What did you do to/for your 1er today?

[tracer bullet]

Originally Posted by Finneganistan

It's fantastic in many ways, but understeer at the limit is inexcusable. IMNSHO.

Yeah, I think they actually made the car for "normal" people and understeer was safer.

Up the front tire width, consider a thicker sway bar up front too, max the negative camber, and it certainly gets a lot better.

[parameter416]

Originally Posted by Finneganistan

Thanks for the advice! Interesting about the tires. I was expecting to replace them this summer. We'll see if that makes a big difference.

If you're going to replace the tires, you may want to think about getting a set of good summer tires to replace those all-seasons.

Another simple way to slightly reduce understeer is to go with a square setup (i.e. - same width tires front and rear), rather than the staggered set (wider width at rear) that comes stock on most of our cars. Those Style 313 wheels are highly coveted, but they're also staggered width, so you'd probably want to replace the wheels with a square set at the same time. It's an easy, reversible way to personalize your ride. It also means you can rotate the tires front-to-rear, so they'll wear more evenly. This was one of the first things I did with mine. I've kept the original wheels to put back on the car at resale time (i.e. - never. ).

Just my 2 cents.

[brake-fade]

Interesting...I had a 2002 a long time ago that I built with Bilsteins, Eibach springs, swaybars, adjustable camber plates, Schrick cam, headers, Webbers and summer performance tires. In my opinion, no way it handled as well as my 128i, even before i did the suspension mods on it. You may want to invest a little money on a few easy to do upgrades, like summer tires, fixed camber plates, M3 front control arms and rear subframe inserts. Or at the very least good tires and an alignment.

[Ric in RVA]

Originally Posted by Finneganistan

No, I haven't but now I'm really curious! I'm disappointed that the bmw designers didn't prioritize handling with this car. It's fantastic in many ways, but understeer at the limit is inexcusable. IMNSHO.

My '72 2002 with Bilsteins and sway bars handled much better than this 135.

I've owned both.

Had a 128i sport that my kid totaled. Bought a 135i msport. Sold it and bought a 128i sport. Also own a cayman. All Manual. All the BMW's had M3 control arms.

After the 128i got destroyed I thought lets get more power!!!

The 135i was a disappointment. The weight and power no longer worked well with the suspension. The speed was AMAZING but it felt disconnected to drive.

I sold the 135i and searched for another 128i sport.

You can run through my thread to see mods. But basically 3stage intake and tune, M3 arms, bilstein B12, eibach springs and bars, dinan rear shock mounts, dinan camber plates. Summer and winter wheels and tires.

The car points, balances and handles really well. Around town as a daily its a joy with the extra power and crisp handling.

It does get a less credible towards the limit. I think it boils down to center of gravity and basic BMW suspension. The perfect shifter and gutsy NA6 BMW power is engaging.

Much better power than stock top and bottom end with 3SIM. Maybe 260? and 3200 pounds?

It is a really great car up to about 85%

I bought the cayman last fall and it is bone stock and on original suspension at 110000 miles and feels less compelling at slower speeds, even boring.....but really push it and the car seems to just get better and better. It comes alive at 70%+ and just begs for more ....I really haven't found a place on the street to safely push boundaries. 265 hp rated stock and 3100 pounds or so.

The BMW feels faster off the line and I believe is geared lower. The Porsche has loooonnnng gearing.....supposedly will pull 165. I dont think the 128 will pull 165....maybe 135? Aerodynamics I am sure is a factor...cayman is slippery!

I should figure speed in gears on each.

Planning a full suspension refresh and moving to cayman R springs and Koni shocks. SHould be even better.

It feels like it rotates around your right butt cheek and it just TURNS. No big motor to bend into the corner....You also feel like the cars C of G is about at your elbow and makes the BMW feel like a dining room chair.

Clutch and shifter are better on the BMW. But I love the Caymans too...Numeric cables and a short shifter.

Brakes upgrade on the 128 to F30 brembos. Never a complaint. Great pedal feel.

Porsche has Redstuff pads and brembo rotors. Initial bite is less but feel at higher speeds is dead on. The higher brake pedal makes no sense for heel and toe until you are DRIVING and then it works great. Common mod is a GT4 master. pedal/ wheel ergonomics are fantastic.

The BMW pedals and wheel ergos are great as well.

Sound is maybe better on the BMW (but I have airbox and exhaust mods) the Porsche is lots of intake and whirring mechanical down low in RPM since it is right over your shoulder but once you are 4000-7400K it does sing. Looking at exhausts for that car.


Tons more space in the BMW but you'd be amazed at the utility with a frunk and a hatch back. 2 sets of golf clubs fit fine in the cayman.


I'd be hard pressed to tell you which one I had to sell if you told me one had to go.


I asked chat GPT to compare the two after asking about speed in each gear. It did a pretty good job. Wonder where that missing 6th gear went in the cayman....2009 base manual is a 6.

******************chat gpt follows******************

Comparing the 2009 BMW 128i with a manual transmission to the base 2009 Porsche Cayman provides some interesting contrasts in performance.

2009 BMW 128i
Engine: 3.0-liter inline-six
Power: 230 hp
Torque: 200 lb-ft
Top Speed: Approximately 130-140 mph (210-225 km/h)
Maximum Speed in Each Gear (Approximate):
1st Gear: 30-35 mph (48-56 km/h)
2nd Gear: 60-70 mph (97-113 km/h)
3rd Gear: 90-100 mph (145-161 km/h)
4th Gear: 120 mph (193 km/h)
5th Gear: 140 mph (225 km/h)
6th Gear: 130-140 mph (210-225 km/h)
2009 Porsche Cayman (Base)
Engine: 2.9-liter flat-six
Power: 265 hp
Torque: 273 lb-ft
Top Speed: Approximately 155 mph (250 km/h)
Maximum Speed in Each Gear (Approximate):
1st Gear: 30-35 mph (48-56 km/h)
2nd Gear: 60-70 mph (97-113 km/h)
3rd Gear: 90-100 mph (145-161 km/h)
4th Gear: 115-125 mph (185-201 km/h)
5th Gear: 140-155 mph (225-250 km/h)
(Car is a six speed and good for 165 per porsche)

Key Comparisons:
Top Speed:

The Porsche Cayman has a higher top speed of around 155 mph (250 km/h) compared to the BMW 128i’s 130-140 mph (210-225 km/h).
Power and Torque:

The Cayman has more power (265 hp vs. 230 hp) and significantly more torque (273 lb-ft vs. 200 lb-ft), contributing to its higher top speed and quicker acceleration.
Performance:

The Cayman’s performance benefits from its higher power and more refined chassis, making it a more track-oriented sports car compared to the BMW 128i, which is more of a sporty luxury coupe.
Gear Ratios:

Both vehicles have similar gear ratios in terms of speed ranges, but the Cayman’s additional power allows it to reach higher speeds in the upper gears.
Overall, the Porsche Cayman is positioned as a more performance-oriented vehicle compared to the BMW 128i, which focuses more on a balance of luxury and sporty driving.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Finneganistan

I've read a bunch of threads with suspension build reports. My feeling is I'm not willing to chase this and spend many thousands of dollars making this car what it was not designed to be. Maybe someday I'll go back to something with handling in mind from the get go. I'm not trying to knock the 135! Like I said, it's great in various ways and I'll enjoy it. But these two incidents make me feel much less confident in the car's abilities. Now I feel like this is an American muscle car: great in a straight line.

Lots of things you can do to fix this. The 135i needs a LOT of suspension work to make it sharp.

First, square wheels and tires. I recommend 245 or 255 square on the narrow body. This will require pulling and rolling front fenders. Also get yourself some summer tires from a good brand. You'll need a spacer on the front to clear the knuckle.

Second. Negative camber on front wheels, -2* minimum.

Third, front suspension. My recommendation is F82M4 knuckles. E9xM3 dampers and 1M beehive springs. Add dinan fixed camber plates to the top of the 1M tophat. You'll want the 1M lower camber arm and tension strut.

Stock sway bars or 1M sway bars if you have a LSD.

Fourth, rear subframe bushings, aluminium

5th, rear toe arms and M3 lower camber arm, M3 dampers and ~800lb rear linear springs on a height adjuster. Guide rods too if you want but I think the RSFB, toe arm, and lower arm are more important. You'll want a solid upper shock mount.

6th, M3 steering rack, add clutched LSD in final drive of your choice

Last: enjoy your car that now has a proper motorsport chassis.

[krhodes1]

Originally Posted by Finneganistan

I knew going into this that the car would not handle like my previous Boxster, miata, or the e36 m3 I had many years ago. But twice in the last couple of days I've exceeded the car's handling capability, in town, at relatively low speeds. And it was not pretty.

The first was a series of close roundabouts. Four quick turns, then back to a straight. Turn 1: good. 2: ok. 3: not great. 4: feels like a fwd acura. Yikes.

The second was just a sweeping left. The understeer forced me to back off the throttle, then brake, to keep to my lane. Yikes again.

The car is what it is. It's smooth, fast, comfortable, and sounds fantastic. But it will never be an m3.

It was never intended to be an M3. if you wanted an M3, that is what you should have bought. Or a 1M.

And IMHO, stock, the factory sport suspension cars have MORE understeer than the non-sport cars, due to the staggered tire setup. I find that on equivalently sticky tires, the sport suspension ruins the ride more than it improves the handlding. But that's just my opinion.

And 128i's have less understeer than 135i's - less wieght in the nose, better weight distribution. Ultimately, understeer is safer in the hands of the average idiot driver. At least if you lose it you go straight into whatever you hit, allowing the safety systems to work more effectively than if you are sliding sideways. It is very much by design. If you want a tail-happy 1-Series, the aftermarket can certainly accomplish that, but BMW needed to sell safe cars for average drivers.

If you are going on a public road fast enough to have notable understeer in these cars, please stop.

[Gray_Panther]

Took my lil cousin to a big parking lot to teach him how to drive stick. 2nd lesson and he is picking it up!
Now he wants to get a bmw e8/9x with manual as his first car!

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by Gray_Panther

Took my lil cousin to a big parking lot to teach him how to drive stick. 2nd lesson and he is picking it up!
Now he wants to get a bmw e8/9x with manual as his first car!

He should look at a 128i or older NA BMW.

NATURALLY I would argue for 128i and modify it to 130i powertrain with all the bolt ons and tune and M3/1M chassis work.

[Afam28]

Oil cooler lines installed…
After my old lines decided to die after I installed the mosselman oil cooler thermostat…
Fun times!

[GoRomeo]

Ok busy weekend…🥵

Replaced my coils, plugs. Replaced my old stock chargepipe with VRSF one. (Destroyed my hands in the process) The simplest thing always give you the PITA To remove MAP sensor from old chargepipe. New brakets that come woth new chargepipe does not say anywhere about one being smaller than the other one?’ 🙄

PITA to remove MAP sensor from old chargepipe bracket. 🤬

Cleaned MAP and MAF sensors with MAF CLEANER in the process. Did cabin filter cowl delete

Oh well As soon as I go for a drive I forget all the pain. ☝️😁🚙

EDIT Forgot to add. I originally bought a VTT PCV valve and that thing ended up making a squicky noise when coming t a stop. I guess got a defective one? Had to replace it with a RB one and all good. No more noise when stopping.


PICS ADDED GUYS SORRY ☝️😂

Cheers 🍻

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by GoRomeo

Had to replace it with a RB one and all good. No more noise when stopping.

Cheers 🍻

Good call.

[NaMean]

FAFO this is only a fraction of what’s been done and it’s taken about 2 years to save the money and gather these parts. Looking to build the ultimate reliable 135i capable of track days and a lot of pulls on the street mile after mile.

[ShocknAwe]

Originally Posted by NaMean

FAFO this is only a fraction of what’s been done and it’s taken about 2 years to save the money and gather these parts. Looking to build the ultimate reliable 135i capable of track days and a lot of pulls on the street mile after mile.

Nice! Some great choices there. Did you do spherical? If so get boots for them. I did spherical arms pandemic time and they failed due to grit intrusion since I DD the 1er.

LSD?

[ShocknAwe]

First in a long list of interior and exterior improvements coming. Ordered my trunk.

Time to finish this build.

[NaMean]

Originally Posted by ShocknAwe

Nice! Some great choices there. Did you do spherical? If so get boots for them. I did spherical arms pandemic time and they failed due to grit intrusion since I DD the 1er.

LSD?

I did not get boots but will probably fabricate some now that you’ve told me what to expect. Thank you for the heads up👍

[Papa Popov]

Got 'er smogged. First thing I did afterwards was put the tune back on as I'd been driving on the stock tune for a while and good god this car is infinitely more fun to drive with a throttle remap. Stock throttle map makes downshifting a complete nightmare...

[jwolf]

Originally Posted by Finneganistan

Thanks for the advice! Interesting about the tires. I was expecting to replace them this summer. We'll see if that makes a big difference.

I run a square set up. When I rotated the suspected shit tires to the back, it was like driving on marbles if I did anything over easy acceleration.

[TridenTBoy]

Finally got all the BMW software setup on a laptop I bought off dell refurb website. (I use mac laptops normally) Went to my car to do the valvetronic adjustment - forget the name of it on the app. Heard some clicking, it failed, gave some more codes in the software, and now the car is stuck in limp mode. Means what I feared most - gotta replace the valvetronic motor. Sadly, I'm not in any position to do that right now. I'm about to leave for NYC.

I'll buy the parts at some point in the next few weeks along with any random tools I'll need. I'll replace or refurb (clean+new seals) all the fuel injectors at the same time. Not sure when this will happen but maybe in 2-3 months. For now, I guess the car will be sitting a lot since it can't really drive much. Sad. The car was driving pretty well before even with the valvetronic adjustment error.

I do worry that I'll need to replace the eccentric shaft but I don't know if there's any easy way to tell if that needs replacing?

[ShocknAwe]

Found my radiator end cap leaking. Patched it and ordered a CSF radiator. Working through a list of possible conversions and may be hybridizing to a N55 oil to coolant heat exchanger. Not sure.

Also redid my rear intake back to a closed box. Pics later

[mkeiser]

Picked up some new snow tires to replace the too tall snow tires on a set of used rims I recently picked up. Found out I can fit 8 tires in the 1er lol! Did a quick headlight lens sand/polish/seal. And also I cleaned/oiled my k&n air filter. Been a while since I've had a free weekend! There's a 'trackcross' event tomorrow that I'll check out, wasn't able to sign up but it'll be fun to spectate.

View post on imgur.com

[WrathOTM]

Did the front tension arms with OEM M3 ones this time. As it would turn out for my previous pair I had one Malaysian one and one German one. The Malaysian one was bad with ball/swivel joint being pretty loose and clanking over bumps. Both of the new ones are German and have been installed. Sadly this did not seem to resolve a steering wheel vibration issue that feels like it has gotten a little worse over the past few months. I have TMS spacers (7.5) installed btw.
IN pic: top two arms sourced from Rockauto. Bottom arm OEM on its way in.

[GoRomeo]

A Quick Wash 🧽 I was bored 😂

Cheers 🍻