bmwforlife said:
I am toying with the idea of modifying the M5 and having heard Jeff's beauty am interested in the RGM stage 1 mod. The fact that it comes with a warranty is quite an attraction as well . The one has savspeed as well so the question remains SAV or RGM .
Which one and why or is it a case of different strokes for different folks ?
Hows about some input Jeff ?
Marked difference in power ?
Reliability ?
Greetings
jeff said:
Got some interesting news from the guys over at RGM this morning
Finally got around to emailing them on what has actually all been done to the car.
It was in the shop in 2007 for the stage 1 conversion, which consists of:
- RGM stainless steel performance exhaust system
- Remapping of the engine electronics. Both ignition, timing and fuel
- Speed governor removed, allowing the M5 to reach the 300km/h+ mark
That's what's been done to mine. Can't really comment on Sav conversions purely because I haven't personally dealt with them. My mods, as small as they are, do make a massive difference.
I'm running a UniQ chip, combined with the exhaust does make a noticeable difference. Obviously a stock M5 has grunt, and pulls like a demon - but with the conversion it gives you an more manic kind of feeling under your arse
It does keep the M5's split personality. If you want to drop the kids off at school and go to the track, you can still do that without compromising road handling. Cruising speed is quiet, still some cabin noise because the V8 noise has been increased with the exhaust, but you can still have a normal conversation without having the feeling you're sitting in a fully spec'd race car.
So definitely a marked increase in performance on the car - reliability I haven't had any issues. Clutch and flywheel barred obviously, but that's simply because I was driving pedal to the metal, all the time
So I'd say it's safe to say that the mods are reliable. They aren't weakening the engine or pushing massive performance gains. There have been a million debates online whether or not oiled filters kill your MAF sensors. Mine seem fine, cleaned them out a few months back and had the normal dust, and the BMC oiled filters that RGM install have been sitting there since '07.
In summary though, (and I know this is a long post, sorry) is the exhaust note. It's changed and is louder than stock. Cold start I'm idling at 1500rpm, which does wake the neighbours up and rattle my garage door. You can hear you're driving a V8 when you put your foot down but cruising speed is normal.
Hope that helps a bit, and have fun!
