Is there a really big difference between the E30/21 and E34/28 ?:dunno:
Huge. The E30 is far and away the best in terms of handling...in the dry. In the snow, they're quite a handful. The E21 is quite a handful in any conditions!
The E28 and E34 are drift machines. They are very progressive and very easy to drive at the limit. They have a more sophisticated rear suspension and are not prone to the "snappy" oversteer that the E30 and especially the E21 are known for. You could easily run an E28 or E34 all year round...even in snow and ice. All you need are the right tires.
To put things in perspective, in the BMW Club, many of our members choose an E28 as their winter beater. That should give you an idea of how forgiving they are in the snow!
As for the E30/34, I know they have pretty good power out of the box but what possibilites are open to me if I'm looking to a bit more? Say the 200-250hp range, while retaining good reliability and a decent engine size. Bolt-ons mods or engine swap?
You can't get much more power out of the M20 engines. If you want big power, stay away from the 325 and 525 models.
However, the M30 engine in the 535i is a real powerhouse. That same basic engine was used in BMW's famous 3.0 CSL "Batmobile" race cars in the 1970's. With triple Weber DCOE carbs, Schrick cams, oversized valves, etc. you can easily approach 300 hp normally aspirated. And there are a bunch of turbo options. Twin-turbo M30's can easily top 300 hp with stock internals.
However, very few people in the BMW community bother with "power mods." They are simply WAY to expensive to be worth the trouble. It's not like a Honda or Ford engine where a couple of grand buys you more power than you know what to do with. BMW's really shine when it comes to handling. They are lightning quick in the corners. Most of our members choose to spend their "mod money" on suspension bits. With an E30, for example, a couple of grand will buy you a complete set of Gruppe N springs, custom-valved Gruppe N Bilstein dampers, camber plates, swaybars, and bushings. That will make your BMW fly.
I'll add up the 'Stang, too. Forgot about that one. I don't find the looks of the ones in my budget too attractive and never had a good experience with Ford but it might be worth a shot.. Thanks!
You can make Mustangs handle if you spend your money in the right places. They already have more than enough power and torque, but it doesn't take much to unlock even more.
Emre
