BMW Z3 Roadster, M Roadster, M Coupe

Performance Level Upgrades to Consider for a BMW

If you're keen on making some serious modifications to your Z3 or other BMW vehicle, there are so many options to choose from it can be overwhelming. So unless you intend to spend the next several years of your life performing every possible upgrade, you'll have to make some careful selections about which upgrades are best suited to your needs. Below, we'll go down some popular BMW upgrade options that focus on different aspects of the car, so that you can figure out if any of these modifications can improve your enjoyment of BMW ownership and driving.

HID Headlights

BMW introduced the first vehicle to come with HID headlights in the early 1990s with its 7 Series lineup. Many BMWs on the road today utilize HID technology, but that doesn't mean there still isn't room for an upgrade. More conventional HID lighting arrays tend to emit white or blue-tinted light, but the color possibilities do range through a much wider spectrum. From softer yellow lights to intense purple ones, you can dramatically alter the appearance of your vehicle with a simple changing of the bulbs.

Grilles

BMWs are renowned for their commonplace use of kidney grille designs, but for a driver who wants something a bit more unique, you certainly don't have to settle for the stock set. You can pick out grilles made of aluminum (billet), plastic, or even stainless steel, and you can alter the shape to your preference as well. Though grilles do offer ventilation into the engine compartment of their vehicles, your car's grille setup is certainly more of a stylish add-on that a truly functional component. So changing one grille type out for another could help you leave a customized mark on your car.

Performance Upgrades

This umbrella category covers a lot, and there is a diverse array of options available so you certainly won't need to install them all. If you're looking solely for dramatic horsepower gains, a turbocharger can kick in an extra 400 horsepower or so, but can cost several thousand dollars (not even including installation). BMW performance chips may be the better bet for most drivers, as they can add up to 60 extra horsepower, save you up to 4-7mpg in gas, and can cost well under a hundred bucks. From nitrous kits to ECU chip add-ons, there are plenty of ways to add some extra juice to your car, even if BMWs need that extra boost less so than most other vehicle types.