How to tell if your BMW is a M

[tune 0]

Hey guys

is there any way i can check my vin number or something similar to check if the car is an M?

other than looking at the M badge

its got leather interior

sunroof

body kit

2.3L

manual

but all of that could have just been fitted

any help would be appreciated

[pjay 8]

punch in your chassis number here

http://www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

or

http://www.realoem.com/bmw/

latter one also good for getting /comparing part numbers

Works wonders

[3series 0]

the M323i's anyway, I've heard they do exist - come with a dogleg gearbox and LSD. To check for LSD, would be best to look for the tag on the back of the diff, or stamped into it with an S.

Edited April 1, 2008 by bmw3

[tune 0]

Gutted, well it doesn't say M anywhere lol

Chassis number 7539922

Vehicle code 1172

Series E30

Model 323i

Body type coupe

Catalog model ECE

Production date 1984 / 12

Engine M20

Transmission Manual

Steering Right

Catalyzer NONE

[ducatiss 1]

Don't get too despondent about it - they were only upgrades at the factory that anyone can add later on.

Just checked out my chassis no on those sites and somewhere my car has grown another couple of doors!!

Edited April 2, 2008 by ducatiss

[Mark 178]

Don't get too despondent about it - they were only upgrades at the factory that anyone can add later on.

Just checked out my chassis no on those sites and somewhere my car has grown another couple of doors!!

I believe that the South African and (possibly) Jap cars weren't linked into the main BMW VIN database... especially considering a lot of South African cars were "parts-bin specials". That may be why you get a different car popping up when you enter your VIN number.

[ducatiss 1]

I believe that the South African and (possibly) Jap cars weren't linked into the main BMW VIN database... especially considering a lot of South African cars were "parts-bin specials". That may be why you get a different car popping up when you enter your VIN number.

You might be right as my car was originally from Sth Africa. Then it was exported to Japan and finally a few years later into NZ. And even with a history like that it has over the three years or so that I have owned it, it has proven to be very reliable.

[CamB 48]

I've seen an M323i which had a dogleg box. Not sure if it had an LSD. It was NZ new, and approx 1985.

Edited April 2, 2008 by CamB

[Gus 5]

if you have to ask - it's not

depending how you define M. many people have cars with M bits on them (which have their own value) such as LSD, body kits, sport seats etc (I would not clarify them as an M however)

the 323i with the dogleg and LSD seems to have been the predecessor to the 325i Sports - it prob wont have kit, does it have sport seats?

[kiwi535 538]

define M car...you could say your car is an M car if you have a "motorsport" gearknob.Sports seats,sports suspension,and bodykits are the relatively modern intrepretation of an M car.

The proper ones will have BMW M POWER on the cam covers,and as many individual throttle bodies as there are cylinders.

[tune 0]

the 323i with the dogleg and LSD seems to have been the predecessor to the 325i Sports - it prob wont have kit, does it have sport seats?

it does have a kit, well mine does, and the guy i bought it off said it came out slightly lower when it was made, it is low but not slammed or anything, the front bumper and the underside of the car is quite low. also has a bmw symbol on the back of the diff, will have to jack it up to see if there is a "S" on it anywhere, can see under it much.

it does a mint squat when you launch it ground slaps at times

and yes it does have sports seats with loads of adjustments and they are leather

someone could have just put leather seats in, but the door cars and roof lining would have had to be changed aswell because they are matching

Edited April 3, 2008 by tune

[JiB 0]

If you're facing the diff from the back of the car, there should be a little metal tab attached to the diff on the left (passenger) side of the car.

EDIT: Look for the S on the little tab to tell if it's an LSD. Or just jack up the car and spin one wheel. If the other goes in the same direction you should have an lsd.

Edited April 3, 2008 by JiB

[kiwi535 538]

If you're facing the diff from the back of the car, there should be a little metal tab attached to the diff on the left (passenger) side of the car.

EDIT: Look for the S on the little tab to tell if it's an LSD. Or just jack up the car and spin one wheel. If the other goes in the same direction you should have an lsd.

if you look on real oem and punch in your vin then go and check your diff it should tell you the ratio and if its a lsd or not...

[tune 0]

If you're facing the diff from the back of the car, there should be a little metal tab attached to the diff on the left (passenger) side of the car.

cant see any litttle tab ay. ill jack it up today and try the wheel spin to check the lsd

[cainchapman 0]

Ultimately, if it's not an E30 M3 (easy to spot) or at a stretch an E30 320iS. It's not an M car.

It may have some "motorsport kit" items. But it's not an M car.

[tune 0]

well is there a type of beamer thats not M that came out with all or some of the M upgrades?

[cainchapman 0]

Yes, there are plenty of those.

Mine has all the M5 running gear hooked up to the V8. But it's not an M5 (even though it's rarer).

[ducatiss 1]

I think this must be one of the most debated topics on the forum - closely behind lowering. I have attached some scans from the E30 brochure on the topic of accessories. Here is some further info for you...

"There are several BMW models to which BMW Motorsport made changes without being full M-Cars. Vehicles which have been modified by BMW Motorsport but are not full M-Cars may feature plain 'M' badges with no number, whilst full M-Cars have 'M' badges with the model number. E.g. 'M3' or 'M5'. It should be noted however that the Z3/Z4-based M Roadster and M Coupe bore numberless 'M' badges as standard fitment.

For example, the E28 M535i featured suspension, styling, and transmission improvements over the standard 535i. These changes were carried out by BMW Motorsport, thus the car carried 'M' stripe badges on the front grille and boot, but not the full 'M5' badging. The E28 M5 was sold along side the M535i. Motorsport modifications have been made to almost every BMW model, hence it is not unusual to see 'standard' BMW's with 'M' badges.

The opposite occurred with the 850CSi, an M car in all but name; it had a BMW M sourced engine and its VIN indicated that it was developed by BMW Motorsport, like all other M cars. It was possible that a true M8 was in development; however, this M8 was cancelled for reasons known only to BMW." sourced from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_M

Edited April 5, 2008 by ducatiss

[m325i 705]

is it an M?

You just have to BELIEVE!

[325jones 0]

how bout a car with M325i on the back and has been registed as a 29??cc think its 2983cc (3L) also its a manual

[westy 614]

Sounds like a cock up to me.

[ducatiss 1]

I also struggle with xxx"M" automatics - xxx"M" Steptronics I can accept.

just my take

And yet the E28 M535i were also produced with an automatic trans - straight from the factory.

Edited April 7, 2008 by ducatiss