I own a 2010 328xi and am considering installing a performance chip from SLR Motorsports. Does anyone have experience with this firm as it relates to BMW? Does the use of this type of upgrade impact the BMW manufacturer warranty?
Yes, it impacts your warranty. Typically, these chips won't give you much on modern (non-turbo) engines. For the E46 M52/M54 engines, they typically gave only 5% HP gains, mostly by upping the redline.
I was wondering about these chips also I had been looking at the limited performance parts available for the 328 (maybe I should of held out for a 335?) and considering ways to get a few more ponies without major mods. My wife's Volvo S 60 R is faster than my BMW even my 86 mustang 5.0 is faster (but there is nothing stock in the engine) As far as chips go I never trust any chip for a NA engine that claims 50 HP increase. No way that the SLR chip adds that much HP. The other option I was looking into is the Burger Motorsports piggyback chip, at least they seem to be more realistic in their claims of HP and TQ gains are up to 10HP and show dyno results of about 5HP and 6 ft lbs. Maybe just save up for the 335.
Save up for the 335. On a normally aspirated car, especially one as well tuned as a BMW you're not going to see major gains from just a software update. You might get a higher redline and slightly more aggressive fuel mapping but as far as horsepower, nothing worth paying whatever they charge. Funny enough on next month's Car&Driver they compare the performance of the E28 M5 versus the 328i. It's an eye opener (although I would still prefer an E28 M5).
Why doesn't anybody make a turbo or supercharger kit for the 328? It just baffles me? Not even Dinan.
One possibility is that tuner companies don't see enough potential buyers for a 328i FI kit to justify the R&D costs, perhaps thinking that most potential buyers would simply snap up a 335i in the first place. By that logic it would be easier and more lucrative to enhance the factory system rather than compete with it. Another factor is the magnesium alloy block BMW developed for the N52 engine--the first in the world. Despite the advantages of this new technology, BMW thought it unsuitable for use in their own turbocharged engines, opting instead for tried-and-true aluminum alloy blocks. That would be enough to make any decent aftermarket engineer think twice about what it might cost to develop a proper FI kit for the N52--one that wouldn't destroy engines.
