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      07-15-2019, 07:30 PM   #1
frenzy757
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1m conversion more viable now?

Checking our prices of 135i and they seem fairly depressed now. Any thoughts on doing a conversion over time now?

Was hoping over time it would be turn key but so far doesn't seem so.
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      07-15-2019, 07:42 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frenzy757 View Post
Checking our prices of 135i and they seem fairly depressed now. Any thoughts on doing a conversion over time now?

Was hoping over time it would be turn key but so far doesn't seem so.
Wow. The full details would be far greater than what I'm about to describe, but here's a high level list of things you'd have to procure to accomplish what you say.

1) 135 sedan
2) E9x M3 donor car for running gear, suspension and hydraulic power steering
3) bespoke 1M Getrag transmission (from manufacturer or 1M donor)
4) 1M turbos and engine management software (unclear to me what needed)
5) 1M body panels (from manufacturer or 1M donor)
6) 1M interior (from manufacturer or 1M donor)

I suppose you could skip 5 & 6 if you wanted a sleeper and only wanted the performance elements.

Good luck. Keep all the receipts and a log of hours spent so you can share with the group afterwards.
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      07-15-2019, 07:59 PM   #3
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Forget about it, just buy a real 1M and enjoy a car that doesn't lose value (nobody will give a care about your converted 135i).
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      07-15-2019, 11:21 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frenzy757 View Post
Checking our prices of 135i and they seem fairly depressed now. Any thoughts on doing a conversion over time now?

Was hoping over time it would be turn key but so far doesn't seem so.
Everyone overlooks the steering rack on 1M conversión and that is one of the best parts. I think buy a high mileage 1M is a better value than building one. Yes you might be able to build one for less than 1M price but you will still have comparable maintenance and issues and probably go over budget. Let's say you build a 1M clone for $30k but you can get a higher mileage 1M for $40k. When you're done. If you have to sell the clone you will get $20k for it if lucky. If you sell 1M you might get $36k for it

If you ensure your custom 135i you will need special insurance for it while 1M will still KBB at $40k. So there are hidden costs. You also won't get the 1M M dynamic mode and cluster Alcántara etc. Prices have dropped for high mileage cars and it seems like the better option to me.
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      07-16-2019, 02:12 PM   #5
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It depends on your goals. Do you want to feel like you have a real 1M (and convince others into thinking so,) or are you simply going for fun and performance?

If the former, I'd just buy a real 1M, because it's going to cost a fortune to do a conversion of a every little part, yet it won't hold any value and will feel like a lie.

If the latter, I'd buy a 135i and spend a fraction of the 1M's collector price modifying it to be a sleeper that potentially even runs circles around a 1M, depending on how much you want to spend.


edit: I just saw that the OP already has a 1M, so I'm not sure my answer makes sense now. What is the goal, frenzy757?

Last edited by duder13; 07-16-2019 at 02:46 PM..
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      07-16-2019, 02:23 PM   #6
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Polarizing topic.
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      07-16-2019, 02:42 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by frenzy757 View Post
Checking our prices of 135i and they seem fairly depressed now. Any thoughts on doing a conversion over time now?

Was hoping over time it would be turn key but so far doesn't seem so.
You should do whichever that makes you happy.

For me only a true 1M will do.
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      07-16-2019, 05:05 PM   #8
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      07-16-2019, 07:44 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duder13 View Post
If the latter, I'd buy a 135i and spend a fraction of the 1M's collector price modifying it to be a sleeper that potentially even runs circles around a 1M, depending on how much you want to spend.
Running circles around a 1M with a 135i will not be a cost effective endeavor.
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      07-16-2019, 07:57 PM   #10
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There was an ad in the Roundel about 6 months ago for a 2002tii, immaculate car, located in Florida, reasonable price. I called to inquire and was serious about purchasing. When I talked to the seller, who was very honest and friendly, he told me it was a base model 2002 that had been swapped to the tii drivetrain. My interest in the car immediately ended. Just my $.02.
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      07-16-2019, 08:07 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by E30 Racer View Post
Running circles around a 1M with a 135i will not be a cost effective endeavor.
Yeah, I shouldn't have said "run circles around." I just meant outperform.

$15K on the 135i and $10K, give or take, in mods. The 1M was a fantastic value proposition when new vs. the 135i, but, now that the 1M prices have held due to collector/rarity reasons, things get more interesting. If the 1M was trading at current M3 prices from the same time period, then I'd certainly agree. The 1M is a really cool car, but it's not exactly a 911 GT3.

Last edited by duder13; 07-16-2019 at 08:36 PM..
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      07-16-2019, 09:05 PM   #12
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I have nearly finished my 1M conversion in Australia and for me personally it has been 18 months of fun (and a little frustration)!! For me it was not about replicating an exact 1M - I agree in Australia high mileage cars are down to as low as $32000 USD so ownership of one of these is more achievable. In my case a change of jobs to a lower income and the supply of a company car precluded borrowing and having a car sit largely unused for what was then a $42,000 USD low point.

I fully owned my 135i which I bought cheap as it was high mileage and in reality worth little as a trade and hard to shift privately, so I decided to do the 1M conversion as the cost calculations to do this was much cheaper than buying a 1M, it would be a project and it would ensure longevity in my ownership.

I am happy with the 135i performance and I could relatively easily transform my common 135i to a car with presence. Just like some who have built performance monsters that look like a 135i, my goal was to replicate the looks of a pretty cool car. And this sort of stuff is not new, a certain German performance car manufacturer made a ton selling turbo body options on its mainstream cars.

We all have different motivations and now my 135i is the longest time I have held onto a car. Further the conversion route gives one more of a licence to modify - if I owned a 1M it would be stock simple as that. I can now play with seats, rims, steering wheels, interiors and paint and sell and swap out parts without worry of devaluation. I can also use mine without fear. The investment or high value cars are those with low miles which seems to defeat the purpose of ownership.
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      07-17-2019, 10:42 AM   #13
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Put the E9X V8 in there and it might be worth it. Otherwise - buy the real thing.
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      07-17-2019, 12:04 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by Eiremon View Post
Put the E9X V8 in there and it might be worth it. Otherwise - buy the real thing.
I agree. Something super special like that might make more sense than 1M clone.
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      07-17-2019, 12:06 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by asn993 View Post
...And this sort of stuff is not new, a certain German performance car manufacturer made a ton selling turbo body options on its mainstream cars.
It’s funny you should mention this. Being primarily a Porsche fan myself (the E82 is one of the only BMWs that I love from the last few decades,) one of my dream cars is actually the opposite. Louise Piëch’s Porsche 911 Turbo (the first one made) with a regular narrow body:

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      07-17-2019, 03:54 PM   #16
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1M conversions are mostly silly...except for a few really good ones I've see by people like Marco in California.

Most of them seem poorly executed and incomplete.

I saw a 135 with a 1M bumper on the street a few months back and it looked pitiful. Dunno why so many 1-series owners ruin their cars.

I LOVE the 128 and 135 and I think people should enjoy them as is. I loved my 135 before I got my 1M.
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      07-18-2019, 07:29 AM   #17
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A 1M-style/replica front bumper on a 135i is not a conversion.

Conversion would be the full widebody, rear quarters, front fenders and bumper, plus assorted wheel liners, undertray, plastic bits etc etc.
I'd also do the DCT+V8 combo if presented the opportunity.

asn993 and odyssey on this forum are my favorites and have an unmatched OEM+ quality finish to them. Others I've seen are hack-jobs.
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      07-18-2019, 12:39 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmx View Post
A 1M-style/replica front bumper on a 135i is not a conversion.

Conversion would be the full widebody, rear quarters, front fenders and bumper, plus assorted wheel liners, undertray, plastic bits etc etc.
I'd also do the DCT+V8 combo if presented the opportunity.

asn993 and odyssey on this forum are my favorites and have an unmatched OEM+ quality finish to them. Others I've seen are hack-jobs.
You had me at "bumper not conversion". Was frothing when I saw V8 but you lost me at DCT. That is no longer a 1M. Being the last car bmw will ever offer as a manual only car is core to the 1M. The motor not so much but manual only was a statement in this day and age. The only other car that has done that recently is the GT4 and that is good company. If you put automatic in 135i replica 1M might as well add M badge to Hyundai sports car in my humble opinion.
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      07-18-2019, 01:01 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gmx View Post
A 1M-style/replica front bumper on a 135i is not a conversion.

Conversion would be the full widebody, rear quarters, front fenders and bumper, plus assorted wheel liners, undertray, plastic bits etc etc.
I'd also do the DCT+V8 combo if presented the opportunity.

asn993 and odyssey on this forum are my favorites and have an unmatched OEM+ quality finish to them. Others I've seen are hack-jobs.
Curious to see your view on what makes a hack-job.
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      07-18-2019, 01:14 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 10" View Post
1M conversions are mostly silly...except for a few really good ones I've see by people like Marco in California.

Most of them seem poorly executed and incomplete.

I saw a 135 with a 1M bumper on the street a few months back and it looked pitiful. Dunno why so many 1-series owners ruin their cars.

I LOVE the 128 and 135 and I think people should enjoy them as is. I loved my 135 before I got my 1M.
Personally, if my car is ever totaled either because of vehicle crash, motor blowing or whatever, then I am definetly thinking about 1M-like modifications. For me it wouldn't be too much about copying the 1M, but more about changing the driving experience. I already run 255 width tires square, if I could do that in the front without worrying about rubbing on the fender to front bumper transition that would be awesome.

I probably would also think about engine swap if my engine blew up. I haven't considered what I might try to swap in since I don't want to plan in depth for something I want to avoid but, still open to it as a consideration.

If the 1M didn't exist, would people still try to come up with body kits either for aesthetics or performance reasons? I think so. It just so happens BMW already went through the design effort and created something that most people like.
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      07-18-2019, 02:27 PM   #21
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Personally, people can do whatever they want with their vehicles. Me, I want my car stock.
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      07-18-2019, 10:14 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nachob View Post
You had me at "bumper not conversion". Was frothing when I saw V8 but you lost me at DCT. That is no longer a 1M. Being the last car bmw will ever offer as a manual only car is core to the 1M. The motor not so much but manual only was a statement in this day and age. The only other car that has done that recently is the GT4 and that is good company. If you put automatic in 135i replica 1M might as well add M badge to Hyundai sports car in my humble opinion.
If it's a converted E82/135i, it was never a 1M anyway. What does it matter? I've never had a good engagement with the 6MT in the E9x V8. It feels mismatched and like it never belonged. An after-thought from M Gmbh. Just my opinion.
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