[BluAnimal]

I recently purchased a 2015 328i and have been enjoying it a bunch. I've noticed the car pulls quite hard and feels a bit faster then I think it should. There are not visible modifications (exhaust, downpipe, intake) but I think it may have a BM3 Stage 1. The exhaust also burbles quite consistently and deeply. Is there any way I can tell if its tuned? Can I modify the tune if it does have one? Not too familiar. Thanks

[anotheran]

Originally Posted by BluAnimal

I recently purchased a 2015 328i and have been enjoying it a bunch. I've noticed the car pulls quite hard and feels a bit faster then I think it should. There are not visible modifications (exhaust, downpipe, intake) but I think it may have a BM3 Stage 1. The exhaust also burbles quite consistently and deeply. Is there any way I can tell if its tuned? Can I modify the tune if it does have one? Not too familiar. Thanks

post a photo of your sports gauge in iDrive. most recent tunes will adjust that

[yyzwagon]

stock everything produces zero burbles if I remember correctly.

so potentially.....you might be tuned. also, you could likely email protuning freaks and see if they have your VIN, since BM3 is tied to vehicle VINs.

[BluAnimal]

Originally Posted by yyzwagon

stock everything produces zero burbles if I remember correctly.

so potentially.....you might be tuned. also, you could likely email protuning freaks and see if they have your VIN, since BM3 is tied to vehicle VINs.

That is a great idea, thanks!

[BluAnimal]

Protuning freaks were not able to legally disclose anything on my car through the vin.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Did you check the gauges per the previous post?

[BluAnimal]

Originally Posted by mike@x-ph.com

Did you check the gauges per the previous post?

I will soon, what would the stock gauges normally go to for reference?

[culpability]

Stock the gauges will show you maxing out around rated hp, so 230-240ish. The tune will make it go up to 290ish I believe. Obviously they don't actually do that much and are kind fo a guesstimate.

[BluAnimal]

Originally Posted by culpability

Stock the gauges will show you maxing out around rated hp, so 230-240ish. The tune will make it go up to 290ish I believe. Obviously they don't actually do that much and are kind fo a guesstimate.

Okay, I will check. Is it guaranteed to go up that high if its tuned? Thought that gauge was kind of a gimmick lol

[j.f.leonard]

My n20 burbled slightly when driving with no tune or mods other than an intake.

[chowser51]

The gauges won't be accurate but it will show that it's tuned if you can go past whatever your factory ratings are.

[_ObiJon]

I don't mean to thread jack but I have the same question as OP. Attached is a picture of my iDrive gauges. Apologies for the dust. The sunshine made it worse.

OP, do yours look like mine? Not sure what OEM looks like.

[chowser51]

Mine is an ‘18. This was after bm3 stage 1. Obviously not accurate

[spirit3d88]

Originally Posted by chowser51

Mine is an ‘18. This was after bm3 stage 1. Obviously not accurate

you must open a ticket to PTF, those markers need to be re-calibrated

[BluAnimal]

Originally Posted by j.f.leonard

My n20 burbled slightly when driving with no tune or mods other than an intake.

https://youtu.be/dec5rJQOojk

Here is a clip of my exhaust note. I could be making this all up but it sounds a little different then it is suppose to.

[BluAnimal]

Originally Posted by chowser51

Mine is an ‘18. This was after bm3 stage 1. Obviously not accurate

My gauges don't go past 250ish for hp. Does that rule out BM3?

[culpability]

Not necessarily. AFAIK, BM3 only recently began including a change to the sport gauges as a part of the tune package, so if it was last flashed in like 2018 or late 2019 it very possibly could be tuned.

Honestly if you WANT to tune it, I'd email PTF and ask what would happen if you tried to flash a car with their software that was already tuned by a different account. BM3 allows you to flash to stock or to one of their tunes, but not clear if the "stock" flash would just be the baseline flash when you first plugged in BM3, or if its actually an OTS flash of its own that would revert any existing flash on the car.

BM3 has ridiculously good customer support, I usually get email responses within 30 minutes even kinda late at night. (I think I once sent an email at 10:30 pm EST and got a response at 10:37). If you are interested in their product they'll do their best to make sure you get a good result.

[BrysonDM]

Originally Posted by BluAnimal

https://youtu.be/dec5rJQOojk

Here is a clip of my exhaust note. I could be making this all up but it sounds a little different then it is suppose to.

Definitely doesn't sound stock. Possibly a downpipe or different muffler? But apart from that I have no clue. BMW should be able to tell you if it's tuned, just be careful they might forego any warranty if there is any!

[j.f.leonard]

Originally Posted by BluAnimal

https://youtu.be/dec5rJQOojk

Here is a clip of my exhaust note. I could be making this all up but it sounds a little different then it is suppose to.

Yeah thats a quite a bit deeper than the stock note. Could be a muffler or downpipes. If you feel a significant difference when pulling though, its most likely downpipes. Unless the previous owner did a tune and a muffler obviously.

[BluAnimal]

Originally Posted by j.f.leonard

Yeah thats a quite a bit deeper than the stock note. Could be a muffler or downpipes. If you feel a significant difference when pulling though, its most likely downpipes. Unless the previous owner did a tune and a muffler obviously.

Originally Posted by BrysonDM

Definitely doesn't sound stock. Possibly a downpipe or different muffler? But apart from that I have no clue. BMW should be able to tell you if it's tuned, just be careful they might forego any warranty if there is any!

I'm relieved to hear I am not crazy in thinking something is done to it. So as far as I can tell, downpipe is big, gaudy, and matches pictures of oem ones. Exhaust its self seems stock too, at least muffler area. Really is a mystery what is done to it lol. I enjoy it though, way quicker than my old e92 328i.

[BluAnimal]

Originally Posted by culpability

Not necessarily. AFAIK, BM3 only recently began including a change to the sport gauges as a part of the tune package, so if it was last flashed in like 2018 or late 2019 it very possibly could be tuned.

Honestly if you WANT to tune it, I'd email PTF and ask what would happen if you tried to flash a car with their software that was already tuned by a different account. BM3 allows you to flash to stock or to one of their tunes, but not clear if the "stock" flash would just be the baseline flash when you first plugged in BM3, or if its actually an OTS flash of its own that would revert any existing flash on the car.

BM3 has ridiculously good customer support, I usually get email responses within 30 minutes even kinda late at night. (I think I once sent an email at 10:30 pm EST and got a response at 10:37). If you are interested in their product they'll do their best to make sure you get a good result.

I emailed BM3 and they were quick to respond to tell me they cannot confirm or deny whether the car has ever used their software before. It may be worth asking if it can tuned. I was thinking about getting the dinan sportronic turbo boost module but I think that would cause issues if the car is already Stage 1 or something.

[patriotaki]

BluAnimal

Sounds like a muffler delete.