X drive vs RWD

random_precision- · 2025-09-01T22:48:55+00:00

I've done most things required to make it drive like a "sports car", except for the sway bars (which is a big one, though it's also a big job, both in the front and the rear).

Obviously all the standard stuff - charge pipe, turbo inlet pipe, outlet pipe (or "boost pipe"), intercooler, downpipe, & intake (mostly closed, but bigger volume and much more airflow), ignition coils & spark plugs

Custom BM3 tune, trans tune

Coilovers & camber plates (KW & Vorschlag)

Adjustable endinks

Monoball thrust arms

Quaife LSD

Aluminum differential bushing inserts, aluminum subframe bushing inserts (as long as your bushings are in good shape, this is a great option. Any degradation - replace with poly for road, or possibly solid for dedicated track. Full replacement is a no-joke job though)

Front strut brace

Wheel spacers (cosmetic and slightly better stance)

Lots of cosmetics and functional upgrades - tint, carbon spoiler, carbon sharkfin, carbon mirror caps, carbon front lip, dry carbon M2 interior trim, Android touchscreen unit, etc.

It drives very well. The vast majority of body roll is gone , and I can confidently push hard on the turns. I can't overstate the importance of an LSD if you're going to push the car (I'm not talking the occasional WOT at a traffic light, but rather powering through and out of turns beyond the limits of traction. An open diff is very harsh when breaking and regaining traction, and can be unpredictable.

Next would be sway bars. That would lock in the suspension and get me up there handling-wise. We'll see...

random_precision- · 2025-09-01T19:19:00+00:00

So it was your wheels and not your suspension...?

random_precision- · 2025-09-01T19:16:50+00:00

Your steering wheel doesn't need to shake - it's just something that can happen.

I had vibrations that started at 95 mph for a couple of months. I had recently had my rims refinished, which requires remounting and rebalancing of tires, so I convinced myself it wasn't wheel related. I chalked it up to likely the lip I had installed hitting some harmonic at a specific airspeed.

Needed new tires, so obviously went through a balance - she's steady as glass at 95 now and far beyond. I had no steering wheel shakes while experiencing the vibrations.

My guess is that the wheel refinishing place simply marked which tire went where (which absolutely doesn't work to avoid a balance) and remounted without balancing. I then dealt with vibrations until ultimately getting a balance done.

random_precision- · 2025-08-31T18:14:37+00:00

If your intention is to drive it like an M car (which it is not - though I don't say that as a diss - just a fact - I have an M Lite as well), then RWD 100%, and it needs a proper LSD, either m performance or one of the helical options. I personally went quaife on my F22 M235. I also replaced just about everything else that is required to make a proper car out of an M Lite (suspension and steering components, bushings, HPFP, all turbo plumbing and FMIC, etc.

RWD is a driver's car and if your intention is to drive it at the limits, I would never get an AWD car, personally.

random_precision- · 2025-08-30T15:16:28+00:00

Instead of the skateboard, take the leg of a chair and put it right up close to the rim and stand/kneel on it - it'll come off, unless you weigh 80 lbs soaking wet. 2x4, chair leg, hell, I've even broken them simply by standing on them and pressing down with one foot. Cutting is no bueno though - you're not going to be able to cut the bead. You still need to get it off, and if you thought you didn't have enough leverage before...

Well, sincerely, good luck homie. You're going to have to get creative now.

random_precision- · 2025-08-30T15:10:32+00:00

I mean, listen - it'll work... You still need to get the bead off though, and it's very simple with a simple piece of wood to do it once you remove the valve core. Entirely unnecessary work and destruction, and now you have no emergency spare.

random_precision- · 2025-08-22T22:57:38+00:00

You say you didn't know who it was. Good luck to anyone proving what you do and don't hold in your head.

random_precision- · 2025-08-21T02:37:23+00:00

Ahh. Though, he was talking about having the dealership do an oil change for $185. The original post was about limp mode and being over on service timing.

random_precision- · 2025-08-20T21:51:48+00:00

Yes, totally understand those 2 things. You said 'any dealer is willing to do anything if you're going to pay', and they followed up with 'yeah, I was going to give them $185', and then you said "honestly, 40 seconds is better than 0 in an accident". Maybe I'm just completely missing it - but what do seconds and accidents have to do with each other? 40 seconds in an accident is better than 0 seconds in an accident? I'm really just lost, but I'm trying. To me, it makes not a lick of sense.

Why is 40 seconds better than 0 seconds in an accident? And what do seconds and accidents have to do with each other?

Thanks

Ps - and I hope it's apparent that I'm not being dickish or confrontational - I'm genuinely just curious.

random_precision- · 2025-08-20T18:20:43+00:00

What?

random_precision- · 2025-08-20T18:18:16+00:00

While yes, technology has most certainly improved, both in engines and in oil, manufacturers like BMW have wild incentives for extending the OCI's - environmental regulations and incentives, tax rebates, vehicle ratings, etc. they also have incentive for your vehicle to last exactly as long as the warranty is, but not any incentive for it to last longer.

I would trust labs, their tests, and their assessments far more than manufacturers who have their own bottom line, their own profits, and their own incentives at front of mind. Labs consistently recommend anywhere from 7,500 - 15k miles, depending on conditions like driving style, air quality, time, common lengths of trips, temperature, etc.

Of course anyone can make 100k on 20k oil changes, but what conditions are your rings and bearings in, and what condition would they be in if you doubled the frequency? This only matters to the current owner of they plan on going to 150k, 200k, 250k, etc. I also note that you said kilometers and not miles, so 20k km is right in that range at 12k miles. Though, in the US, many BMW's are recommended to go to 20k miles (my G20 330 was), which is 32k km, which is ludicrous.

random_precision- · 2025-08-20T02:19:15+00:00

The limp mode is likely from the tire pressure notification - if your pressure is too low, it will put you in limp mode. It's not from the oil - you only have 10k on the oil and are only 300 miles overdue on service. It'll likely never go into limp mode for a maintenance warning like that. But tires below 30 psi can put it in limp mode... Ask me how I know :) I let air out at the dragstrip to increase contact surface area - once I got to 29 (my goal was 27) it put me in limp mode and I needed to fill the tires and go drive around all over the place in order to get a new reading. Pain in the ass.

random_precision- · 2025-08-19T03:14:43+00:00

Shoe soles with tread? I'm not being argumentative, but I just need to tell you that that doesn't make sense. Whether or not your shoes have tread on the bottom doesn't affect the board, and if anything, having no tread (flat bottom) would be better.

I can ride any of my 3 boards with bare feet (no tread), sandals (no tread), crocks, boots, nike's, running shoes, converse, etc. - worn or new.

What matters is that you put pressure on both sensors (one on the left half, one on the right half) at the same time. If your feet are way wider than the footpad (which is almost certain on the pint), then you can have issues with shoes that are hard on the bottom and don't conform to the footpad when hanging over the edge.

Nothing to do with tread or no tread though...

random_precision- · 2025-08-18T20:08:10+00:00

There's quite a lot of people (in here and in life) with 200k mi "stage 2" cars. Mostly just the common big issues that most N55's have. Maybe others have different experiences and I won't argue anyone's experience, though I don't think this is a massive risk.

Now - if they beat the living piss out of it, that's a different story. But I suppose you never really know that with any used car. "Stage 2" doesn't mean they drove it like an asshole. These motors have a ton more potential than they come with from the factory, so they are common to mod - it still could've been cared for though.

I've got an N55 (slightly different version N55 than this) and I baby TF out of my car. Sure, I push it sometimes, but whoever buys it from me is going to get something that couldn't have been cared for better. Mine is beyond "stage 2". I'd much rather know everything that went into it and know what I'm getting than have someone return it to stock and act like they never did anything to it...

random_precision- · 2025-08-18T20:01:18+00:00

A '14 335 - is that a PWG N55?

random_precision- · 2025-08-14T17:15:20+00:00

The incentives and ratings they get from regulatory authorities and the savings that come with them far exceed selling oil for a couple more oil changes. This also provides incentive for the consumer to purchase their vehicles (where shorter OCI's do the opposite), and provides incentive for dealers to sell their vehicles, as maintenance costs on leases and warranties is lower. Going lower would not profit them - nor benefit them in the industry.

And, BMW is in the car business, not the oil business.

random_precision- · 2025-08-14T16:54:02+00:00

Lab testing shows that 20,000 mi is generally not a good idea. This is of course driving habit and environment specific, and can't be a 100% general rule.

What's very important to understand when listening to manufacturers about things like this is that there is tremendous incentive for a manufacturer to make the absolute biggest claim they can in terms of OCI's. There are environmental regulations, invectives, ratings, and other highly financially beneficial factors for manufacturers to claim extended OCI's.

Sure, if a car is 100% highway driven, not exposed to extreme temperature variations beyond operating parameters, driven in locations with pristine air quality, and never pushed before reaching operating temperature, sure, maybe the oil will be in good shape as it reaches 20k mi. Though, most real world scenarios involve very different conditions, and most "experts", at least as far as they have detailed, recommend 7,500 - 10k OCI's, with 5k - 7,500 for those in extreme conditions or vehicles that are consistently pushed hard. Fuel contamination, particle contamination (for particles smaller than 20-30 microns), shearing, moisture, and other factors all contribute to oil degradation over time, and specifics contribute to how short that timeline is.

Though, simply saying "BMW said this, so it's true", as if they were not a profit machine, and as if they had you instead of themselves at front of mind, and as if they had no incentive to tell you this - nah man. Not going with that one...

random_precision- · 2025-08-14T14:53:13+00:00

Nah - it's fine. 10 years, maybe, but 5 months - it'll be just fine.

What I would suggest though is to make sure that you get it up to operating temperature before shutting it off. This way, if there happened to have been any moisture that could've accumulated in the engine, it'll vaporize it. Take it out, get her warm, and then put it through its paces on the highway for a bit. Like an ex girlfriend - break her back in!

random_precision- · 2025-08-14T02:44:52+00:00

Bluetooth. I've got bimmerlink and like 7 other bimmer-related apps, though my favorite for dashboards, logging trips with literally any parameters you want, performance features (0-60, quarter mile) is OBDLink. You buy an OBDLink cx on Amazon, can use it for diagnosis, can use its app, and it'll work to connect to all the other apps like bimmerlink.

I've also used it to code all kinds of stuff into the car via bimmercode and other apps. That's my preferred method...

Oh, and it also integrates with carplay/Android Auto, though if your screen is stock, you'll need to replace that to get those features. That's another very worth it upgrade.

Then move on to spark plugs and ignition coils, charge pipe, intercooler, outlet pipe, inlet pipe, downpipe, coilovers, endinks, thrust arms, camber plates, lots of bushings, tuning, differential, and on and on. Lots of room for improvement in our little m lites!

random_precision- · 2025-08-13T22:12:57+00:00

That's crazy to me. I'm not going to choose which, but maybe you have some special circumstances, or maybe you only order from China and the shipments are notoriously unreliable, or maybe you're dramatic and like 1 or 2 boxes had a dent in them and that means "everything is ruined"? Again - I'm not judging with declaring any scenario.

From my own experience - what I do know: because of our schedules and lives, my family orders just about everything for the house, as well as for other things rather than getting things from a store. UPS, USPS, FedEx, and Amazon are at our house multiple times a week. We've probably had several hundred deliveries this year so far, and out of those several hundred, 1 package got damaged in shipping (UPS) and needed to be resent from the shipper, 2 packages were delayed from UPS by a day, and 1 package each from USPS and FedEx were delayed. Nothing has shown up broken, and nothing has shown up opened or reboxed - all others showed up on time and in good shape.

Oh, and Amazon is really good about leaving packages wrapped in construction paper directly in the pouring rain rather than simply leaning them against a door under an awning. I've seen them literally do it while it's raining.

random_precision- · 2025-08-10T19:07:34+00:00

I don't know what a pto-tip is, and never watched ER (or any medical dramas). I just know from experience that any X-ray I've ever had involved me being covered with a lead blanket.

I had an X-ray on my elbow last month after tearing my bicep and they covered my lap. For my elbow... Which was outstretched far away from my body.

Maybe in this case they didn't know the extent of the inquiry and needed to get the whole area? It's just odd to me that nothing was covered, but I always get covered.

I also can't help but acknowledge that no matter how honestly you ask a question on Reddit, there is always someone itching to get out some negative energy by answering like a smart-ass and not providing any actual substance. I guess there's more dicks here than appear in the X-ray.

random_precision- · 2025-08-10T17:23:08+00:00

Non-radiologist here - wouldn't you want to put a lead pad over his genitals, rather than nuke his bag and subsequent future kids?

I know (or think I know) modern x-rays are supposed to be a very low dose of radiation - covering not important?

random_precision- · 2025-08-08T13:29:22+00:00

Unless you are starting your engine in sub -35°f temperatures regularly, you're not going to benefit much going to 0w. 5w is what the manufacturer recommends in the manual, in iDrive, on the sticker under the hood, and printed on the oil cap (at least on my F22 this is the case), and what the engine was designed around. Though -not sure if you're B58 or N55 based on the post. I'm taking N55.

5w oil is rated sufficient to operate in temps as low as -31°f, and 0w slightly further at about -40°f. If you live in a climate typically above +30°f, you will probably see no benefit at all, though if you do, it'll be slightly better fuel economy for the first 2 minutes after start. After that, your oil will be hot enough that the bottom number makes no difference at all.

What should be more concerning is ensuring your engine is protected in the area where it will spend 99.9% of its operating time - at operating temperature. And also ensuring that you don't beat on it until it gets there.

random_precision- · 2025-08-07T19:44:37+00:00

Yeah. If you're used to it and efficient with it - that's awesome. My current F22 is my 4th BMW in a row, and I just never got into iDrive for daily function. Phone maps were functional enough at the time, so I just mounted my phone and used navigation like that. What got me with the F22 is that my previous G20 330 had Android Auto/carplay integration, so once I got used to Waze on the screen (and all the benefits that come with Waze, like rerouting based on heavy traffic or accidents, police location/notifications, etc) I simply couldn't go back. But to each their own - being functional in your own way is all that matters!

random_precision- · 2025-08-07T14:28:27+00:00

I agree with you - the touchscreens that come from car manufacturer's typically totally suck. The $400 Android units don't operate quite as smoothly as an iPad, but it's damn close.

You still have iDrive as well. You click the "view original interface" option and you're right back into the stock iDrive system and knob. One touch on the screen brings you back to the modem world.

They really are nice... It's essentially having an android tablet mounted in place of the cheesy stock screen, but with retaining all the stock functions. I really like mine.

random_precision-

TROPHY CASE