Arrghh.... Should I or shouldn't I?

[jeffbebe 1559]

Have been offered an extremely good deal (basically $3.5K cheaper than buying a new one including shipping) on a VF supercharger kit with less than 25,000 miles on it and a reconditioned blower:

Trouble is a good deal's still a big chunk of change and will mean a fair few sacrifices for the rest of the year and will almost certainly mean I can't afford to install it for a really long time while I get engine and brakes to a state where I'm (and people that know what they're doing are) confident they'll cope with the extra power.

So, what do I do... Bite the bullet? Or keep chipping away at the remedial and prep work to get the car ready for the S/C and then hope I can find a good deal when I get there?

(PS I should add that I'm sh*t at waiting for things but my bank manager doesn't always love me for it!).

[M5V8 337]

that's a tough one.

Julian is this your 'regular' car? how stuffed are you if this is off the road?

Edited July 11, 2013 by M5V8

[BM WORLD 1261]

na you dont need it .

go well in my e34 544iT 6spd

[Etwenty1 45]

downgrage the wifes car and use that cash to pay for it.

[jeffbebe 1559]

that's a tough one.

Julian is this your 'regular' car? how stuffed are you if this is off the road?

Don't need a regular car as I work 2 mins from home and the wife's got an ultra reliable Mazda 6 wagon. It's a weekender that I intend to make faster than a stock M5, for less than I could buy (and restore) a stock M5.

na you dont need it .

go well in my e34 544iT 6spd

I bet it would! If I decide to pass I'll put you in touch with the seller (or buy it and sell to you with a small 'finders fee'!!)

downgrage the wifes car and use that cash to pay for it.

That could work... If I didn't need my testicles any more.

[M5V8 337]

if you have the cash and it's a deal stow it away, well packaged, in the back of your garage for a better day.

if it's a good deal even if you don't install you should be able to get most of your money back to someone on this forum.

I would say you have the right idea to get your car upto it's peak before installing tho.

smart.

[CSET 564]

I say go for it, if you can.

Really, what are the chances one will turn up at just the right time, for the right $? Odds are that you'd be importing.

It doesn't matter what order you purchase the parts in; that doesn't necessarily have to be the order they're installed! If you're 100% sure that it's the way you want to go eventually, and have the money now, I say go for it.

[e30ftw 396]

Do it. YOLO

[dubman 39]

I say go for it if that's your long term goal. Bargains like this don't come up very often. Just drive slower in the meantime so your don't need your brakes to be that good. Throttle aren't on/off (at least for the 1st dozen drives)

[Allanw 1051]

I'd be tempted! The brakes are only really a problem if you go too fast too much and need to slow down

Question... Why has the blower been rebuilt?

[Arma 134]

Is this S/C just for the v8's ?

[qube 3568]

The way I see it it's very simple.

Think of it as another form in which you keep your assets. Obviously there is cash and bank deposits. House and assets. Cash and any kind of money is not going anywhere. But assets such as a house appreciates in value and a car depreciates. However something like this will hold its value whether you keep it for 1 month or 1 year. If you can sell it without losing any money, including the time, delivery or transport, and whatever else, then it's essentially the same as keeping money in your bank. Now if you had to take a loan or something to buy it then calculate whether the interest can be covered in the event of a sale.

Now, if you plan to use this in the future, work out if you really want this in your car. From what you've said, wanting to make it more powerful than an m5, id say its totally worth it.

Do it!

[Ahmedsinc 414]

Wasn't the point of selling your other car to reduce your debt burden or something? IMO spend the money on ensuring your motor is bulletproof. What situation would you find yourself in if the M60, say, runs a big end bearing or something else of a catastrophic nature?

As I'm learning the hard way, just because it seems like a good deal doesn't always mean it's a good idea.

Just my two cents.

Plus I'll be positively green with envy if you do get it!

[timewarrior 3]

I think you should go for it, put it in when you can (or it'll be something that sits around and gathers dust) and do the brakes etc when you can (and in the mean time make sure you really come to terms with the power in a safe way). YOLO* and all that.

*You Only Live Once (for the older users)

[Apex 693]

Get a M5.

[elmarco 56]

You're fricken mad.... By the time you have the $ to install it any number of things could have changed. And in the meantime you're stuck with a used blower sucking up space in your garage while quietly deteriorating. Sure you may be able to on sell it - but who knows how long that will take & the price you might get.

There is no replacement for hard currency.

My 2c

[Michael. 2312]

IMO spend the money on ensuring your motor is bulletproof. What situation would you find yourself in if the M60, say, runs a big end bearing or something else of a catastrophic nature?

Not to be a buzz killer, but I'm thinking the same thing.

[jeffbebe 1559]

Question... Why has the blower been rebuilt?

Manufacturing fault on the original that become obvious at 10,000miles (a rattle) - think it was replaced rather than rebuilt.

Is this S/C just for the v8's ?

This one is but VF make superchargers for other E39 engines but IMO not worth it for anything other than M62. S/C for a 530 is US$5K plus shipping and installation. For a lot less money you could buy upgrade to a 540 and get similar output. I'm only considering because the jump from a 540 to an M5 is still a lot more than the cost of the V8 S/C.

Wasn't the point of selling your other car to reduce your debt burden or something? IMO spend the money on ensuring your motor is bulletproof. What situation would you find yourself in if the M60, say, runs a big end bearing or something else of a catastrophic nature?

As I'm learning the hard way, just because it seems like a good deal doesn't always mean it's a good idea.

Just my two cents.

Plus I'll be positively green with envy if you do get it!

Makes good sense. Yes, I did sell the 528 to reduce debt. I work for myself and work had been down. Things have really picked up so our situation is infinitely improved (though the S/C is still a risk). I've got a 3 year mechanical warranty so no problems if the M62 blows up prior to installing the S/C - though it would be a major bummer afterwards as the warranty will be void once I install, hence why I want to bulletproof the engine first.

I don't really think it's a good idea... I think it's a fun idea!!

Get a M5.

Sell me one for less than $15K which is what I'm budgeting for my car project (including the price of the car).

You're fricken mad.... By the time you have the $ to install it any number of things could have changed. And in the meantime you're stuck with a used blower sucking up space in your garage while quietly deteriorating. Sure you may be able to on sell it - but who knows how long that will take & the price you might get.

There is no replacement for hard currency.

My 2c

Yep, fair point and exactly why I'm sitting on the fence. Edited July 11, 2013 by jeffbebe

[Apex 693]

Sell me one for less than $15K which is what I'm budgeting for my car project (including the price of the car).

15k

Subscribed.

[hybrid 1039]

Or you could turn it all on its head and do all this to a car that it doesnt matter for way cheaper.

I had the same delimer with the 330 when I had it. Still keep spending money on it only to be doing up my daily / road car when all I wanted to do was hoon. This lead me to get the e30.

[Allanw 1051]

Right - I think we've established it's a dumb idea.

...but if you were all about sensible, you'd not be driving a 540i, you'd have a Nissan Micra or something equally as hideous/boring/unloved etc

[jeffbebe 1559]

15k

Subscribed.

Give or take and not including normal maintenance. Car was just over $8K. I've spent a couple of hundred on body and paintwork. $500 on parts for vanos, valve cover, timing chain guides, etc and expect another $1Kish on labour to do it. Leaves around $5K for the s/c and install + pads and rotors. It's tight but doable but even if I go over, I'm not likely to go $10K over which is what an M5 would cost at least. If I don't take the offer now though, I might struggle to get close to budget!!

However, I wasn't budgeting to spend it all at once!

Or you could turn it all on its head and do all this to a car that it doesnt matter for way cheaper.

I had the same delimer with the 330 when I had it. Still keep spending money on it only to be doing up my daily / road car when all I wanted to do was hoon. This lead me to get the e30.

Yeah, very good point... But I just love E39s!

Right - I think we've established it's a dumb idea.

...but if you were all about sensible, you'd not be driving a 540i, you'd have a Nissan Micra or something equally as hideous/boring/unloved etc

Hear hear. Edited July 12, 2013 by jeffbebe

[Mr2low 57]

i'd just do it mate.

Having put a b16b in a 72' mini 1275gt you do only live once, and no matter how tight sh*t gets theres always someone else worse off then you.

if we were sensible people we wouldnt make creations like this m5 ute

[Dave@nz 11]

Hi,

Interesting reading all the posts and plenty for buying the kit, I would advise strongly to not purchase it maybe up grade your car, pay towards the mortgage or keep it in the bank etc.

Buying it and storing it until you can install it would be risky as and could quickly turn pear shaped, it would not be hundreds out of pocket my guess would be a lot more than that.

Edited July 12, 2013 by 87M3@NZ

[jeffbebe 1559]

Hi,

Interesting reading all the posts and plenty for buying the kit, I would advise strongly to not purchase it maybe up grade your car, pay towards the mortgage or keep it in the bank etc.

It's turned out to be quite an interesting social experiment!