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  #1  
Old 08-19-2005, 03:10 PM
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How do I get my '85 300DT to handle like a BMW?

OK...short of actually BUYING a BMW , how can I improve the ride/handling to more reflect a sport wagon?

And how close can I get to a BMW? 50%? 75%?

Of course wheels/tires/shocks are the cheapest and most obvious, correct?

Which ones do you recommend?

But what about sway bars?

Anything else?

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Old 08-19-2005, 04:00 PM
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Just stop with the preventative maintenance, and eventually it will sit in the shop most of the time handling JUST LIKE a BMW.
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  #3  
Old 08-19-2005, 04:14 PM
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How do I get my Plymouth Reliant to handle like a Chevy Camaro?
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  #4  
Old 08-19-2005, 04:17 PM
Craig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wsalopek
Of course wheels/tires/shocks are the cheapest and most obvious, correct?
I doubt you are going to get much change with wheels alone. I like Bilstein sport shocks and the best tires you can find. I went to 205/70-14 tires on the stock wheels (sedan). It's a 20 year old wagon, you're not going to turn it into anything else.

If you want it to handle like a BMW, wait until it snows and drive into the first ditch you see.
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  #5  
Old 08-19-2005, 04:19 PM
Craig
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dannym
How do I get my Plymouth Reliant to handle like a Chevy Camaro?
They already handle about the same.
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  #6  
Old 08-19-2005, 04:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Craig
They already handle about the same.
that's not fair. The Reliant is much better in the snow than the Camaro.
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"Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement."

listen, look, .........and duck.
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  #7  
Old 08-19-2005, 04:29 PM
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Sorry if I've offended any Reliant owners.
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  #8  
Old 08-19-2005, 06:31 PM
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Rear springs/shocks.

Replace the stock rear springs and shocks. I've never owned a Bimmer, but I know a good-handling car when I get behind the wheel.

I put wagon springs (ever-so-slightly shorter and WAY stiffer) and HD Bilsteins on the back end of my W123 sedan. Can't believe the difference!

Jay.
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Old 08-19-2005, 06:38 PM
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http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?car_id=184646328&dealer_id=96923&car_year=2004&make=BMW&distance=0&lang=en&max_price=&model=M3&end_year=2006&min_price=&certified=&address=06460&search_type=both&advanced=&start_year=2000&isp=y&cardist=91

Their you go!

I don't think a W123 wagon could ever handle like a BMW. Well unless you spent a small fortune on a bunch of custom stuff.
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  #10  
Old 08-19-2005, 06:42 PM
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It seems the 123s handle OK, but I'd be more concerned with chewing up the outside edges of the tires. In thoery, stiffer/shorter springs would help that, as well as good tires. My bimmer will out handle the 240, but the 240 is much easier to drive at the limit.
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  #11  
Old 08-19-2005, 06:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by StefanoDimera72
I beat everyone by 2 seconds around a 30 second course in my bone stock ride.
With which car did you do this?

I used to do autocross a bit in my '94 Miata...oh man...what fun...and it didn't really matter how fast I was going...tossing that car around those cones with the top down was FUN FUN FUN.

And that's the thing...I really don't care how fast I go in the 300DT, I'd just like for it to feel a more spritely than a coal barge in the Ohio river...the power in the wagon is OK enough, but the "turn in" and overall rsponse to my inputs on the throttle, brake, and steering wheel leave a LOT to be desired.

Any car I'd replace my 300DT with would have to burn diesel (I burn vegetable oil quite a bit for environmental / trade deficit / American farmer reasons), unless that other car has a LOT of something else going for it.

My other car is a '97 Passat TDi with a Greasecar vegetable oil kit, power chips and Bilstein shocks...that's reasonably fun to drive.
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  #12  
Old 08-19-2005, 06:45 PM
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Yes, the Queen Mother of convertibles.

If I could get one with a diesel engine (like BMW sells in Europe), and if I had a wad of cash, I'd buy one IN AN INSTANT.
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  #13  
Old 08-19-2005, 06:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dannym
How do I get my Plymouth Reliant to handle like a Chevy Camaro?


Ever seen one with the turbo motor swap... it's a sight to see.
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  #14  
Old 08-19-2005, 07:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wsalopek
OK...short of actually BUYING a BMW , how can I improve the ride/handling to more reflect a sport wagon?

And how close can I get to a BMW? 50%? 75%?
You can get the handling of a W123 to exactly match the handling of a BMW.
Actually, it's quite easy, and it won't cost you too much.

Just push the W123 past it's limits on a twisty road with a huge embankment.

When you go through the guardrail and off into space, the W123 will have the identical handling characteristics of the BMW.
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  #15  
Old 08-19-2005, 08:10 PM
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if you havent changed all the rubber

mounts and bushings, thats a start. Mines getting all that done as we speak, because just a rwitch of the steering wheel and the rear end resembles a fish.

BMW? No thanks- the old diesel is enough maintenance!

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