Experience with VAC Motorsports in Philly?

[NGEE]

EDIT: see post #10 - I've decided to sell my prized 135is....
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I'm starting the process of having them do some performance upgrades to my 135is (current DINAN stage 3), and I'm wondering if any of you have had good or bad experiences with them?

- Quaife LSD
- quad tip BMW performance exhaust upgrade (1M/M3) with diffuser mod
(135is has the BMW performance exhaust, but with two-tips left side)
- full OEM refresh of original M-sport suspension (shocks, bushings)

I've heard they're the exclusive Quaife importer for the U.S.? Is that the case?

[Blau]

They're a very reputable shop with a very active track presence. I consider them a top tier shop.

[jwolf]

As a keep it stock guy, there are a few things suspension wise that I would not do stock. I would do the M3 control arms from TRW, or BMW. You get -.05 camber up front. You loose some mush in the steering with better stiffer joints. The kit has one arm for the rear. Aluminum instead of the stamped steel. The fixed Dinan camber plates up front. While doing the diff, change those subframe bushings. New diff bushings are a given. Partial to Koni sports. The need for negative camber up front really changes the car.

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by jwolf

As a keep it stock guy, there are a few things suspension wise that I would not do stock. I would do the M3 control arms from TRW, or BMW. You get -.05 camber up front. You loose some mush in the steering with better stiffer joints. The kit has one arm for the rear. Aluminum instead of the stamped steel. The fixed Dinan camber plates up front. While doing the diff, change those subframe bushings. New diff bushings are a given. Partial to Koni sports. The need for negative camber up front really changes the car.

This sounds great, but TBH I can't really understand what you're saying...

"The kit has one arm for the rear." -- aren't there two arms in the rear? I don't understand.

"The fixed Dinan camber plates up front" -- are you saying to buy and install Dinan camber plates?

"While doing the diff, change those subframe bushings." -- wouldn't an entire suspension refresh with all new bushings include that?

"Partial to Koni sports." -- for what? The subframe? The diff?

"The need for negative camber up front really changes the car." -- the need changes the car? I assume you mean the negative camber changes the car. What part of what you describe includes that, or is that something different?

[Blau]

Originally Posted by NGEE

This sounds great, but TBH I can't really understand what you're saying...

"The kit has one arm for the rear." — aren't there two arms in the rear? I don't understand.

"The fixed Dinan camber plates up front" — are you saying to buy and install Dinan camber plates?

"While doing the diff, change those subframe bushings." — wouldn't an entire suspension refresh with all new bushings include that?

"Partial to Koni sports." — for what? The subframe? The diff?

"The need for negative camber up front really changes the car." — the need changes the car? I assume you mean the negative camber changes the car. What part of what you describe includes that, or is that something different?

I'll answer some of that.

DINAN camber plates are a must have. Toss them on whichever suspension you go with that doesn't come with plates already (BC, Fortune, ICS, probably others). Bilstein and Koni do not.

Diff bushings and subframe bushings are also an often overlooked suspension component. I went with Whiteline and notice zero additional NVH. Paired with my rear sway bar and Bilstein PSS9 suspension everything seemed to " sync up" and really change the driving dynamics. Not quite a whole new car, but more of a "this is how it's supposed to feel" kind of deal.

Best of luck, hombre.

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by Blau

I'll answer some of that.

DINAN camber plates are a must have. Toss them on whichever suspension you go with that doesn't come with plates already (BC, Fortune, ICS, probably others). Bilstein and Koni do not.

Diff bushings and subframe bushings are also an often overlooked suspension component. I went with Whiteline and notice zero additional NVH. Paired with my rear sway bar and Bilstein PSS9 suspension everything seemed to " sync up" and really change the driving dynamics. Not quite a whole new car, but more of a "this is how it's supposed to feel" kind of deal.

Best of luck, hombre.

Ah ok, thanks. The 135is has the M-Sport suspension. Would you still recommend all the above?

BTW, I'm also looking into possibly installing the 1M variable lock diff which may require upgrading lots of bits back there anyway.

[NGEE]

Originally Posted by NGEE

This sounds great, but TBH I can't really understand what you're saying...

"Partial to Koni sports." -- for what? The subframe? The diff?

lol, duh, dumb question. But the way your comment was written had me thinking you were talking about diff bushings.

[Blau]

Originally Posted by NGEE

lol, duh, dumb question. But the way your comment was written had me thinking you were talking about diff bushings.

Originally Posted by NGEE

Ah ok, thanks. The 135is has the M-Sport suspension. Would you still recommend all the above?

BTW, I'm also looking into possibly installing the 1M variable lock diff which may require upgrading lots of bits back there anyway.

I would absolutely recommend dumping the stock M-Sport suspension for Bilstein PSS9 or really any other high quality coil over/ shock, spring, strut combo.

And yes, diff and subframe bushings are worth upgrading.

[NGEE]

Does anyone know the trick to get VAC Motorsport's attention? I tried all week.

[NGEE]

Sooo... this experience hasn't been great...

• VAC Motorsports is completely unresponsive.
• 1M variable lock diff swap is ~10k (requires updating lots of stuff back there), and in the end I'd be afraid of an unbalanced car unless I also do the front. Seems like a no-go.
• On someone's recommendation I priced out an LSD from diffsonline.com, and got an install quote from dealer. ~4-5k or more depending on diff options.

The whole experience has me thinking of doing something that I said I would NEVER do. https://www.1addicts.com/forums/show....php?t=2070424

I've got a line on a 1M, hoping to wrap it up in the next couple of weeks.

[NGEE]

Vac Motorsports finally got back to me via email two weeks after I'd contacted them by phone where they told me to email them. Their [late] reply email said to call them lol. Self-licking ice cream cone, smh.

I told them I'd already moved on, so in the end they did me a favor.

[carscatscoffee15]

There's a host of reputable shops in that area and in NYC if you ever want to get anything done.

Let me know if you'd like a short list.


I, too, have thought about using VACs services in terms of a job but seeing this and google reviews have saved me the trouble.

In keeping it with the thread... Any reason why someone would do poly bushings instead of aluminum considering the newer BMWs have aluminum/solid bushings in the subframes? I'm having trouble deciding which way to go in terms of this as I already know where I want to go suspension wise in regards to everything else

[scratchgolf135]

Originally Posted by carscatscoffee15

There's a host of reputable shops in that area and in NYC if you ever want to get anything done.

Let me know if you'd like a short list.


I, too, have thought about using VACs services in terms of a job but seeing this and google reviews have saved me the trouble.

In keeping it with the thread... Any reason why someone would do poly bushings instead of aluminum considering the newer BMWs have aluminum/solid bushings in the subframes? I'm having trouble deciding which way to go in terms of this as I already know where I want to go suspension wise in regards to everything else

Really just depends on how much work you want to take on. One piece aluminum will require you to drop the subframe much further so rear brake lines are going to have to be removed. With that a risk of broken brake pipe due to corrosion and having to repair or replace the hard brake pipe (mine both broke). If you want to avoid this I’d recommend the two piece from Condor Speed Shop.

[carscatscoffee15]

I'm already gonna drop the subframe for a full suspension refresh.