My 1st ever 'Baby BMW' - 2007 E81 130i LE - UK car

[danb1979]

Thought I'd pop this in here as the UK section is dead by the looks of it; and I've lots of pictures, so it's more relevant

Bought this back in September last year as my '£5k weekend banger' Im work from home and rarely leave the house during the week, so didn't want to spend more than £5k on a car that's just going to be for the weekends... But it needed to be a manual and interesting...

I had thought of an EP3 or FN2 CTR; but didn't like either of them; at 6ft 4 they didn't have me sitting very well; but the interiors really put me off as well.

I came across this 130i by chance and had to have it (manual, N52 straight 6, great sound etc). So travelled to the south of the UK and bought it; drove it back home. A 14 hour day all in due to slow trains down and messy motorways on the way back

I'm making it my own; very recently just fitted the OEM F3x 340mm Brembo front brakes with Brembo 2 piece discs and Pagid Street+ pads (both superb); and will soon be doing a full suspension overhaul (all arms, links, ARB (sway bar) bushes, track rod ends etc, and then I'll make a decision on whether to fit coilovers (Bilstein B16s, KW V2 'Komforts', ST XTAs or possibly BCs etc); or whether to go for a dedicated & professionally spec'd Birds B1 kit, which is Bilstein/Eibach, but made to their specifications etc

And then I'll sort another set of alloys for summer tyres, as the current 216s have Michelin CC2 all-seasons on to see it through the winter etc

Some recent pictures:





It currently sits on Bilstein B4S shocks, Eibach pro-kit springs with OEM 216 wheels with 225/40 and 235/40 18" tyres

OEM exhaust (valve kept open) and the OEM intake box but with the Mishimoto intake piping and the OEM BMW dry K&N filter inside the airbox

Full project is here: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...f=47&t=2093671

Enjoy

[Aye_shar09]

Cracking car!


Have you researched any shock brands at all?
Mine sits on std Sachs currently but I’ve had a mare finding a great brand I want to put on the car…

Would you be so kind to provide an update as of when you find your shocks? Or any recommendations?

Slowly but surely ay!

*my 1 series posted below pre bumper fit 😀🫡

[danb1979]

Originally Posted by Aye_shar09

Cracking car!


Have you researched any shock brands at all?
Mine sits on std Sachs currently but I’ve had a mare finding a great brand I want to put on the car…

Would you be so kind to provide an update as of when you find your shocks? Or any recommendations?

Slowly but surely ay!

*my 1 series posted below pre bumper fit ����

Absolutely

Get yourself on here too: https://www.babybmw.net/forums/

This is my full project on Pistonheads FYI; I've started it at the page where it shows everything I've got for its full suspension overhaul at the end of March

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/...=2093671&i=380

I'll also be fitting Protrack One wheels with Michelin PS4S tyres, when the alloys land

If you want 'standard shocks' with lowering springs, which is what my 130i is on currently, I'd whole heartedly recommend the Bilstein B4S shocks with Eibach pro-kit springs

They ride very well and take horrible, unloved roads that surround us here in Lancashire very well

I'll be selling them off when the Bilstein B14s are fitted to my 130i FYI; but that's a good month off yet

[danb1979]

This is how it stands now with all the work done to it:



The work:

• Bilstein B14 coilovers fitted; ride height set and tracking/alignment dialled in properly with corner weighting.
• All new arms fitted; inc drop links, inner tie rods/track rod ends etc
• New engine mounts
• Whiteline rear subframe inserts
• New M3 gearbox mounts
• New OEM BMW top mounts all round; with the pin mod done on the fronts (they just unscrewed)
• Brembo 340mm front brake calipers fitted with HEL braided lines all round (rear brakes are OEM BMW discs and pads; fronts are Brembo 2 piece 340mm discs with Pagid Street+ pads, with Motul RBF600 fluid flush & refill)
• Protrack One 18x8 alloys , offset 45 all round, with 10mm hubcentric spacers on rear, 5mm hubcentric shims on fronts (with a 74mm stud conversion) running 235/40/18 Michelin PS4S tyres all round

The only thing I may consider later this year (apart from another set of lightweight alloys and all season tyres for 'winters') is an LSD

[NorthernDancer]

OK, there we are again. Stunning car.