[techietaichi]

Hey OP, are you waiting to complete everything before unveiling it to us? It better be good man.

[tmdals0213]

Originally Posted by swingshiftworker

Truth is, the end result at WOT is the same in LT or ST, but how it gets there is much different between the 2. If you're not sure which you like, just try both maps and choose the one you like best.

thanks for the info, will have to try both later on.

hope the hood repaint comes out nice.

[theblackmamba]

How did you purchase almost everything on that list for under $2.5k? a mishimoto is around $700+ install and the cobb is $6-800

[SSW]

Originally Posted by techietaichi

Hey OP, are you waiting to complete everything before unveiling it to us? It better be good man.

It really does just look like any other black 335i e90. Only thing different, if I get them, will be the 193M wheels, which you can see elsewhere.

Did try to post some pics but they were too big and I was too lazy to resize them. Will get around to it later when I'm REALLY "all done."

Update:

Ok, I pulled out my old Panasonic digital cam that will allow me to take small jpegs (300k) that you can upload to the forum and just took some pics of the car:

Here's the car. Like it said, just a plain old black 335i E90:



Here's a pic of the interior showing the WeatherTech mat on the driver's side and the wood/silver AT shift knob I got from Taiwan via eBay:



Here's a pic of one of the front Style 162 wheels that was reconditioned:



It's a little dirty w/brake dust but it's "like new" and not noticeably different than the rears.

And, here's a pic of the wheel lock and the "new" updated center cap:



OBTW, here's what the car will look like if I get the 193M wheels:

http://e60.5post.com/forums//picture...pictureid=1528

I actually like the look of the 195 wheels a little better but there are several sets of 193Ms available for sale right now and, of course, the little "M" logo is cool too.

But, FWIW, here's what the 195s would look like on the car:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/attach...1&d=1175526901

[SSW]

Originally Posted by theblackmamba

How did you purchase almost everything on that list for under $2.5k? a mishimoto is around $700+ install and the cobb is $6-800

Your question prompted me to review the costs, which I thought would be a good idea anyway.

The $2500 figure is accurate, if you exclude sales tax, shipping & labor which represents about 10% of the total cost of all the things on the list. The total including tax & shipping (where applicable) is actually $2774.71. The only labor cost was for programming the alarm; I did everything else myself. I've listed the individual cost of each item (including tax & shipping) in bold next each item.

1) Cobb Accessport V3 Stage -- $806.16
2) Mishimoto intercooler -- $702.03
3) K&N filter -- $67.26
4) ExhaustMeister -- $121
5) OEM alarm kit -- $257.09 -- and programming -- $104.05
6) New windshield -- $100
7) WeatherTech floor and trunk liners -- $313.80
8) 4 jack pads -- $54.20
9) 4 jack pad adapters -- $50.00
10) Driver's side front edge hood trim -- $24.31
11) 2 missing rubber hood seals -- $31.30
12) 4 tire valve caps w/BMW logo -- $5.88
13) Wooden shift knob w/silver center trim-- $61.99
14) BMW touch up paint kit (color & clear) -- $38.31
15) BMW first aid kit -- $28.34
16) BMW sunroof allen wrench -- $8.99

The costs above do not include the front wheel work ($370) and dent removal ($50) already done; the 4 new center caps ($64.31), the Michelin PSS tires ($958.43), the OEM Beru Huf2006-2009 TPMS sensors ($229), the wheel locks ($40) and the Tischer spare tire kit ($250) that I also bought.

I really didn't/don't HAVE to spend ALL of the extra $3.4k -- which will put me "underwater" in terms of what the car is currently worth -- because the tires weren't needed yet and wheels/body work are purely cosmetic, but the car is SO nice that I just felt compelled to do it. I can still back off on the 193M wheels and body work, if I like, but I don't think I'm going to do that.

Should complete the wheel/body work by the end of Feb. After that, I "should" then be ALL DONE . . . until, of course, something else "comes up."

Update 02/15/14:

Add another $310 for the Alpina B3 AT flash and coding work done on the car today. See Post #41 below for the details.

Update 03/21/14: Had to buy a 2nd wood shift knob for $61.99 because I evidently damaged the 1st one when installing it; it was loose and would not sit firmly in the shaft. I could have "complained" and tried to get an exchange or refund but, in the end, thought it would just be simpler to buy another one. Just received and installed the 2nd knob and it is firmly seated in the shaft.

[SSW]

Just got my new Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires:



They'll either go on the 162s on the car now or on a new set of 193Ms that I plan to buy.

Also got the wheel locks that I ordered on eBay. They actually came w/2 keys and an almost full set of lug bolts (4 per wheel) too. Didn't expect that.

I now have a complete tool kit in the trunk along w/a BMW first aid kit and the manual in the places where they belong:






Thought about doing a retrofit of the Euro triangle mount in the upper left hand corner of the trunk too, but ultimately decided to pass on that as too much trouble and not worth the effort.

Forgot to take a separate photo of the WeatherTech trunk mat but you can see the edges of it in the pics above.

[techietaichi]

Well it certainly looks like it's all coming together for you swing, that's awesome man. I actually like the 162's you've got. I tried to find a set of those for my winter wheels before I scooped up my 285's. "Gunmetal" those wheels, throw some spacers on the rears and drop it and you'd be in business I think. Then again, there's so many great choices out there in terms of wheels, I could see why almost anyone would want a better set. I actually owned the same shift knob you have, but I hated the "chunkiness" of it and the "woodgrain" was a bit more red than I'd expected, so I bit the bullet and bought the OEM one. It burned a little hole in my pocket, but in retrospect it was worth it. Keep an eye on the classified's here and you might come across one that's 1/2 to 3/4 what I paid. You might be able to find the matching hand brake knob too. Both pieces compliment each other quite well. I alo noticed the first aid kit you had, good call. I definitely think every car should have those. Is yours "leatherette" or genuine leather? I've got a euro first aid kit, but it's like polyester I think. Anyways, look forward to seeing more as you progress man. Have a good one.

[SSW]

Originally Posted by techietaichi

Well it certainly looks like it's all coming together for you swing, that's awesome man. I actually like the 162's you've got. I tried to find a set of those for my winter wheels before I scooped up my 285's. "Gunmetal" those wheels, throw some spacers on the rears and drop it and you'd be in business I think. Then again, there's so many great choices out there in terms of wheels, I could see why almost anyone would want a better set. I actually owned the same shift knob you have, but I hated the "chunkiness" of it and the "woodgrain" was a bit more red than I'd expected, so I bit the bullet and bought the OEM one. It burned a little hole in my pocket, but in retrospect it was worth it. Keep an eye on the classified's here and you might come across one that's 1/2 to 3/4 what I paid. You might be able to find the matching hand brake knob too. Both pieces compliment each other quite well. I alo noticed the first aid kit you had, good call. I definitely think every car should have those. Is yours "leatherette" or genuine leather? I've got a euro first aid kit, but it's like polyester I think. Anyways, look forward to seeing more as you progress man. Have a good one.

Thanks, Techie!

Not planning to lower the car or do any suspension work unless something breaks. Just wheels/tires. Never plan to take the car up in the snow, so I won't need to put winter tires on them. I'll just keep them in my warehouse until I plan to sell the car. Then, I'll put the 162s w/the RFTs back on and sell off the 193Ms (with whatever rubber is on them at the time) which will always be worth more than the 162s w/the RFTs.

I'm happy w/the looks/feel of the shift knob that I got but it comes loose sometimes; think I broke something when installing it -- cheap plastic. So, if I something nicer or better comes up for a good price, I'll buy it. The first aid kit only cost $28. So, it's obviously a vinyl case. Don't think I'll actually use it for anything, but it's there if I need it. Really just wanted to fill the space with what was "supposed" to go in it.

Will post final pics of the car after the wheel/body work is done but they won't be much different that what I've posted already.

Update 03/01/14:

I was out in the backroads pushing the car in the twisties this past weekend and I was a little unhappy w/the way the suspension performed. So, I'm actually thinking about doing some suspension mods now as well. Nothing major, just enough to remove more of the sway.

After reading a variety of threads, if I do it, I'll probably go w/the Eiback Pro-kit springs w/Koni yellow adjustable shocks (not the FSDs) and the slightly beefier Eiback or M3 sways w/the shorter E36 M3 (front) and Z4 (rear) bump stops.

Also still not happy with all of the brake dust that the brake pads put out. Just learned about the Ankebono ceramic pads which are much cleaner and will probably change the stock pads out when I do the suspension and finally get a new set of wheels to go w/the Michelin PSS tires that I still have sitting in my garage.

[flip4335]

Originally Posted by swingshiftworker

Well, looks like I"m NOT done yet.

After "fixing" my front Style 162 wheels, I started looking at the hood which had a lot of rock/gravel damage on it, as did the windshield (which got replaced by insurance). Tried filling and sanding the worst of the chips in the hood but I was not happy with the result. So, I got some estimates and am going to get the hood repainted in a week or so.

Also got thinking about the wheels & tires again.

Lined up a set of Style 193M wheels that I like for a reasonable price and hope to get them in a couple of weeks. Already ordered a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires from Tire Rack which I should get tomorrow.

Figured I'd need these tires sooner or later and, if I don't buy the 193M's right away, I'll just install the Michelins on the 162's currently on my car when the Bridgestones on them now wear out (or put on another set of wheels that I find later).

Welcome, and congrats on your ride!

I just wanted to let you in on a cautionary tale about what I, for one, have gone through in the evolution of my ride due to my costly modification behavior.

First mod I made was to install a Quaife ATB LSD and Blackline tail lights. You could read my review on the LSD below:

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=311570





I, too, started out with 162s when I bought my 2007 335i, but was really inspired to get new wheels to complement the color of my SGM sedan.

Needless to say, I fell in lust for the M3 Style 219M wheels because they were 18-inch wheels. They are readily available on the M3 forum or from forum members here, which is how I got them.

While others opted for 19s and 20s, I felt that the 18s were totally fine due to the condition of the roads in the DC Metro area (read: pothole city). In addition, 18-inch tires were much more affordable than the bigger rubber. The specs are:

Front: 18x8.5, ET29 with 225/40R18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports
Rear: 18x9.5, ET23 with 255/35R18 Michelin Pilot Super Sports



Notice how well the tires fit the rims, with no stretch look, whatsoever:



Check out this link for OEM wheels that interest you. It's in German, but you will be able to determine if the wheel offsets would fit your e90:

http://felgenkatalog.auto-treff.com/

I was really happy with how my front end looked until I had an accident two years ago. Up to that point, I had my pre-lci for six years:





Since I had to replace the front hood and bumper, I opted to update them with lci M Sport parts:



Since I had the lci conversion, I got the itch to add a rear MTech bumper to complement the Blacklines:



Since I wanted more power, I added a COBB tune after I installed my Helix FMIC and AR Design catted downpipes and upgrade filter, and since I did all of that, I wanted to test out the upgrades:



Now that I have tested the upgrades, I want M3 suspension bits...

Needless to say, I, too, am almost done.

Have fun with your mods and updates!

[SSW]

Thanks, Flip.

A great story and one that I have lived similarly in the past with other cars and hopefully will NOT relive through my 335i. I indeed expect to be "done" once my wheel/body work is completed. My resistance to spending even more $ on the car will be the primary controlling factor, based upon the wisdom of your "cautionary tale" and my recollection of large sums of $ previously "invested" in and never recovered from prior rides.

Originally Posted by flip4335

Welcome, and congrats on your ride!

I just wanted to let you in on a cautionary tale about what I, for one, have gone through in the evolution of my ride due to my costly modification behavior.

<snip>

Needless to say, I, too, am almost done.

Have fun with your mods and updates!

[SSW]

Just picked a the BRAND NEW Tischer BMW Continental spare tire kit from another forum member today.



Glad that I have the WeatherTech trunk mat under it.

I'll probably buy a tire tote too, which I'll need more for a flat that has to be removed than for the spare. I'll also add a portable compressor (that I already have) , a tire repair kit and some Slime to the trunk, when I'm running non-RFTs for extra flat "protection." Already have a 1/2" torque wrench preset to 88 ft lbs w/a 17mm socket in the storage compartment under the spare tire.

The amount of space the tire takes up doesn't matter to me. I don't normally use the trunk to carry much around and when I have larger loads to haul, I'd always use my F250 instead.

The seller threw in the trunk net and 5 oil filters for FREE. Wanted me to take some ATF and an ignition coil, as well but I didn't see any need for the AFT (since you can't just fill the ATF through a dipstick like other cars) and the coil was for a 325 and probably wouldn't fit my 335i. The guy also wanted to sell his Bentley Series 3 2006-2009 Service manual, which was BRAND NEW, and offered it to me for $30, so I bought that too.

Not a bad deal. The spare tire kit sells for $315, the trunk net for about $50, the oil filters go for about $11 each and the manual goes for around $100. So, I got all that stuff worth a total of $520 for $280. Will try to sell off the filters for $30, which will make it a net cost of $250 to me, if I do.

[SSW]

So, I picked up a pair of BMW Tire Totes today from East Bay BMW in Pleasanton, CA for just $19.50 (plus tax), which they were offering for sale at that price on eBay.

Prices for the BMW Tire Totes vary from $16.65 on Amazon to $45.98 on eBay for the pair. Weird range.

Used one of the totes for the Continental spare and discovered that the jack, chock and lug wrench in my tire kit will fit along w/the extra tire tote fit in the storage compartment under the floor of the trunk (which allowed me to ditch the styrofoam tool insert) and "just for fun," I added my Viair 450P portable air compressor, PowerTank tire repair kit, 2 emergency triangles and a Gunk tire sealant/inflator to the trunk with the jack adapters and the 17mm impact socket w/the torque wrench. All of the extra emergency tire repair stuff came from gear that I bought during my "off roading" days.

There's now absolutely NO flat that I can't repair or deal with.

[SSW]

Have shoulder surgery scheduled in 10 days and was hoping to get my "new" 193M wheels, the Michelin PSS tires mounted on them and my hood repainted before then.

Won't go into the details but there have been delays in getting the wheels and the hood repainted. So, I'm going to have to put these things off for at least 3 months because of the surgery. Already postponed the surgery a month and don't want to postpone it again.

Thinking about mounting the Michelin PSS tires on my Style 162 Wheels now, rather than just let them sit in my garage for 3 months but there's still a lot of wear left on the Bridgestone RFTs, so I'll probably just wait. Won't be able to drive much in the next 3 months anyway.

I've also already bought (and can't return) a complete new set of OEM TPMS sensors for the wheels that I thought I would be getting by next week and, if I don't get the the 193M's eventually, I'll have to put the sensors up for sale here and/or on eBay and/or Craigslist just to get my $ back.

Oh well . . . the car still looks good but it'll take just a little while longer to get everything I wanted to do DONE and to make the car look just a little bit better in my eyes.

[SSW]

OBTW, since I can't get my wheels and hood done yet, I'm looking into at least getting some coding done, including the Alpina B3 tranny flash, before surgery too.

[_Sinister_]

Dang your proactive lol nice write up and please post more pics

[SSW]

Originally Posted by _Sinister_

Dang your proactive lol nice write up and please post more pics

Thanks!

More pics will have to wait til I get the new wheels and hood done. So, don't hold your breath for that.

[techietaichi]

I admire your preparedness swing. You appear to be a man ready for all contingencies. You just need a "bug out" bag and a decent sidearm and you're all set! Lol. Seriously though, good job.

[SSW]

Originally Posted by techietaichi

I admire your preparedness swing. You appear to be a man ready for all contingencies. You just need a "bug out" bag and a decent sidearm and you're all set! Lol. Seriously though, good job.

I do try to be prepared. Got the sidearms but no "bug out" bag. If it comes to THAT, I think we'll all be ALL DONE then.

[SSW]

My car was coded and the Alpina B3 AT flash was installed in my car today.

The Alpina AT flash really ROCKS! The shifting and performance of the car is "better" in D and DS but is absolutely TRANSFORMED in Manual. The flash will hold revs until you decide to upshift up and is excellent in matching engine/trans speeds so that the shifts are much smoother than in stock. There is still some abruptness in the shift changes when upshifting but the flash is SUPERB matching engine/trans speed when downshifting for very smooth downshifts, even when aggressively shifting from a lower rev band in a higher gear to a much higher rev band in a lower gear.

My major gripe w/the stock AT program was the abrupt shift changes and lack of rev matching, particularly when downshifting. Almost ALL of those problems are gone now. The car now drives much more like a "real" MT now when in M, even though it's "just" an AT. So, I am VERY, VERY happy and, IMHO, whether you've done any engine mods or not, the Alpina tranny flash is definite MUST do for a 335i, regardless of where or how you decide to get it done.

Here's the FINAL LIST of coding that has been done to my car:

Disable iDrive start-up legal disclaimer
Remove key in ignition gong
Enable M digital speedometer
Unlock all doors when key is removed
Auto eject keyfob when engine is turned off
Open or close all windows and sunroof with keyfob
Turn off amber side markers when lights are on; still work for turn signals
Fog lights remain on when high beams are on
Disable window safety feature
Turn off daytime running lights
Disable driver and passenger seat belt warning bells
Complete windshield wiper cycle when car is turned off
Reset rain sensor
Change temp turn signal blink from 3 to 6
Alpina B3 TCU flash
Alarm kit retro fit coding

Attempted but failed to install the following but didn't really need :

--AC off when auto climate selected; if AC already off, it will not turn on but if already on, it stays on
--Turn on rear "fog" lights in tandem w/brake lights; installed the European headlight switch which makes this irrelevant
--Turn off TPMS sensors; would have been nice to have but not required since all of my wheels have the proper sensors

Update 03/08/14:

See the various posts below for further details about what I actually had to go thru to finally get all of the coding done!

[Mardio]

Wow love the coding features you had done, got me thinking...

[SSW]

So, now that it appears the the "actual" speed feature of the M digital speedo that was coded into my car the other day apparently doesn't work, I'm trying to figure out what to do about that. Hopefully, the coder can figure out what's "wrong" and fix it but if he can't . . .

The speed gauge in my Cobb AP3 tuner shows the actual speed, which is about 5 mph, slower than indicated on the analog and digital speedo but the mounting of the Cobb is too obvious and looks out of place to me. However, the Turner P3 Vent gauge apparently also gives an "actual" speed readout and now I'm thinking about adding that as well.

If I do that, it would be a good time to also do the DIY rear "foglight" mod as well, since the switch is located just below the vent where the Turner P3 vent gauge will be installed. There's apparently a way to modify the existing switch to operate the rear fog light but I'll probably just buy the Euro fog switch instead of modifying the existing light switch.

See: DIY- Rear Fog Lights and see: European Headlight Switch

LOL!

There goes another $539 plus at least an hour's labor to install the boost gauge vacuum line, if I decide that it's too much trouble to run vacuum line from the vent to the charge pipe and/or too risky to drill and tap the fitting into the charge pipe for the boost gauge myself.

Oh well . . . the 335i is really turning into a "money pit" for me but it has NOTHING to do w/any malfunction or repairs -- just mods.

Update 02/22/14:

Got the "actual speed" option activated on my M Digital speedo today. Analog speed is now about 3-4 mph faster than the digital readout. So, unless I need the other info provided by the Turner P3 Vent gauge, I probably won't buy it BUT I probably will still do the DIY rear "fog" light switch change later.

[Markus8291]

Originally Posted by swingshiftworker

So, now that it appears the the "actual" speed feature of the M digital speedo that was coded into my car the other day apparently doesn't work, I'm trying to figure out what to do about that. Hopefully, the coder can figure out what's "wrong" and fix it but if he can't . . .

The speed gauge in my Cobb AP3 tuner shows the actual speed, which is about 5 mph, slower than indicated on the analog and digital speedo but the mounting of the Cobb is too obvious and looks out of place to me. However, the Turner P3 Vent gauge apparently also gives an "actual" speed readout and now I'm thinking about adding that as well.

See: http://www.turnermotorsport.com/t-P3-Vent-Gauge.aspx

If I do that, it would be a good time to also do the DIY rear "foglight" mod as well, since the switch is located just below the vent where the Turner P3 vent gauge will be installed. There's apparently a way to modify the existing switch to operate the rear fog light but I'll probably just buy the Euro fog switch instead of modifying the existing light switch.

See: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26545
and see: http://www.ecstuning.com/BMW-E92-335...hes/ES1866753/

LOL!

There goes another $539 plus at least an hour's labor to install the boost gauge vacuum line, if I decide that it's too much trouble to run vacuum line from the vent to the charge pipe and/or too risky to drill and tap the fitting into the charge pipe for the boost gauge myself.

Oh well . . . the 335i is really turning into a "money pit" for me but it has NOTHING to do w/any malfunction or repairs -- just mods.

not sure why the actual speed doesn't work for you but I coded it into my car and it works just fine. Some friends of mine have it done too and no issues. Besides coding the digital speedo, there is another option that needs to be changed "bc_korrektur" needs to be "nicht_aktiv" and it should work no problem. Hopefully your coder can get it figured out.