[focal]

you buy a new car (F3x) and you have grandiose plans. you reach those goals modifying. there is obviously more money and more mods to make it look better, driver faster, handle better, sound louder/better and feel better, but do you stick to your plans or let this forum push you to invest even more?

I'm getting to the goal line of my original plans. The MPE was an unexpected add on and I'm still not 100% sold on it. Noise is counter to what I want the car to be (a luxury sedan with exceptional handling) but it does sound good during the fun times on the weekend. I still wonder if it is proper to drive into a client's site and roar in through the garage?

so how do you know when to stop? and when you do stop, how do you continue to be an enthusiast?

There are local forums and groups. They meet regularly for a strong "real" social network. It is still a stronger E9x group more than F3x group so the mod mentality and mindsets are different. As F3x cars come off lease, I'm sure that this contingent will grow larger.

do you mod until the day you sell? or do you just enjoy what you've done for years ahead?

[M3AWD]

I'm in a similar position, I did the mods I had in mind at the time I bought my F30.. I'm satisfied with my car as is 90% of the time, which logically means I shouldn't be doing new mods anytime soon. Once that drops to 70% I think I would have to do something.

I plan to keep the car for 4 years so if a couple of additional mods keep the idea of buying a new M3 away, I succeed

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Set a realistic plan to start with then stop when you get there. Did that with both the 335is & 135is.

Will add the M-Sport diffuser & black chrome exhaust tips (both sitting in my garage) to the 435M-Sport MPPK & leave if like that till its eventually sold.

[Steven1077]

I don't mod it at all, I like the way it is stock, wouldn't mind having ppk fitted but that's about it

[roxxor]

The problem I have found is that I had a general idea/list of what I wanted to do when I got the car, but the more I read through the forums, the more I find myself saying "Oh, that looks/sounds neat, I want to do something like that", and the list grows

Hopefully I will be done with everything I want to do by around winter time(my 1 year F30 anniversary), and after that I can fight the urge and hold off on doing anything else.

[S4NoMore]

My 2 cents: I've been around the block with modifying, and I decided to not really change my new BMW drastically. Sport line is enough for me. In the past I've felt that there is always some sacrifice, whether obvious (noise, discomfort) or underlying (reliability, fragility). I am keeping my E30 to scratch the itch of tweaking and turning a wrench.

With the F30, I can see your point of wondering if the enthusiast edge is lost when you don't change the car, so I suppose I just keep the subtle things in mind - light tint, painting calipers, tinting reflectors, etc. Above all, I keep the car clean in the literal sense.

There's no shame in reaching the end of your comfort level with modding, and while you might get used to the look and feel it will still be subtley (or drastically) different from other cars on the road to the average motorist out there. Modifying is a slippery slope, no need to go overboard especially on a car that is so good out of the box.

[BTT 335i]

When you sell the car.

[Sedan_Clan]

You mod as long as you have money. As long as you have money, you'll always find something to do to your car.

[Dan_335i]

This is my plan
Oem cf spoiler
Oem cf mirrora
Oem kidney grills or cf grills
Cf front lip
Meisterchaft gts

Rear diffuser oem or cf does not matter currently

[rjpeaks]

last two cars haven't been heavily modded as i try to get cars that are already pretty capable.

also i don't keep cars beyond say 50-60K miles - so thats another indication as well.

and thats just me

[zambarossa]

Not much patience for modding other than some basic stuff (wheels, grill, spoilers, etc). I find myself having less and less patience with every new car, no plans to even do wheels on this one (winter set is enough).
Whoever said mod as long as you have money, I envy them, not for the money part, but for having the time and patience to put that into the car. Washing the car is too time consuming for my liking, would love to have someone hand wash it for me if possible lol.

[chrisny]

Me, I bought the car, and I drive the car. Oh, and I wash it when it gets dirty

[Presario]

Originally Posted by Sedan_Clan

You mod as long as you have money. As long as you have money, you'll always find something to do to your car.

Right up there with Confucius, haha. Sooo true.

[nyc2sd30]

Just do what makes you happy and fits your taste plus budget. Reading these forums and going to meets intensifies the mod bug badly.

My 2 cents on the MPE, in comfort mode you're not going to rattle anyone's nerves driving through a parking lot. Just a little deeper tone than stock. Throw is it sport or + you'll get the pop growl and gurgle.

[JN1]

Originally Posted by Presario

Right up there with Confucius, haha. Sooo true.

Exactly. Disposable income that is.

[newoldbeemer]

Originally Posted by BEAR-AvHistory

Set a realistic plan..

Thats the difficult part

[M2Cmtl]

I would argue setting a realistic budget is harder!

[focal]

Originally Posted by nyc2sd30

Just do what makes you happy and fits your taste plus budget. Reading these forums and going to meets intensifies the mod bug badly.

My 2 cents on the MPE, in comfort mode you're not going to rattle anyone's nerves driving through a parking lot. Just a little deeper tone than stock. Throw is it sport or + you'll get the pop growl and gurgle.

I'll have to drive in comfort then for clients. I've been 90% sport for the steering weight and throttle response.

as I wrote in another thread, I recently parked next to a stock 328i RWD sport line

Got to see the culmination of the mods I did and what a difference as a package
- ride height
- wider and squarer tires
- grille
- exhaust

this made my day and all the careful planning (budgetting) to buy a modest optioned car in the hopes of doing the above (+ stereo) for similar or less money than a fully optioned 328i or modest 335i. I know buying a more expensive optioned car would still tempt me to mod because the stock car wasn't right out of the box.

I was good this car, sticking to my "no body kit" (except grille), "no bbk", "no larger wheels" (just better tires) and "no tune" (reason for 328i instead of 320i).

[JJS]

Don't start.

I spec my BMW exactly as I want it, so I don't have to mod.

[focal]

Originally Posted by JJS

Don't start.

I spec my BMW exactly as I want it, so I don't have to mod.

EBII 335i Touring M-Sport (Munich built July 2013)
| 6 Speed Manual

I can only dream and wish we could have had the F31 in 6MT. Definitely no aftermarket mod for this here in N.A.

[drob23]

Originally Posted by focal

you buy a new car (F3x) and you have grandiose plans. you reach those goals modifying. there is obviously more money and more mods to make it look better, driver faster, handle better, sound louder/better and feel better, but do you stick to your plans or let this forum push you to invest even more?

I'm getting to the goal line of my original plans. The MPE was an unexpected add on and I'm still not 100% sold on it. Noise is counter to what I want the car to be (a luxury sedan with exceptional handling) but it does sound good during the fun times on the weekend. I still wonder if it is proper to drive into a client's site and roar in through the garage?

so how do you know when to stop? and when you do stop, how do you continue to be an enthusiast?

There are local forums and groups. They meet regularly for a strong "real" social network. It is still a stronger E9x group more than F3x group so the mod mentality and mindsets are different. As F3x cars come off lease, I'm sure that this contingent will grow larger.

do you mod until the day you sell? or do you just enjoy what you've done for years ahead?

I think it depends on what you want to do with the car. One direction that will shoot you down a pretty unending path is tracking the car. Once you place your luxury sedan on a race track you will quickly learn there are all kinds of weaknesses. Dealing with the ones that are actually possible to address and having time to get back on the track to try your solution will be a loooooong process.

[CK335iMSport]

I agree, it's a personal choice. For me, I thoroughly enjoy modding my car, it gives me great satisfaction to see the car change over time, and keeps it interesting/exciting. Like others, I too ordered my car with some nice specs, but over time, I see/hear things that interest me and give ideas for change. As I sit here writing this, I'm trying to decide what I'll do next .

It's all part of the fun in having the car, IMHO...