[BMWChap]

Back in ye days of old when I were a lad, modding was about ripping out your 1.0 litre engine out of a Vauxhall Nova and fitting a 2.0 turbo engine! or dropping a Ford Cosworth engine into a Mk1 Ford Escort.. now thats what I call modding!

Upgrading light bulbs doesn't really compare does it lol

[mob17]

What about a new soft knob

[Black_Jesus]

How about stickers?

[Kerr]

It is a bit more OEM these days.

Making your car appear to be a model higher up the range, rather than looking like nothing and going fast.

[half Colin]

Ah but it was easier back then when engines only had about half a dozen connections and ECUs didn't exist!

[BMWChap]

Originally Posted by half Colin

Ah but it was easier back then when engines only had about half a dozen connections and ECUs didn't exist!

Your right!, the good old days, sweating your nuts off scanning through pages of the Haynes Manual lol.

[Russbmw]

It's not quite the same ballgame any more. You generally can't just dump another engine into a car because the accompanying electronics won't work.

Even if you do manage it now, getting stiffed by your insurance company makes the whole process that little more unappealing.

Funnily enough, I was scanning in some old photos from Max Power Live in 1996 last night, and made some of the audio kit in today's installs look a bit tame!

[MaccyD]

My last car was a Nissan 200SX that i swapped a 4.0 V8 from a Lexus into. That counts as proper modding right?

[AzRiz]

Completely agreed, there are hardly any REAL mods done to these E92s from what I've seen. Mostly just simple plug-and-play stuff. I did mod my previous car properly (Golf GTI) as it had a full engine rebuild and simplification, turbo upgrade, custom exhaust, TT subframe/arms/rack setup, Porsche brakes, etc etc. Paired with the usual lowering/wheels/bodywork stuff. I knew the car inside out, including every inch of the engine and bay. With my E92, I have still not explored the bay properly at all and probably won't do either lol.

Still not as hardcore as the old-school stuff as you say, though!

[BMWChap]

Originally Posted by MaccyD

My last car was a Nissan 200SX that i swapped a 4.0 V8 from a Lexus into. That counts as proper modding right?

Yes that is proper modding , but as the other op says I'm guessing the ECU/electronics is pretty simple in a 200SX ??

[BMWChap]

Originally Posted by AzRiz

Completely agreed, there are hardly any REAL mods done to these E92s from what I've seen. Mostly just simple plug-and-play stuff. I did mod my previous car properly (Golf GTI) as it had a full engine rebuild and simplification, turbo upgrade, custom exhaust, TT subframe/arms/rack setup, Porsche brakes, etc etc. Paired with the usual lowering/wheels/bodywork stuff. I knew the car inside out, including every inch of the engine and bay. With my E92, I have still not explored the bay properly at all and probably won't do either lol.

Still not as hardcore as the old-school stuff as you say, though!

As you, I dont have any intention with messing about with my E93, but i'm on the look out for a mk1 Escort

[BMWChap]

Originally Posted by mob17

What about a new soft knob

lol eh ?

[Kassim786]

Modern cars tend to steer you away from mods

Coming from owning a VXR, Cupra R and currently my thrash about (Civic Type R) my balls are in a twist from not being able to mod my E93

Iv fallen under the wrath of " we will void you're warrenty" therefore can't do anything to it

[AlanYoro35i]

Originally Posted by Russbmw

It's not quite the same ballgame any more. You generally can't just dump another engine into a car because the accompanying electronics won't work.

Even if you do manage it now, getting stiffed by your insurance company makes the whole process that little more unappealing.

Funnily enough, I was scanning in some old photos from Max Power Live in 1996 last night, and made some of the audio kit in today's installs look a bit tame!

Russ, where in surrey are you? i love to see your wheels in the sig in real life!

[MaccyD]

Originally Posted by M3KingUK

Yes that is proper modding , but as the other op says I'm guessing the ECU/electronics is pretty simple in a 200SX ??

As straight forward as it can be to rewire the loom into the car lol. But yah it is more complex these days as its all CAN controlled isnt it.

I also think that its because there seems to be alot more variety in models these days. If you like your 320d but want more power you can go 330d. Or if you like your 335i you can get an M3, theres always alot of options, way more than 'back in the day' lol

[gangzoom]

Originally Posted by M3KingUK

Back in ye days of old when I were a lad, modding was about ripping out your 1.0 litre engine out of a Vauxhall Nova and fitting a 2.0 turbo engine! or dropping a Ford Cosworth engine into a Mk1 Ford Escort.. now thats what I call modding!

Upgrading light bulbs doesn't really compare does it lol

If you look around the forum plenty of people have done lots of 'proper' mods on the car in the past. But E92s are getting pretty cheap now, and as prices fall it becomes harder to justify spending £££ on mods.

For example 3 years ago my car was worth around £20k it's now £10-12k max. When it was £20k I could easily justify spending £2k on a LSD, but now it seems like madness to spend £3-4k on upgraded turbos.

Plus most people who can afford to spend £££ on mods will moving on to newer cars, there's been quite a few properly modified 335s been sold recently.

But to be honest who cares how other people modify their cars?

[M4rius]

Would love to lb performance wide body kit on mine, but the price is ridiculous

[AzRiz]

Originally Posted by M3KingUK

As you, I dont have any intention with messing about with my E93, but i'm on the look out for a mk1 Escort

Oh, I've messed about with me E92 already, I was just talking about the engine bay

[RCUK]

Modding now is when u plug a little box into your ECU... press a button... and voila... 50bhp extra in 30 secs.

Previously you needed to change an engine for similar gains

[BMWChap]

Originally Posted by RCUK

Modding now is when u plug a little box into your ECU... press a button... and voila... 50bhp extra in 30 secs.

Previously you needed to change an engine for similar gains

Yep,exactly...the good old days, also I knew so much more about engines,now i'm too bloody scared to touch mine

[BMWChap]

Originally Posted by M4rius

Would love to lb performance wide body kit on mine, but the price is ridiculous

Expense is another factor I guess, I'd really like a Mk1 Escort to fiddle with

[mob17]

Originally Posted by M3KingUK

lol eh ?

An Alcantara gear knob, feels softer that the original