Oh I put these in last month - and they work! I think!

"Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief" (flynorcal)
02/24/2016 at 00:23 • Filed to: None

There are a few cheap and easy ways (along with some very expensive ones — I can discuss other stuff on this car if this sort of stuff interests you) to get more HP out of a M5. There are charcoal filters in the air induction that restrict airflow. Good for ~5HP if you’re not so picky about what goes into your engine. I guess. You can put in a RPI or Dinan pulley; cheap and easy. You can also put in !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Cheapest extra 10-15HP on earth.

By default air comes in, around the radiator, and into the air intake where some is vented back out to cool the front rotors and the rest is sent to the engine. Problems being no forced air induction, and the air going into the engine hot which means the engine has to lean the mixture and you lose HP. Cool, forced air - much bettah.

This is the front before:

Here is what it looks like with the scoops added:

They look a little mismatched but it’s because of where the scoop needs to reach is different on each side and so it goes. The design has since changed to make it symmetrical (the maker is active online and very responsive — good guy). With the kidney grills back in and hood closed they’re hardly noticeable but it does give a good “what the fu..” to anyone who does happen to notice out of place red parts.

The reason that I think it works is because the ECU seems to have readjusted a number of settings from the previous 4,000 miles without it. However all of those miles were highway and those since the scoops haven’t been proper highway — choppy traffic, not 85 mph. So who knows. My butt dyno isn’t that sensitive.

I watched a youtube video earlier of a guy drilling holes in his muffler to make his car go faster, on a budget. It made me think I should offset the defecit that guy left on the internet by pointing out there are better ways.

DISCUSSION (9)

Cherry_man1 > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief
02/24/2016 at 00:32

How is your M5 because I have been looking at M5s and M6s as a replacement to my Mustang GT, but only because they can be hand at a reasonable price.

Would you recommend any of these 3?

https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/…

CAcoalminer > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief
02/24/2016 at 00:41

Interesting.

On a separate note, how have you liked your E60? Also, I have to ask. How reliable has it been for you so far?

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > Cherry_man1
02/24/2016 at 00:52

I have a fear of any used vehicle over 90k until after 125k on the clock. It may be unwarranted and it has nothing to do with BMW, but anecdotally I’ve seen a lot of people put service off to have it all done at 100k and then know it’ll be expensive and sell. So that rules out #3, the M6. The #2 is too expensive. The first listing is rougly the same as my car. Mine is 2006, so older, but less than 60k on the odometer. Argue it down 10% and it’s spot on.

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > CAcoalminer
02/24/2016 at 01:04

It’s not an easy car to just hop in and drive, as it has a variety of driving modes and horsepower and suspension and traction and ABS settings, and a lot of buttons, and flappy paddles, and a stick shift gear selector thingy. You also select how fast you want your shifts to be, and the default setting will cause you to chirp wheels as it shifts when you least expect it and it’s a shitty ride. After a bit you’ll begin to get it. It’s like fumbling for buttons on a new video game controller. You’re lost, and then it’s an extention of yourself after a while. So that’s driving it. Owning it is a whole ‘nother matter.

I’ve not had the car long. I bought it, drove it nearly across the country and back and since it’s not a car to drive in the rain (in traffic) I’ve got it warm and dry in a garage waiting out the El Nino stuff. So I’ve put a bit over 4,000 miles on it and so far it’s needed a battery safety terminal replaced and a vapor barrier resealed inside a back door as it was collecting water from rain and carwash. The battery terminal was a known defect and free. The door fix was $400. I could have done it myself but if you’ve ever taken off door paneling the clips break or get lost and your panel rattles forever. Figured it’d make me nuts so I brought it to the dealer.

So, reliable yes. Absolutely flawless, aside from cheap shit that breaks that would have cost $1,200 had it not been a defect. I’m too new to give a better answer.

CAcoalminer > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief
02/24/2016 at 01:27

Well, I’m glad that you’re enjoying it and that it has been reliable. Hopefully, both of those things remain.

46and2aheadofme > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief
02/24/2016 at 01:35

Hey 2006 M5 brother. Mine came with RPI ram air and pulley too. Red scoops under black grille looks mean.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief
02/24/2016 at 08:07

We actually had a M5 burn up near where I live last year, and apparently it had something to do with battery terminals.

Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches
02/24/2016 at 11:15

The battery safety terminal has an explosive cap inside of it so that if the airbags are deployed it blows the cap to disconnect the battery. I suppose it you’re having a bad enough day that could find a way to go horribly wrong. Yikes.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Flynorcal: pilot, offshore sailor, car racer and panty thief
02/24/2016 at 11:17

I'll see if I can find pictures, but it was pretty sad.