Yet, Another RB Smoker!

[martymil]

Originally Posted by JB4-335

Just buy the hot parts from VM. Get the turbo locally and find a decent shop to fab up a downpipe. Total cost won't be much more than a set of fully optioned RB's installed.

The problem is mix and matching the parts if something goes wrong it will just be finger pointing

Best is to get one kit from one place, yes more expensive but it won't be the vtt
experience

I got my own issues at the moment which look like they can't be fixed with a firmware update or flash but battling ahead maybe something can be worked out

This is the problem when going into uncharted territory, I'm like a fish out of water

[martymil]

Originally Posted by JB4-335

Just buy the hot parts from VM. Get the turbo locally and find a decent shop to fab up a downpipe. Total cost won't be much more than a set of fully optioned RB's installed.

The problem is mix and matching the parts if something goes wrong it will just be finger pointing

Best is to get one kit from one place, yes more expensive but it won't be the vtt experience

I got my own issues at the moment which look like they can't be fixed with a firmware update or flash

This is the problem when going into uncharted territory, I'm like a fish out of water maybe something will be worked out eventually

[135i2]

A big single is my choice too. Has been from day one but nothing RHD.

RHD is problematic and expensive if you want to do it right and once only. I am not interested in solving all the issues and small problems with a DIY kit that will be done better by someone down the track (and cheaper). A big single spells big HP and the car needs to be up to the task in every area. Cooling, brakes, suspension, exhaust, tuning, fuelling...and on it goes. Fortunately mine car has had the full monty, but the kit and components need to be over engineered and with some reliable, researched runs on the board.

Pioneers get the arrows, settlers get the land.

A top mount is a red rag to a bull in NSW considering cops, engineering etc. Not my first choice.
Bottom mount requires engine mount relocation.
Large, reliable and efficient turbos are expensive.
Good fabricators can name their price if you can find one with time.
Exhaust, intercooler and inlet/charge pipe fabrication etc..

Not so straight forward. My choice would be a Motiv 900 if I jump.
But as Greg mentioned earlier in his post, fitment is a big IF.

R&D is expensive and I may let someone else be the pioneer.

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by 135i2

A big single is my choice too. Has been from day one but nothing RHD.

RHD is problematic and expensive if you want to do it right and once only. I am not interested in solving all the issues and small problems with a DIY kit that will be done better by someone down the track (and cheaper). A big single spells big HP and the car needs to be up to the task in every area. Cooling, brakes, suspension, exhaust, tuning, fuelling...and on it goes. Fortunately mine car has had the full monty, but the kit and components need to be over engineered and with some reliable, researched runs on the board.

Pioneers get the arrows, settlers get the land.

A top mount is a red rag to a bull in NSW considering cops, engineering etc. Not my first choice.
Bottom mount requires engine mount relocation.
Large, reliable and efficient turbos are expensive.
Good fabricators can name their price if you can find one with time.
Exhaust, intercooler and inlet/charge pipe fabrication etc..

Not so straight forward. My choice would be a Motiv 900 if I jump.
But as Greg mentioned earlier in his post, fitment is a big IF.

R&D is expensive and I may let someone else be the pioneer.

Surely motiv would be interested to know if their manifold is RHD compatible or not as this would open up plenty of new markets for them and offer you a kit under the proviso that if it doesn't fit you could return it for a refund?

I love the look of that motiv manifold, it reeks of quality and would definately be interested if it as RHD compatiable (albeit I would be after a 750 setup)

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by martymil

The problem is mix and matching the parts if something goes wrong it will just be finger pointing

Best is to get one kit from one place, yes more expensive but it won't be the vtt experience

I got my own issues at the moment which look like they can't be fixed with a firmware update or flash

This is the problem when going into uncharted territory, I'm like a fish out of water maybe something will be worked out eventually

Yeah I totally agree, it would be ideal to have the one workshop do the fabrication and installation so they're responsible for the whole system.

Such a shame the ST setup that JD and advan had started developing a few years back never came to fruition

[martymil]

Originally Posted by DR-JEKL

Surely motiv would be interested to know if their manifold is RHD compatible or not as this would open up plenty of new markets for them and offer you a kit under the proviso that if it doesn't fit you could return it for a refund?

I love the look of that motiv manifold, it reeks of quality and would definately be interested if it as RHD compatiable (albeit I would be after a 750 setup)

The questioned has been asked and the answer was a big fat NO

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by martymil

The questioned has been asked and the answer was a big fat NO

Do they sell the manifold as is?

If it doesnt fit one could always resell on the e90/1addicts forum?

I dont understand why they woudnt be keen to know if their manifold would work in RHD markets as there are quite a few RHD customers out there!!

[martymil]

could not tell you that one it was just no from what I've been told

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by martymil

could not tell you that one it was just no from what I've been told

Hmm well jake has been contacted to see what the G.O is

[DR-JEKL]

Bam got a response from Jake ASAP!

Hey. We have been waiting for someone willing to see what it would take to adjust our kit to fit.

I would be happy to discount a kit to send under the terms that it is known this is going to require some modifications.
We do not sell just the manifold but we are somewhat hopeful that it won't rewrote much change to fit.

Are you with a shop?

If not I do have a shop in Australia interested in the project and looking for a customer to bring their car and make it work.

[martymil]

Yes but if it doesn't fit he won't give a refund

That's the same repose someone else has got too

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by martymil

Yes but if it doesn't fit he won't give a refund

That's the same repose someone else has got too

Hmm well how about this concept.

What about if a consortium was formed to pitch in to buy one kit for an R&D test fit.

I know of another 335i owner who may be interested, and justin has been keen for a while from what Jake had indicated it possible we could gain 5 interested parties to invest in the acquisition for the kit.

The motiv 750 kit would be approx $9.5K AUD landed.. (not included GST/duty we could potentially do something there to avoid it?)

Jake doesnt believe there would be any major differences between a 335i 1M or 135i. So the test vehicle should be representative for all platforms.

If the kit proved to be able to be modified to suit, the owner would then pay debts owed to the other parties and he would have the 1st RHD motiv kit in the world. The discount offered on this kit could potentially offset some of the modification costs also.

Alternatively if the kit was a disaster and couldn't be retrofitted, we could sell the kit to a LHD market. Jake is very confident it would sell for a decent price and the group would take a small loss each.

Not an ideal scenario, but if we all pitched in for the R&D costs we could collectively get the ball rolling on a motiv ST setup without a big one lump sum payment...

At the end of the day a motiv ST kit is still a lot of $ but for those guys who have been RB burnt with rebuild reinstall costs perhaps its best to live by the mantra do it right the first time round is best?

[135i2]

Like the idea.

Really needs some thought and hashing out the details with people on the same page, along with a “fat controller” of finance.

Getting any successful manufacturer of quality turbo's and kits to the table is tough for RHD when they are so tied supplying their LHD markets. They don’t need the small amount of business from a tiny market so there isn’t much incentive to help out in any significant way.

Questions have been asked through Justin who has good relationships through his parts sourcing as well as quite a few RHD N54 owners I believe. What’s the discount? My understanding is there isn’t much of one on offer?

If it doesn’t work resale back into a LHD country with all the freight costs could mean a sizeable loss.

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by 135i2

Like the idea.

Really needs some thought and hashing out the details with people on the same page, along with a “fat controller” of finance.

Getting any successful manufacturer of quality turbo's and kits to the table is tough for RHD when they are so tied supplying their LHD markets. They don’t need the small amount of business from a tiny market so there isn’t much incentive to help out in any significant way.

Questions have been asked through Justin who has good relationships through his parts sourcing as well as quite a few RHD N54 owners I believe. What’s the discount? My understanding is there isn’t much of one on offer?

If it doesn’t work resale back into a LHD country with all the freight costs could mean a sizeable loss.

Yeah I agree, I'm sure we could all agree JD would be the obvious choice for the RHD R&D

The discount was $1200 usd.

If it didnt work out, we would lose our R&D costs and since we got the kit for $1200 usd cheaper we would be in front there so to sell the kit I honestly dont think we would lose too much. Say we had 5-6 vested parties and the group lost $2-3k thats approx $500-600 each... About what one would spend on a night out on the booze (without visiting the casino!!)

Food for thought, and at least with this method we may get the ball rolling otherwise I cant imagine an individual prepared to spend $10-12k to see if a kit would fit...

[135i2]

Might be time for an expression of interest, formal proposal?

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by 135i2

Might be time for an expression of interest, formal proposal?

Wont hurt to create an EOI that's for sure

[135i2]

Going to start a separate RB turbo thread re how many have bought vs smoking.

Check my car records and the turbos have gone after 2500-2700kms