[AlanYoro35i]

Link

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Quaife-BMW...item35b66292ca

Now this look interesting...just need to let birds match the price and give good discount !!

=]

[Nigelo]

Only suitable for autos?

Damn shame I've a manual.....

[phil200tdi]

I thought birds was £980 parts only??

[seanblee]

I had a quote from Birds of £850 inc VAT for parts only, so this doesn't look cheap to me...

[chesney72]

Got mine last week for a tad under birds list price. Through a specialist that a mate of a mate owns and even he struggled to get the price down, saved maybe £50. Its really hard to get them discounted!

[m1bjr]

Buying the part is easy.

Fitting it is not quite so.

There is a lot of labour time involved, maybe quicker if you can build one on the bench and swap the complete housing but not much in it really.

Remember - the LATER cars (that this diff on eBay is for) have welded crownwheels.
These must be machined off to accept this part and that is NOT a cheap or simple task.
The sellers don't tell you this....

Early cars like my 56 plate manual had the straight forward bolt on crownwheel assemblies, meaning a cheaper/faster job.

[AlanYoro35i]

i only just looked at the sticky in the technical department


''To complete the rest of the package as reviewed by BMW CAR Magazine, please note the following items and prices -

Quaife LSD (Bolted), parts only - Retail - £890 + VAT
Quaife LSD (Bolted), installed - Retail - £1,160 + VAT
Quaife LSD (Welded), parts only - Retail - £1,364 + VAT
Quaife LSD (Welded), installed - Retail - £1,638 + VAT ''

i just assummed it would have been cheaper..guess i'm wrong

[m1bjr]

The machining off of the old part runs to about £500.

Diffs are not rocket science, and most rally/race shops should find it a breeze.
But, Birds have this down to an art form as they do a lot of them.
My bill ran to about £2k for diff, rear ARB install and M3 subframe bush supply and fit all at the same time.

The bushes are SERIOUSLY worth doing whilst the subframe is dropped, it will save about £150 or more in labour and make a big difference on a tuned car.

Ditto the ARB - twat of a job on a good day - and the best mod of the lot if you like a better balanced car.

The new diff provides great traction but it just makes the car push/understeer more as a result.
Tweaking the rear roll stiffness with a big rear bar makes it 100% more fun, very neutral, and drifting a little to tighten the line on track is easier.

[phil200tdi]

La la la la la..... I'm not listening.....I don't really need it... It's too expensive......but I want one so much.... Someone sell me there's?

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

La la la la la..... I'm not listening.....I don't really need it... It's too expensive......but I want one so much.... Someone sell me there's?

Ha! Sorry to rub it in Phil, but m1bjr is spot on. I have the full monty Birds jobbie as per their sticky thread on this site. It isn't cheap, but boy does it make a difference.
If I'm honest, it is irrelevant 95% of the time on the road. But I'm one of those that likes my car to be as good as it can be, and I'll just take the financial pain on the chin.

I'd strongly recommend Birds by the way; they know what they are talking about, and as always........you get what you pay for.

Mike.

[doughboy]

The diff and bushes really makes the car, its really a beast, steers from the rear a treat - takes time to get used to it mind.

I've had mine in for over 2 years / 27K now, so the 'pain' of purchase has eased a little, and the £/mile is better!

[idnan]

I'm eying up the Birds suspension setup, Hartge ARBs, Quaife Diff and m3 rear subframe bushes and will probably get it done after Christmas.

Just a shame that I've got a late manual model so I have the welded crown wheel and have to pay the £300 or so extra to get the full unit swapped out.

However, I will have to keep the car for a year or two to justify the big outlay.

[AlanYoro35i]

Phil...its happening to me too...i keep saying nah i dun need it....then mike comes in and tell us how proud he is with it....

[AlanYoro35i]

idnan - be interested how much it cost you overall?

for me its ..too many wants...with a empty wallet..just got some new wheels and tyres which cost me 1200 for this winter...wont be doing anything unitl march really but unless super good offers come up thats once in a lifetime i doubt i buy anything til then..so please write a super good review when you get that set up!!

[m1bjr]

I think the Birds suspension deal is over priced personally. I read mxed reviews too which dissuaded me.
The main one seemed to be the difference was not as great as expected.
The oem setup is actually pretty good and quite firm already - its the rear bar that is too weak for a 'drivers car'.

I only replaced mine as I had a failed front strut anyhow and some Hartge(revalved Bilstein) dampers came up for silly money on here.

But lets be honest, if you want to ride a 'magic carpet' you dont want to be messing with high rate springs et al.
It's all a compromise and if you want to pull high G corners, then the ride isn't ever going to be smooth in a 1.6tonne chassis

I sourced my own bars (H&R as a pair) fitted the front myself and got the rears done along with the diff by Birds.
Even without any other suspension mods, try the anti-roll bars with a diff FIRST as they make a big difference and may be all you want from a road/mild trackday car.
It's no real extra cost to try it this way, the only labour difference being bottom suspension arm bolts out and lower damper nuts off (30min tops).

So, get some bars yourself (H&R remarkable similar dimensions to Hartge) and then take it to Birds to do the LSD with M3 subframe bushes and fit the rear bar at the same time.
Any garage at all, even a home mechanic, can fit the front bar easily enough.
See how you like this before moving down the full suspension strut or coilover mod route.

My 2p
Steve

[idnan]

Steve, many thanks for taking the time to put up all that advice.

Just checked the thickness of the H&R bars and as you say they are very similar and a significant amount cheaper. I probably will take your advice and go for H&R bars, m3 subframe bushes and the Quaife diff. I will be using Darren Wood in Manchester as they have a few other bits and pieces that they need to sort out on the car. Fitting the front ARB should be no problem as I'm currently building an e36 track car and I've done far more difficult jobs on that.

I'm also contemplating whether to go for a big brake kit or new discs and Pagid RS19s instead all round. I'm leaning towards the latter due to the cost.

[kaishang]

Originally Posted by phil200tdi

La la la la la..... I'm not listening.....I don't really need it... It's too expensive......but I want one so much.... Someone sell me there's?

I can save you money. I've got a great tip.

Forget about modding your car with this Quaife diff. Buy an M3 instead - with a factory LSD.

I'm really looking out for you here.

[phil200tdi]

[QUOTE=kaishang

I can save you money. I've got a great tip.

Forget about modding your car with this Quaife diff. Buy an M3 instead - with a factory LSD.

I'm really looking out for you here.[/QUOTE]


La la la la la........

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by kaishang

I can save you money. I've got a great tip.
Forget about modding your car with this Quaife diff. Buy an M3 instead - with a factory LSD.
I'm really looking out for you here.

???? My car was worth probably £18k when I got the Quaife, which cost me £1200 ish. At the time the cheapest M3 was £32k......
In today's terms the numbers are £14k, £1.2k and £25k respectively, give or take.

Now I'm not saying my car is as good as an M3 'cos it isn't just the diff, but I don't quite see the money saving argument.

I do agree that an M3 as a complete package is very desirable!

Mike.

[Mike in Hampshire]

Originally Posted by m1bjr

I think the Birds suspension deal is over priced personally. I read mxed reviews too which dissuaded me.

Yeah, I think with hindsight it wasn't the best VFM I'll ever get. Then again, it was quite nice to do it as a "one stop shop" exercise. I follow the logic of your other points too, but I just haven't got the time for a piecemeal approach, even if it is cheaper that way.

Of course, having the Birds kit done in one go means I can't comment on the relative merits of each component........but as a package I am very happy with the result. It really has made the car good to drive hard when the mood takes and conditions allow. I'd thoroughly recommend it, with the proviso that it is expensive.

Now, time to look at M3's on Autotrader again!

Mike.

[seanblee]

Mike, how do you find the ride quality compared to the stock M-Sport suspension?

[335iLondon]

Originally Posted by idnan

Steve, many thanks for taking the time to put up all that advice.

currently building an e36 track car and I've done far more difficult jobs on that.

I'm also contemplating whether to go for a big brake kit or new discs and Pagid RS19s instead all round. I'm leaning towards the latter due to the cost.

Hello glad i checked up on this thread again! as it has turned interesting.

e36 track car piccies please

Idan, I have looked into this, there are NO pagid brakes in the 335i fitment.
Despite what you may read on here.
You will not find them.
My research has intimated that ebc yellow stuff pads are the best option.

Could you perhaps get a diff instead of winter tires?


Group buy on diff!!!