2013 135is owners discussion and photos thread!

[Worra]

Originally Posted by motorchimp

No, I'm ashamed to admit I put it on (dealer was considerate enough to let me make the choice).
I researched the alternatives and I wasn't a fan of the look of the offset bracket that screws into the tow hook. I also found some that screw under the bumper then have a bracket that comes up. As an engineer, I would be constantly obsessed with it getting bent into the bumper for whatever reason (car wash, someone tapping it), and I also figured well it's gonna be on there forever, so might as well use the stock mounting bracket. I do miss the license plate free looks I enjoyed for a few weeks until I got my tags, but unfortunately they are required here so I caved in.

Understandable. They are required here as well but....I haven't gotten pulled over yet. I have a US Millworks mount in my trunk should I ever get a "fix it ticket". I should probably take it out of the packaging and at least assemble it if I want to use my "oh i just took it off for a car wash" excuse should I ever get stopped for it

[motorchimp]

Yep, I was hoping the front plates would get dropped as many have lobbied against them (using cost savings for the state as an excuse), but the police force always comes up against it, especially since the police cars now have cameras at all 4 corners monitoring plates on the fly.
You could always say you just picked up the bracket and haven't had a chance to assemble it yet.

Originally Posted by Worra

Understandable. They are required here as well but....I haven't gotten pulled over yet. I have a US Millworks mount in my trunk should I ever get a "fix it ticket". I should probably take it out of the packaging and at least assemble it if I want to use my "oh i just took it off for a car wash" excuse should I ever get stopped for it

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by Worra

Understandable. They are required here as well but....I haven't gotten pulled over yet. I have a US Millworks mount in my trunk should I ever get a "fix it ticket". I should probably take it out of the packaging and at least assemble it if I want to use my "oh i just took it off for a car wash" excuse should I ever get stopped for it

At some point I will take my US Millworks one out of the packaging and put it on and will post pics for the day or two I leave it on to get my fix it ticket written off, then it's coming right back off! And ooh, I may have to use that "just took it off for a car wash" excuse if an ahole pulls me over for it again.

[3002 tii]

She's officially done, the final piece to the puzzle... OEM cf diffuser. Couldn't wait to wash the car, wanted to install the piece first.



Once I put the 313's back on in a week or two (forecast shows snow on Tues evening), I may remove the splash guards and just get the rockers clear bra'd instead. I miss the clean lines of the car.

[PNice972]

Love the OEM spoiler that I just installed. completes the rear IMO.

[mb135is]

Dan - looks sick!

[motorchimp]

My diffuser may be stock and non CF-esque, but I love how the LCAs are so shiny on these cars.

Oh, and well, that's what Michelin PAS3's look like on a 1, also.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by PNice972

Love the OEM spoiler that I just installed. completes the rear IMO.

Agreed, and the blacklines also give the rear end a nice touch with the rest of the cf bits. Once I remove the splash guards I'll have the same look as yours!

Originally Posted by mb135is

Dan - looks sick!

Thanks bud, you convinced me to hold out for one. Only took 6 months to find a reasonably priced one haha


Since a few non-IS models sneaked in here, hopefully no one will object to me posting my other car. First event of the season, NJMP with Porsche Club:

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Since a few non-IS models sneaked in here, hopefully no one will object to me posting my other car. First event of the season, NJMP with Porsche Club:

loving the Z4 man. lots of negative rear camber on it i see.....did you adjust that specifically for the track day? do you have adjustable rear camber settings?

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by IEDEI

loving the Z4 man. lots of negative rear camber on it i see.....did you adjust that specifically for the track day? do you have adjustable rear camber settings?

Yep these are my track settings although I might dial in more camber for the front. Rear is not adjustable but I'm able to dial in more camber indirectly by lowering the ride height.

[Kouper]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Since a few non-IS models sneaked in here, hopefully no one will object to me posting my other car. First event of the season, NJMP with Porsche Club:

Very cool Z4, looks like a lot of fun!
But keep an eye on it... I could see IEDEI sneaking that out for his daily donut commute in NY!

[JeffyD]

Z3s for life, dood.

Anyway, about to drive up to Portland for an audio install. When I get back down to LA, I'm going to install a VIN color matched OEM spoiler. Then I just need to figure out what to do about the skirts. Performance? Or stock? I kinda like both.

[owen2001]

I had a new set of Michelin PSS tires installed last week. I went with the 225/255 setup. Here's a before/after pic so you can see how the new PSS look when compared to the old 215/245 RFTs. Not sure if you can tell a difference just by looking at the side by side pics. I haven't had a chance to drive much w/ the new tires, but they feel fantastic already. I can't believe how grippy they are.

Greg - I took the "after" pic in front of the salon again, just for you

Before, w/ the RFTs:



After, w/ the PSS:

[mb135is]

Took the 135is in for a mid-cycle oil change yesterday and picked up an X1 loaner. It's terrible.

I'm holding off on the alignment until my 313s are back on and until more potholes are fixed. Also getting my damaged 313 refinished. AND I think I have a coolant leak, so they're checking that out, too.

Spent some time in and around the M235i while I was dropping off. My thoughts to this point have been that I'm not too into it. My thought leaving after spending more time with it was, "Man, if this thing had 4 doors, it'd be the perfect size and proportions, and I'd probably buy one."

Most disappointing aspects are the vast bonnet and the cheap-looking wheels (they're extremely unimpressive in person). The interior is awesome. Also, the rear end is less offensive in person.

Gotta order PSS soon, as once my damaged 313 is back, then it'll be onto the summers and away with the runflats.

People in the know tell me that when I move from runflats I will also need to do the following:
- rear bushing of some sort?
- shocks?

What say the cognoscenti?

Owen - just saw your post - nice! Let us know if the handling is now choppy and terrible with grippy and less harsh tires. I'm going to do the 225 and 245 setup.

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by owen2001

I had a new set of Michelin PSS tires installed last week. I went with the 225/255 setup. Here's a before/after pic so you can see how the new PSS look when compared to the old 215/245 RFTs. Not sure if you can tell a difference just by looking at the side by side pics. I haven't had a chance to drive much w/ the new tires, but they feel fantastic already. I can't believe how grippy they are.

Greg - I took the "after" pic in front of the salon again, just for you

After, w/ the PSS:

Sure looks good, that much is for sure. Hard to really tell visually from that angle if the tires are noticeably bigger. Other fun things to notice are the after pic has the tint, all the leaves on the tree are gone, and you left out the most important thing of them all - the fancy valve stem caps, too!

[owen2001]

Originally Posted by mb135is

Owen - just saw your post - nice! Let us know if the handling is now choppy and terrible with grippy and less harsh tires. I'm going to do the 225 and 245 setup.

"Choppy and terrible" are the last two words I would use to describe the ride on the new PSS tires. In my limited time spent with them this week, I would use words/phrases like "oh my god", "smooth", "grippy", "quiet", "unbelievable", and "best mod to date". Things like that. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but Greg can chime in. He's a huge, huge fan as well. I think the PSS tires are an enormous upgrade to every aspect of the car. They don't feel mushy, splashy, soft, or any of the other words I've seen people use to describe them.

Originally Posted by gregthegr8

Other fun things to notice are the after pic has the tint, all the leaves on the tree are gone, and you left out the most important thing of them all - the fancy valve stem caps, too!

LOL. I knew I forgot something. I was so eager to get the winter dirt & grime off the beast that I forgot the most important part of Springtime prep...the BMW stem caps! I'll get 'em on this week. Promise

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by owen2001

"Choppy and terrible" are the last two words I would use to describe the ride on the new PSS tires. In my limited time spent with them this week, I would use words/phrases like "oh my god", "smooth", "grippy", "quiet", "unbelievable", and "best mod to date". Things like that. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but Greg can chime in. He's a huge, huge fan as well. I think the PSS tires are an enormous upgrade to every aspect of the car. They don't feel mushy, splashy, soft, or any of the other words I've seen people use to describe them.

LOL. I knew I forgot something. I was so eager to get the winter dirt & grime off the beast that I forgot the most important part of Springtime prep...the BMW stem caps! I'll get 'em on this week. Promise

You even take them out of the package yet? They LOOK expensive and fancy, but they feel like cheap plastic, it's odd.

mb135is - It's hard to say after going with the PSS if you really NEED to upgrade the rear subframe bushings and suspension then. I probably don't push my car hard enough to reap the benefits compared to the costs of those upgrades. I will say though that the subframe bushings would likely make a significant difference and if it's something you can do yourself or on the cheap without having to pay 7 hours in labor for someone else to do, I would do that for sure and then see how it feels perhaps at a track or autocross event to see if you then want to go with a suspension upgrade.

I think probably the best/most useful source of info will be from 3002 tii who I know has his set of PSS waiting to go on and has a much better knowledge and feel base to give a much more informed and better opinion than me. For a daily driver that will never see the track, none of that is necessary, though the subframe bushings might be nice to eliminate some wheel hop and looseness/jarring you get in the back end when hitting bumps on crappy roads.

[mb135is]

Good thoughts, thanks chaps.

My friend the st|g highly recommends the upgrades and I trust his judgement very much.

I'll have to try them out and see how it feels.

[gregthegr8]

Originally Posted by mb135is

Good thoughts, thanks chaps.

My friend the st|g highly recommends the upgrades and I trust his judgement very much.

I'll have to try them out and see how it feels.

I think the subframe bushings would be the first thing I'd do, especially if you don't have to pay a shop for the install. Renting HPA's tool makes it 1,000 times easier I hear and I came very close to actually having them do it for me, and I still may at some point. But paying a shop $700 to install $200 worth of parts is a hard pill to swallow.

Would love for you to do the m3 bushings first, then give us your thoughts, see how she feels, and then consider a possible suspension upgrade. Or let's convince owen or 3002 tii to do the m3 bushings. =) I'd love to be able to drive a car that has the upgraded bushings first to see how it feels. That's what makes these upgrades so hard is you can't really gauge it in advance. Keep us updated. And if you're going to get an alignment soon anyways, it might be good to put the bushings on first since you'll probably want/need an alignment after that regardless.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by mb135is

Took the 135is in for a mid-cycle oil change yesterday and picked up an X1 loaner. It's terrible.

I'm holding off on the alignment until my 313s are back on and until more potholes are fixed. Also getting my damaged 313 refinished. AND I think I have a coolant leak, so they're checking that out, too.

Spent some time in and around the M235i while I was dropping off. My thoughts to this point have been that I'm not too into it. My thought leaving after spending more time with it was, "Man, if this thing had 4 doors, it'd be the perfect size and proportions, and I'd probably buy one."

Most disappointing aspects are the vast bonnet and the cheap-looking wheels (they're extremely unimpressive in person). The interior is awesome. Also, the rear end is less offensive in person.

Gotta order PSS soon, as once my damaged 313 is back, then it'll be onto the summers and away with the runflats.

People in the know tell me that when I move from runflats I will also need to do the following:
- rear bushing of some sort?
- shocks?

What say the cognoscenti?

Owen - just saw your post - nice! Let us know if the handling is now choppy and terrible with grippy and less harsh tires. I'm going to do the 225 and 245 setup.

Go 225/255, keeps overall ride height same. In terms of supplementing mods, none needed. However if I were you, I'd get the m3 control arms since you plan on doing alignment anyway. It'll improve turn in, save money on labor of 2 alignments and it'll remove any chance of the front 225's running (although been without camber should be ok).

[Kouper]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Go 225/255, keeps overall ride height same. In terms of supplementing mods, none needed. However if I were you, I'd get the m3 control arms since you plan on doing alignment anyway. It'll improve turn in, save money on labor of 2 alignments and it'll remove any chance of the front 225's running (although been without camber should be ok).

Any clearance or rub issues in any situations with the 225/255 setup? That is clearly my preferred sizing when I upgrade to the PSS.

[mb135is]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Go 225/255, keeps overall ride height same. In terms of supplementing mods, none needed. However if I were you, I'd get the m3 control arms since you plan on doing alignment anyway. It'll improve turn in, save money on labor of 2 alignments and it'll remove any chance of the front 225's running (although been without camber should be ok).

Why wouldn't the 225 and 245 setup keep the stock ride height? My thought process was to try to even them out as much as possible for understeer help, and also to avoid rubbing with the 255s.