Talked myself out of selling the 1er so what to do next?

[thezone135i]

Hey guys,

In short I have a 135i N54 steptronic in sedona red (which ive owned for 18 months now) and after driving a few cars which I'd convinced myself I wanted after ours of research I decided that I'm gonna keep her for a while longer as nothing comes near it as an overall package for the pittance I will probably get for it now its nearing 100k and I love how responsive and torquey it is.

So heres my current mods:
-Cobb ots aggressive
-12mm spacers all round
-ECS drilled and slotted rotors
-Walnut blasting (not convinced this really did anything except force me to replace all coils and plugs)
-New coils and plugs
-thats it

Now this thing is a DD and Im not interested in turning it in to a track monster as I have done so with a few cars now and ended up hating them as Im getting too old for that shit.

So here's what im thinking from here:

-PTF tune - To smooth out the torque a bit as the cobb is a bit "surgy" if that's a word - Just need to find somewhere in Melbourne to do a 3rd gear pull without losing my license.
-Custom built Turbo back exhaust - I know a guy that can build a sweet sounding but subtle system that will sound oem but much tougher. I don't want any drone or stupid loudness and I don't want to gas myself with catless DP's - its probably not going to be cheap but better than spending another 20k to upgrade the whole car.
-New suspension as its starting to feel a bit tired - I'm thinking even just to replace with new OEM but if anyone can suggest something that's Oem like but better? Maybe some different control arms etc? I don't want to stiffen the crap out of it as its a DD.
-Alpina flash for steptronic - Not sure if this is worth doing or even where to get this in Melbourne - although it looks as though you can get this done remotely through the Alpina website? Has anyone done this?

LSD? - I was going to jump on board the Mfactory group buy a few months ago but I figure maybe I don't really need it as Im not tracking the car and Its pretty quick off the mark as it is.

You guys got any other suggestions?

[TS135i]

My DD suspension,
Factory Springs
Koni Yellow shocks
E92 FSB
E92 Rear S frame bushings
Does the trick for DD duties.

[_Ryan_]

Head down to SouthernBM and advise them of your goals and see what they suggest- i'm sure you can crowdsource feedback on the mods.

Otherwise, all of this has been covered in great detail in the technical section, perhaps try searching.

[kazriel]

Was very much in the same camp with going with catless dps. However after strong encouragement from some guys on the forum got some fitted. Amazing difference on throttle response, low down power feels improved and exhaust has a throatier note without sounding wanker-ish. Also I haven't noted a change in the smell at all, which was my main concern. So a great mod all round.

If your still running runflats burn them immediately. I honestly think your biggest bang for your buck is some good rubber. I really rate the Michelin PSS and for 225 front and 255 rear you can keep the stock rims and they're pretty cheap if imported from tire rack in the states.

The stock suspension on the car is pretty rubbish and if you have got rid of the run flats and your running stock suspension the car feels pretty floaty. I went for a set of bilstein eibach b12s. Cheap, good ride without feeling overly firm and better rated than the koni yellows.

ReplacIng the Rear bushings with m3 parts also made a massive difference. Parts are cheap, the install can be a bit exy but very worthwhile.

I'm running a wavetrac lsd and very happy but I think doing the above will give you far more satisfaction and you can look at an lsd later on. Certainly bigger gains and grins to be had for less coin.

[thezone135i]

Thanks for the feedback guys. After doing some research I found some positive reviews from people running Eibach B6's with BMW performance springs as a good combo, not quote as hard as the b12's. I know if I make this thing into a bone shaker I will hate it as a DD. I can get these from ecs tuning although not all that cheap with shipping costs about $1900, the crap OZ dollar is not helping.

This was another recommendation was to use Dinan upper shock mount Kit anyone used these?

For exhaust I was thinking of getting a full custom set up - turbo back with magnaflow high flow primary cats, magnaflow resonated mid-pipes with y section and a junbl rear box.

The tyres will have to wait as they are only a couple of months old!

Does anyone know where a remote place in Melb I can do a 3rd gear pull to redline? Is there a track somewhere that will let me on for 20 mins?

[Simonnn]

Good decision on keeping the 1er, I convinced myself to sell mine at the start of the year and regretted it as soon as I let it go. I have however just picked up another one and am looking at modding it back up again!

Suspension wise I'd definitely look into the E92/E93 M3 front sway bar. I had one on my previous 135i along with coilovers and it made a massive difference to the handling. I also had an aFe axleback exhaust on my last car which was a bit loud sometimes and droned at certain speeds but oh god the burbles were awesome

[dh58]

I agree with the idea to keep your 1er. I'm kicking myself for selling my 1st one. I totally regret it. I recently just moved back to Australia and within a few days, I had purchased another one lol. You're doing the right thing

[questionable]

you dont have to replace your coils or plugs when doing a walnut blast, who told you that ?

[Moocow]

Originally Posted by thezone135i

Does anyone know where a remote place in Melb I can do a 3rd gear pull to redline? Is there a track somewhere that will let me on for 20 mins?

just find a quiet remote back road - early morning or late at night. should be pretty safe. What area do you live in?

[dh58]

Originally Posted by Moocow

just find a quiet remote back road - early morning or late at night. should be pretty safe. What area do you live in?

highway.. pull over and wait for a safe spot to merge?

[fly_inverted]

I have basically the same setup as TS135i has. I originally had H&R springs go on as well. Too firm for Canberra roads so they were out again quick.
I'd recommend ditch the run flats, then do front sway bar and rear subframe only. Drive that for a while and see how u go.

[_Ryan_]

Originally Posted by thezone135i

Thanks for the feedback guys. After doing some research I found some positive reviews from people running Eibach B6's with BMW performance springs as a good combo, not quote as hard as the b12's. I know if I make this thing into a bone shaker I will hate it as a DD. I can get these from ecs tuning although not all that cheap with shipping costs about $1900, the crap OZ dollar is not helping.

This was another recommendation was to use Dinan upper shock mount Kit anyone used these?

For exhaust I was thinking of getting a full custom set up - turbo back with magnaflow high flow primary cats, magnaflow resonated mid-pipes with y section and a junbl rear box.

The tyres will have to wait as they are only a couple of months old!

Does anyone know where a remote place in Melb I can do a 3rd gear pull to redline? Is there a track somewhere that will let me on for 20 mins?

Track time?
See here: http://bmwccv.com.au/motorsport/

Assuming you meant Bilstein B6, keep in mind the B8 is the shorter stroke shock made for use with lowering springs. This is the shock used in the [matched] B12 pro-kit. NH-tuning.de is generally cheaper than ECS.
That, 1M/M3 arms and M3 RSFB will help.

For tyres, ditch run flats (personally I would do the bushes etc at a similar time otherwise the dynamics are a bit shit), for street driving, the V105 we find to be more consistent throughout it's life than the [much hyped] PSS.
AD08R ftw if you want solid grip.

SouthernBM fitted my Quaife LSD/ATB. I'm a fan, great traction aid for a street car.

[OzJustin]

Originally Posted by thezone135i

Hey guys,

In short I have a 135i N54 steptronic in sedona red (which ive owned for 18 months now) and after driving a few cars which I'd convinced myself I wanted after ours of research I decided that I'm gonna keep her for a while longer as nothing comes near it as an overall package for the pittance I will probably get for it now its nearing 100k and I love how responsive and torquey it is.

So heres my current mods:
-Cobb ots aggressive
-12mm spacers all round
-ECS drilled and slotted rotors
-Walnut blasting (not convinced this really did anything except force me to replace all coils and plugs)
-New coils and plugs
-thats it

Now this thing is a DD and Im not interested in turning it in to a track monster as I have done so with a few cars now and ended up hating them as Im getting too old for that shit.

So here's what im thinking from here:

-PTF tune - To smooth out the torque a bit as the cobb is a bit "surgy" if that's a word - Just need to find somewhere in Melbourne to do a 3rd gear pull without losing my license.
-Custom built Turbo back exhaust - I know a guy that can build a sweet sounding but subtle system that will sound oem but much tougher. I don't want any drone or stupid loudness and I don't want to gas myself with catless DP's - its probably not going to be cheap but better than spending another 20k to upgrade the whole car.
-New suspension as its starting to feel a bit tired - I'm thinking even just to replace with new OEM but if anyone can suggest something that's Oem like but better? Maybe some different control arms etc? I don't want to stiffen the crap out of it as its a DD.
-Alpina flash for steptronic - Not sure if this is worth doing or even where to get this in Melbourne - although it looks as though you can get this done remotely through the Alpina website? Has anyone done this?

LSD? - I was going to jump on board the Mfactory group buy a few months ago but I figure maybe I don't really need it as Im not tracking the car and Its pretty quick off the mark as it is.

You guys got any other suggestions?

I've got a similar car setup (135i N54 steptronic) to you so can offer my thoughts.

The Alpina flash is definately worth doing. In manual mode it is night and day difference between stock. Despite being an auto this flash makes the 135i still feel like a sports car.

I'm running AR downpipes and do not notice any smell difference. The biggest difference is the spool. You can really hear the car building boost now. Expensive labour to install (about 5 hours) but still highly recommended.

My suspension is stock apart from 1M front control arms. My rear bump stops are shagged and I intend to replace alongside Bilstein B14 coilovers and AKG subframe bushings. I'm hoping this will really make the car feel more planted and sporty. From what I've read of the Bilsteins they will also improve low speed comfort over the OEM M-sport dampers which are a little floaty/bouncy.

Good luck with your upgrades and good choice keeping the car.

[850tgul]

I was in a similar situation a few months ago and also decided to keep the 1er and start modding.

My car is also a DD and I can wholeheartedly recommend a Bilstein HD (B6) damper and Swift Spec R springs setup.

The Swift Springs have stiffer rates than BMWP coils do, and they are a bit cheaper. They only lowered my car about 0.25" from my oem sports suspension.

At the same time I also did the Dinan rear shock mount kit and Dinan front camber plates. The rear shock kit gives you 10mm more suspension travel and apparently makes the ride a touch more supple. The Dinan front camber kit raises the front end about 0.25".

This combo gave me the modest, even drop and made the car both sharper and more comfortable than stock. I am very happy with it.

I also can't recommend replacing the rear subframe bushings enough. I went with the Whiteline kit (full kit not inserts). They are a two piece design unlike the oem M3 parts making the install much much easier.

If you just put on a fresh set of run flats however, I would wait until they are dead before doing any of the above. At which time I would pick up a nice set of MPSS. The above mods with run flats might be too stiff given the rigid sidewalls of the runflats.

[DR-JEKL]

IMO you're flogging a dead horse to some extent with RFT's.

Remove them and sell them on gumtree, and put some decent rubber on the car

[thezone135i]

Crap I hadnt been on here for a few days, thanks for all the replies good to see a few people have retruned to the 1er!

Originally Posted by Simonnn

Suspension wise I'd definitely look into the E92/E93 M3 front sway bar. I had one on my previous 135i along with coilovers and it made a massive difference to the handling. I also had an aFe axleback exhaust on my last car which was a bit loud sometimes and droned at certain speeds but oh god the burbles were awesome

Sway bar sounds good do you know where to source one from?

Originally Posted by questionable

you dont have to replace your coils or plugs when doing a walnut blast, who told you that ?

As I have a cobb tune it started to go into limp mode at wot not long after getting the walnut blasting done so this was the only way to fix ( and it worked) unless it was purely coincidence altough I dont think so as I ran a tune for a good 6 months before getting the walnut blasting.

Originally Posted by Moocow

just find a quiet remote back road - early morning or late at night. should be pretty safe. What area do you live in?

Hey moocow I live in Caulfield North so no remote roads around here, might have to go out to outer burbs Langwarrin might be the go.

Originally Posted by dh58

highway.. pull over and wait for a safe spot to merge?

When I first moved to Melbourne from drabalaide last year I got caught doing 115 entering a freeway but he let me off as I had SA license. I have never seen a freeway with no cars on it since coming here, is that a thing?

Originally Posted by fly_inverted

I have basically the same setup as TS135i has. I originally had H&R springs go on as well. Too firm for Canberra roads so they were out again quick.
I'd recommend ditch the run flats, then do front sway bar and rear subframe only. Drive that for a while and see how u go.

Sounds like good advice, but I hate the way the car crashes over bumps, if I don't change the springs and shocks I dont see how this would get any better, but Ill keep your suggestion in mind as a start.

Thanks guys appreciate the feedback. Will re read this whole thread a few times to digest.

Cheers!

[Simonnn]

Originally Posted by thezone135i

Sway bar sounds good do you know where to source one from?
Cheers!

I bought mine from another forum member back in the day, however I'm sure you can source one from bmraw.com

I'm frequently around the Caulfield North area! I'll keep an eye our for a sedona red 1er.. mine is sparkling graphite

[7smurfs]

lol zone you bought your car the same time I purchased mine and I've had very similar thoughts of selling also!

However ultimately, there is no other car bang for buck better value than the 135i in terms of overall package! Planning on keeping mine for a few more years to come.

Also, I'm in Armadale area so not too far from you either!

[woosh]

Originally Posted by Simonnn

Good decision on keeping the 1er, I convinced myself to sell mine at the start of the year and regretted it as soon as I let it go. I have however just picked up another one and am looking at modding it back up again!

Suspension wise I'd definitely look into the E92/E93 M3 front sway bar. I had one on my previous 135i along with coilovers and it made a massive difference to the handling. I also had an aFe axleback exhaust on my last car which was a bit loud sometimes and droned at certain speeds but oh god the burbles were awesome

Did you end up getting into an S15? I would've thought a 200rwkw example with brake + suspension work would be comparable on the fun richter scale. I bought an evo5 recently - definitely no comparison to a 135i but for 1/3 of the price I find it worthy enough to keep for 12+ months.

[Simonnn]

Originally Posted by woosh

Did you end up getting into an S15? I would've thought a 200rwkw example with brake + suspension work would be comparable on the fun richter scale. I bought an evo5 recently - definitely no comparison to a 135i but for 1/3 of the price I find it worthy enough to keep for 12+ months.

Hey there! I did indeed go and buy an S15.. found a clean stock example and spent about 5k modding it up within the first few weeks of ownership (shockworks coilovers, rims, full exhaust etc).

The car itself was a lot more raw and mechanical than the 135i.. dare I say it was almost more "fun" to drive even though it was a lot slower than the 1er in a straight line.. theres just something about blasting down towards a corner and heeltoeing down the gears while feeling connected with the old school shifter feel and cable controlled throttle.. our cars feel a lot boatier/heavier in comparison.

The S15 itself was a lot more chuckable and easier to drive at its limit, very predictable when the rear steps out.. 1er gets a bit messy when that happens

However, at the end of the day I missed the refinement and the silky smooth power delivery of the N54. Also I kept finding myself admiring every single E82 I saw on the roads and it obviously wasnt healthy for me LOL. So after just 3 months of S15 ownership here I am back and ready to contribute to the community again

I also wouldn't have thought I would ever buy the same car twice, but there is something special about the 1er that I couldnt forget (I've seen a couple of guys do the same thing on these forums as well)

Sorry for the semi thread hijack OP.. at least my story will hopefully help you even more with your decision to keep the 1er!

[woosh]

Originally Posted by Simonnn

Hey there! I did indeed go and buy an S15.. found a clean stock example and spent about 5k modding it up within the first few weeks of ownership (shockworks coilovers, rims, full exhaust etc).

The car itself was a lot more raw and mechanical than the 135i.. dare I say it was almost more "fun" to drive even though it was a lot slower than the 1er in a straight line.. theres just something about blasting down towards a corner and heeltoeing down the gears while feeling connected with the old school shifter feel and cable controlled throttle.. our cars feel a lot boatier/heavier in comparison.

The S15 itself was a lot more chuckable and easier to drive at its limit, very predictable when the rear steps out.. 1er gets a bit messy when that happens

However, at the end of the day I missed the refinement and the silky smooth power delivery of the N54. Also I kept finding myself admiring every single E82 I saw on the roads and it obviously wasnt healthy for me LOL. So after just 3 months of S15 ownership here I am back and ready to contribute to the community again

I also wouldn't have thought I would ever buy the same car twice, but there is something special about the 1er that I couldnt forget (I've seen a couple of guys do the same thing on these forums as well)

Sorry for the semi thread hijack OP.. at least my story will hopefully help you even more with your decision to keep the 1er!

Haha, thanks for sharing that. Gotta agree with the something special comment.. the 1er is a car I would gladly buy again. Your post would be highly valued by those thinking of trying something new in the sub-135i price category. Hope you keep it for a few years

[Jeef Beef]

I hear your reservations but...definitely catless DPs. Your N54 has secondary cats in the midpipe anyway so there won't be any noticeable smell.