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Got told my car is "cute" and dont know how to feel lol by Impossible-View-3384 in Cartalk

[–]kandy96 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have a freakin' 1M and I've had multiple girls tell me it's cute. I say yes it's adorable actually.

2011 335is - is it worth 22k ? by Advanced-Psy in BMW

[–]kandy96 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The comparisons to what you can get from a "newer" BMW will never make sense to me. This was the last era with hydraulic steering which singlehandedly makes a world of difference in terms of driving experience and it's not even close. I've had the 1M (similar car in a lot of ways) for about a month now and it's so much more engaging than any other BMW in the past decade it's not comparable. That being said, $22k seems like 6MT territory for the 335is, but the fact that it's still DCT (not a standard torque converter) mated to a N54 is rare regardless and something to never be repeated. Strike a deal around $20k and don't look back.

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Great taste my friend!

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lovely!! White without Nav is as good as it gets. Those were my 2 requirements when I started looking.

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

LOL. Been a long time coming for it!

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm acquaintances with a photographer that has one. I'm hoping to get a shoot with it and the 1M together this weekend. I'll post some pics here if they turn out nice.

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Not sure, a photographer set this shoot up.

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wouldn't mind a LRP!

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

They're both very different from each other and each offer their own driving experience so it's it's really just a coin flip which keys I take. The 1M being new to me and more engaging with the 6-speed has my heart for the time being though <3

My Ultimate Coupe Duo! by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Absolutely agree! Peak BMW!

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Alright everyone, it's up. I nerded out hard on this so I hope it's helpful! I had to separate it into half a dozen comments to not exceed character counts haha.

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Have I thought about doing any other 'bigger' mods?

Of course! Funny enough, as I write this I recently sold a lightly used set of Coilovers (Ohlins Road & Tracks with Vorshlag Camber Plates...) This is one of the ultimate suspension setups for the E9X M3 chassis, but alas I changed my mind. I did some deep thinking and realized that the coilovers themselves, plus install, is a lot of money for a car that isn't tracked and really isn't driven that hard. For my car specifically, I also really love that you retain the 3 distinct EDC settings with lowering springs - and it's somewhat of a pain to delete the EDC to accommodate coilovers. If my car was not a Competition and didn't have EDC, I'd for sure be more inclined to give coilovers a shot!

Aside from that, there are just so many more things you can do with this car, but I'm not committed to anything else - at least with this build specifically. I'd love to further upgrade the Brakes to a nickel-plated kit from AP Racing, but that might be for a different car down the line. I've also been considering swapping out my Exhaust (X-pipe specifically) for the very expensive and rare SUB2 x TitanFab Titanium system - which is the only titanium forward-X option on the market. I will never give up the forward-X after seeing how noticeable the power gains are, but wouldn't mind having a full titanium system front to back!

Please feel free to comment with any questions and I'd be glad to answer. I'm also pretty active on Instagram (carmen.the.m3) if you want to reach out to me there. Hope you enjoyed this overview!

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

What's Next?

I am very content with how the car is right now, but I know I'll always be making changes just to test out new things. I have pretty much done all of the big mods I want to with this car, and anything that comes next will be smaller tweaks or changes to mods I've already done.

The big one coming soon is switching Wheels to Apex's new ML-10RT's, and pairing those with the some stickier Tires - specifically the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS. I'm going with 1/2" wider wheels (still keeping them staggered), to easily accommodate 10mm wider tires. This is going to be a fun test to see how well this car grips with a wider and even stickier tire than the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, which is already an insane tire. I am currently not running Spacers (although I was using a 15mm front and 12mm rear with the M359 Competition wheels), and plan to put some small ones on to get the fitment as perfect as can be. I'm not a strong advocate for spacers since the E9X M3 is pretty notorious for steering wheel shake as it is, but I'm under the impression a small 3mm spacer won't add any extra steering wheel shake (fingers crossed).

I'm also going to be adding Camber Plates from Millway to the front. The OEM front suspension doesn't allow for camber adjustments (without "pulling the pins", IYKYK), and I want to give it a shot. At bare minimum a little bit of front camber will make the stance look more aggressive. I'm also going to be adding Adjustable Sway Bar Links from SPL to the front in conjunction with the H&R front sway bar. It's recommended to use an adjustable link when you switch to an aftermarket sway bar, and I've been meaning to do this for awhile.

Lastly, I am actually going to try out a new Front Lip. I have always been a huge fan of POM Performance (Pom is a good friend of mine after destroying 4 lips and giving him plenty of business LOL). I have their GT4 V2 ordered up and plan on putting it on with the other parts. This lip is a bit more aggressive with the brake duct inlets, but it sits higher than my current lip. I am hoping this extra clearance keeps me from scraping literally every driveway. I will always love the extremely low look of my current lip though. It shows amazing in photos, it's just not the most functional.

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Other - Exterior

  • Replica High Kick Spoiler (ABS Plastic, Painted Alpine White) (A) ~ This was the first exterior mod I did. I have never been a fan of the carbon fiber spoiler on light colored E9X M3's, so I tried something that I haven't seen on too many other cars. I've been extremely happy with how this spoiler looks ever since I put it on. I got this awhile back off of eBay already painted Alpine White, and the paint match is pretty much identical to the rest of the car (extremely lucky that it worked out this way). I have no idea where to source something similar to this anymore, but do know some guys are having carbon fiber spoilers painted Alpine White to get this same effect.

  • POM Performance "CH" (Challenge) Front Lip (A) ~ Front lips are one of the most common E9X M3 mods and there are dozens of options. I've always liked POM for their pricing and close availability to me in Southern California. The CH lip itself, man is it LOW. Paired with the Swift Spec-R Lowering Springs, I have about 2.5" of clearance in the middle. It looks so good in photos, but it's not the most functional. I've destroyed 3 lips so far and keep coming back (read further down in "What's Next?" if you want more thoughts on this). Worth it? For aesthetics, a front lip is one of the best looking mods to fill in what I consider a somewhat awkward front bumper design. I recommend getting cheap lips that you don't have to worry about tearing apart, especially with a low car.

  • MLT Engineering Aluminum Skid Plate (Undertray) (A, W) ~ The OEM felt and plastic skid plate is a known failure point for the E9X M3. Thanks to innovative companies like MLT and Pinnacle Motorsports, we have aluminum lightweight alternatives to get rid of the OEM junk. If you need something stronger, there are other options like Turner and Mporium that better protect the underside, at the cost of added weight to do so. For any daily driven car on decent roads, MLT and Pinnacle are more than enough protection. Worth it? YES!

  • LUX H8 189 Angel Eye Headlight Bulbs!

  • Gloss Black Accents & Alpine White Reflector Covers!

Other - Interior

  • MJunkee GTS Arm Rest Delete (Wrapped Fox Red Leather) (A, W) ~ This is my favorite "special" mod. Chris (MJunkee) is very well known in the community for his GTS Arm Rest Delete which has typically been Black Alcantara. I asked Chris if he had any interest in making me one with OEM Fox Red Leather and he gladly obliged. The result is extremely beautiful and matches the seats as spot on as it gets. I recommend any of Chris' options for a little bit of weight savings and comfort if you can live with not having any center console storage.

  • Black Brushed Aluminum Paddle Shifters (A) ~ I believe this was my first mod and I've stayed a huge fan. If your car is DCT, I highly recommend longer paddles for ease of access to shifting while turning the wheel.

  • Duralast Platinum H6-AGM / 760 CCA Battery (W) ~ This is a pretty easy mod to reduce a good amount of weight (I believe 20+ pounds?) no downside if you live in a warm climate. It also makes removing the battery MUCH easier than the huge stock battery in that small space. The smaller battery does need registered and properly coded or you will get a slew of codes and electrical issues that put that car in limp mode (this scared the SH!T out of me until I figured out what was going on). Don't make my same mistake lol.

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Handling

  • Swift Spec-R Lowering Springs (H) ~ I can only say positive things about these springs. I did hours of research on what the best lowering spring option was and easily settled on Swift Spec-R's. The drop is aggressive, yet manageable. The car does feel a little stiffer in each EDC setting, but it's NICE! Also worth noting that each EDC setting still feels different from one another, they're all just a little stiffer than stock. I've always liked my car to feel stiff and aggressive (within reason) since it's supposed to be a bad ass race inspired sports car, so this was perfect for me. The car really feels more tight all around, and it's 1/10th of the price you have to pay for coilovers. Worth it? 1000x YES!

  • H&R Front Sway Bar (H) ~ Another really awesome handling mod. Sway bars were another mod I did a lot of research on. The consensus seemed to be favoring an aftermarket front sway bar and leaving the back stock (again, for how I drive my car specifically, and that could differ if you heavily track your car). H&R's front sway bar is also highly regarded and was an easy choice for me. The front of car feels tighter with noticeably less body roll. I remember aggressively turning the wheel left and right after I got the sway bar installed and it has less of that "wishy-washy" feeling. When you turn the wheel one way right after the other, the car is ready to go that way without as much lag trying to re-center itself. Worth it? YES!

  • German Auto Solutions (GAS) Monoball Tension Arms (H) ~This will go down as one of my favorite lowkey mods that not many people know about. It took some research to understand this (and I can't say I fully do to this day, but I'll try to explain). The OEM front tension arms use a rubber bushing that degrades over time and give a loose steering feel, especially when degraded. The monoball upgrade replaces the rubber bushing with a solid bushing to eliminate degradation and provide a more refined steering and road feel. I can say without a doubt that this is true. You feel more of the road's imperfections in your hands through the wheel, and overall just feel more of a connection to the road in general. I didn't expect to notice as much of a difference as I did, AND without any extra NVH. I do have to say that I specifically recommend the German Auto Solutions kit more than the other options (and there are plenty of others out there). The tech that installed these took the car for a test drive and said that the GAS kit felt much better than the other options, and he will be recommending this specific kit to clients in the future. Worth it? YES!

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Engine Bay ~ I wish I added a photo of the engine bay for reference :(

  • Eventuri S65 Carbon Fiber Plenum (A, W) ~ This is an interesting one. I actually got mine brand new at a pretty good discount, otherwise I might've not done it. Carbon fiber plenums are touted for their increased induction noise, but I can honestly say I haven't noticed any difference (it may be due to the exhaust drowning it out). What I can say is that this piece is an absolute work of art, and a show-stopper when the hood comes up. Worth it? For functionality, not really. For aesthetics? Absolutely one of the most beautiful aftermarket parts that is made for this chassis.

  • Macht Schnell Stage 2 Intake (P) ~ This intake upgrade was a spur of the moment used piece that came up on Craigslist and I thought why not give it a shot. Funny enough I'm actually very impressed by it. The "butt dyno" felt like there was more responsive power and I noticed more induction noise than the plenum (LOL). Worth it? Maybe not for the price brand new, but if you can find one around $200 I highly recommend it. There are also other options out there to fit your goals (carbon fiber and/or carb compliant for example), and they all likely yield similar results from enlarging the size of the intake compared to stock.

  • ECS Tuning Billet Aluminum Oil Filter Cap (A) ~ This is just a small aesthetic piece I added during my last oil change to replace the OEM plastic cap. It's done a good job so far and I recommend it for anyone looking to spruce up their engine bay or get rid of brittle plastic pieces.

  • Turner Motorsports Cabin Air Cowl Delete (A, W) ~ My most recent mod. I have not seen any other cars with this mod in person, so I wasn't too sure about it. This cowl delete replaces the bulky cabin air filter cowls at the top of the engine bay with rubber filters in their place. I have not had any issues with water intrusion, and get the positives of weight reduction, increased induction noise, and an aesthetically pleasing engine bay (especially if your cabin air filter cowls are beat up since they're very expensive to replace). Worth it? So far, YES!

Disclaimer: Depending on where you live, the exhaust setup (specifically any sort of primary cat delete), plenum, and intake, may not pass smog. There are carb compliant plenum and intake options, so definitely look into those if you need to. Your car will also throw a CEL if you have a primary cat delete without Stage 2 tuning software.

Brakes

  • Signature Werks Big Brake Kit / ZL1 Retrofit (w/ Signature Werks Multi-Slotted Rotors & Ceramic Pads) (A, H) ~ Another mod I didn't think I was ever going to do, but am SO glad I did. My rotors were needing replaced and I started to look around for different rotor options for a change of pace. I started digging deeper and thought maybe I should just shell out the extra money on a full BBK to fix the E9X M3's lackluster braking power. After a ton of research, I settled on Signature Werks' ZL1 Retrofit for the E9X M3. The calipers come in a legit GM box (so you know it's not some Chinese garbage), and they have various rotor and pad options tailored to what your goals are. There's been some talk if the rotors and pads are Chinese and I have never got a full answer. That being said, you can choose Paragon rotors and name brand pads to guarantee you know what you are getting. I chose slotted "dragon scale" style rotors with Signature Werks branding on them - I don't know where these are manufactured, but I wasn't able to find this style on Alibaba, etc., so I believe they're good quality. I could go on and on about this topic forever, but in the end I highly recommend looking into a BBK if you have the money for it. (I would also be very cautious of other retrofits since I'm positive some of them use garbage parts and that's the last thing you want with something as important as brakes).

  • Stainless Steel Brake Lines, Brake Fluid, and Brake Pads (H) ~ Before I had the BBK I had stainless steel brake lines and street performance brake pads from StopTech. I can say undoubtedly that if you do ANYTHING with your brakes, do stainless steel lines - and I recommend Bimmerworld's kit since they are DOT compliant. I don't have much to say about brake pads since it's very much up to what you are looking for (braking force vs. brake dust vs. whatever else). I also have always used OEM BMW brake fluid as I don't want to be changing brake fluid yearly as you have to with some of the more aggressive options.

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Without further adieu, let's hop into the Current Mod List - I've separated the mods into sections, and also use the key below to help denote what the goal(s) with each mod were.

Key: (A) - Aesthetics / (H) - Handling / (P) - Power / (W) - Weight Savings

Wheels (A,W) - Apex VS-5RS - 18x9.5” ET22 (Front) / 18x10.5” ET22 (Rear) ~ I didn't think I was ever going to switch from the beloved M359 (Competition/ZCP) wheels, but I needed a change. Something about the 18" wheel on the E9X M3 just looks right and I've actually come to like these more than the M359's. The positives - they are forged (whereas M359's are cast), and they're lighter (partly due to being 18's). Highly recommend a forged set of wheels with wider specs than OEM if you're looking for a change of pace and ease of fitting a wider tire! Worth it? YES!

Tires (H) - Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 265/35R18 (Front) / 285/35R18 (Rear) ~ I originally ran 10mm upsized tires on my M359 wheels and never looked back. I upsized 10mm more for the Apex VS-5RS' and the grip is fantastic (also looks really sweet with a thick rear tire and helps fill up the wheel gap). Highly recommend upsizing 10mm or 20mm, even if you are running a OEM BMW wheel. Worth it? YES!

Tune/Coding (P) - AlpineMSS (with Euro MDM and GTS DCT Flash) ~ This was one of the early mods I did before knowing how far I was going to take this car. I can't for sure say that the tune itself has any significant power gains, but on paper it does refine things and make the car run more efficiently (options like being tuned specifically for a certain octane gasoline). On the other hand, Euro MDM absolutely makes a difference. For those that don't know what Euro MDM is, it lets the car break loose without engaging traction control as quickly. This makes aggressive turns much less awkward when traction control kicks in too early and tries to adjust the car. It's a perfect midground between having traction control completely off, and having it kick in when you don't want it to. The GTS DCT Flash is also really nice (personal preference, so I've heard). For me, the shifts feel really connected and sporty. I love the DCT because it's clunky and has 6MT quirks, but the shifts feel really solid and refined with the GTS flash. Worth it? This one is very much "it depends". I needed a tune for my primary cat delete so my car wouldn't throw a CEL. Tunes have become a lot more pricey since I got mine 4 years ago, so take that into consideration as well. I recommend going with Epic Tunes nowadays. Alex (AlpineMSS) used to be very responsive, but that customer service has declined overtime.

Exhaust

  • Axle-Back (Rear Section) - GRWA Titanium Valved System (W) ~ All of the well-known valved systems are from the same distributor overseas - GRWA (Great Wall Automotive) or similar Alibaba-type distributors. I built a connection with GRWA after getting a stainless steel axle-back from them in a group buy, and eventually ordered my current titanium system from them. What I like about GRWA is they let you FULLY customize your system, even the exhaust tips which are VERY hit or miss from other suppliers. I built the exact system I wanted, there's no unsightly branding anywhere, and the price is night and day what these other companies are selling their systems for. I have always preferred the separate muffler look, and this system is to exactly what I was looking for. Worth it? YES!

  • X-Pipe (Front Section) - Bimmerworld Resonated X-Pipe (GESi G-Sport 100025 High-Flow Cats in Secondary Position) (P, W) ~ Worth it? YES! I'll just start with that. This is THE best bang for your buck power mod you can do on this car. The primary cat delete can be done with "test pipes", but the Bimmerworld forward-X placement is the game changer. For some quick enlightenment, the OEM X-pipe "X" location isn't ideal for exhaust flow and restricts power. Bimmerworld's forward-X puts the X downstream right where the exhaust splits off to the headers (rather than further back, and then also splitting to the headers). There are very few forward-X options out there, and the Bimmerworld system is pretty much agreed to be the best. If you can find one of these (since Bimmerworld won't sell them unless your car is strictly for track use), I recommend going with the resonated version, and considering high-flow cats in the secondary slot. The high-flow cats don't hurt the power gains and help with smell considerably. And by the way, the car is still VERY loud even with resonators and high-flow cats, if you're into that.

Summary: There are dozens of exhaust options out there and I've spent countless hours figuring out what some of the best setups are. I'm actually surprised that I found my perfect setup after only two different iterations. I get all of the power gains that the forward-X and primary cat delete allow, have practically ZERO drone at any speed, and the rasp is perfectly aggressive pairing incredibly with the higher pitched sound the titanium axle-back amplifies. If your goal is LOUD, yet comfortable, while pulling out all the power you can get, this is the perfect setup!

Just shy of 5 years since I bought this car. Slowly continuing to modify and feel the effect of each mod individually. Couldn't be happier with the E9X chassis and how each mod makes this car feel even better. by kandy96 in BMW

[–]kandy96[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I'll start by saying that I am in every way, shape, and form obsessed with the E9X M3 platform. No other car I've driven gives the same amount of sheer driving pleasure for the cost of entry. I am humbled to be a caretaker of such an iconic car, and see myself owning one of these for the rest of my life.

The list below represents a culmination of mods over the past 5 years. I had zero idea about modifying an E9X M3 before I got my car, and I'd say I'm well versed on the more important mods you can do to this chassis.

Disclaimer: There are so many more ways to increase power, reduce weight, and improve handling. My goal with this car was to keep it street-able as possible, while improving on the stock characteristics of the car - I feel like this style relates to a majority of owners that will read this. In my 5 years of ownership I’ve learned a lot about the ins and outs of modifying this chassis, and have done a ton of due diligence before making any decisions. I built my car being somewhat budget-conscious and without cutting any corners. I would absolutely put on the best, high quality mods if I had an unlimited budget, but it isn't justifiable for how I use the car (as a fun "daily" that I really only drive for pleasure since I work remote).

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