BMW 325i - A drift car that I can also drive to the track?

C

ChrisDe

Member
BMW 325i

Hi guys, I'm new here so go easy on me ;)

I used to have an E92 M3 and I took it to a drift day at Oulton Park last year and it was probably the most fun I've ever had in a car (even after doing track days in an Audi R8 V10 and Lotus Elise since) so I'm really keen to get another rear wheel drive car and go do another drift day.

I've done a little bit of research and checked out the FAQ on here that shows all the cars people started off in, but some of them I can't find for sale anywhere near me (200 SX etc) and some of them only seem to be decent drift cars if you do a lot of work on them. Fair enough in the future I might want to spend time and money modifying something to make it better for drifting, but for now all I'm looking for is something that is going to be ok for drifting completely stock but that is also not going to be a nightmare to drive to and from the track (bearing in mind I live about 2 hours away).

So at the moment I'm leaning towards a BMW 325i but just wondered if anyone could give their thoughts on how suitable this would be? Again bear in mind I'm pretty much a beginner and bear in mind I want to be able to drive 2 hours each way in relative comfort (I don't have a trailer or anything capable of towing a trailer even if I rented one, so that's not an option). If anyone can suggest anything better then feel free.

EDIT: I'm now thinking a cheap old 1.8 MX5 might be a better idea. Would that be suitable for drifting completely stock (in the wet) or do they need diff welding or torsen diff for them to be any use? I'm not talking about for pro level drifting, just for a bit of sideways fun around a wet track.

Thanks
Chris
 
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or maybe I would be better off just spending as little as possible and getting something like a real old Mazda MX5 for now? I remember seeing quite a few of them at the drift day (they wet the track at Oulton park so the lack of power isn't such an issue)
 
The problem i see with this logic is that you care too much about comfort and car modifications etc. there are many variables. You do not need to modify a car to make them decent at drifting... you need to get decent at drifting them first.

Will it be a dedicated drift car or your daily too? Yes, a BMW is a great starter car... parts are abundant, they are cheap and reliable. All you would really need is a welded diff and away you go. Then over time, modify it to your needs and driving style.

You need to stop thinking about your uncomfortable 2 hour trip to a track and focus more on your technique and from then, how you want your car to perform.. if that requires having it stripped and crashing about on coilovers, then so be it.

Hope this helps.
 
Yeah I did think most of you would scoff at the idea of it being comfortable etc lol

No it won't be my daily driver, and yes the more I think about it the more I realise it should just be a dedicated drift car and not worry about wanting to do much else in it. I guess when I mention the 2 hour drive though I'm saying I don't want to weld the diff or something and then find it is plain dangerous driving it on the road in the rain, because I am going to have to drive it a long way to and from the track. So I appreciate what you're saying about not thinking about that, but I think I do need to be relatively sensible and think about that a little. If it was 5 minutes down the road fair enough it might not be that bad to just take it really steady driving down there in a drift spec car.

EDIT: After reading some other threads on here it seems like most of you say a welded diff doesn't make it any more sketchy to drive so maybe that is not an issue.

Now that I've realised I should just focus on it being purely for drifting rather than caring about how comfortable it is, I'm leaning more towards just getting a real cheap old MX5 so that I don't care if/when I smash it up a bit. Of course then the only problem will be getting home if I've done any serious damage...
 
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Anything will do TBH, MX5's and E36 BMW's tend to be cheaper and stronger than 200's which is why people go for them. A welded diff wont kill you so get that done, leave the interior and stereo in so youre comfortable and just get yourself out there, the guys that started with shit cars often tend to be a lot more capable when it comes to moving up a step.

As for damage, Im you tracked the R8 and drifted the M3, its not really any different from that - if you cock it up then you need to sort it :D
 
I would get E36... with the smaller casing diff you get the smaller casing axles... and those trend to break if you weld the diff... so a 323i, 325i or 328i will have the bigger casing diff... and will hold up to welding the diff...

I strongly suggest that you try to source out a car with LSD, they were often ordered with that option....

á 323i 325i or 328i will be a good drift car with LSD or a welded diff, if you get one with m-tech suspension they are ok, but i suggest coilovers (Raceland, TA Technix... really anything will do, but if you have the money.... Bilstein PSS9s)

Brakes are decent on a 325i, but nothing really fancy.... they will hold up to the power they are made for...

M50 based engines are probably one of the most reliable platforms in the world, with stock sourced internals (M52B28 crankshaft in a M50B25 block with M50B25NV pistons on M20B20 rods) will hold 800hp on pump gas.... that is incredible...

We are currently building a M50B20 engine (yes it's a 2 liter) with the Pistons and Rods from a M20B20, should hold up easily to 500hp, even more, we are looking at a wide bore and short stroke, so it should be able to rev a bit with the correct cams and proper valvesprings...

But enough about that...

My suggestion, get a 325i (LSD or not), weld the diff (unless you're lucky and get LSD), slap a set of coilovers and proper rims on it... and have a go...
 
docwra said:
Anything will do TBH, MX5's and E36 BMW's tend to be cheaper and stronger than 200's which is why people go for them. A welded diff wont kill you so get that done, leave the interior and stereo in so youre comfortable and just get yourself out there, the guys that started with shit cars often tend to be a lot more capable when it comes to moving up a step.

As for damage, Im you tracked the R8 and drifted the M3, its not really any different from that - if you cock it up then you need to sort it :D
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lol yeah true, but I guess with the track days in the R8 I didn't feel like there was as much risk of damage as there is when you go and do a drift day. Yeah I think I'll just get an MX5 and either weld the diff or get an LSD for it, might make a separate post about that in a minute.
 
Angelic0- said:
My suggestion, get a 325i (LSD or not), weld the diff (unless you're lucky and get LSD), slap a set of coilovers and proper rims on it... and have a go...
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Yeah I did look at a few 325i and none of them had the LSD. I'm thinking an MX5 might be a better option now as they're quite a bit cheaper and obviously smaller n lighter. Seemed to be a very popular car at the last drift day I did too
 
The E36 LSD was a expensive extra back then, but it's the best type of all LSD (standard on M3's). It's still expensive no matter what car you probably get. It's needs to be overhauled.
If you have a proper year the LSD will be shot and the hole story will start again. I paid 1100€ for mine (Germany) and next year it gets overhauled for another 500€ and so on. That's the only way to have a proper working LSD. Quite expensive compared to a bit of welding. ^^
An old mx5 with an old and shot torsen diff will be exactly the same as a open diff. and it's lag of power is just too much, especially if you're used to have big powerful cars. You will have a hell of a time getting it sideways on dry roads and even on wet roads it's just about enough. it could be more shall we say.
Just get a normal 325i and weld the diff. There is no easier or cheaper way to do it. Cheap, reliable, predictable and usable on any surface.
 
The man speaks truth, I started saying the same thing earlier but couldnt be bothered. A decent E36 LSD is worth about the same as a 325i is :D
 
Being that i've driven a Mazda MX5.... and owned numerous BMW's i will tell you that you will be more satisfied with the BMW...

The Mazda will handle like shit, and have no power at all...

M5x based BMW > anything.... it seems the E36 M3's are at a reasonable price in UK... i sourced my S50 from one of those...

why not get a M3... they will do mad drifts...
 
This is confusing... I read loads of posts from people on here saying MX5s are great and that old BMWs are quite heavy. All of the old M3s I have found on Autotrader are a lot more expensive than I really want to pay for something that I'm basically just going to smash up
 
I have owned/own both a 1.6 Eunos and a BMW 328/5. It depends what you want.

MX5 to throw about and sit on the limiter... entering corners at speeds you thought impossible and generally being a complete loon.

Or a BMW that is much the same, just a bit more predictable, capable and you can evolve it as you get better without wanting to get rid of it.

You decide.
 
At the moment I'm just after something to have a bit of fun in and not cost a fortune, so I'm not too fussed about long term evolution etc at the moment. If I stick with it and out grow the MX5 and have to buy something else then I'm absolutely fine with that. I just don't want something that is going to make life really difficult to begin with (especially when I've been spoiled by an E92 M3 as the only car I've done drifts in up until now)
 
Wise choice to be honest. An MX5 will be perfect for starting from scratch. By the time you feel the car is holding you back and you need to upgrade, you will be running rings around most people.
 
Yeah I think I've settled on getting an MX5 but just finding one that has definitely got an LSD is proving to be a nightmare. Apparently only the 1.8iS and special edition models have got one, but the problem is no one advertised them as a 1.8iS they just advertise them as a 1.8i (which doesn't have an LSD apparently). I might end up buying one of the special edition ones purely so that I know it definitely has an LSD lol although again none of the ads I've seen have mentioned the LSD at all
 
personally id go with the beemer as you can actually fit spare skid wheels etc... in it and it has some power. alot of tracks require open top cars to have roll over hoops or cages.

325,reclining bucket seat, welded diff, coilovers,e34 bbs, spare rad.
 
Think of this...

Getting the E36 lighter is easy and almost for free. It's Power is enough. Probably get the Sedan. it is the lightest of em all, expept for the Compact.

Getting Power into a mx5 will cost a fortune. There is no bite at any rev.
Much lighter isn't possible. There are not so much things you can throw away as in a e36.


It's not about power, it's not about weight. It's about the power to weight ratio. And in this point the mx5 looses badly. In a Caterham the engine would be fine but not in this.


I drove a mx5 as well. My girlfriend had one.
When you get used to it and you start to drive it fast at the limit with 15" rims it will start to drift. It's not drifting because you got the power.
it's drifting because you are going too fast on skinny little tires. That's not bad for everyday learning. But if you get to an track you will feel like a child between man. at least the car will. ^^



Just get yourself to an track and ask people to have a lift in their cars. You may should feel it yourself. It's extremely hard to describe feelings.
 
B3AM3R said:
It's not about power, it's not about weight. It's about the power to weight ratio. And in this point the mx5 looses badly. In a Caterham the engine would be fine but not in this.
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Actually its about balance, speed and weight, if you had spent any time driving an MX5 you would realise that.

It's not drifting because you got the power. it's drifting because you are going too fast on skinny little tires.
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And frankly that invalidates everything you have said. Actual, real drifters do it through speed, not through mashing the loud pedal and doing a massive burnout.

Chris - both are good learner cars, unfortunately not everyone who post on here actually has experience of what they are taking about. As Gaz says, given the choice the E36 is probably the better bet but if youre looking to do some normal track work Id look at the MX5, they are a bt more fun at the end of the day :)
 
I used to drive proper tyres on my cars. With proper tyres the is no fun in the miata anymore. Proper tyres on my e36 just make me go faster.
I know you always get it through speed, but that is the only possible way in the miata. Sometimes you need just more power to have a smooth line. I don't like to hoon cars to death just to get a lousy 30mph drift. That's actually my point. Don't think just about the first days of learning. You will get bored in wet conditions and one day you want to go dry. At this moment you will simply regret your choice.
 
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