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      07-21-2011, 05:50 PM   #1
hollpe
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320D Performance Power Kit Review

Hi all. I'm not a frequent poster but I've had the performance kit on my E91 for about 8k miles now.

I know a few people are interested in hearing what its like So here's a mini review for you.

After a reasonably long period of time running some of the more powerful models; the purchase of a dog & the arrival of our son, it was time to move into something a bit more family orientated. Over the last few years I've had an Alpina Roadster S, Z4M and more recently a 135i. So the move to the a 59 320D M Sport Touring (Auto) was always going to be a bit down on power. I picked up a nice spec car though. Ruby Black, Oyster Leather and a decent amount of extra kit.







A few months down the line I decided to try a tuning box. It gave a decent increase in power but I had some issues with vibrations through the drive train on full throttle. So with some worries about destroying the gearbox I decided to take the box off.

This was about 6 months ago and my dealer mentioned that BMW Performance were releasing a kit. After looking at the increase in power it offered it didn't seem worth the £2k it was going to cost (the auto needs an uprated torque converter as well as the usual hardware that comes with kit). But... after trying one of their demos with the kit on it certainly felt more than the 20BHP & 40Nm increase quoted on paper.

After a lot of haggling I got the kit supplied & fitted for a very reasonable price (PM me for details).

The kit comprises of:

BMW Performance Engine Plaque.
BMW Performance ECU (it replaces the existing one as opposed to remapping it)
600W Engine Cooling Fan.
Additional Air Pipe.
Uprated Intercooler.

Performance

The figures quoted by BMW for the increase that this kit provides really don't do it any justice at all. A 20bhp increase & an additional 40NM doesn't sound a lot, but its the way that it is implemented that really makes the difference. I'm also convinced that these number are very conservative indeed. I would estimate that 205-210bhp & 400-420NM is nearer to the mark.

From standstill there is a lot more torque and it pulls very hard with an even greater surge around 2600RPM to the redline. The standard car tapered off the power at the higher end of the revs, whereas with the kit keeps on pulling. The turbo lag is also extremely minimal.

On the move is when the increased power is most noticeable. Overtaking is VASTLY quicker and the car accelerates into 3 figures in a way it couldn't before!

The power increase doesn't tell the whole story though. Coupled with this is the change in the way the gearbox behaves. One of the biggest annoyances of the standard car was the gearbox not locking up the torque converter quick enough and I often found I would try to accelerate, the torque converter would take a second or so to lock up and then the car would accelerate. This is almost non-existent now. The car takes off, in the way a manual would, in almost any situation. This is a HUGE improvement over the standard car. Previously I would need to make sure I was in DS mode to guarantee the box would be locked up enough to make a quick manouver. I'm guessing that the gearbox software has been updated to take advantage of the uprated torque converter?

Fuel Consumption
Initially I had a drop in fuel consumption but its gone back to normal now. A mix of motorway and town driving sees about 47MPG.


Conclusion
BMW have done a great job in the way the kit delivers the power, not just with the increase in the BHP & torque but with the way they have coupled the changes to the gearbox.

Hope this helps. If you want any more info please feel free to PM me.

Last edited by hollpe; 07-22-2011 at 01:47 AM..
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      07-21-2011, 08:12 PM   #2
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It would be interesting to know what exactly this kit does.

Automatic gearbox issues aside it seems that the kit produces the power by increasing the turbo pressure rather than simply adding fuel to take advantage of the free air as is done by all the aftermarket offerings.

That suggests that BMW are still bound by emissions regulations even for their bolt on accessories and as a result their solution is expensive requiring the larger intercooler to adequately cool the charge.

If you had kept your "tuning box" but still had the gearbox modified I strongly doubt you would feel any difference to your current setup other than being without the "BMW Performance Engine Plaque". And a heavier wallet.
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      07-22-2011, 02:52 AM   #3
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you get what you pay for! wheres the kit for the 335d?
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      07-22-2011, 03:33 AM   #4
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It does sound like a good bit of kit however, £2K??? Am I missing the point somewhere here? I'm sure you could have spent £2K more on a car and bought a 325d or 330d and have the same performance straight out the box - but without higher insurance costs. Also the higher models have a better spec and better brakes to match the performance. (I'm sure there is certain kit on my 330d that is standard but optional on lower engined three's)
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      07-22-2011, 04:42 AM   #5
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I doubt as mentioned the bill was 2k when I was quoted I very easily got it to far far less than that
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      07-22-2011, 04:48 AM   #6
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Glad you like it - I looked into this for my E92 320d but decided the cost was too great as it was auto - and my dealer wouldn't budge on price .... so I bought a 330d instead

I wish they did something for the LCI 330d ... but I am being greedy
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      07-22-2011, 05:20 AM   #7
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One thing I guess is that you shouldnt have any warranty worries as is was done by BMW.
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      07-22-2011, 05:42 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dopper99 View Post
One thing I guess is that you shouldnt have any warranty worries as is was done by BMW.
That was the appeal of this kit when I was looking at it ...
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      07-22-2011, 06:37 AM   #9
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Excellent review. I got a very good price off Anneka a while back and I'm really tempted. The idea of an 'OEM+' solution really does appeal.

Mrs. rich1068 would go completely mental though
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      07-22-2011, 07:44 AM   #10
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Its interesting that mappers normally give slightly higher gains to auto cars compared to manual ones because there isn't a clutch, but here even a small increase is needing a new torque converter.

I guess this is BMW just making sure it's 100% safe?
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      07-22-2011, 07:50 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BanziBarn View Post
Its interesting that mappers normally give slightly higher gains to auto cars compared to manual ones because there isn't a clutch, but here even a small increase is needing a new torque converter.

I guess this is BMW just making sure it's 100% safe?
... and as the LCI 330d auto gearbox is supposed to be really strong the sooner BMW bring a kit out for it the better
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      07-22-2011, 08:33 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SO8 View Post
... and as the LCI 330d auto gearbox is supposed to be really strong the sooner BMW bring a kit out for it the better
I'll certainly be interested to see what they offer.
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      07-22-2011, 12:12 PM   #13
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How long did it take BMW to fit the kit, I called my local dealer last week and he quote me 20hours fitting!!!...at £120/hr labour unsurprisingly I wasn't very interested. But wasn't convinced the guy I spoke too knew what he was talking about
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      07-22-2011, 04:38 PM   #14
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It's 3 hours on a manual.
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      07-23-2011, 03:48 AM   #15
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... and lots more on an auto - thanks to the replacement torque converter ! I think I got quoted 7 hours labour just for that .... the estimate came to about £2500 ... thus I got the 330d
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      07-27-2011, 05:52 PM   #16
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Cheers for the review and putting the time in for the write up.

Very tempting to do. If I can justify the outlay. Where did you get it fitted?
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      07-29-2011, 05:04 AM   #17
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1. on the standard 320D, what is the auto box rating on the TC - 400nm?

2. what is the upgraded TC rated at?

3. on most after market remaps they push the nm to 450, with no other mods... and i don't see any complaints about Steps blowing up... so why the upgrade from BMW??
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      07-29-2011, 07:24 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QLD View Post
1. on the standard 320D, what is the auto box rating on the TC - 400nm?

2. what is the upgraded TC rated at?

3. on most after market remaps they push the nm to 450, with no other mods... and i don't see any complaints about Steps blowing up... so why the upgrade from BMW??
True...but the auto on my E92 320d remapped by Evolve used to rumble when accelerating from low speed in higher gear....evolve turned the torque down a bit which reduced the rumble a little. As said, BMW will be applying manufacturer's tolerances to this kit in the same way that they do with the rest of the car e.g. original map.
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      08-23-2011, 04:22 PM   #19
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Thanks for the review,

I have just been quoted £1199 inc. VAT and fitting for this on a manual 320d.

This was from Specialist Cars in Tring. Thought this maybe of interest, I have also used this dealer for a number of years and have been very happy with their service.
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      08-23-2011, 04:44 PM   #20
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Just to add, virtually the same as I was quoted by Sytner.
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      09-10-2011, 06:11 PM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisbin View Post
True...but the auto on my E92 320d remapped by Evolve used to rumble when accelerating from low speed in higher gear.....
Did they mention what the issue was? I assume it must be the TC, hence why the factory upgrades it.

So it seems the tranny is fine, but the TC is the weak link..?
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      09-11-2011, 05:24 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by QLD View Post
Did they mention what the issue was? I assume it must be the TC, hence why the factory upgrades it.

So it seems the tranny is fine, but the TC is the weak link..?
My issue with the remap I had were nothing to do with the map itself. Superchips Bluefin remap was superb ...

... but the way the gearbox tried to change gear or did change gear indicated to me the car didn't like it though it did manage it. It was jerky and banged into gear as opposed to smoothly changing like it had before.

So I guess yes, the TC is the main issue.
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