[kauulana]

Hey guys! I have a '11 e90 335xi as my daily driver, recently I've been looking at some heavier/expensive mods after doing some light/cheap ones such as:

MHD Stage 1 tune (came with car)
M-Style Grills
Intake Scoops
20% Tint
Black/White Logo replacement
HPB Angel Eye Bulbs

and I'd like some suggestion on some next level mods that are higher in price, but doesnt exceed 300-500(per mod), exhaust and wheel mods I'd like to buy last(maybe coilovers as well (since lowering springs gets voted against a lot), as they're the most expensive mods I'd want done. Some things I'm currently looking at are:

Lowering springs
CS-Style Spoiler
Cold Air Intake
Catless Downpipes
M3 Front Bumper
Brake Pads/Calipers (mine screeches sometimes and the calipers are rusty)

Are there any suggestions you guys have, or even some advice/tips if I'm looking at some frowned-upon mods? I appreciate feedback in advance

[kauulana]

Sorry if this isn't the right place to ask this, I know what I'm discussing and asking is all over the place. Most of what I'm talking about are about exterior mods with some little performance mods.

Side note: Rims and tire suggestions would be appreciated, I still havent fully looked into those options!

[ky0u]

Are you AT or MT

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by ky0u

Are you AT or MT

AT

[ky0u]

You should try XHP. It's a reflash for your transmission, via OBD2 port just like MHD was

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by ky0u

You should try XHP. It's a reflash for your transmission, via OBD2 port just like MHD was

Will it interfere with MHD?

[Emilime75]

It will not interfere with MHD. XHP is a transmission tune of the TCU, a separate control unit for the trans.

I would recommend an upgraded FMIC. I don't believe the stock one is adequate for even a stock car, and you're mildly tuned which adds to the need for one.

[ky0u]

Originally Posted by kauulana

Will it interfere with MHD?

No but you may have to reflash MHD as it has an XHP setting you can select when flashing it. If you're running on a stock trans map, then the current MHD map you have was probably flashed without this option. Not sure what exactly is tweaked in it tbh but it's supposed to be there to integrate the two flashes better

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

It will not interfere with MHD. XHP is a transmission tune of the TCU, a separate control unit for the trans.

I would recommend an upgraded FMIC. I don't believe the stock one is adequate for even a stock car, and you're mildly tuned which adds to the need for one.

Will definitely pick one up when I buy my DP from VRSF, thanks!

[kauulana]

Oh sweet, I'll look into it, never heard of xHP before til you mentioned it, thanks!

[mweisdorfer]

Lowering springs - B12 Kit - $850.00
CS-Style Spoiler -
Cold Air Intake - AFE Momentum - $350 to 450.00
Catless Downpipes - MMP - $199
M3 Front Bumper - ikon Motorsports- $650 painted

Brake Pads/Calipers (mine screeches sometimes and the calipers are rusty) - just get them sandblasted.

Then -

1) high temp primer - 2 coats
2) G2 paint - 2 coats
3) high temp clear coat - 3 coats

[autoart]

If you have the base steering wheel, upgrade to the m3 or m sport wheel. makes a big difference to me.

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

Lowering springs - B12 Kit - $850.00
CS-Style Spoiler -
Cold Air Intake - AFE Momentum - $350 to 450.00
Catless Downpipes - MMP - $199
M3 Front Bumper - ikon Motorsports- $650 painted

Brake Pads/Calipers (mine screeches sometimes and the calipers are rusty) - just get them sandblasted.

Then -

1) high temp primer - 2 coats
2) G2 paint - 2 coats
3) high temp clear coat - 3 coats

Do you recommend I just save a couple hundred more for BC coilovers instead of lowering springs? Also, do you know any other retailers selling LCI m3 bumpers with the headlight washers? Just ordered my DPs & Spoiler, wanting to try and snag an m3 bumper w/ headlight washers if I can find one before I miss the chance but an intake is next on my list. Slowly but surely, sorry for the late response, I appreciate it!

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by autoart

If you have the base steering wheel, upgrade to the m3 or m sport wheel. makes a big difference to me.

I really like the m sport steering wheel for sure, thanks for the suggestion

[ro881e]

+1 for XHP. Really opens up the AT (zf boxes only) to what they should have been from the factory. Takes literally 5 minutes if you have the cable, seems pricey but I don't regret it for a moment. Lots of discussions on here (search them) and check out the website & Facebook page. FWIW, Don't bother with stage 1 or 2, stage 3 is the only way to go.

[Emilime75]

Originally Posted by kauulana

Do you recommend I just save a couple hundred more for BC coilovers instead of lowering springs? Also, do you know any other retailers selling LCI m3 bumpers with the headlight washers? Just ordered my DPs & Spoiler, wanting to try and snag an m3 bumper w/ headlight washers if I can find one before I miss the chance but an intake is next on my list. Slowly but surely, sorry for the late response, I appreciate it!

No, I would suggest you wait and save even more for Ohlins R&T or KW V3. BC is one size fits all engineering and the only reason they're popular is because of price point and maybe they're slightly better than the bottom of the barrel.

Can't help you on the M3 rep bumper. I don't like them, I think the MSpprt bumper looks way better and you can go OEM for that with OEM quality and fitment.

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

No, I would suggest you wait and save even more for Ohlins R&T or KW V3. BC is one size fits all engineering and the only reason they're popular is because of price point and maybe they're slightly better than the bottom of the barrel.

Can't help you on the M3 rep bumper. I don't like them, I think the MSpprt bumper looks way better and you can go OEM for that with OEM quality and fitment.

I know suspension should be one of the first mods to be done, I've watched several youtube videos each saying how "modded suspension with stock wheels look better than stock suspension with a new set of wheels", and I feel like that kinda implies to other exterior mods like bumpers, so maybe I should hold off and just take everyones advice. I can see why, I absolutely despise the wheel gap that the stock suspension gives.

I like the m sport bumper, just not as much as the m3 rep. To me, it looks too much alike the stock bumper for my liking.

[Emilime75]

Form follows function. Suspension upgrades shouldn't be done for "looks", they should be done for performance. It just so happens that lowering is a by product of a performance suspension and ends up looking better to most people. The difference comes in what products are used to "upgrade" the suspension. Products like BC will have some performance advantage simply as a by product of the lowering, but they're far from engineered to the extent that companies like Ohlins and KW are. The latter focus on improving ride and handling, BC(and the like) focus on achieving a "look".

Now, I'm not slamming anyone who just wants to lower their car to achieve the look their looking for, just saying that there's a lot more to it than just lowering if you expect the car to perform well and be safe especially when you start raising it's power and speed capability.

Generally speaking, it's always been my opinion that maintenance, suspension and brakes should come before any power upgrades. I feel that the stock 335i brakes are adequate for street driving and highway pulls so upgrading them isn't as important on a street car that won't see multiple hard brake situations like a track car. The stock suspension isn't the greatest, but it isn't terrible. MSport takes it up a notch, or 2. If it's in good shape, and this is again a street car, it can do OK as long as you're careful and aware of its limits.

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by ro881e

+1 for XHP. Really opens up the AT (zf boxes only) to what they should have been from the factory. Takes literally 5 minutes if you have the cable, seems pricey but I don't regret it for a moment. Lots of discussions on here (search them) and check out the website & Facebook page. FWIW, Don't bother with stage 1 or 2, stage 3 is the only way to go.

I wont be messing with any stages for a while. I flashed the car back to stock, the settings he had I didn't like. He had a burble setting and start up roar enabled. The start up roar sounded nice on a cold start, but when the car was still warmed up, the "roar" sounded laggy, soft, and "empty", not sure how I could better describe it, but it sounded terrible warmed up. I want more exterior mods done first(yes call me ricey) before I jump right into bigger performance mods, but I will have some minor/basic ones like an intake, fmic, and catless downpipes, so pretty much the basics incase I do wanna jump to stages. I'm still learning about performance parts for BMW so I apologize if I seem uneducated. Trying to do the least I can with performance mods that'll get me started with building my engine.

[kauulana]

Originally Posted by Emilime75

Form follows function. Suspension upgrades shouldn't be done for "looks", they should be done for performance. It just so happens that lowering is a by product of a performance suspension and ends up looking better to most people. The difference comes in what products are used to "upgrade" the suspension. Products like BC will have some performance advantage simply as a by product of the lowering, but they're far from engineered to the extent that companies like Ohlins and KW are. The latter focus on improving ride and handling, BC(and the like) focus on achieving a "look".

Now, I'm not slamming anyone who just wants to lower their car to achieve the look their looking for, just saying that there's a lot more to it than just lowering if you expect the car to perform well and be safe especially when you start raising it's power and speed capability.

Generally speaking, it's always been my opinion that maintenance, suspension and brakes should come before any power upgrades. I feel that the stock 335i brakes are adequate for street driving and highway pulls so upgrading them isn't as important on a street car that won't see multiple hard brake situations like a track car. The stock suspension isn't the greatest, but it isn't terrible. MSport takes it up a notch, or 2. If it's in good shape, and this is again a street car, it can do OK as long as you're careful and aware of its limits.

All this information is really helpful, from everyone who's commented. I will be stocking up on parts before I slap one after another and half ass the build. I wanna make sure I have what I want/need before I put everything on. Most importantly, suggestions/advice, like how you mentioned "suspension/maintenance/brakes should come before power upgrades", even though I know better, in cases where I would slap one thing before I should've slapped on something else, lets me know what to avoid.

What are you talking about when you said "it can do OK as long as you're careful and aware of its limits"? I'm confused. Also are you saying the msport bumper takes it up a notch or 2? Or something else that's msport. Sorry if I'm being slow lol.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by kauulana

Do you recommend I just save a couple hundred more for BC coilovers instead of lowering springs? Also, do you know any other retailers selling LCI m3 bumpers with the headlight washers? Just ordered my DPs & Spoiler, wanting to try and snag an m3 bumper w/ headlight washers if I can find one before I miss the chance but an intake is next on my list. Slowly but surely, sorry for the late response, I appreciate it!

I have the b12 kit w/ M3 control arms, M3 subframe bushings & M3 differential bushings

I would absolutely say that my suspension is way better than any m-sport suspension from the factory.

Look at the B14 kit, if you want coil overs. You'll have to wait till they come back in stock.

Ikon Motorsports is the only company I know of that sells the M3 replica bumper with both fog lights & headlight washers.

I'd do that & M3 side-skirts for sure!

There is some trimming of the brake vents to get the bumper to fit, but that didn't take all that long. Take them off (one 8mm bolt) & use a dremmel.

Sometimes, you can snag a used Dinan CAI for $500.00 used on this forum. Otherwise, the AFE momentum is probably your best bet, if you want a CAI.

[Emilime75]

Originally Posted by kauulana

...What are you talking about when you said "it can do OK as long as you're careful and aware of its limits"? I'm confused. Also are you saying the msport bumper takes it up a notch or 2? Or something else that's msport. Sorry if I'm being slow lol.

I was still talking about suspension, as in the stock MSport suspension is a step or 2 better than non MSport suspension.

The bumper is purely aesthetic and subjective. It makes no difference to performance, so if you like the M3 rep bumper, go for it.

EDIT: Just realized you're XDrive, so I'm not sure what aftermarket suspension will work for you. I'm RWD, so I never looked in to AWD stuff.