[Lancelot]

Hello everyone

This is my first post here in the F30 forum, where I found a lot of valuable info from many of you. So my turn to share, hoping it's helpful to some of you.

So quick story, I bought a used ActiveHybrid 3 from the BMW dealer thinking that it's got best of two aspects, a rather quiet car for daily drive, able to change radically into a high performance car when I want it.

However coming from an M135i i felt myself missing that very sharp feeling i got with it, felt more heavy (it is...) and less precise handling for some reason.

So I decided for a few changes to try and build the M335i that BMW doesn't make.

• Upgraded speakers - Focal 100KRS (mid+tweeters), Focal IFBMW-Sub underseat subs (dit it myself)
• Upgraded amp with BimmerTech kit from base stereo (did it myself)
• Changed wheels from 18" 400M to 19" 442M (second hand from a 428i) + Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 tyres
• Akrapovic evolution exhaust (dealer installed)
• M performance brakes (yellow) (dealer installed)

Coming next is the change of front control arms, found a dealer who is providing and installing M3/M4 arms for F30 http://www.europebmshop.com/serie-1/...-avant-m4.html

Now for a bit of detail if that's helpful to some of you:
Front speakers
The first thing was to upgrade from the base stereo - which was really bad.

I chose a Focal 100KRS kit with tweeters (abt 200 EUR for each) and got the BMW dealer to give me the a set of front door frames with tweeter grills with the car to replace the original ones.
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/en/showpa...diagId=51_8497

I read also that speakers may damage your windows because they are deeper than the OEM speakers;
I purchased this spacer here which is too thick but can be sanded to adjust to the size you need: http://www.ebay.fr/itm/161644006610



Helpful tutorial was this one:

And frankly that was easy enough, if you don't have a problem pulling your door panels

Underseat Subs
For the subs I stayed with Focal with the IFBMW-Sub replacement kit.

Helpful tutorial also:

Now that was a bit unnerving because :
1- the process of unscrewing your front seats and working under them isn't at all practical - they're heavy! - makes the process painful
2- the original subs (base stereo) are *glued* to the enclosure and I had to literally tear them apart resulting in minor injuries to my fingers and fatal injuries to the OEM subs
3- the original enclosure is not deep enough for the Focal subs, you need spacers - Focal now sells a "V2" kit with spacers included so that shouldn't be an issue anymore. http://www.focal.com/france/focal-de...bmw-subv2.html

But overall it went well.

Now the thing is, these new speakers are power hungry and i found myself lacking bass (all the more so since the OEM subs are 2 ohms and the focal are 3.8...)

Amplifier
So decided to upgrade the amp.
It took me a while to decide which to get.

I read extensively here about the various options, and first decided to go for a Focal FD4,350;

However I didn't like the idea of the amp converting speaker level to line level into the amp then to speakers again (those little boxes in the picture), or using a "cleansweep device" that is an expensive way to restore the signal to what it should be.



So changed my mind and went for the Bimmertech amp because
- they now have a "plug n play" harness for the base stereo as well (+$250 ouch)
- they got very good feedback here
- i decided to install myself and save the installation fees
- they provide the remote recoding to "Hifi" as part of the package (so the head unit outputs flat, line level signal)

All in all the install took the better part of a weekend... running cables under the trims and dash to the iDrive head unit, to the trunk, connecting to power, setting up the DSP EQ,... all this with no manual in the package sent by BimmerTech!

Install video here helps, but only tells part of the story when you start from Base Stereo that was have in Europe:

Running cables from the trunk to the head unit and the underseat subs is another story...

Exhaust & Brakes
For the exhaust and brakes I had my BMW dealer install it, wouldn't mess with that as my life and that of my family depends on it. Well not the exhaust but you got it

For some reason BMW doesn't sell the M performance exhaust for Active Hybrid 3 (only 335i) but they were happy to install the Akrapovic, which is EU homologated for ActiveHybrid3.
https://www.akrapovic.com/#!/car/pro...57&yearId=3853

There were other options like the SuperSprint that I considered, but it was more difficult to find a dealer, and I liked the carbon fiber tips of the Akrapovic more.

At first I was a bit doubtful of the sound - quite heavy at low revs, not so different in spirited driving, but as I was running it in I came to like it more and more, it settled to something rather quiet in Eco Pro / Comfort mode, to something really good when changing to Sport/Sport+ and opening the exhaust valve.

Quaife LSD?
In the future i was considering a Quaife LSD (again no M Performance LSD for Active Hybrid 3), but purse is empty for now.

[.BMW.]

Beautiful F30, and great upgrades!

[mike@x-ph.com]

Nice car, welcome!

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by Lancelot

Exhaust & Brakes
For the exhaust and brakes I had my BMW dealer install it, wouldn't mess with that as my life and that of my family depends on it. Well not the exhaust but you got it

For some reason BMW doesn't sell the M performance exhaust for Active Hybrid 3 (only 335i) but they were happy to install the Akrapovic, which is EU homologated for ActiveHybrid3.
https://www.akrapovic.com/#!/car/pro...57&yearId=3853


Quaife LSD?
In the future i was considering a Quaife LSD (again no M Performance LSD for Active Hybrid 3), but purse is empty for now.

What did the Akrapovic Exhaust cost you?

Also, what is price of Quaife LSD?

thx

[Lancelot]

Originally Posted by Kabrich

What did the Akrapovic Exhaust cost you?

Also, what is price of Quaife LSD?

thx

Hi Kabrich

Exhaust cost 3000 EUR fitted (1.5 hours work)
Quaife I got prices quoted (fitment included) ~2400-2500 EUR, either in Belgium or directly at Birds Auto in the UK; couldn't find a shop in France so far.

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by Lancelot

Hi Kabrich

Exhaust cost 3000 EUR fitted (1.5 hours work)
Quaife I got prices quoted (fitment included) ~2400-2500 EUR, either in Belgium or directly at Birds Auto in the UK; couldn't find a shop in France so far.

Interesting....they want a total of $3220 for Exhaust in USA (uninstalled)
E-BM/SS/1Evolution Link pipe set (SS)
$720
MTP-BM/SS/1HEvolution Line (SS).
$2,500

Which is about 2805 EUR (again, uninstalled).

I would have thought that with no VAT tax, it would have been cheaper.

[CazuaLLUK]

Active Hybrid 3, what is this?

I have the same F30 as you but all stock at the moment. How much were them rims?

[Beek]

Welcome and fine looking whip you got there!

[jhuber]

Beautiful car and tasteful upgrades would love to do some audio work like yours

[DerekS]

Congrats ! What a stunning M Sport Thank you for sharing images of your car.

I eagerly await my 328dXT M Sport with the same combo.

[Lancelot]

Originally Posted by CazuaLLUK

Active Hybrid 3, what is this?

I have the same F30 as you but all stock at the moment. How much were them rims?

ActiveHybrid 3 has now disappeared from the BMW line up, they are derived from 335i with an added 55hp electric engine and battery, totalling 340hp (+150kg weight), nice for city driving when you're full electric, nice for pulling in Sport+ .

Wheels: I bought them used (8000km) for EUR 1,500, with tyres mounted and a spare set of rear tyres.

[Lancelot]

Originally Posted by jhuber

Beautiful car and tasteful upgrades would love to do some audio work like yours

There is actually an ongoing audio build thread here, if you're interested in the Bimmertech kit:
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1256097

[CazuaLLUK]

Originally Posted by Lancelot

ActiveHybrid 3 has now disappeared from the BMW line up, they are derived from 335i with an added 55hp electric engine and battery, totalling 340hp (+150kg weight), nice for city driving when you're full electric, nice for pulling in Sport+ .

Wheels: I bought them used (8000km) for EUR 1,500, with tyres mounted and a spare set of rear tyres.

Awesome, that sounds great. I am in Limbo at the moment whether to start upgrading my car or to let my deal run out and configure a new BMW from scratch with the dealer OR find a used car with the add on's I like.

I must say I have looked at many threads on our Silver cars the 442M's look boss!

[AMDG]

Great looking car... and great post, very detailed and informative. Congrats on the upgrades!

[graphite]

Sweet car! Nice to see other ActiveHybrid 3 owners out there.

[frackje]

Nice AH3!

[Lancelot]

Welcome to the club

[syuan92]

This thread makes me want to start modding my AH3. But I know that being a responsible adult means saving my money so that I can afford a house when the time comes

[Kabrich]

Originally Posted by Lancelot

Hi Kabrich

Exhaust cost 3000 EUR fitted (1.5 hours work)
Quaife I got prices quoted (fitment included) ~2400-2500 EUR, either in Belgium or directly at Birds Auto in the UK; couldn't find a shop in France so far.

Do you have any thoughts or comparison of the Quaife LSD v the BMW M Performance LSD? I see you say BMW would not install on AH3, but couldn't an independent shop? Or is part totally different?

BMW Part #33107555607

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1324120

What is Quaife part number? MVPMotorsports, the USA Distributor claims no Quaife Differentials fit the AH3.

Thank you for all your inspiration and assistance!

[Lancelot]

Originally Posted by Kabrich

Do you have any thoughts or comparison of the Quaife LSD v the BMW M Performance LSD? I see you say BMW would not install on AH3, but couldn't an independent shop? Or is part totally different?

BMW Part #33107555607

http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1324120

What is Quaife part number?

Thank you for all your inspiration and assistance!

Atfer investigation, the AH3 has a different diff from the 335i, and is actually the diesel models differential, which has a longer ratio of 2.81 instead of 3.2 for 335i:
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...php?p=20207703

So that means that the M performance diff is probably not compatible physically (unlike the M performance exhaust) : the driveshaft under the chassis is different from the 335i - so you could probably order the BMW M performance diff AND 335i driveshaft, but :
- makes it more expensive to change the driveshaft too - probably $800-$1000
- changes the final drive ratio, which can be desirable or not depending on your objectives - ours is better for fuel economy - you can cruise the highway at 1500rpm - and doesn't harm performance that much AFAIK since the AH3 is faster on paper, probably thanks to less gear changes to have

1st gear: 60km/h AH3 - 55km/h 335i
2nd: 97km/h AH3 - 82km/h 335i
3rd: 142km/h AH3 - 122km/h 335i

There also are opinions that the Quaife is superior to the clutch-plate style BMW LSD.

Either way, I chose to order the Quaife LSD for the reasons above.
Fitment is scheduled this coming Wednesday, will report back after mounting :-)

Quaife : https://shop.quaife.co.uk/quaife-bmw...ctive-hybrid-3
And more specifically their reseller http://www.birdsauto.com/

[Crassus]

Very tasteful mods. The car looks great. What mode to you find your self driving the engine and gearbox in? Comfort, Eco or sport?

[Lancelot]

it's actually a bit of all;

General usage with family is mostly Eco Pro: combined with Pro nav it makes a great combo where it knows the ground shape, and will attempt to schedule best use of electric power: maximize charge when coasting, vs. use electric engine when climbing - more complicated than that but that's the general idea.

Then sport mode for spirited drives, the engine responds superbly; in this mode the electric engine is used as a booster adding 50Nm of torque to the combustion engine.