Test drove the 1 six years ago...

[RideThePigGir]

... and I finally have my own!

Meet Lily, a 2010 135i auto. 45,200 (47k now, after driving her back to Chicago from Phoenix), bone stock but loaded with every option except Active Steering and the Power Rear Sunshade. Blue Water Metallic on grey leather with charcoal wood trim - apparently a love or hate color, but one that I've always loved. I think it shows off the insane curves of the car even better than some of the more popular colors.

View post on imgur.com

CarMax's original pics from their sale page

Having originally driven one of the very early N54 models that was pretty highly modified and tuned roughly but effectively (basically straight pipes, intake, BoV, injectors, plugs - all the bolt-ons pretty much) within the C32/C55 AMG crowd in Chicago, I was in love at first sight, let alone hearing that semi-boxer exhaust note and flinging it around some corners like a roller coaster car. I went and test drove a few but I couldn't afford one at the time, and I needed a car quick, so I grabbed a C32 that I drove for ~80k miles, which I still have.

I never really modified my C32 all that much (just lower temp plugs, Magnecor wires, and dual K&N filters + custom intake), but with a newer car and less miles (and an extended warranty ), I definitely plan on getting Lily down into the low 12s at least. Plus, with the ridiculous ease of tuning using the Accessport (crazy map for drags, mild map for the commute), and the power that the N54 seems to just throw at the correct mods, it's a no-brainer. Once the weather clears up a bit, the stocks rims are getting garaged for snow-tire use next year, wider, sticky rubber is getting thrown on something a bit lighter for the corners, and a tune/DPs/cat-back/BoV will be the bare minimum for my baby.

Needless to say, I can't wait for summer

*edit* She would be a 6MT if my knees could take it, but there's just isn't quite enough room for me to shift comfortably in heavy traffic, and I'm not likely to have a highway commute any time soon

[jmcphillips1]

Congrats on finally getting what you've wanted for a long time. Enjoy it!!!

[Zombie1]

Enjoy and welcome I've always loved that color.

[Marc08EX]

Thanks for posting the pictures!!! She looks stunning!! Congrats on your new ride and I hope you enjoy it to good health!

[AchtungF80]

I don't know how you held out 6 years...I test drove a step and 6mt 135i 6 years ago and moved heaven and earth to buy mine. I waited 6 months from order to delivery just to get the car ED'd during European off-peak travel season so airfare would be cheaper.

Congrats and love the color!!!

[Da_Meister_22]

Congrats on the new baby. How long do you think you have before the mod bug bites...?

[RideThePigGir]

Originally Posted by Manny@ActiveAutowerke

Congrats on the new baby. How long do you think you have before the mod bug bites...?

Heh, I already updated the satnav maps to 2014 with the better satellite imagery and "3D" perspective view. I'm just waiting for my next paycheck, and then bit by bit - BMC DCI, Cp-e BoV/CP, oil catch can, LED angel-eyes, then the almighty Accessport once the roads thaw out a bit

Are build threads lame? I've never really made one for any car of mine, but I've never modded anything all that heavily except for SPL-competition systems in my Bonneville back when I was 20 or so.

[RideThePigGir]

And thanks for all the compliments and well-wishing - even with the frigid temps and slushy roads, I'm starting to learn the beginnings of the car's limits, even if it's just with DSC turned "half off."

[Eyeman]

Believe it or not, I bought my car off the lot but didn't even test drive it or any other 1er first. I jumped on it after being on here when the 0.9% financing for 5 yrs popped up. I just got my title in the mail today, all paid off!

[RideThePigGir]

Originally Posted by Eyeman

Believe it or not, I bought my car off the lot but didn't even test drive it or any other 1er first. I jumped on it after being on here when the 0.9% financing for 5 yrs popped up. I just got my title in the mail today, all paid off!

Hell yeah, congrats! With finance terms like that, it'd be hard as hell to say no.

[TwinTurboed]

Congrats! That's a beautiful color. Never seen it on this car before.

I test drove my 1er and was signing papers within the next minute, it was instant love and I most definitely could not have waited 6 years! But hey, priorities right? Welcome to the forum!

[PerryTM]

Originally Posted by RideThePigGir

Hell yeah, congrats! With finance terms like that, it'd be hard as hell to say no.

Hey nice car, hopefully I'll see you at some meets this year. Where are you located?

[RideThePigGir]

Originally Posted by PerryTM

Hey nice car, hopefully I'll see you at some meets this year. Where are you located?

Thanks! I'm up in Lake Zurich for now, but relocating closer to the city and North Shore 'burbs this spring. I'd love to come out for some meets - I only ever got out for one or two in the AMG community (mainly from MBWorld) but they were ridiculous amounts of fun. One of them was where I drove my first 1er

Slight aside - I love the look of the license plate on the corner of the front like you have, but how did you get rid of the holes in the middle of the bumper? Did you buy the car new and request that they not drill holes for a front plate?

[PerryTM]

Originally Posted by RideThePigGir

Thanks! I'm up in Lake Zurich for now, but relocating closer to the city and North Shore 'burbs this spring. I'd love to come out for some meets - I only ever got out for one or two in the AMG community (mainly from MBWorld) but they were ridiculous amounts of fun. One of them was where I drove my first 1er

Slight aside - I love the look of the license plate on the corner of the front like you have, but how did you get rid of the holes in the middle of the bumper? Did you buy the car new and request that they not drill holes for a front plate?

The guy that owned it before me was the salesmen at the dealer ship they wanted to put the original plate bracket on and I told them If they did it I wouldn't buy it because I have the tow hook bracket. If your on Instagram you can see my car better Perry_TM

[RideThePigGir]

Originally Posted by PerryTM

The guy that owned it before me was the salesmen at the dealer ship they wanted to put the original plate bracket on and I told them If they did it I wouldn't buy it because I have the tow hook bracket. If your on Instagram you can see my car better Perry_TM

She's a beaut, man! Between the dark wheels and tints against the Alpine White, that's one sexy beast. Know of any good indie shops for performance and/or tints?

I'm looking to go pretty dark because, A: I think it'd look great against the blue and, B: I paid the sales tax on my car in AZ and they have no laws against tints (except the windshield, etc), so I can get away with it (in court). Even checked with my 20+ year DUI/traffic attorney and he confirmed it. Would suck to have to go to court just to fight a ~$50 ticket, but it's about the principle of the matter.

[PerryTM]

Originally Posted by RideThePigGir

She's a beaut, man! Between the dark wheels and tints against the Alpine White, that's one sexy beast. Know of any good indie shops for performance and/or tints?

I'm looking to go pretty dark because, A: I think it'd look great against the blue and, B: I paid the sales tax on my car in AZ and they have no laws against tints (except the windshield, etc), so I can get away with it (in court). Even checked with my 20+ year DUI/traffic attorney and he confirmed it. Would suck to have to go to court just to fight a ~$50 ticket, but it's about the principle of the matter.

Thank you and the windows are 5%. I had a local shop do it but it has to go back because the driver window is coming off a little do to this bitter cold were having. And as far as parts buy them from vendors or websites you find and have a shop put them on, I use a-spec tuning in Schaumburg the owner lives in my town (Schiller Park) he's a great guy.

[Brake_L8]

Looks good so far! The Bluewater paint color is really neat - not something I'd go for, but I really like it. One of my friends has an E36 M3 custom-painted in a very similar shade and it looks REALLY good with some basic mods.

[ec1c173]

I like the color! Looks good

[eric@helix]

Nice. Now get modding!

[RideThePigGir]

Originally Posted by Brake_L8

Looks good so far! The Bluewater paint color is really neat - not something I'd go for, but I really like it. One of my friends has an E36 M3 custom-painted in a very similar shade and it looks REALLY good with some basic mods.

Thanks! In terms of "show", I've already got the aforementioned tints planned, plus replacing the badging with dark letters/numbers, a small CF replacement for the lip spoiler, a rear diffuser if I can find one that looks right, and darker rims for my summer rubber. I'd love a front lip in CF too, but with the front clearance already low, I don't know if that's doable on Chicago roads. 3M clear coating "bra" front and back too, assuming it's not obscenely expensive.

[RideThePigGir]

Originally Posted by eric@helix

Nice. Now get modding!

Next paycheck. I can't wait

[135iam]

Congrats on a great looking 1er!

Not sure I understand your man crush on the accessport. After owning an accessport on my Subaru, I really prefer other options for my N54. Especially switching on the fly from 93 to e85 mix tunes