap at £1600 fitted but I think well worth it and if I swap my car for similar I'll buy an open diff and swap it but if I move on I'll just sell it separately. It's always going to be valuable on the second hand market ass they never come up, believe me I've been looking for months!
Mine being a pre 2007 car makes it a bit cheaper as the crown wheel is bolted on whereas most of the later cars had it welded on so theres a lot more work involved in the fitting, naturally making the price higher. Still just under the 2k mark I believe.
I would have gone for the 335d when I was looking for mine but I'm a complete manual lover so it counted them out, shame because they must be amazing mapped.
Manual fan here too. But with a diesel it's all about the torque and I think an auto works better with that. I am looking at getting the TCU re-mapped to for faster changes though.Mine being a pre 2007 car makes it a bit cheaper as the crown wheel is bolted on whereas most of the later cars had it welded on so theres a lot more work involved in the fitting, naturally making the price higher. Still just under the 2k mark I believe.
I would have gone for the 335d when I was looking for mine but I'm a complete manual lover so it counted them out, shame because they must be amazing mapped.
Mikeeb said:
smashy said:
You obviously like "pressing on" you would have been pulling your hair out with the suspension on the 335d so let that regret go
Just swapped mine out for a Bilstein B12 kit and lost the run flats. Massive improvement.Adaptive suspension is fine from the get go. Mine has runflats and 20" wheels. Tried a F30 with schnitzer aftermarket springs at the time I was looking at mine and both felt similar on the limit but the adaptive was better when trying to be more refined.
I wouldn't have owned it for the last three years if it had been pants while 'pressing on'. It replaced an E39 M5 and I've been happy with the comparison
Mike335i said:
RWD is both perfectly suited and entirely use able on UK roads 365 days per year. LSD is the way to go
Out of interest, have you considered one for your 335?I've got a manual 335 like yours with a JB4 remap so traction is an issue in the wet. It's virtually the only thing with this car I think needs improvement and I'm now wondering...
FurtiveFreddy said:
Mike335i said:
RWD is both perfectly suited and entirely use able on UK roads 365 days per year. LSD is the way to go
Out of interest, have you considered one for your 335?I've got a manual 335 like yours with a JB4 remap so traction is an issue in the wet. It's virtually the only thing with this car I think needs improvement and I'm now wondering...
Mike335i said:
FurtiveFreddy said:
Mike335i said:
RWD is both perfectly suited and entirely use able on UK roads 365 days per year. LSD is the way to go
Out of interest, have you considered one for your 335?I've got a manual 335 like yours with a JB4 remap so traction is an issue in the wet. It's virtually the only thing with this car I think needs improvement and I'm now wondering...
Dave
Yep, big thumbs up from me too! It's totally sorted my car out and with no down sides, well, apart from a large credit card bill next month! I love how predictable and fluent it is when my right foot gets to exuberant but also how much traction there is available now!
Everybody procrastinating, don't! Just do it!
Birds were great, very professional and friendly.
Everybody procrastinating, don't! Just do it!
Birds were great, very professional and friendly.
Damn you all for making me consider it!!!! 
Would you notice anything different about the car driving it 'normally' with a Quaife diff. fitted?
What's the situation regarding the BMW extended guarantee if something other than the diff went wrong later?
Was it just a day in at Bird's to get it fitted?
Would you notice anything different about the car driving it 'normally' with a Quaife diff. fitted?
What's the situation regarding the BMW extended guarantee if something other than the diff went wrong later?
Was it just a day in at Bird's to get it fitted?
I think its says something on their site about the work they do not affecting manufacturers warranty but you'd have to chase that up for clarification. They warranty the work they do for 3 years.
As for whether it affects the car in normal driving conditions?????Absolutely not. In fact on the run back home, a mixture of normal A roads, dual carriageways and motorways I was beginning to think they'd mugged me off. It wasn't until I got near to home on familiar roads I started driving a bit more 'enthusiastically' which really started to highlight th benefits of an LSD. Way more traction up to the limit but smooth controllability once passed the levels of grip!
It took them about 5 hours from start to finish although my car being old (2006), the crown wheel was/is bolted to the differential as apposed to the later diffs which have it welded. This makes the LSD conversion both more time consuming and costly!
As for whether it affects the car in normal driving conditions?????Absolutely not. In fact on the run back home, a mixture of normal A roads, dual carriageways and motorways I was beginning to think they'd mugged me off. It wasn't until I got near to home on familiar roads I started driving a bit more 'enthusiastically' which really started to highlight th benefits of an LSD. Way more traction up to the limit but smooth controllability once passed the levels of grip!
It took them about 5 hours from start to finish although my car being old (2006), the crown wheel was/is bolted to the differential as apposed to the later diffs which have it welded. This makes the LSD conversion both more time consuming and costly!
FurtiveFreddy said:
Thanks for the feedback. Costs for a post-2007 car don't look too bad from their website, so it looks like I might be giving them a call tomorrow to discuss.
If you are anywhere near an enthusiastic RWD loving driver you’ll love it! Once you’ve had an LSD equipped car you’ll not want an open diff again! Gassing Station | BMW General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff