02 GS430 VS 03 540i
03-16-08, 12:36 PM
#16
You wil take him. Our cars sprint to 60 easily under 6 seconds. I think it will take a little more than exhaust work to make the civic that quick.
03-16-08, 12:40 PM
#17
03-16-08, 03:00 PM
#21
I have an 02' 540.... automatic with a sport pkg.... it comes with a higher stall convertor and a quicker rear end that put almost 12% more pwr to the ground then a reg. 540... it pulls faster offline compared to my 00' GS400 and it pulls to 140mph with less effort than the GS as well.
The 540 is a completly a different beast!
Ive passed an E46 M3 converible @140mph twice....
both cars bone stock
A 540 six speed with an M5 lsd rear is bananas....with a $6000 VF supercharger
better/reliable combo than an E39 M5....my opinion
sorry for the rant, guys....
The 540 is a completly a different beast!
Ive passed an E46 M3 converible @140mph twice....
both cars bone stock
A 540 six speed with an M5 lsd rear is bananas....with a $6000 VF supercharger
better/reliable combo than an E39 M5....my opinionsorry for the rant, guys....
Last edited by LexT; 03-16-08 at 03:14 PM.
04-09-08, 12:29 AM
#22
Lexus Test Driver
On my old weak-sauce NA-T setup. A Civic SI managed to keep next to me until 60mph. I guess he couldn't hang with a turbo once I got into the longer 3rd gear lol. Not to mention my transmission used to slip like crazy heh. Those things are definately quick off the line. But now, those pesky hondas don't stand a hell of a chance from any speed or any gear...unless they're boosted lol 
Back on topic. I think in either case, it will be a drivers race. The two cars are pretty evenly matched power wise. That only applies to the later year 540i's. I think BMW reworked some stuff in the engine to make a bit more power. The earlier year of that same generation 5 series had a less output v8..."I think". Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Back on topic. I think in either case, it will be a drivers race. The two cars are pretty evenly matched power wise. That only applies to the later year 540i's. I think BMW reworked some stuff in the engine to make a bit more power. The earlier year of that same generation 5 series had a less output v8..."I think". Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Also 97-98 without double vanos is as fast(if not faster) than 99-03 with double vanos. So they all the same(I was talking about with manual tranny).
Last edited by Vadim540i; 04-09-08 at 12:38 AM.
04-09-08, 12:36 AM
#23
Lexus Test Driver
I don't believe you, my friend has 03 540iA sport with dinan stage 2 aka software, exhaust and intake. One time he was racing with e46 M3 and he said he never felt so slow before! So cmon man I drove e46 M3's and there's no comparison between my 540(it's 6 speed btw). They're just much faster(more hp and less weight).
04-09-08, 06:04 AM
#24
Never raced a 540 from a dig before but raced two on the highway from a roll (obviously ) and I've beat both of them, one of them was by about 2 car length and the other was closer, maybe 1/2 to 1 car length, maybe they were auto 
... O yea and I have GS430, and I believe that the 400 is only a slight bit quicker right off the line but 430 is faster from roll ...
) and I've beat both of them, one of them was by about 2 car length and the other was closer, maybe 1/2 to 1 car length, maybe they were auto ... O yea and I have GS430, and I believe that the 400 is only a slight bit quicker right off the line but 430 is faster from roll ...
04-09-08, 07:27 AM
#25
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um, i raced an 03-04 540 6spd with 3 guys in it and i was alone in my car..
and its a gs400..i have srt chip/intake and full 2.5'' exhaust..
and i was in 2nd gear around 4.5 rpm and we went at it, im telling you, that thing is fast in 6spd..
with 3 people in the car he took me about a fender and change,
if he was alone it would have been more, and if i was stock it would have been easy 1-1.5 car..
and gs400 is faster than gs430 to begin with so there you go bmw all the way..
forget the 280hp, it puts way more power to the rear wheels than gs.. in auto or 6spd..
and oh, i drove my friends brand new 03 M5(900miles on it) before he crashed it and got the new v10, and im telling you, i didn't wanna even drive my car no more...hah
and its a gs400..i have srt chip/intake and full 2.5'' exhaust..
and i was in 2nd gear around 4.5 rpm and we went at it, im telling you, that thing is fast in 6spd..
with 3 people in the car he took me about a fender and change,
if he was alone it would have been more, and if i was stock it would have been easy 1-1.5 car..
and gs400 is faster than gs430 to begin with so there you go bmw all the way..
forget the 280hp, it puts way more power to the rear wheels than gs.. in auto or 6spd..
and oh, i drove my friends brand new 03 M5(900miles on it) before he crashed it and got the new v10, and im telling you, i didn't wanna even drive my car no more...hah
04-09-08, 10:10 AM
#27
Lexus Fanatic
The 430 uses a electronic throttle linkage or drive by wire(forgot the actual name) which does not respond as immediately as the 400's direct on non electronic throttle. There is a slight hesitation between mashing the throttle and actually putting the power to the wheels where in the 400 there is little to no delay meaning even though the 400 has a smaller engine and a bit less torque it responds a little quicker and maybe a tenth of a second or two quicker in certain situations although in some situations the 430 is faster then 400 considering the bigger engine and more torque, the 400 generally feels quicker because of the more immediate throttle response even though its down a little on size/power.
04-09-08, 10:13 AM
#28
The GS400's throttle is also electronically controlled. It's not a traditional drive by throttle cable setup. There is a motor for the throttle body's butterfly. It's still electronically controlled, but it just seems like the GS430's throttle mapping has been toned down for even more comfort.
04-16-08, 01:00 AM
#30
Its not. Just more responsive when you first floor it (electrical). The 430 has more displacement and lower end/total torque.
So it might be quicker off the gun, but not faster. The drive by wire comes in handy in highways (high speeds), and neighborhood streets (low speeds) as the car adjusts translations of pedal movement according to your speed.
Same thing with the brake by wire, also on the 430.
(I used to have a '98 LS400, same engine/throttle body and tranny as the GS).
So it might be quicker off the gun, but not faster. The drive by wire comes in handy in highways (high speeds), and neighborhood streets (low speeds) as the car adjusts translations of pedal movement according to your speed.
Same thing with the brake by wire, also on the 430.
(I used to have a '98 LS400, same engine/throttle body and tranny as the GS).