Too Ricey?

I had someone back into my m-sport front bumper last week putting a lovely trailer hitch imprint in it without leaving a note. This all happened the week after I just had my rear bumper replaced with a m-sport bumper after another Texas driver hit me in the back on a service drive entrance. Fortunately, that bumper hit was paid by the other driver.

I had the Aero front bumper look back when I first bought the car and then replaced the front-end with the m-sport bumper back in 2010.  Now with the situation of having to fix the front bumper I'm looking at either fixing the new damage by replacing what I currently have or possibly doing a fourth bumper look (had stock, areo and m-sport already, in case anyone is counting and no one is except me.)

The Rieger front bumper is oddly appealing. My only issue with it is will it make car look "ricey"?  Will I need a few v-tech stickers and a double layered rear spoiler to the complete the look?

Thoughts? Is it a good look or is it going too far?

You Can Get a Limited Slip Differential for a Non //M Car

"It's called DTC but it should be called fun," says the Autocar reviewer in the video. "The car will come out of corners like a proper rear-wheel car"

Limited Slip Differential or LSD is something that can be had on the //M3 but not the 335i, that is until now. Dinan sells a version for $2,595 (comes in two versions one for Auto and the other for Manual transmission.) Another manufacturer Quaife is selling their LSD for $1,305, that's a special price on the E90Post board.

So why even get a LSD for your car? Limited Slip Differential is designed to provide power to both wheels instantaneously allowing for faster lap times, better control and even power distribution. Most will feel the advantage if they track their cars. For thosee who do not track their car they will see some advantage when roads are rough where the LSD will correct the impact of one wheel hitting lumps and bumps on the freeway without having the pounding we feel in the open differential that is in a stock 335i.

You can learn more about Open vs LSD differentials here.

CSL Trunk Lid Finally Available for E93

DUKE DYNAMICS has released a new rear trunk lid for the E93. It's similar to the CSL Trunk lid look that can be found on many modified E92 coupes. The part isn't inexpensive but it is highly unique and is a rather large part since it replaces the trunk lid and is not just a rear spoiler piece. It lists at $999, but is currently discounted to $845.

Check it out for yourself if you want to see some additional pictures of the CSL Trunk lid. more.

Interior Trim Tool Kit for Christmas

I'm getting a few things for my car this Christmas and one thing I wanted to add to my toolbox is a decent set of interior trim removal tools. After some searching, I found a great set of 10 nylon pry tools from Eastwood. The kit is $39.99 plus tax and shipping is currently free. Looks like a good kit and I saw it mentioned on Bimmerpost from someone doing a full trim replacement on a 1-series.

To order the kit, go to Eastwood's site. It's a nice set for our cars and any future automotive projects. more.

LeatherZ Complete Gauge Kit

LeatherZ has released a relatively affordable gauge cluster kit for the E9x 3-series cars, including the E93 convertibles. The kit allows for 3 gauges to fit in place of where the ashtray currently is in the center console. Pricing is about 10-20% lower than other custom solutions I've seen and the cluster kit is configurable running from $305-$550 depending on which VDO gauges you choose.

There are a few recommendations from the supplier dependent on what kind of car you have:

E9x 328i - Oil Pressure, Oil Temperature and Voltmeter

E9x 335i (Stock) - 0-15PSI Boost, Oil Pressure and Water Temperature

E9x 335i (Modified) - 0-30 PSI Boost (Or Vacuum/Boost), Oil Pressure and Water Temperature

E9x 335i (Track Setup) - Pyrometer, Oil Pressure and Water Temperature

Installation takes from 4-6 hours and instructions come with the kit when ordered. I was disappointed the instructions are not available online. This would really help those of us considering buying the set who are DIY types to see what is involved.

This is definitely something I plan to do with my car in the next year or so. Hopefully someone on the boards will beat me to the task and post some instructions with photos. more.

Euro Split Armrest for Added Comfort

There are a few features we don't get in our 3-series BMWs in the States, well at least we don't get them stock. Of course you probably are used to the game of being able to buy OEM parts after your purchase, even if they are parts that could've come on your car from the factory like they are made available across the Atlantic. After owning several BMWs, this has become old hat in my experience.

I fell for it again and decided to order a $265 part (price included shipping) from Tischer BMW, the OEM BMW E90 Sedan Split Armrest (the E90 part fits the E92/E93.) I had put this modification off because it seemed kind of dumb to me, but a couple of good friends did the install and really liked the improvement of the upgrade.

There is also a lot of talk on the boards in a DIY thread concerning the hassle of a small gear you have to install to get the full effect of the upgrade (gives a more natural not so springy pop of the armrest when it is released. Stock just shoots right up.) Anyway the gear was a bit of hassle but two posts really helped: Putting in the spring and the other tip is "So here's a tip so this doesn't happen to anyone else. Once the gear is inserted properly and you're attempting to place the armrest in, HOLD the gear in place firmly with your finger. Trust me, you'll avoid a lot of aggravation."

Another helpful post, involved how to remove the armrest from an E92/E93 as opposed to the E90 model the DIY was originally done for.

Also, before installing the new armrest you'll want to remove your iPod holder from the stock armrest and install it on the new armrest. Details can be found on this post. I removed the iPod holder and used a small piece of card paper for a magazine subscription and made a template from that for drilling the new holes. Be careful not to drill too far in. Don't worry if it pokes right through quickly, as there is just a thin piece of plastic to drill through. Make sure your drill bit isn't long so you continue to the other side, tough to do but just be careful and don't worry when the drill pokes through the thin layer of plastic since you did not go through any leather.

The install took me about 20 minutes including the time to remove and reattach the iPod leather holder.

The Best Cosmetic Modification: New Wheels

I have done quite a few modifications to my car over the past two years of ownership, but nothing makes it really unique and custom like some new wheels. Fortunately, a good friend of mine whom I originally met on the E90Post forums is in the process of buying a new M3 coupe and he was selling his 19" BBS-CH wheel and tire set from his 2006 BMW 330i.

I had the set installed yesterday and had to add TPMS sensors since the 2006 models didn't need them. This added some minor cost both for parts and installation. It seems worth it since you have to get the dealership to program turning off the warning light when no sensors are installed. Seemed like an annoyance I wanted to avoid so I went with new TPMS sensors. Tire Rack has a great non-OEM set that ran $200.

An Even More Striking Interior

Tastefully modifying your interior is a very difficult thing when you start changing trim pieces out with non-OEM or something different from the typical carbon fiber treatment. Sometimes, interior customizations look a bit too "Pimp My Ride." Fortunately, a customization worthy of consideration was done by Richy, Richy@RichmannMotorSport.com, from BMW MotorSport (Richmann Motorsports).

The center console is wrapped in black leatherette, giving the 3-series interior a bit of a M3 look and actually it really cleans up the look of the aluminum trim and black leather interior combination. Fit is a bit tight, as the installer mentioned it took some strong arming to get the trim to pop back into place since the leatherette ads some thickness to the pieces, but it does click in.

Sorry, but there are no details on pricing. It looks pretty low cost though, particularly if you are just trimming the center console section with your existing parts.

All in all, I think it looks amazing and may consider this as a way to give my car some new life after five or so years. Provided of course, I stop looking at the photo and think 'damn that looks good and probably isn't too bad price wise...' more.

A Sexier Skirt

I was on E90Post.com yesterday, yeah I know -- big surprise, and I came across some great photos of one of my favorite E93’s on the board (see photo at left.) Of course, the first thing you notice about Steven’s montego blue 335i convertible is the BMW star spoke 179 wheels. If you take another look, you’ll notice some aggressive side skirts.

At first, I thought the skirts were the OEM M3 side skirts from the M3. That’s not the case as Steven told me his were a better choice as the OEMs don’t fit properly and require quite a bit of customization to get a better fit, that still isn’t perfect. Fortunately, an after-market supplier has solved the problem.

The car above features M-Force Design’s E92 M3 Style Side Skirts. Fitment is 100% and the installation requires no tape or glue and are installed “exactly like an OEM replacement part." Pricing painted that includes shipping from a recent group buy on E90Post is $570, $410 unpainted/primed.

These definitely have my attention as my stock side skirts could use a more aggressive look and the car wash I used during my first winter with the car put some nice scratches into the clearcoat, though I was able to buff most of them out using my Flex random orbital polisher.

Featured Custom Phillipino 335i Convertible

This car has been featured in several global car magazines. For the most part, it is a beautifully modded alpine white convertible. The wheels, quad exhaust and various touches make it a standout. My only gripe is the black and white hood. It's not horrible, just not my thing. Other than that, it is a beautifully executed, extremely modified convertible.

Accolades include, "Auto Extreme (local TV show) and has bagged 8 trophies in 7 major car shows here in the Philippines. Mostly best Euro and best BMW. She has been featured in 2 international magazines and 2 local magazines. She has also been featured in a Japanese website and a local website."

You can see all of the featured publications, full articles, on E90Post.com - check it out.

M Sport Perforated Leather Steering Wheel Installed

After researching various steering wheel options, I decided to forgo the BMW Performance Steering Wheel once I learned its installation estimate at the dealership increase from 1.5 hours to 4 hours. The install also seemed beyond my skill level since it required some wiring modifications from both sides of the . I was very impressed with the new M Sport Perforated Leather Steering Wheel after I spent some time checking out my friend’s 2008 M3 convertible.

I decided to save $300 on the part and do the install myself, as it looked fairly simple. There is an excellent DIY on E90Post.com that helped a ton and the install only took me 40 minutes. Post #573 in the DIY helped immensely as the removal of the airbag took the most effort and it was unclear in the original post to see how you pop the airbag off with a screwdriver. I was also able to avoid the step of disconnecting the battery. The car goes into “sleep mode” if you let it sit with the door open and keep the key inside the house and don’t open a door or engage an interior light. If you do the sleep mode thing, you avoid the hassle of getting access to the E93’s battery, which involves removing several screws.

The M Sport wheel really has a nice feel. It is much thicker than the standard wheel. You can see the difference in the photo on the side. You’ll love the feel and it is a great modification, though a bit pricey for models with paddle shifters ($695 for the part from Tischer BMW online.) You always grab the wheel while you drive, so it really is a modification you enjoy all the time.

Intake Options for the 335i

My latest infatuation is researching air intakes for the 335i engine. There are quite a few out there now and some really have a great looking setup. Here are few things I've learned looking at intakes:

1. Dual or Single cone? Dual cones definitely give you a higher performance boost and most choices give you about a 12-15 horsepower gain. Single cone benefits are minimal compared to stock so if you are doing this you want some performance gain.

2. Costs range from $130 for a nice BMS dual cone to almost $2,000 for a beautiful, yet insane, all carbon GruppeM model. I find the better choices are in the $300-$400 range for a good looking dual cone setup.

3. Low or high sitting intakes. Some intakes are installed where the filters sit low in the engine bay and this setup can cause water getting easily into the filter's air flow which can lock up your engine. The best choice is to go with an intake that sits high in the engine bay so water is less likely to get into your air flow.

4. Warranty. Replacing an intake could affect your warranty with BMW (or in my case Dinan.) It's a rare thing but intakes affect engine performance and if you have a major engine issue it seems you could get into some sticky discussions on a warranty claim if the reason for an issue isn't crystal clear. So, be aware of this when considering this kind of modification.

There are two dual intakes I'm considering. The best looking one is the Injen model (see image above) that runs in the $400 price range and even comes in a red color with red filters. Sure the red/red thing is a bit "ricey" but there is something very cool about the look that is appealing. The other choice is probably the favorite preference of the E90Post.com board, aFe Dual Filter Intake; it's gain is a supposed 27 horsepower. It's a nice setup in the mid $300 range. It looks good and actually is considerably easier to install than the Injen product.

My big issue with any option after researching all of this is warranty. I have the Dinan software and really wonder if any future claims could be derailed if I do have an engine issue before my 4 years or 50,000 miles are up. For this reason, I may just wait two and a half years and do this modification and look at getting the BMW Performance Steering Wheel now.