2013 n55 first mods

[500AF]

Hi All,
I purchased this car four years ago and have not driven much. Just ordered a mild suspension upgrade with b6's and ECS front/rear sway bars.

In terms of engine upgrades I wanted to start with the intake and charge pipe. Any recommendations, seems to be a slew of after market products.

I am not looking to do anything too extreme but will be getting a tune like the mhd or cobb next.

Thanks in advance!

[Elderado82]

Don't waste your money on an intake it has proven time and time again it is a waste of money with our cars until you start hitting very hi horse power numbers. The N55 intake is very well engineered and is through and through a cold air intake if you're looking for a bit more flow then get a K&N filter.
Get yourself a set of NGK +1 step colder spark plugs gapped at .025 this will help with rough idle and partial throttle surging with the MHD 1 to 2+ tune.
Charge pipe is a very good move, you won't get any gains but it will give you the piece of mind that its not going to explode on you especially if you're looking into tuning. With a charge pipe I would highly recommend a better intercooler, lots of choices out there. Also, a cat-less downpipe will gain massive performance improvements with a MHD 2+ or E30 tune.
With this you're looking at gains of up to or around 400 hp and 425 lb ft torque. Also, do you due diligence and peruse around the forum there is a ton of good info regarding your question. Good luck in your venture towards more power.

Edit: LOL, didn't realize you have a 128i, oh well. Still good luck and have fun.

[500AF]

Thanks for the response! I am sure these questions get asked many times. I live in Virginia and they dont really check emissions, at least not on the three cars I own so I think I am going to go with this:

https://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-3-5-st...-bmw-135i.html

Originally Posted by Elderado82

Don't waste your money on an intake it has proven time and time again it is a waste of money with our cars until you start hitting very hi horse power numbers. The N55 intake is very well engineered and is through and through a cold air intake if you're looking for a bit more flow then get a K&N filter.
Get yourself a set of NGK +1 step colder spark plugs gapped at .025 this will help with rough idle and partial throttle surging with the MHD 1 to 2+ tune.
Charge pipe is a very good move, you won't get any gains but it will give you the piece of mind that its not going to explode on you especially if you're looking into tuning. With a charge pipe I would highly recommend a better intercooler, lots of choices out there. Also, a cat-less downpipe will gain massive performance improvements with a MHD 2+ or E30 tune.
With this you're looking at gains of up to or around 400 hp and 425 lb ft torque. Also, do you due diligence and peruse around the forum there is a ton of good info regarding your question. Good luck in your venture towards more power.

Edit: LOL, didn't realize you have a 128i, oh well. Still good luck and have fun.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Assuming you bought an N55 recevently ( your signature says 128), we offer a downpipe + intercooler + charge pipe combo deal

[Elderado82]

Originally Posted by 500AF

Thanks for the response! I am sure these questions get asked many times. I live in Virginia and they dont really check emissions, at least not on the three cars I own so I think I am going to go with this:

https://www.vr-speed.com/vrsf-3-5-st...-bmw-135i.html

Great choice I got the VRSF downpipe and it's insane the power you'll get after a tune even OTS tunes are very good with just a simple downpipe. I run mine with stock 135i muffler and love the sound. Get a nice purr at partial throttle with fun turbo noises at WOT the exhaust opens up and wails with that beautiful inline 6 orchestra behind you. You'll enjoy the purchase. Again I highly recommend the spark plugs you won't be sorry.

[500AF]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Assuming you bought an N55 recevently ( your signature says 128), we offer a downpipe + intercooler + charge pipe combo deal

good catch, I think I bought this car 4 years ago, its sat for the better part of 2 years, I havent had time to drive much but am looking to get some of these upgrades.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by 500AF

good catch, I think I bought this car 4 years ago, its sat for the better part of 2 years, I havent had time to drive much but am looking to get some of these upgrades.

[Petro135]

Originally Posted by 500AF

good catch, I think I bought this car 4 years ago, its sat for the better part of 2 years, I havent had time to drive much but am looking to get some of these upgrades.

Mike@ xph is a good man. If I was buying all over again, I'd get a vrsf package deal from him with everything you need

[wantmymoneyincash]

Originally Posted by Elderado82

Don't waste your money on an intake it has proven time and time again it is a waste of money with our cars until you start hitting very hi horse power numbers. The N55 intake is very well engineered and is through and through a cold air intake if you're looking for a bit more flow then get a K&N filter.
Get yourself a set of NGK +1 step colder spark plugs gapped at .025 this will help with rough idle and partial throttle surging with the MHD 1 to 2+ tune.
Charge pipe is a very good move, you won't get any gains but it will give you the piece of mind that its not going to explode on you especially if you're looking into tuning. With a charge pipe I would highly recommend a better intercooler, lots of choices out there. Also, a cat-less downpipe will gain massive performance improvements with a MHD 2+ or E30 tune.
With this you're looking at gains of up to or around 400 hp and 425 lb ft torque. Also, do you due diligence and peruse around the forum there is a ton of good info regarding your question. Good luck in your venture towards more power.

Edit: LOL, didn't realize you have a 128i, oh well. Still good luck and have fun.

Regarding the gapped plugs... I flashed to MHD 2+ with full bolt ons, soon after I started getting a little rough idle as well as these weird surges and "bumps" (like it stopped spraying in fuel for a split second). I seem to notice the surges at cruising highway speed the most. Could the plugs be the cause of that? I replaced them before I put all the mods on. They are BMW ZR5TPP33 Spark Plug - Bosch 0242145515.

[Elderado82]

Originally Posted by wantmymoneyincash

Regarding the gapped plugs... I flashed to MHD 2+ with full bolt ons, soon after I started getting a little rough idle as well as these weird surges and "bumps" (like it stopped spraying in fuel for a split second). I seem to notice the surges at cruising highway speed the most. Could the plugs be the cause of that? I replaced them before I put all the mods on. They are BMW ZR5TPP33 Spark Plug - Bosch 0242145515.

I had the exact same issue with my 2013 135i was running the same Bosch spark plugs too. Talked with my Indy Mechanic and told him about the surging with cruise control and throttle issues. I'm super meticulous with my car and he knows me very well with that said he pointed me to getting NGK 1+ colder spark plugs and told me to gap them at .022. I did which got rid of the surge and throttle issues but then had issues with cold starts where the car died. So I contacted him again and he sent me another set for free gapped at .025 and WOW!!!. No issues with idle, cold starts, or throttle surge.

[wantmymoneyincash]

Originally Posted by Elderado82

I had the exact same issue with my 2013 135i was running the same Bosch spark plugs too. Talked with my Indy Mechanic and told him about the surging with cruise control and throttle issues. I'm super meticulous with my car and he knows me very well with that said he pointed me to getting NGK 1+ colder spark plugs and told me to gap them at .022. I did which got rid of the surge and throttle issues but then had issues with cold starts where the car died. So I contacted him again and he sent me another set for free gapped at .025 and WOW!!!. No issues with idle, cold starts, or throttle surge.

That might be my ticket. I will order them and gap to .025 and see how she does. Thank you sir. Sorry to thread jack!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Originally Posted by Petro135

Mike@ xph is a good man.

Thank you!!

[montySix10]

Originally Posted by Petro135

Mike@ xph is a good man. If I was buying all over again, I'd get a vrsf package deal from him with everything you need

Hey I am in the same boat as OP. I looked at x-ph.com but don't see a vrsf package.. Did I miss something?

[wantmymoneyincash]

Originally Posted by Elderado82

I had the exact same issue with my 2013 135i was running the same Bosch spark plugs too. Talked with my Indy Mechanic and told him about the surging with cruise control and throttle issues. I'm super meticulous with my car and he knows me very well with that said he pointed me to getting NGK 1+ colder spark plugs and told me to gap them at .022. I did which got rid of the surge and throttle issues but then had issues with cold starts where the car died. So I contacted him again and he sent me another set for free gapped at .025 and WOW!!!. No issues with idle, cold starts, or throttle surge.

Put the new plugs in gapped to .025. Car seems to idle the same, still just slightly rough but the surging/hesitations/weird throttle issues seems to have gone away for now. Only about 100 miles in so far so I will monitor. I decided to step up to a custom tune with Jordan Tuning and get away from the OTS MHD stage 2+ map. I believe I am running a bit rich and the DME needs to be ironed out. Excited to see how the car runs after we get it dialed in.

[Cbadca]

in terms of mods i went with the red start / stop button first and window tint second. the red button on the dash just looks cool, its cheap, and you see it all the time when driving so you know you did something right, lol.

seriously though before you jump on sway bars and the like consider getting trw 1m front control arms and dinan camber plates. Then have it tuned to -2 degree camber. makes a noticeable difference vs. understeer. another issue with the suspension is the rear bushings. they are sloppy and you lose traction under hard braking and quick acceleration like in auto-x. replacing rear bushings is all day labor ($$$$$). I opted for Powerflex black inserts. totally worth it imho. I auto-x and its my DD but i don't track. the value for money ratio made the PF rear inserts the best choice for me. while i was at it i installed koni yellows with eibach springs. car sits lower, looks good, and is more firm. the msport suspension is pretty good, this is stiffer, more alert. i may go back to shorten the bump stops though. not enough travel with stock bumps.

I've installed a mishimoto intercooler (direct oem fit in 1 easy hour labor) and cobb high performance air filter.

car now breaths better and bites better in the corners.

my car came with a MPP tune that upped the bhp and torque to 135is levels (320/320ish) but more importantly it remaps the exhaust and just sounds so much better than stock. i plan on adding a dinan stage 2 for $600 because it ups the bhp to 360ish and torque to 400 but just as important it doesn't overwrite the MPP exhaust note enhancements.

i read a ton of posts before making my selections. it was dizzying. you just gotta make a choice and execute at some point. I don't regret any of my choices at this time. hope this helps.

[500AF]

Originally Posted by Cbadca

in terms of mods i went with the red start / stop button first and window tint second. the red button on the dash just looks cool, its cheap, and you see it all the time when driving so you know you did something right, lol.

seriously though before you jump on sway bars and the like consider getting trw 1m front control arms and dinan camber plates. Then have it tuned to -2 degree camber. makes a noticeable difference vs. understeer. another issue with the suspension is the rear bushings. they are sloppy and you lose traction under hard braking and quick acceleration like in auto-x. replacing rear bushings is all day labor ($$$$$). I opted for Powerflex black inserts. totally worth it imho. I auto-x and its my DD but i don't track. the value for money ratio made the PF rear inserts the best choice for me. while i was at it i installed koni yellows with eibach springs. car sits lower, looks good, and is more firm. the msport suspension is pretty good, this is stiffer, more alert. i may go back to shorten the bump stops though. not enough travel with stock bumps.

I've installed a mishimoto intercooler (direct oem fit in 1 easy hour labor) and cobb high performance air filter.

car now breaths better and bites better in the corners.

my car came with a MPP tune that upped the bhp and torque to 135is levels (320/320ish) but more importantly it remaps the exhaust and just sounds so much better than stock. i plan on adding a dinan stage 2 for $600 because it ups the bhp to 360ish and torque to 400 but just as important it doesn't overwrite the MPP exhaust note enhancements.

i read a ton of posts before making my selections. it was dizzying. you just gotta make a choice and execute at some point. I don't regret any of my choices at this time. hope this helps.

I think I bought those control arms three years ago, they are sitting somewhere in my garage... totally forgot about them. I just had the b6's put in and the sway bars... its a lot, lot better. I just ordered the bmw performance springs and hopefully will get them in a week or two - I think the rears were on back order.

So you are going to change your flash and go with the Dinan - why, the consensus seems to be most prefer the mhd.

[Cbadca]

I guess its all about intended use and experience. I've had Dinan before and just like their reliability, predictability, and set it and forget it approach. That's why I went with Dinan fixed camber plates. I'm not into remapping for DD and occasional auto-x use. I have a DCT and its always in sport shift and sport mode once up to temp. (: When you read early posts the Dinan was well over $1k now its $599 which makes it competitive. Also it appears to work best preserving the exhaust sound gains from the M Performance Pack already installed. Peak HP 355 @ 5300 RPM/Peak Torque (lb-ft) 401 @ 5300 RPM sounds perfect for my intended use. I have 64K on my car and want it to last a long time.

The control arms and camber plates got me -2 degrees so when I auto-x i won't have so much tire roll/understeer and when I get Apex wheels I can run 235's/265's even though the Eibach springs lowered the car about an inch vs stock Msport suspension. It's my understanding M Perform springs are somewhere in-between the two. I only got Eibach springs because they came as a cup kit with Koni Yellows soooo cheap from ECS. I'm a cost v value buyer.

If you're going to auto-x consider getting E46 Style 68 wheels (<$300 on CL) at 17". They fit great and you can +1 the tires at a minimum. Tires are cheaper vs 18's, side walls are taller which I like, and saves your DD tires.

Intended use and a plan is so critical because there are so many opinions here that while valid are subject to different desired results. I'm a bit older so take it for what its worth. I've had a E36 M3 and a M2. Loved them both but didn't want to personalize them or abuse them so I sold them and bought the 135i to personalize and not worry about devaluation. I love that this platform has so many possibilities. I also prefer the size vs. newer cars or even the E90 3's. Have fun making your car an extension of your imagination.

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Cbadca

I guess its all about intended use and experience. I've had Dinan before and just like their reliability, predictability, and set it and forget it approach. That's why I went with Dinan fixed camber plates. I'm not into remapping for DD and occasional auto-x use. I have a DCT and its always in sport shift and sport mode once up to temp. (: When you read early posts the Dinan was well over $1k now its $599 which makes it competitive. Also it appears to work best preserving the exhaust sound gains from the M Performance Pack already installed. Peak HP 355 @ 5300 RPM/Peak Torque (lb-ft) 401 @ 5300 RPM sounds perfect for my intended use. I have 64K on my car and want it to last a long time.

The control arms and camber plates got me -2 degrees so when I auto-x i won't have so much tire roll/understeer and when I get Apex wheels I can run 235's/265's even though the Eibach springs lowered the car about an inch vs stock Msport suspension. It's my understanding M Perform springs are somewhere in-between the two. I only got Eibach springs because they came as a cup kit with Koni Yellows soooo cheap from ECS. I'm a cost v value buyer.

If you're going to auto-x consider getting E46 Style 68 wheels (<$300 on CL) at 17". They fit great and you can +1 the tires at a minimum. Tires are cheaper vs 18's, side walls are taller which I like, and saves your DD tires.

Intended use and a plan is so critical because there are so many opinions here that while valid are subject to different desired results. I'm a bit older so take it for what its worth. I've had a E36 M3 and a M2. Loved them both but didn't want to personalize them or abuse them so I sold them and bought the 135i to personalize and not worry about devaluation. I love that this platform has so many possibilities. I also prefer the size vs. newer cars or even the E90 3's. Have fun making your car an extension of your imagination.

I think you're referring to PPK (Performance Power Kit). I had that on my 135i with Dinan Stage 2 tune as well and really liked that you could flash Dinan over PPK and still get those wonderful burbling effects that PPK is known for. It sounds different than MHD's burbling imo. Sound is subjective, though, and we don't all like the same thing.

I like Dinan for the same reasons you mention in your post above. Also agree that the BMWP springs are somewhere between Eibach and the M Sport springs. They were a happy medium for me. I'm a bit older too and like things on the conservative side.

PS - most people would choose MHD over Dinan. It costs less and is versatile. Dinan S2 is one tune and you can't make any adjustments, which was fine with me.

[Cbadca]

you are correct - PPK - I was co-mingling MPE and PPK. thanks

[Esteban]

Originally Posted by Cbadca

you are correct - PPK - I was co-mingling MPE and PPK. thanks

Speaking of the PE, I had that on my car as well. Great sound, plus it enhanced the pops and crackles of PPK.