Distinguishing b/w N55/N54

bryce · 10-21-2010, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHOOPS2

I have silver gray calipers. N54 here. Sig image in sig. Or am I misunderstanding?

no, you're correct (i think). bmw discontinued sparkling graphite metallic at the end of '08, so any 135i after that time frame has space gray brake calipers. prior to that, you have sparkling graphite brake calipers.

babyboss · 10-21-2010, 03:02 PM

if im not mistaken the tail pieces are diff - N55 = black chrome & N54 = ?

bryce · 10-21-2010, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by babyboss

if im not mistaken the tail pieces are diff - N55 = black chrome & N54 = ?

they're the same

BrokenVert · 10-21-2010, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryce

no, you're correct (i think). bmw discontinued sparkling graphite metallic at the end of '08, so any 135i after that time frame has space gray brake calipers. prior to that, you have sparkling graphite brake calipers.

The calipers remained sgm through 09 and I think 10

1SerieStud · 10-21-2010, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

The calipers remained sgm through 09 and I think 10

Correct, the lighter colored calipers such as the ones on my car are 2011+

bryce · 10-21-2010, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrokenVert

The calipers remained sgm through 09 and I think 10

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1SerieStud

Correct, the lighter colored calipers such as the ones on my car are 2011+

i knew 11+ were space gray, i saw a CPO '09 a while back while getting my car serviced and it had space gray calipers. maybe it was mid '09?

J-Sud · 10-21-2010, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bryce

i knew 11+ were space gray, i saw a CPO '09 a while back while getting my car serviced and it had space gray calipers. maybe it was mid '09?

im glad mine is a 08 build

ronster · 10-21-2010, 05:23 PM

Mine is 06/09 build with SGM caliper...

bryce · 10-21-2010, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by J-Sud

im glad mine is a 08 build

same here

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronster

Mine is 06/09 build with SGM caliper...

which sgm?

space gray metallic

or

sparkling graphite metallic

themyst · 10-24-2010, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHOOPS2

I have silver gray calipers. N54 here. Sig image in sig. Or am I misunderstanding?

My '09 135i has the same thing. Perhaps the calipers are black on a non-sport model?

MarkR171 · 10-24-2010, 03:29 AM

I don't think any 135i had black calipers...

JBurer · 10-25-2010, 11:13 AM

Mine does. April 08 build date.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarkR171

I don't think any 135i had black calipers...

1SerieStud · 10-25-2010, 11:33 AM

For the record because apparently a few people seem to be confused: we are talking about a dark grey versus a light grey...the darker grey looks almost black in pictures. The reason I brought this point up is that the newer cars have the lighter calipers whereas the older cars do not.

Call it whatever the heck color you wanna call it, here is the distinction:

Older caliper:

Newer caliper:

JHOOPS2 · 10-25-2010, 03:13 PM

Mine look just like the newer caliper you have pictured. I have a November 2008 build date on my '09 1er.

Pic of my caliper. They are lighter in color than the space gray paint on my car.

1SerieStud · 10-25-2010, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JHOOPS2

Mine look just like the newer caliper you have pictured. I have a November 2008 build date on my '09 1er.

Pic of my caliper. They are lighter in color than the space gray paint on my car.

Yours are the darker ones buddy....see images above. And below is a picture of my car (which I previously posted) showing the new calipers, which are much lighter than the ones on your car:

1SerieStud · 10-25-2010, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxnix

While this is an excellent clarification vís-a-vís the caliper colors, it has zip to do the operational differences with the engines themselves.

Ah well, kind of a beaten topic anyway when the differences are well documented in the stickies.

The OP wanted to distinguish between the two cars, not the operational differences between the two engines. Granted, the subject of the thread is misleading, however, if all he really wants to know is which is which, then popping the hood and reading the plastic cover suffices, given that internals are not visible.

drinkcoke3 · 10-26-2010, 08:31 PM

im pretty sure the mirrors changed for 2011 aswell - they have the "dumbo ear" look, as apposed to the thinner more streamline looking mirrors of the earlier years

NYC6 · 10-26-2010, 09:26 PM

The 2010 also has the larger mirrors. I think that was the first model year with them.

babyboss · 11-04-2010, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drinkcoke3

im pretty sure the mirrors changed for 2011 aswell - they have the "dumbo ear" look, as apposed to the thinner more streamline looking mirrors of the earlier years

yup '11 sure does have big ears ..

BrokenVert · 11-04-2010, 04:36 PM

The mirror were changed in 2010. There is a full MY of 135s with dumbo ears and an N54.

10-21-2010, 03:02 PM	#24
babyboss Lieutenant 74 Rep 554 Posts Drives: 640d Msport Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: centurion iTrader: (0) Garage List 2012 640d [0.00]	if im not mistaken the tail pieces are diff - N55 = black chrome & N54 = ?
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10-21-2010, 05:23 PM	#30
ronster Lieutenant 16 Rep 421 Posts Drives: 2011 1M VO Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Toronto iTrader: (0)	Mine is 06/09 build with SGM caliper... __________________ 2011 1M VO stripper 2009 AW 135i M-sp (sold) 2002 SG MINI Cooper (sold)
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10-24-2010, 03:29 AM	#33
MarkR171 Lieutenant Colonel 102 Rep 1,552 Posts Drives: '19 M2C \| '20 100AE ND2 Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Phx, AZ iTrader: (0) Garage List 2019 BMW M2C [0.00]	I don't think any 135i had black calipers... __________________ 2019 M2C - Alpine White - 6MT 2023 Supra 6MT - Deposit and Wait
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10-25-2010, 11:33 AM	#35
1SerieStud Brigadier General 183 Rep 3,939 Posts Drives: '11 VO 1M (498 of 740) Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Jacksonville, FL iTrader: (11)	For the record because apparently a few people seem to be confused: we are talking about a dark grey versus a light grey...the darker grey looks almost black in pictures. The reason I brought this point up is that the newer cars have the lighter calipers whereas the older cars do not. Call it whatever the heck color you wanna call it, here is the distinction: Older caliper: Newer caliper: Last edited by 1SerieStud; 10-25-2010 at 11:48 AM..
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10-25-2010, 03:13 PM	#36
JHOOPS2 AKA HISSMAN 34 Rep 888 Posts Drives: 2009 SG 135i Coupe' Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (5)	Mine look just like the newer caliper you have pictured. I have a November 2008 build date on my '09 1er. Pic of my caliper. They are lighter in color than the space gray paint on my car. __________________ (FBO) Cobb Stage 2+, AR Downpipes, Injen DCI, AA (Sport) FMIC, ER Chargepipe/Synapse BOV, Carbon fiber bits and Breyton GTS-R Wheels.
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10-26-2010, 08:31 PM	#39
drinkcoke3 Captain 41 Rep 792 Posts Drives: 135i + F25 X3 35i FBO Join Date: May 2010 Location: Long Island, NY iTrader: (5) Garage List 2011 BMW 135i [0.00]	im pretty sure the mirrors changed for 2011 aswell - they have the "dumbo ear" look, as apposed to the thinner more streamline looking mirrors of the earlier years
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10-26-2010, 09:26 PM	#40
NYC6 Banned 71 Rep 2,070 Posts Drives: '10 135i PPKI/06 C6 Z51 Vette Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: LI/NY iTrader: (0)	The 2010 also has the larger mirrors. I think that was the first model year with them.
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11-04-2010, 04:36 PM	#42
BrokenVert Resident Kerbalnaut 477 Rep 10,703 Posts Drives: Topless Brute/Hybrid Boogaloo Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Fahrvergnügen/NY iTrader: (0)	The mirror were changed in 2010. There is a full MY of 135s with dumbo ears and an N54. __________________
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