|
|
|
|
|
|
BMW Garage | BMW Meets | Register | Today's Posts | Search |
|
BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum
>
I need help, first car
|
|
06-19-2019, 10:16 PM | #1 |
New Member
5
Rep 7
Posts |
I need help, first car
I got my 2008 e92 3.28i about two months ago. I want to do some mods to it to make it faster and look better. But I want to keep to a daily because I am 16. The car has m rims and the suspension, xenon headlights, and paddle shifters that is all I know of right now. It also has the normal wear in the interior and cat hair from the first owner. The outside is different from rock chips on the hood and front bumper and a cut on the driver side near the wheel well. The wheels have dirty stuck in it and curb rash on them. The paint is stock and there is no wax on it because it was from the auction. In my mind I want it to be like an m sport car with around 300 hp. Can you guys help me out?
|
06-19-2019, 10:52 PM | #2 |
Private First Class
108
Rep 148
Posts |
A sports car looks sportier when it is cleaned, polished and deep shine. Sounds like you need some cleaning anyways. Spend some time on this forum for how to get the best shine. Also a slick shiny car is good for an additional 5hp.
https://www.autogeekonline.net/ |
Appreciate
0
|
06-20-2019, 12:37 AM | #3 |
eBay Special
3066
Rep 3,028
Posts
Drives: E90 330xi
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Western Slope, Colorado
|
The N52 is meant to be a bulletproof daily driver with good reliability (when properly maintained), its not really meant for power. Imho I think you're better off buying some tasteful cosmetics and enjoying the car for what it is. Anyways..
+1 on cleaning it. Start off with detailing it. When you wash it please DO NOT use dish soap. You never want 'squeaky clean' on a car. Its bad for the paint. Use car shampoo such as Adam's Car Shampoo, it works pretty well. Or just go to a coin op for the convenience * As far as performance, there's not a whole lot you can do that's worth the price. Start with an intake! K&N Drop In (I personally went with an offbrand that seems to be a carbon copy of a K&N, cause I'm cheap) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XXY1Y28..._iCXcDb843J3GC While you're in the airbox, the charcoal delete can help a little bit too. That and a tune would be the best you can do without buying something like AA headers.
__________________
Common sense is a flower that does not bloom in everyone's garden
|
Appreciate
0
|
06-20-2019, 12:59 AM | #4 |
New Member
5
Rep 7
Posts |
Should I get someone to repaint and wax the car and maybe powder coat the rims? The stuff in the rims is hardened and the Maguire carwash with a brush can't get it out.
|
Appreciate
0
|
06-20-2019, 01:25 AM | #5 |
eBay Special
3066
Rep 3,028
Posts
Drives: E90 330xi
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Western Slope, Colorado
|
The only reason in my opinion to repaint it is if the clear coat as shedded away all the way to the base coat. Otherwise a good paint correction and a sealant will bring it back to glory. For wheels, you'll need wheel cleaner.
I'm guessing the filth in your wheels is black soot almost. That would be brake dust, which typically is iron. It doesn't like to come off easy, that's what wheel cleaner is for. It breaks it down and makes it easier to remove. I wouldn't powdercoat them unless you plan on having the curb rash repaired beforehand. I'm assuming they're stock wheels, and if you live in a place where you have winter's then they'll work great for winter wheels. You're 16 and own a BMW, so a nice set of wheels wouldn't hurt either. There are plenty of good 'budget' brands. Alzor, Avante Garde, VMR, ESR, etc
__________________
Common sense is a flower that does not bloom in everyone's garden
|
Appreciate
1
HartUnited4.50 |
06-20-2019, 05:27 AM | #6 | |
Lieutenant Colonel
1044
Rep 1,667
Posts |
Quote:
|
|
Appreciate
3
|
06-20-2019, 08:39 AM | #7 |
Private First Class
108
Rep 148
Posts |
You will always love your first car and remember how you cared for it. Take your wheels off for a good cleaning. Mine were horrible. I used Meguires Super Degreaser diluted 3:1 to clean these wheels.
|
Appreciate
1
HartUnited4.50 |
06-20-2019, 09:26 AM | #8 |
General
17208
Rep 18,697
Posts |
To increase the engine performance you can perform a 3-stage intake manifold swap, which adds variable intake runners to tune engine output based on load requirements. There is also an MILV valve lifter upgrade as well. The 3-stage requires a software change. Go over to the N/A engine subforum which explains the mods. You can net about 270HP out of those upgrades, which are reasonably priced.
|
Appreciate
1
Aceway454.50 |
06-20-2019, 11:24 AM | #9 | |
Lieutenant Colonel
13154
Rep 1,965
Posts |
Quote:
Post some pics! |
|
Appreciate
0
|
06-20-2019, 01:02 PM | #10 |
Gateropode
329
Rep 2,848
Posts |
The stock filter box on the N52 is fine, changing the filter and other stuff makes it more difficult to work on (or pass inspection if that's a thing in your state) for no measurable gains.
The N52 engine is not very good for mods and power gains. You can make it like a 330i ~270hp with the 3-stage manifold, but that's a lot of money for a small benefit imo (I have the 330i, you can feel the extra horses, but its not like it makes the 328 feel slow). Getting the N52 to 300hp is very difficult, and we are probably talking about very serious money and reliability downgrade here, if that can even be done. For cleaning your wheels, you need a wheel cleaner. Normal car shampoo will do nothing on caked brake dust. For the rest of the car, I strongly advice you do not repaint. A good cleanup and hitting the paint with a ramdom orbital (not a rotary) will do miracles for the looks. Then a coat of acrylic based 'wax' or nanoskin, and you should look all pretty. You are 16 so I assume you don't have unlimited funds. Keep your money to spend on something more useful than a depreciating asset. |
Appreciate
2
HartUnited4.50 King Rudi13154.00 |
06-20-2019, 05:21 PM | #16 |
Colonel
3762
Rep 2,738
Posts |
Agree with the guys above that car looks great!
Best bang for your buck power mods would be a 3 stage intake swap ($300-400 DIY) and tune (Free 330i tune is out there) which will get you like ~25-30 more HP. Delete the charcoal filter (free) and add a k&n air filter ($60) to the stock airbox. Do not buy an aftermarket cold air intake, they are very poor use of money on these cars. I have tested them and you can do some research on a few mods to the stock airbox that will net more power than any of the aftermarket intakes make. With an automatic 328i that’s as far as I would go for power mods for anyone who is watching their budget. Anything else won’t really deliver any meaningful changes or the ones that do deliver real power become very pricey and/or labor intensive (headers, MILV’s, etc). Btw I have to disagree with a poster above I’m running a ~300hp N52 as my daily and the maintenance is unchanged and minimal. The mods for this platform do not affect reliability at all like they do for the turbo cars. You can do the 3 stage, tune, and charcoal delete and you will have the exact same set up as a European 330i straight out the the bmw factory. This will not affect reliability. Another potentially worthwhile mod would be a muffler swap ($200-$600) which won’t make the car faster at all but makes it “feel” faster and sound sportier. This can add to your enjoyment quite a bit! You should post your questions on the N52 forum. Looking at the posts above I think you are getting some advice from guys who don’t really know the N/A motor very well... after all we are in this general forum so you can’t expect them all to know the in’s and out’s of the n52. Here’s the N52 forum: https://www.e90post.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=35
__________________
Last edited by Biginboca; 06-20-2019 at 05:34 PM.. |
Appreciate
0
|
06-21-2019, 12:57 AM | #17 |
Private First Class
45
Rep 186
Posts
Drives: 2009 E90
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: USA SO CAL
|
Clean car, looks good.
For first mod I would go with GLOSS BLACK KIDNEY GRILLEs and wrap the sliver door trim. But that's just me.
__________________
2012 BMW 335i E92 2009 BMW 328i E90 |
Appreciate
1
colorado.e9x3065.50 |
06-21-2019, 04:36 AM | #18 | |
Colonel
8208
Rep 2,250
Posts |
Quote:
Yesterday I wrapped up my AA header install and Magnaflow cat-back install. This was the biggest PITA install I've done in a long time, and I've done quite a bit of them across various platforms. Today I load my new tune and see how much of an impact they made. I hope it's noticble just because of the aggravation of the install. My last mod will be MILVS. Although I know in the real world, things can be different. But I hope to realistically have a 280hp (give or take) daily driver. I already have a higher HP weekend car, but power delivery between the two is so different, that's what makes it so fun. I can row through the gears in my BMW without worrying about getting into trouble, but with the other car I'm having to shut it down after 2nd gear. I would do like suggested, silicone rev boot, charcoal delete, drop in filter. That's maybe $100. Later you can do a 3 stage intake as you can find them pretty cheap from junked cars if you look around. Then you can do the free bimmergeeks tune. That should make a nice little difference in feel. After that, enjoy the car for a while and do cosmetic stuff as you see fit. Honestly, I think your car looks great considering its black and we all know how hard it is to keep that color looking good. Good luck! |
|
Appreciate
1
Biginboca3761.50 |
06-21-2019, 04:38 AM | #19 |
Private
28
Rep 60
Posts |
An ///M badge on the tail and on the front fenders will add 15hp.
__________________
2006 BMW 320d Sport | Le Mans Blue | 18in Style 162 | Blue Shadow / Anthracite Alcantara
2007 BMW Z4 3.0si Coupe | Stratus Grey | 19in Veemann V-FS33 | BC Racing coilovers | Oregon Black leather |
Appreciate
2
Bimmer_Engineer1043.50 Schmitz241.00 |
06-21-2019, 05:04 AM | #20 |
Captain
433
Rep 600
Posts
Drives: TiAg e91, r53 Cooper S, e28 M5
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Santa Barbara/Modena
|
|
Appreciate
2
Schmitz241.00 lemans_e9127.50 |
06-21-2019, 11:47 AM | #21 |
eBay Special
3066
Rep 3,028
Posts
Drives: E90 330xi
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Western Slope, Colorado
|
He's clearly joking
__________________
Common sense is a flower that does not bloom in everyone's garden
|
Appreciate
1
lemans_e9127.50 |
06-21-2019, 12:05 PM | #22 | ||
Gateropode
329
Rep 2,848
Posts |
Quote:
Used you can get the manifold piece itself for $150, but then you still have to source the DISA valves and wiring harness, I don't see that fitting in $400, but maybe with some luck? I do not like K&N filters and I don't think they make any changes to HP. I kinda remember someone did a full study with dyno runs and all and proved it, but can't find it now. Quote:
|
||
Appreciate
0
|
Bookmarks |
|
|