PkumarM3 - The New Build - 2012 BMW 128i M Sport

[KellyK]

congrats and welcome to a fellow 128 owner!

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by $iriu$black

C'mon guys! We all have 1series cars, it just so happens that one is NA and one has FI.

No car is better than the other, it's just a matter of preference and what you can afford I guess.

Agree- fwiw, I crossed shopped the 1M and 128i...

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by PKumarM3

Got this BMW CF style Performance Spoiler off ebay for $149.

Came with 3M double sided tape.

I love how it looks.

Holding down both spots as usual I see lol. Both cars look good!

[PKumarM3]

Dropped off the car this past week with the gentlemen over at Autocouture Motoring. Tommy is one of the very few people I would allow touch or oversee work on my cars being done.

My goal for this phase was to maintain daily drivability (height and comfort and not too much camber to destroy my tires), but increase cornering ability, as well as remove that "floaty/rubber band feel" that these cars inherently have when changing directions or applying throttle.

I had the following done to the car:

E9x M3 Front control arms + bushings

E93 M3 Front sway bar + bushings

M3 Front tension strut + bushings

M3 Rear Upper Link Arms

M3 Rear Guide Rods

E9x M3 rear suspension bushings

Brake Flush + Alignment

A lot of work, but in all honesty, it was worth it.

Impressions:

The turn in has increased exponentially. There is still a bit to be desired, but I think ditching the all season run flats for some micheline pilot super sports or advan neova ad08s will solve that problem.

The rear end floatiness of the car has been removed. I want to upgrade the shocks to JRZ or perhaps Motion Control System, but I fear that I will go too low and will ruin the DD'ness of the car.

The alignment was done so the car does feel better.

The brake flush also helped tremendously with the pedal feel. I guess the CPO process wasn't as thorough!

I do feel some heft in the car. I think that is exacerbated by the moonroof, so I plan on ditching it for sunroof delete from IND

http://ind-distribution.com/ind/cate...ber-roof-panel

But that is further down the road.

Tires and the shocks and springs are next. From the knowledge I acquired with my E46 M3. Higher end shocks can not be substituted with KW or Koni variants. Sucks to have to spend money - but the end game of this car is the 1M that BMW should have made

Next on the list:

Tires
BMW Performance Exhaust
BMW Euro Intake
DISA
Evolve Tune

Thanks for reading.

[Lalit@autocouture]

thanks Preeth!

[Heller]

I had the chance to order a 128i in 2013. None of my relatives understand me, I got no options, turned down a sun roof and my car doesn't even have a screen in it.

[3002 tii]

Dude your 128i is going to turn out like your M3 at this pace lol

[PKumarM3]

Originally Posted by Heller

I had the chance to order a 128i in 2013. None of my relatives understand me, I got no options, turned down a sun roof and my car doesn't even have a screen in it.

That's the way to do it!

[andrey_gta]

Originally Posted by 3002 tii

Dude your 128i is going to turn out like your M3 at this pace lol

I think we all have this goal... m3 Arms/suspention everything

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by PKumarM3

Dropped off the car this past week with the gentlemen over at Autocouture Motoring. Tommy is one of the very few people I would allow touch or oversee work on my cars being done.

My goal for this phase was to maintain daily drivability (height and comfort and not too much camber to destroy my tires), but increase cornering ability, as well as remove that "floaty/rubber band feel" that these cars inherently have when changing directions or applying throttle.

I had the following done to the car:

E9x M3 Front control arms + bushings

E93 M3 Front sway bar + bushings

M3 Front tension strut + bushings

M3 Rear Upper Link Arms

M3 Rear Guide Rods

E9x M3 rear suspension bushings

Brake Flush + Alignment

A lot of work, but in all honesty, it was worth it.

Impressions:

The turn in has increased exponentially. There is still a bit to be desired, but I think ditching the all season run flats for some micheline pilot super sports or advan neova ad08s will solve that problem.

The rear end floatiness of the car has been removed. I want to upgrade the shocks to JRZ or perhaps Motion Control System, but I fear that I will go too low and will ruin the DD'ness of the car.

The alignment was done so the car does feel better.

The brake flush also helped tremendously with the pedal feel. I guess the CPO process wasn't as thorough!

I do feel some heft in the car. I think that is exacerbated by the moonroof, so I plan on ditching it for sunroof delete from IND

http://ind-distribution.com/ind/cate...ber-roof-panel

But that is further down the road.

Tires and the shocks and springs are next. From the knowledge I acquired with my E46 M3. Higher end shocks can not be substituted with KW or Koni variants. Sucks to have to spend money - but the end game of this car is the 1M that BMW should have made

Next on the list:

Tires
BMW Performance Exhaust
BMW Euro Intake
DISA
Evolve Tune

Thanks for reading.

If you want to go nuts on the roof- I think IND has a few of the carbon fiber panels they had made for the 1M.

[Solo_M_Tech]

I am Interested to see what your version of "what the 1M should have been" turns out too be. I'm positive the car will handle amazing and drive well. I feel you'll miss the power. The E46 M3 had 330 hp, 100 More than the 128i. Even with all of the current power mods you will still be far off of that mark. I am truly interested to see what comes of your build!

[lostkhan]

If you wanted a slow car, why didn't you just buy a miata. I did. Just kidding, Enjoy your 128i. I see many 128i guys doing autox and honestly, my 135i really don't have any gain on them in autox. Thus the miata.....

[Slow128i]

Originally Posted by lostkhan

If you wanted a slow car, why didn't you just buy a miata. I did. Just kidding, Enjoy your 128i. I see many 128i guys doing autox and honestly, my 135i really don't have any gain on them in autox. Thus the miata.....

LOL troll

[1smokehouse]

Congrats on your new ride and I am following your build to see what I can do with mine. Already added the PE and love it.

As far as all the rivalry with the boosters, I too looked at the 135, but there were none to be had on Guam and the 128i at the dealer was really calling my name. I have nothing to regret as there wasn't anything else available.

Actually, all things being relative, this is the most HP I have had in a car (besides my wife's IS 350 which actually feels slower) and I feel that its more than enough for Guam (highest posted speed limit is 45). I grew up in the 70s/80s when 230hp was a lot! Shoot, one of my friends had a 1987 IROC-Z with the 350 L98 that gave 225 hp and his car was much heavier. Bout the only thing I could do with a 135 here is get even more frustrated in traffic and take it out to the dragway on the weekends! (may consider one for that if one comes available!)

Looking forward to seeing more of your build

[128GP]

wow a 9 hour drive to get your 128. I thought i was going to get bent over wheni drove 4 hours to connecticut to pick up mine. But the dealership was actually very fair.

Ive had my 128 MSport for 2 years. Daily driven, 6k miles in those two years.

[IEDEI]

Originally Posted by PKumarM3

but the end game of this car is the 1M that BMW should have made

you still have a LONG way to go.

better upgrade to a better M3 steering rack, totally different manual transmission, M3 suspension and subframes (front and rear), M brakes, M-differential, and of course Twin Turbos :P

BMW already made the best 1M-----you're better off making the best 128 you can, and for THAT goal you are doing a great job good luck.

[PKumarM3]

Update
41,100 miles

So I finally took my baby to the track. Did a NJMP Thubderbolt open track day. The handling and tires on the car were on point. The weak points was as follows:
-suspension
-brakes
-seating position
-pedals

Overall, it was nice to drive a car that was for the majority, stock. That being said, I did realize that there were some weak points and I wanted to address them during this winter.

I began my winter project with the most glaring issue - the brakes. My brakes were upgraded with Motul 600RBF fluid when I had all my M suspension Bits installed. Nothing else was done. I was hesitant to take the car on track with stock pads and rotors, but the weather was so cold I did not think there would be an issue. Well there was one. A disgustingly annoying screeching whining noise came about. From my past history I thought it could have been low pads, warped rotors, or a seized caliper.

I dismissed the idea of a seized caliper because the car wouldn't steer one way or another under braking. By this I mean it braked in a straight line.

The pads looked fine under examination. Looked is the key word.

The rotors were rusted. So I had to replace them.

I used my TireRack account and ordered stoptech OEM rotors, Haw HPS track pads up front, and Hawk performance pads in the back. To round up the job, I also added some stainless steel lines.

Work was light today so I got to work.

Here are some pics of the job

[PKumarM3]

As you can see the rear pads were cooked. These were the inner pads. I bought the car with the assumption all pads and rotors were replaced. They were not. Oh well.

Here are some shiny bits.

[PKumarM3]

With the brakes done, I want to move to the pedals. Will order some ultimate pedals with heel extension. I had them on my M3 and loved them. Made heel toeing so much easier.

[PKumarM3]

I got a ZHP knob to increase shift feel. It was lowered and weighted, which was nice but on track was too low. I missed my jaffster but was way too much for daily use. Found the Macht Schnell from EAS and they had a $5 discount and free shipping for Black Friday.

The ZHP shift knob is right under 3 inches tall, whereas the macht is 3.75 inches. That 1 inch helps. Also the Macht Schnell doesn't sit as low on the shift lever as the ZHP does.

Very happy. Here are some pics.

[PKumarM3]

New pedals on the way[IMG][/IMG]

[PKumarM3]

Was tired of the OEM rubber pedals so got a set of Ultimate Pedals that I had on my E46 M3.

Here is a link to that write up: https://pkumarm3.wordpress.com/2010/...imate-warrior/

I got the frosted pedals with rubber grips and 3/4 inch extension on the throttle. This makes for much easier heel toeing.

Here are some pics!

The tools required
- some self tapping screws (mine were 1/4inch heads; longer ones for the throttle)
- 1/4 inch socket
- impact driver
- 3/32 drill bit for brake pedal which is made out of steel

Love them so far!