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      09-12-2016, 10:24 PM   #23
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The combination of the BMS catless downpipes, OEM N54 midpipes, and the Maddad Whisper axleback had produced nearly the exact sound I was looking for on all levels for my 1er. Subtle, aggressive, burbly and looked great out the rear diffuser. In an attempt to further fine tune the exhaust note and fitment, I had a few things I wanted to address. The first of which was to delete/replace the spring bolts (one of which was stripped during the initial axle back install despite using vice grips). The second was to replace the infamous bolt securing the midpipe bracket in place that was also stripped. The third was to adjust how high the Maddad Whisper tips sat; they were just a little too low for my liking. The last and most involved task at hand was to remove the midpipe, cut out the secondary cats, and weld in a pair of Vibrant 1790 bottle-style resonators in their place.



I chose to go this route over aftermarket midpipes or the N55 midpipe for the following reasons:
  • Most importantly, cost. Aftermarket midpipes are too expensive in my eyes and this setup was only $100 shipped for the pair of resonators.
  • My access to a welder/saw allows me to swap back in the factory secondary cats down the road if need be.
  • Looking to avoid drone/rasp at all costs, the N55 midpipe (essentially a straight pipe version of the N54 midpipe) is notorious for adding rasp.
  • This setup implements 3 total resonators (2x Vibrant 1790 + the large OEM one), which gives me my best chance with an aftermarket axleback and catless downpipes to keep rasp/drone/obnoxious volume at bay.
Removing the OEM midpipe was fairly straight forward. Despite only having 5,000 miles or so on the "bomb-proof" downpipe to midpipe gaskets and hardware, they were trash after removal. 2 of the 4 bolts connecting the midpipe to the downpipes sheared off. The close proximity to the turbos and extreme heat these bolts, nuts, and gaskets are exposed to just wreak havoc on their ability to be reused with any regularity.



Once I got past this small hiccup, I was able to fully remove the OEM midpipe so I could hack it up. The orientation of the secondary cats make welding in a straight piece of piping a little tricky. Fortunately the bottle-style design provides some additional room to resolve fitment issues.



While I have access to a nice MIG welder and gas, I hardly ever take advantage. Welding stainless steel to non-SS ended up being a little difficult considering my lack of experience, especially when I had some small gaps to fill because of the angles of the cuts associated with removing the secondary cats.



But I took my time, ensured everything sealed properly with no leaks or weak spots, and eventually the job was complete. I placed the secondary cats away for safe keeping in case I need to put them back in for some reason. OR I could probably find a scrap metal yard and break even on the purchase of the resonators. Again, not the prettiest welds but they will get the job done and sit well hidden under the car. Plenty of room when test fitted up in the exhaust tunnel. They actually sit even higher/tighter than the OEM secondary cats because they're smaller.



After I fitted the newly revised midpipe with resonators into place, I took this opportunity to do a few other things before tightening all the exhaust bolts, firing it up, and listening to the new snarl.

Working down my checklist of things to-do from the rear of the car to the front, I opened up the trunk area to install a set of recently acquired OEM LCI Blackline tailights.



This was a mod that I had been debating for the past few weeks. I didn't have any objection to the factory tailights, but after securing the Blacklines into place, these give the rear end a very updated look and the smoked shading looks great with the overall dark theme of the car.





To get the exhaust tips exactly where I wanted them, I used some simple worm clamps wrapped around the exhaust hangars (hidden out of view) to pull the tips up to the perfect placement. Now there is a uniform amount of space between the left, right, and top portions of the opening in the diffuser. Using slightly smaller bolts than the original holes, I then replaced the midpipe to axleback OEM shoulder bolts that had partially stripped during the initial axleback installation. Now the exhaust sits correctly, is tightened evenly on both sides, ensures a leak-free seal, and has a nut on the backside in place of the welded in version.



Moving forward, the next task was to address the bolt securing the midpipe bracket in place. This bolt is known for stripping easily and I was a victim of this while trying to tighten it into place during the re-installation. The tack welded square nut on the top side of the bracket had broken loose completely, so I was able to replace with a standard bolt/nut, which allowed for a much more secure fit than before.



As I mentioned previously, the heat of the downpipes coming off the turbos had deemed the gaskets/hardware unusable after I removed them to disconnect the midpipe. This led to a trip to a local part store to try the 9547 Felpro gaskets that only cost a few bucks each, are in stock at most stores, and have been proven to seal up just fine. I also picked up some new 10.9 hardware. Total cost was less than $10 for everything pictured below with no wait time.



Fit perfectly and absolutely no leaks.



While I was under the car with access to the tie rod ends, I also took this opportunity to remedy a problem I'd been having since my last alignment. Since getting the car back, it tracked perfectly straight, but the steering wheel was off center; sitting about 2 inches to the left. This bothered me to no end, especially considering how much time I spend in this car. Using this DIY I found, I put ramps under the front tires and loaded it up, loosened the tie rod bolts slightly, adjusted the tie rods by the same amount and voila, the steering wheel was sitting perfectly straight. Worked like a charm.

(Pictures borrowed from the thread linked above)





The last task at hand was to see how much oil had been accumulated by the BMS and Mishimoto oil catch cans after 500 miles of mostly highway use to see what I would be dealing with as far as catch can dumping intervals. The BMS can was bone dry, but then again, I've only went WOT once or twice since it was added so that was somewhat expected. The Mishimoto can attached to the RB External PCV however, had caught plenty. I'll double check this one again in a few thousands miles, but this confirms that I should be fine waiting until my 5,000 regular scheduled oil change intervals to worry about emptying the catch cans.

Words cant explain how great I feel about keeping this gunk out of my intake tract.



While the car was still up on stands so I could check for leaks, it was time to fire it up and see what all the hard work I'd just done had resulted in. From underneath the car, I ensured that I was leak-free at both downpipe to midpipe connections, the welded seams at the newly added resonators, as well as the midpipe to axle-back connection. After verifying no air was escaping from any of the exhaust pipes, now it was time to soak in the new sound.

After a few drives, my initial impressions are:
  • Overall volume, if it could be quantified, is probably another 10% louder than setup I began this post with, and probably 25-30% louder than a full stock exhaust at this point.
  • Burbles on decel are increased and can only be described as intoxicating at this point.
  • Happy to report that still no drone or rasp at any RPM in any gear with the windows up or down.
  • WOT pulls through multiple gears are absolutely brutal -- so many sexy sounds.
  • Exhaust fumes have increased now that all four cats have been eliminated, but I've never been one to be bothered by catless fumes.
  • The catless downpipes, N54 midpipes with Vibrant 1790 resonators in place of the secondary cats, and the Maddad Whisper axleback produce EXACTLY what I was looking for.
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      09-15-2016, 08:46 PM   #24
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Some quick shots I took of the car on my evening ride home. I'm absolutely in love with how it looks, sounds and drives at the moment.





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      09-19-2016, 02:38 PM   #25
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A few weeks ago I had the misfortune of cracking the screen on my iPhone 6 Plus. Although it was an unplanned expense, I decided to go ahead and pre-order the newly announced iPhone 7 Plus to replace it. This brought about a new obstacle. My previous setup consisted of my iPhone 6 Plus sitting in a Kenu Airframe vent clip, with the lightning charger and auxiliary cord plugged in. Seeing as how Apple went away from the headphone jack, I would no longer be able to access audio from my phone in that way. To remedy this, I headed to Amazon and purchased a highly rated Bluetooth receiver that attaches to the same auxiliary port plug-in and is powered by the built-in USB cord. This allows the receiver to automatically turn on and off with the ignition and automatically pair with my phone.

I had also become unimpressed with the stability of my phone while in the Kenu Airframe, so I began looking for a replacement to alleviate that annoyance. This would probably be necessary to do anyways as the colder months approach because of the fact that the phone blocks the vent and in the past, the heat hitting the rear of the phone has caused it to get too hot at times and power down.

After investigating the available options, I ended up ordering a Koomus CD cradle. This holder fits snugly into the CD slot (which I haven't ever used and don't plan on), is much easier to secure and remove the phone from, frees up space in front of the vents, and sits perfectly aligned towards the driver.



My setup now consists of the Apple iPhone 7 Plus sitting in the Koomus cradle taking care of audio, GPS, and handling the JB4 Mobile App. With the armrest deleted, I have easy access to all the ports and plug-ins sitting at the rear portion of the center console. I added a dual USB charger into the rear cigarette lighter, one of which holds the lightning cable to recharge my phone. The second port to the charger is occupied by the Bluetooth receiver and is also plugged into the auxiliary port. The entire Bluetooth receiver assembly is secured inside the back cover of the center console cover completely hidden out of view. The last and final port, the factory USB plug-in, is attached to the JB4 Bluetooth USB power cord (routed from the DME box, into the glove box, into the center console, and all the way back to where the USB plug is) so it turns on and off with the car.



As soon as I step in the car and activate the ignition, my phone automatically pairs with the factory Bluetooth capabilities to handle hands-free calling, automatically pairs with the JB4 Mobile App to keep an eye on the engine to provide live data and logging, and lastly, automatically pairs with the Bluetooth receiver to handle audio.

I'm loving this setup so far. Looks clean and covers all the functions I need my daily to have the ability to do.







Do not worry, some of these pictures were taken with the ignition off -- I can ensure the water temperature never reached 2250 degrees Fahrenheit.
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      09-19-2016, 03:04 PM   #26
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Only the best people have border collies........
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      09-23-2016, 11:31 AM   #27
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Originally Posted by VRG_135 View Post
Only the best people have border collies........
Agreed. Love my little man!
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      09-23-2016, 11:36 AM   #28
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Originally Posted by VRG_135 View Post
Only the best people have border collies........
Agreed. Love my little man!
We call him the worlds biggest weasel
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      10-17-2016, 09:22 PM   #29
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After installing Fuel-It's Stage 2 LPFP, which allowed me to increase the amount of ethanol I could run, I'd been mixing E85 with 93 octane at the pump. While I didn't mind the few extra minutes per fill-up, it always bothered me that I never knew exactly how much ethanol I was actually running. I even went as far to create a spreadsheet of different concentrations I could fill up with based on how much fuel I had remaining. But what if the concentrations straight from the pump had changed or weren't accurate, then what?

Fuel-It (and some others) had developed a way to keep a closer eye on exactly what ratio of ethanol a car was actually running. This was done via a Continental ethanol sensor and their ethanol analyzer. I had considered budget ways of doing the same thing with a homemade kit, but I was quickly reminded how much I'd enjoyed dealing with Fuel-It in the past, especially considering their install videos, plug & play components, and stellar reputation.

It was as this point I decided to go ahead and upgrade my fuel lines from the tank to the HPFP. This way I wouldn't have to hack up my OEM fuel lines (if for some reason I ever need to revert to stock), and I'd get a head-start on the ultimate goal of the future: single turbo. Whenever I add port injection, I'll already have some of the components installed (and purchased) which will help break up the costs. I also opted for the JB4 option on their analyzer so I can read the ethanol content using my JB4 Mobile app.

As usual, Fuel-It stuff packaged well and properly labeled to make installation a breeze.





I watched the installation break-down videos made by Fuel-It prior to starting the install, so I had a good idea of what to expect along the way. As instructed, I began under the rear seat, disconnecting the power to the LPFP, starting the car, and allowing the car down to shut down from fuel starvation. This released the pressure from the line on the fuel-filter side. Unfortunately, when I removed the OEM fuel line, I did get sprayed a bit, but it quickly dissipated.



At this point, I had to get the car in the air and the bottom plastic panels removed to gain access to the lines. Once the OEM fuel line was removed from the four brackets, it was time to pull the line down from the tank and snake the Fuel-It replacement line up to the fuel filter side of the tank. After a few tries, I successfully routed the larger diameter line up to the fitting. From there, it connected to the fuel filter easily.



Back underneath the car, I continued removing the OEM fuel line (the blue line).



Since I opted for the complete fuel line replacement from tank to HPFP, I would have to remove some components to gain access. After the filters, charge pipe, throttle body, and black box underneath were removed, I removed the OEM fuel line and replaced it with the Fuel-it upgrade. I greased the fitting, added the appropriate clip, and slid on the larger diameter line. It's also worth noting that Fuel-it provided all the zip ties, grease, clips, etc. to do the job correctly.



Now I turned my concentration back under the car to where I'd be mounting the ethanol sensor. Using the provided bolt, the Continental sensor mounted up perfectly. From there, both sides of the fitting were greased, and each of the Fuel-It replacement lines were connected. With the fantastic looking Fuel-It ethanol analyzer plugged in, and wiring routed over towards the DME box, wiring the analyzer in was the lone remaining task. The fit and finish of everything once mounted was definitely up to my standard.



Wiring up the electronics proved to be light work as well. With the harness side of the JB4 removed, I plugged in the provided wire into pin 15 (for the N54), tapped into the power wire, and grounded the analyzer to the closest strut tower bolt. Again, Fuel-It provided all the necessary wires, connectors, and zip ties. Even extras in case you managed to mangle some. You can also see how I have my G5 ISO board sitting so the lid closes easily without issue, as well as the strut bolt I used for the ground.



I then reinstalled all the removed components, primed the fuel pump a few times by turning on the ignition, and started the car while still up on jack stands. I quickly checked all the connections to make sure there were no leaks, which there were none. Now that the upgraded lines had been confirmed as installed correctly, it was time to test that I had wired the analyzer up properly.

I activated the ethanol feature on my JB4 app, set meth scaling to 100, and set E-Content to display as one of 5 gauges. I'm not a fan of the new futuristic theme, so I continue to use this one. Would be really nice to get a theme that matched the OEM gauges closely. I then connected to the car, and confirmed that the past few hours of work hadn't been a waste. And already proving useful as I thought I had been running E40. The new sensor confirmed I was actually running E43.



Sparknotes:
  • Fuel-It products are top notch.
  • I now have a live reading of ethanol content viewable through my JB4 Mobile App that I connect to using Bluetooth.
  • I've successfully split up some of the cost of eventually going single turbo down the road.
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      10-27-2016, 02:24 PM   #30
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I can appreciate all the work you've put in to your car. Looks great!

I'm curious about fuel mixing in the gas tank.
Do you find that your ethanol content changes as you drive after refueling, or approach empty on a tank? Or is it pretty consistent between fill-ups?
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      10-27-2016, 03:03 PM   #31
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I don't know if you are experiencing the same thing, but I have grown tired of my CD mounted phone holder. It sits too low. I'm going to start looking for a windshield mounted holder. The airvent thing didn't work well for me either.
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      10-27-2016, 03:32 PM   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjswarbrick View Post
I can appreciate all the work you've put in to your car. Looks great!

I'm curious about fuel mixing in the gas tank.
Do you find that your ethanol content changes as you drive after refueling, or approach empty on a tank? Or is it pretty consistent between fill-ups?
I appreciate the kind words and thanks for checking out my build.

As far as fuel mixing goes, I've been paying very close attention to the content ever since installing the ethanol sensor.

Hypothetically, if I pulled into a gas station with a few gallons of only 93 octane gasoline in the tank and my ethanol content reading around E10 on the JB4 app, here's how things would happen:

I would then fill whatever ratio of E85 and 93 octane I was shooting for, which is typically E40 at the current moment. Steve from Fuel-It has confirmed that the two fuels in the tank mix together almost instantly because of the return lines that are constantly moving fuel around within the tanks and pumps. You'll understand this first hand if you've ever swapped out a fuel pump on this platform.

After completing the fill up and firing back up the engine, it's only a matter of time before the existing pure 93 octane in the fuel lines remaining from when I pulled up to the pump, is pushed out and replaced by the new mixture in the tank.

After around 2 minutes of light driving (shifting at around 3,000 RPM), the ratio of ethanol will begin rising from E10 to E11 to E12 to E13 and so on until it reaches the new ethanol content of the fuel mixture I just filled up with; usually somewhere around E40. But after 5 minutes or so of driving the ethanol content will stay constant at the E40 number until I fill-up again.

Once the tank of E40 is empty, if I fill up with exactly the same ratio, and there is already E40 in the lines from the prior tank, the ethanol content stays steady at E40.

Hope this answers your questions!
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      10-27-2016, 03:38 PM   #33
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VRG_135 View Post
I don't know if you are experiencing the same thing, but I have grown tired of my CD mounted phone holder. It sits too low. I'm going to start looking for a windshield mounted holder. The airvent thing didn't work well for me either.
I'm still loving mine. It's a bit low compared to a windshield mount, but I prefer the look of this one much more. I've also grown to love the easy swivel ability of being able to turn my phone quickly from portrait to landscape orientation without issues.

I've never been a fan of suction cups on my window and I learned to loathe my air vent clip, so this is fitting my needs nicely at the moment.

Then again, I've only had this setup for a few months, so I'm sure I'll find more flaws the more I interact with the CD mounted phone holder.
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      10-27-2016, 03:46 PM   #34
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Thanks!

Thankfully, I haven't had to replace a fuel pump yet. Though I'm at 65,000 miles (N55) so I may be getting close.

I don't run ethanol, but a month ago I was headed out to a track event and there was a "race" fueling station on the way. Gauge showed about 1/4 tank of my premium 91 octane remaining. I put in 2 gallons of 100, followed by some 94. Shooting for around 93 octane (hot day, but no tune and minimal bolt-ons) I was going to stop it around 5 gallons, but it stopped by itself at 5.02 before I got around to releasing the handle.
So I figure I had about 7.5 gallons of California special left in there. (Love those accurate fuel gauges.)
Anyway, looks like I ended up just over 93 octane for the day. It started great and ran like a champ for the whole tank (which, sadly, was gone just a couple days later. Wonder why...) I didn't feel it change over time. But I'm pleased to hear the mixing is fairly quick, and stable once achieved.
Just wish that station wasn't a 30 mile detour from my regular commute.
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      10-30-2016, 05:28 PM   #35
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A few months back I was scanning some saved searches on eBay (as I often do because of my day job) when I ran across a poorly described listing advertising for a BMW diffuser listed as a "Buy It Now" option for $350. From what I could gather from the owner of the listing, the negatives were that the diffuser had some minor cracking and clear coating issues in a few different places. The positives were that this was an OEM BMW Performance piece in full carbon fiber, had all tabs intact, and was cheap. As I usually do on eBay, I offered him lower than he was asking and by the time it was over I was the proud owner of this diffuser for $250 including shipping.

Within a few days, I had the diffuser in hand. Sure enough, the diffuser was indeed authentic.



After seeing the extent of the damage in person and seeing that the majority of the unsightliness was a result of flaking clear coat, I made the decision to try to repair the diffuser, carefully sand down the damaged areas, and reapply another coat of clear. Before attempting to do some of the touch-up work myself, I had a chance encounter with a business acquaintance of mine that does some body work for our company. In between doing small jobs, he managed to squeeze in some time to see what he could do for my diffuser. The finished product looked much better than what I initially received, looks good enough that I'll probably keep the carbon fiber look for the time being, and cost me $0.

This piece definitely sharpens up the view from the rear and for a total of $250 invested, is hard to beat. The OEM E82 diffuser was removed in less than 5 minutes and the OEM BMW Performance diffuser in carbon fiber installed in less than 5 minutes. No fitment issues, no fuss.







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      11-06-2016, 09:53 PM   #36
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Took the time this afternoon to perform a routine oil change as I turned over 65,000 miles this past weekend. As some added insurance, I will be following 5,000 intervals while I own the car. I also took this opportunity to replace the OEM oil drain plug with the Dimple Plug I recently picked up -- definitely interested to see what this has collected over the next 5,000 miles.



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      11-18-2016, 10:09 PM   #37
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After purchasing this mint condition 2008 BMW 135i back in late May with 54,000 miles on the odometer, I know find myself 6 months into ownership after turning 66,000 miles earlier this week.

Within those 6 months, I became very well acquainted with my new obsession. I documented every mod, repair, and preventative maintenance along the way in my build thread (which is linked in my signature). Some of these experiences were brought upon myself, and others forced.

The difference between the day I drove this car home and the car I drive today is immense. My modified version of the E82 135i not only looks menacing in stance, exterior improvements, and color scheme, but it sounds and plays the part well. Every opportunity I could find this spring, summer and fall to fully lower the windows, I took. The stereo was powered off, and still, the soundtrack never got old. Driver's side upgraded inlets, an ER charge pipe equipped with an HKS BOV, a fully catless and resonated exhaust finished off with a Maddad Whisper axleback provided a sensational combination of sounds no matter the driving situation. The BMS clutch stop, ZHP weighted knob, and CDV delete had made operating the 6-speed transmission far more precise and easier to operate every day. What used to be a loose, uninspiring handle was quickly remedied with a slightly lower stance complete with Koni shocks, wider wheels, and more rubber. Aesthetic interior mods, aero parts, and blackout accents brought everything full circle.

Some quick, stream of thought pros and cons:

Pros: For the money, the complete package can't be beat. The power, the looks, the overall build quality is pretty great. I invested $16,500 initially, and probably closer to $21,000 the way it sits now. With somewhere in the neighborhood of 450HP/475TQ on tap, and the ability to easily add a bit more down the road, there's not another car I would ever consider at the present moment for my wants and needs. That's something I've only been able to say once before in my life. The ride is great. This suspension setup is super street-able every day and most of the time I forget how low to the ground this car really is. Car gets great gas mileage, obviously much better with 93 than with high E85 blends. Transmission is both challenging and satisfying. It took me longer than most cars to get a full grasp of the engagement points, rev matching points, and heel toe positions, but now nailing, seamlessly smooth shifts is really rewarding. My girlfriend is not a car enthusiast in the slightest, but she can't seem to tell any differences between the stock version of the 135i I originally purchased and how it sits now; which is a big win in my book. The sport seats are the best I've ever had the pleasure of sitting in and keep my frame perfectly aligned behind the wheel. Mod-ability is great. If I get bored there's always something to tinker with, DIY repair is fairly straightforward, and the platform only seems to be growing.

Cons: Cost of parts, mostly OEM repair related. Aftermarket parts, some of which I've purchased used, didn't really break the bank, but a complete set of index 12 injectors plus coding software wasn't fun to buy unexpectedly. OEM radio is subpar, and mine suffers from pixelation loss when left in any kind of heat for an extended period. Knowing my water pump and thermostat will leave me stranded more than likely over the year and will cost another $500 plus my weekend isn't comforting. I'm now on my second 3rd brake light that I'll need to replace because of cracking. Coming from a car with heated seats and steering wheel, not having either in the 135i is already sorely missed even though it's only November. My brakes squeak under light braking and always have despite having plenty of pad, no debris stuck between the pad and rotor, etc. Dual mass flywheel is noisier than I'd like.

As you can see, the cons are practically nonexistent compared to the pros. This car has my heart and will for the foreseeable future. And I used to think only M cars had soul. I was able to capture one last photo in front of the fall foliage before we fade into Winter here in North Carolina. It's been an absolute pleasure thus far!

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      11-19-2016, 01:18 AM   #38
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Really diggin ' the mods, and enjoy reading the write-up.

Do you know if your brake pads are Stock, OE, or aftermarket? Unless they're track pads you really shouldn't have to put up with any squeak. I wonder if they need to be re - bedded.

I know you say your happy with the clutch now, and hate working under the dash. But the UCP made a world of difference in feel, response, and consistency - and can be adjusted for engagement.

Last edited by tjswarbrick; 11-29-2016 at 05:45 PM..
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      11-19-2016, 11:40 AM   #39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tjswarbrick View Post
Really diggin ' the mods, and enjoy reading the write-up.

Do you if your brake pads are Stock, OE, or aftermarket? Unless they're track pads you really shouldn't have to put up with any squeak. I wonder if they need to be re - bedded.

I know you say your happy with the clutch now, and hate working under the dash. But the UCP made a world of difference in feel, response, and consistency - and can be adjusted for engagement.
Thanks for following along and glad to hear you're enjoying the content so far.

I'm really not sure about the pads. I assume they're probably OEM replacements judging by the prior owner. The sensors haven't been set off and I've visually confirmed there is plenty of pad left. Eventually I'll replace the pads/rotors on their now with upgraded versions. I did try re-bedding them a few months ago, which worked well for about a week.

I've honestly never even considered the Ultimate Clutch Pedal. I'll have to look into it a little further. I appreciate the suggestion!
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      11-22-2016, 12:22 PM   #40
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Nice write up! Great build! 450HP for $21k seems like a bargain, especially considering it's the way you want it.
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      11-22-2016, 02:03 PM   #41
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Did you grind down the tab on the brake light when you replaced it? Make sure to grind down the tab, as the little tab applies extra stress to the housing which when in cold weather is what causes the cracking. I didn't see anything about that third brake light in your thread so that's why I'm throwing in this tip!
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      11-28-2016, 12:38 PM   #42
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VMRWheels View Post
Nice write up! Great build! 450HP for $21k seems like a bargain, especially considering it's the way you want it.
Exactly. Hell of a deal if you ask me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by deesea View Post
Did you grind down the tab on the brake light when you replaced it? Make sure to grind down the tab, as the little tab applies extra stress to the housing which when in cold weather is what causes the cracking. I didn't see anything about that third brake light in your thread so that's why I'm throwing in this tip!
I did. I think the problem was instead that I didn't replace the spring bolts. Apparently there is an updated style that is a little more forgiving on the light. I'll try that when I order a replacement.
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      11-29-2016, 05:35 PM   #43
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chadillac2000 yes you're correct. You do need to change the spring bolts.
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      12-05-2016, 09:31 AM   #44
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Around the same time I began my search for an OEM BMW Performance carbon fiber diffuser, I also began searching for a set of OEM BMW Performance side skirts in Jet Black. They took a little longer to track down in used condition since I was looking for a particular color, but my hard work eventually paid off and I saved a few bucks off purchasing new and having them painted.



Installation was simple, straightforward, and took less than an hour to install both.



Each of these small aesthetic additions, although subtle on their own, have done wonders as a whole for the overall look.



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