What did you last install on your 125i/128i?

[Pothole]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Snapped a quick pic as promised. M3 front arms make the car feel better than new (even at just 26,500 miles, there was quite a bit of slop in my old arms). Alignment & corner balance along with a bunch of other work I've done in the last month (wheels, tires, springs, subframe bushings - see my garage for detailed info if interested) and the car is absolutely transformed and driving better than it ever has. Now I just need to do the DISA intake manifold (currently sitting in my garage) + tune and I should be pretty good for a while.

Love your wheels and tire setup. Together with the ridehight it looks awesome!

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

Stop tempting me on the arms!

Your car looks excellent by the way. And who am I kidding, they are on the list.

The arms are definitely worth doing, but probably best to just time with your next alignment.

I originally wasn't going to do them so soon, and then I figured if I was paying what I was paying for a race shop to do an AX alignment and corner balance, I really should get the arms on their first. Plus I was simultaneously chasing down a suspension clunk that had developed, and I think the stock arms were to blame.

I still need to do the rear arms. I don't really feel like I need them at this point, to be honest. Car feels really buttoned down as is. But for the sake of completeness I will probably eventually do them. And maybe some rear toe arms. And when the Whiteline inserts wear, I'll probably replace with full bushes. But none of those things seem urgent at this point, which is good.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

The arms are definitely worth doing, but probably best to just time with your next alignment.

I originally wasn't going to do them so soon, and then I figured if I was paying what I was paying for a race shop to do an AX alignment and corner balance, I really should get the arms on their first. Plus I was simultaneously chasing down a suspension clunk that had developed, and I think the stock arms were to blame.

I still need to do the rear arms. I don't really feel like I need them at this point, to be honest. Car feels really buttoned down as is. But for the sake of completeness I will probably eventually do them. And maybe some rear toe arms. And when the Whiteline inserts wear, I'll probably replace with full bushes. But none of those things seem urgent at this point, which is good.

I was thinking I would just hold off on them until I'm putting in my coilovers.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by Pothole

Love your wheels and tire setup. Together with the ridehight it looks awesome!

Thanks! I'm really happy with the way everything turned out as well. It's been a month-long adventure dealing with vendors, a few DIY sessions, and a couple of trips to the shop. It started out with just needing new tires, and then snowballed from there.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

I was thinking I would just hold off on them until I'm putting in my coilovers.

Definitely a good idea. They're certainly nice, but it makes so much more sense to group things together when you can, weather you're doing the work yourself or paying for labor. Plus only needing the one alignment, of course.

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

I liked your silver wheels (your sig pic) more.

Fair enough. I liked those wheels, too, but they were a PITA to keep clean! More than that, they were quite heavy at around 26 lbs, and more than that even I wanted to get away from a staggered set up (all the above mainly for AX).

I originally was not looking at black wheels, I wanted more of an anthracite or gun metal color. But it's pretty tough to get track wheels this late in the season! There are only a couple of manufacturers of proper light weight race wheels for the 1er, and they are both mostly out of stock of wheels in the size I was looking at (17x8.5). I originally had anthracite D-Forces on order, but after several weeks of waiting for a container to arrive from overseas, and then clear Customs, I gave up. They actually would have arrived on my doorstep today, apparently. Next I got in touch with Apex, found out their wheels would fit, and that they could have them on at my house in 2 days! A little more expensive, about a pound heavier per wheel, but a more attractive mesh design (better suited to the 1er IMO). Only catch was they only had satin black in stock, with no more wheel arriving until next year.

I will say that I think the wheels look much better in person. Black wheels never photograph well, because many cameras don't have the dynamic range to properly expose both the wheels and the rest of the scene - so they err on the side of caution, properly exposing the bulk of the photograph but underexposing the wheels. The "satin black" finish is really quite perfect, and is a nice compromise between a flat and a gloss black. As a bonus, I think it will hide brake dust quite well between washes. Finally, from an aesthetic standpoint, track-type wheels are not usually the best-looking option out there objectively, but they're functional, and you start to appreciate that look on it's own merits. These wheels are less bling, but to my eye, the car looks more poised, focused, athletic, etc. But to each his own!

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Fair enough. I liked those wheels, too, but they were a PITA to keep clean! More than that, they were quite heavy at around 26 lbs, and more than that even I wanted to get away from a staggered set up (all the above mainly for AX).

Were those the stock wheels?

I'll definitely go square when the runflats wear out, but I'll most likely keep my stock wheels... I don't do much autocrossing these days.

I originally was not looking at black wheels, I wanted more of an anthracite or gun metal color. But it's pretty tough to get track wheels this late in the season! There are only a couple of manufacturers of proper light weight race wheels for the 1er, and they are both mostly out of stock of wheels in the size I was looking at (17x8.5). I originally had anthracite D-Forces on order, but after several weeks of waiting for a container to arrive from overseas, and then clear Customs, I gave up. They actually would have arrived on my doorstep today, apparently. Next I got in touch with Apex, found out their wheels would fit, and that they could have them on at my house in 2 days! A little more expensive, about a pound heavier per wheel, but a more attractive mesh design (better suited to the 1er IMO). Only catch was they only had satin black in stock, with no more wheel arriving until next year.

I will say that I think the wheels look much better in person. Black wheels never photograph well, because many cameras don't have the dynamic range to properly expose both the wheels and the rest of the scene - so they err on the side of caution, properly exposing the bulk of the photograph but underexposing the wheels. The "satin black" finish is really quite perfect, and is a nice compromise between a flat and a gloss black. As a bonus, I think it will hide brake dust quite well between washes. Finally, from an aesthetic standpoint, track-type wheels are not usually the best-looking option out there objectively, but they're functional, and you start to appreciate that look on it's own merits. These wheels are less bling, but to my eye, the car looks more poised, focused, athletic, etc. But to each his own!

Well said... I see your point.

I've seen way too many cars with black/dark wheels and it's not very unique to me anymore... Ironically, by staying with the stock wheels (Style 370), it makes the look of my car unique...

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

I've seen way too many cars with black/dark wheels and it's not very unique to me anymore... Ironically, by staying with the stock wheels (Style 370), it makes the look of my car unique...

Aren't your stockers 262s?

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

Aren't your stockers 262s?

Nope, the Sport Package came with 370s.

[TheSt|G]

Oh right, I forgot about those. I really like the E34 throwing star throwback.

Looks like they were only offered for one year?

[Bimmer-Bob]

Originally Posted by bmw1racer

Nope, the Sport Package came with 370s.

Nice. Definitely not a common wheel. Incidentally, I actually haven't seen any 128i's with the LCI bumper in person, at least not up close.

My last wheels were not actually stock wheels, but I put them on the car at 130 miles, so I always forget I had other wheels first. They're BMW Style 216's, and I still actually quite like them, but they're just not what I want right now in terms of size, offset, and weight.

[bmw1racer]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

Looks like they were only offered for one year?

I think so... BMW seems to have changed the wheels offered in the various packages (Sport, M-Sport) from year to year.

Originally Posted by Bimmer-Bob

Nice. Definitely not a common wheel. Incidentally, I actually haven't seen any 128i's with the LCI bumper in person, at least not up close.

I think the only other person here with that LCI bumper and 370 wheels that I've seen is Gray Panther... Not sure if he's planning on changing one or both in the future.

My last wheels were not actually stock wheels, but I put them on the car at 130 miles, so I always forget I had other wheels first. They're BMW Style 216's, and I still actually quite like them, but they're just not what I want right now in terms of size, offset, and weight.

Ah, I see.

[jksgoh]

Finally got my car back with from the panel shop with these installed

Its hard to get a good appreciation for them in the photos, but they i reckon they look great in real life!

[Chandon]

installed cf splitters

[hoki06]

Got a 135i axle back installed today. Slightly louder but still leaves me wanting more.

[jksgoh]

Originally Posted by hoki06

Got a 135i axle back installed today. Slightly louder but still leaves me wanting more.

you need a PE

[631twentyeighteye]

Originally Posted by hoki06

Got a 135i axle back installed today. Slightly louder but still leaves me wanting more.

The best part is, if you modded the mids you can easily swap to any 135i axleback. eventually i'll get a louder exhaust again, probably the berk street, or something else with a muffler. muffler delete's are deafening loud with horrible drone.

[Armada]

Put on a Berk exhaust yesterday. I'm still wanted to go louder though, maybe a resonator delete in a few months.

[Suprgnat]

Finally got around to putting these in (M3 on top). M3 control arms, rear toes, alignment pins and alignment this coming Friday.

[Suprgnat]

Thought I'd do this, too, while I was hanging in the garage this morning.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by Suprgnat

Thought I'd do this, too, while I was hanging in the garage this morning.

I've been eying those up for a bit. I have the grocery bag holders ready as well, but I am waiting for the Alpine upgrade to arrive before I install them.

[Suprgnat]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

I've been eying those up for a bit. I have the grocery bag holders ready as well, but I am waiting for the Alpine upgrade to arrive before I install them.

Funny, I ordered the bag holder about 10 minutes after installing the hooks. What's an Alpine upgrade? Amp?