11-12-2017, 08:45 AM | #1 |
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C2K F31 'Smash Wagon' Project (New Pro Shots!)
Featured on BIMMERPOST.com As you grow older you find that tastes and needs change and the latter begins to overcome all else. After two consecutive M3 builds I have decided to change it up a bit...I moved from Las Vegas to Washington D.C. where warm temperatures and sunshine are equally shared with snow and rain meaning it would be prudent to shift to an all wheel drive platform. Another stark difference between the two cities is real estate, the same price point that got me 4000 sq/ft and three car garage in Vegas gets me 2000 sq/ft and a two car garage here in D.C. Since I refuse to let cars sit out in the elements I made the call to combine project and daily. We welcomed one then two new additions to the family completing the two kids and a large dog American dream which means my new AWD project daily needed to be versatile and have plenty of hauling space. I quickly decided I'd be getting the new M5! Oh wait that's still few months out and will be insanely expensive for the first year due to demand. I suppose I'll reserve that for the next project Options I considered included the new Audi S5 4-door, 440xi GC, Mini Clubman S, 330xi touring, Audi Allroad, X1, and VW GTI Sport Wagon. I must admit the draw to Audi was very strong this time around and had they offered an S4 touring I may have made the switch. The S5 4 door was an interesting new model but something about the rear quarter panels and the way they made the rear wheel wells look disproportionally small ultimately turned me away... The rest of the cars were generally un-interesting leaving me with the decision between 440xi GC and 330xi Wagon. After some failed attempts to negotiate with local dealers I gave my friend David Avilles a call over at Steve Thomas BMW...and just as always he was immediately able to write me the absolute best deal on both cars that blew away the competition. Fall programs greatly favored the F31 and the decision was made to pick up the 'Smash Wagon' project! The Template... 2017 F31 330i xDrive -Mineral on Dakota -M Sport -8AT -Adaptive Suspension -Lighting Package -Premium Package As with any of my project cars I mapped out the mod plan far in advance. This will be a 3 phase build, Phase 1 actually arrived either before or with the car Phase 1 (OEM++) -M Performance Front Splitter -M Performance Rear Diffuser -M Performance Side Skirt Extensions -M Performance Brake Kit -BMW Roof Racks -DINANTronics tune -DINAN Sport Exhaust w/Black Tips Phase 2 (The Usual Suspects) -KW DDC Coilover Suspension -HRE FF04 20" in special order color (not released yet) -Michelin PS4S tires 235/35/20 and 275/30/20 -iND paint matched reflectors -Macht Schnell racing stud kit Phase 3 (Finishing Touches) -M Performance Alcantera and Carbon Fiber Interior Trim kit -M Performance Alcantera Steering wheel -BMW Roof Box Having been in this hobby for the better part of 15 years now I can say with confidence that the best prices and customer service in my experience for M Performance parts is www.BMWPartspros.com and for all high-end aftermarket parts www.ind-distribution.com is my go-to. I hope you guys enjoy this journal as I chronicle the build!
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports Last edited by Curt2000; 05-12-2018 at 01:31 PM.. |
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11-12-2017, 08:45 AM | #2 |
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Phase 1 OEM++
Over the years of modifying BMWs I recall my initial mindset of caring only about cheap speed. This mindset manifested as pride in my ability to make my car, a '07 335i at the time, as fast as possible with as little investment as possible. It had nothing to do with the fact that I was a young professional on a budget . As I matured, my salary matured with me and I found myself able to afford more expensive models and more expensive modifications and to be honest I went over-board with my E92 M3, complete with supercharger, roll cage, and racing seats...It was incredible but also uncomfortable and stressful to drive. My F80 build was focused on the things I liked most from my more extreme builds in the past and left out the mods that caused stress and discomfort like the racing seats and tweaked out motor. Carry over items were the KW Clubsport suspension, BMW M performance interior bits, and customized bits from iND. This brings us to the first phase of this build which I have dubbed OEM++. I've come to appreciate the M Performance line for a few reasons. 1. All the parts are 100% OEM fitment which equates to a guaranteed no-headache install process. 2. A lot of M Performance line products are re-branded top tier parts from manufacturers like Brembo and KW. 3. While these parts are not as extreme as some other aftermarket offerings they have become surprisingly affordable, especially through high volume retailers like bmwpartspros. In addition to M Performance parts I have chosen to go with DINAN for the performance enhancements of sport exhaust and tune. The B48 is still pretty new and one of the first companies to come out with parts is DINAN due to their close relationship with BMW and skilled team of engineers. From years of experience of modding BMW motors I have learned that cheap speed often comes with limp mode, boost leaks, problem at the dealership, and flame wars when troubleshooting/notifying the community of your problems. DINAN parts come with a limited warranty on top of your existing warranty and typically are sold/installed at our local BMW dealer. All of this boils down to one thing, OEM quality plus OEM fitment plus performance with no stress about warranty or compatibility problems....OEM++ -M Performance Front Splitter -M Performance Rear Diffuser -M Performance Side Skirt Extensions -M Performance Brake Kit -BMW Roof Racks -DINANTronics tune -DINAN Sport Exhaust w/Black Tips
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports Last edited by Curt2000; 12-10-2017 at 07:14 PM.. |
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11-12-2017, 08:46 AM | #3 |
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Phase 2 (The Usual Suspects)
-KW DDC Coilover Suspension -HRE FF04 20" in special order color (not released yet) -Michelin PS4S tires 235/35/20 and 275/30/20 -iND paint matched reflectors -Macht Schnell racing stud kit Keeping in line with the no-compromise nature of this build I returned to a series of brands I like to call 'the usual suspects'. These companies have industry leading quality and technology and have never let me down. KW Suspension: The suspension industry is filled with spring companies who's products only differ by the price tag and the color of paint on the coils. BMW M Performance Suspension kits are in-fact KW produced and just painted red and blue. All coil springs come out of a very small number of metal working factories who's main business is producing springs for the OEM factories around the E.U. What sets suspension companies apart is their strut technology. KW is one of the few suspension companies who produce their own struts in-house and have a long running race heritage with BMW. Despite running other suspension brand logos on BMW DTM cars, if you look in the wheel well you will see the iconic purple and yellow The fact that BMW Motorsports re-brands KW products and uses their suspension in reputation setting competition is more than enough for me to feel confident I'm running the best! For the F31 project I chose their DDC Coilover kit, and they are a home run! They are similar to V3 in construction but instead of the adjustable dials for stiffness they plug directly into the OEM Dampening Control modules! Now I control my ride stiffness through the cockpit rocker switch and they feel just as comfortable as stock in comfort mode! In sport mode you can immediately tell the difference in feedback and stiffness, when paired with my Michelin PS4S this suspension transforms my sporty commuter to a very capable road corse weapon! HRE FF04 and Michelin PS4S Just like the suspension industry, the wheel industry is full of brands who all source their products from the same 2 manufacturers. One important distinction, the DOT does not require aftermarket wheel brands to adhere to DOT standards, meaning a large majority of aftermarket wheels do not meet federal safety standards that OE manufacturers are held-to. HRE Stands out because they not only have their own facility and mills for their forged wheels but they also have chosen to ensure all of their designs meet not only DOT standards but also stringent European TUV standards as well...That said, I couldn't afford a $10k set of bespoke forged HREs for the wagon so I chose their entry level line of flow form products, 20" FF04s. Flow forming is a form of casting and just like with their forged line HRE Flow Form Wheels adhere to all the safety regulation but are mass produced in Japan and imported. HRE is also known for their wide palette of colors available for their wheels, for these FF04s I chose a finish called 'Stone Gold' which has a granite like finish to it with a very complex texture, don't ask me how they do it but it looks really cool! The wheels are ordered with an aggressive offset which is perfected for the F3X with no need for spacers and no worry of fender contact. When you search for the 'best' Ultra High Performance tire the search is short. The winner of every empirical test since its release in winter 2016 has been the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. Just like with my ///M cars I choose to run Michelins because they are simply the best in every category, well worth the extra premium which has actually become a much smaller gap from the leading competitors lately. The wider FF04s enabled me to fit 235/35/20 in front and 275/30/20 in rear. The increased contact along with UHP compound provides a dramatic improvement over the all stock all-seasons. Best of all, the PS4S compliment and amplify the application of more power, better braking, and improved suspension. iND Style and Macht Schnell iND appearance package is always one of the first modifications done to any of my cars. I have a collection of amber reflectors floating around my garage because once I replace them they never go back in. iND has matched all of my individual color accessories perfectly so I kept the tradition with getting my mineral grey reflectors through them. I also opted to go with Macht Schnell 75mm studs for this build because I find myself removing wheels so often to either install new parts, adjust suspension, or swap wheels for winter. The studs provide an easy mount to hang the wheel on instead of relying on the hub while frantically feeling behind me for the lugs Plus they look great! Two small items on the long list of heavy hitters that made up my shopping cart from them for this build
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports Last edited by Curt2000; 01-09-2018 at 02:55 PM.. |
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11-12-2017, 08:47 AM | #4 |
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Phase 3 (reserved)
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11-12-2017, 10:55 AM | #6 |
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Sounds like a great plan, can't wait to see the updates!
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11-13-2017, 02:09 PM | #9 |
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Thanks! Can't wait to start modding!
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports |
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11-13-2017, 11:12 PM | #13 |
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What a great project and your wagon is looking mean!
Charles
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2024 BMW M3 Sedan Frozen Pure Grey II/Fjord Blue, 6MT
Past: 2021 Z4 M40i Frozen Grey II/Black Alcantara | 2017 F30 340i Mineral Gray/Coral Red, 6MT | 2011 E92 335i Le Mans Blue/Black, 6MT |
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11-14-2017, 05:18 AM | #14 |
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Looks great! If you're in the D.C. area, I'll see you around! If you haven't already, you should hit up Katie's Cars and Coffee in Great Falls.
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11-14-2017, 07:56 PM | #16 |
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I'll be sure to keep the thread stoked with all the new mods!
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports |
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11-14-2017, 10:23 PM | #17 |
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i almost fell off the page...
the JDM tilt on those photos. bimmer lookn' good.
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E90s (been gone but not forgotten) • KW clubsports • • • • • • • • • • 18" BBS GT4 // Build E30 (pending) + E46 M3 Wagon ESTORIL Blue |
11-15-2017, 05:12 AM | #18 |
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I knew that name was to clever to not already be taken! Great minds think alike I guess
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11-15-2017, 06:37 PM | #19 |
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports |
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11-16-2017, 06:11 PM | #20 |
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports |
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11-18-2017, 07:54 PM | #21 |
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Thanks! Just posted the DINAN exhaust Vid!
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Former Car: '16 SUNBURST GOLD F80 ///M3--6MT/Carbon Cloth (ED Thread) Former Car:'13 SANTORINI BLUE E92///M3--6MT/Speed Cloth/ZCP(ED Thread) INSTAGRAM:@C2KMotorsports |
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11-18-2017, 10:56 PM | #22 |
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Woooh, love how planned out your build is and interested to see it grow! Love the story behind all of your decisions as well! Followed buddy.
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