[saigonair]

This is a build log/thread for my 2019 BMW 440i xDrive Coupe in Estoril Blue. I purchased the car on April 20, 2023 at 48,500 KM bone stock. My end game goal is to be bagged on JDM wheels with cool/unique JDM parts while making good power. My intention with this thread is mainly to keep track of what I do to the car as it progresses and also serve as a tool that may be useful to others.

Instagram: @saigonair

Current Mileage: 77,500 KM

Build Breakdown Video:

Modifications/Parts as of 08-04-24:

Exterior:

• M Performance Style Carbon Fiber Diffuser
• M Performance Style Carbon Fiber Single Slat Kidney Grill
• M Performance Style Carbon Fiber Front Lip
• AAConcepts PSM Style Carbon Fiber Side Skirts
• M4 Style Carbon Fiber Spoiler
• Madico 20% Carbon Window Tint
• STO N SHO Front License Plate Quick Release
• VLAND GTS Taillights - Red
• DIY Estoril Blue II Bumper Plugs x4
• Work License Plate Frames x2 - Discontinued
• 326Power Gunmetal License Plate Hardware
• Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light Ceramic Coating (Applied April 2024)
• Rear Spats (Gloss Black)
• Clear Sidemarkers
• "xDrive" Badge Delete

Interior:

• Ebay Alcantara Door Handle Trims
• Narita Dogfight 300mm Flat Mirror (blue tint)
• Work Neck Pillows (Black/Leather) - Discontinued
• M Performance Dry Carbon/Alcantara interior trim (vents, multimedia)
• Amazon Magnetic Mount for Airlift Controller
• Rennline Phone Mount
• P2M Checkered Floor Mats

Wheels/Suspension:

• Work Meister S1 3pc (F: 19x9.5+24, R: 19x9.5+23)
• H&R 7mm wheel spacers (front)
• H&R 5mm wheel spacers (rear)
• Gtechniq Crystal Serum Light Wheel Coating (Applied April 2024)
• VisualAutoWerks 73mm Floating Center Caps
• Work Optional Small Base Center Caps (Silver/Chrome)
• Pirelli P-zero A/S 3+ (235/35/19 squared)
• Airlift Performance 3P Air Management
• Airlift Performance V2 Struts
• 326Power EU Stud Conversion Kit M12x1.25
• Muteki SR48 Titanium Lock Set
• Nightrunner International Titanium Lug Nuts M12x1.5
• Nightrunner International Titanium Valve Stem Caps
• Painted the calipers in Duplicolor Metalcast Red
• Rolled/Pulled Front Fenders

Electronics:

• MHD Tuning OBDII Wifi Flash Adapter
• BimmerCode

Performance:

• MHDTuning Stage 2 91oct Tune
• xHP Stage 2 Transmission Tune
• VRSF Catless Downpipe
• CTS Turbo Inlet
• Custom 1/1 Rugged Motorsport Titanium Valved Catback Exhaust
• Custom 1/1 Rugged Motorsport Titanium Charge Pipe
• Custom 1/1 Rugged Motorsport Titanium Air Intake
• auto refine company (ARC) Type-2 Carbon Fiber Strut Brace

Here are pictures of the 440i upon pick up bone stock and how it currently sits, as well as a picture of my previous build, a bagged Genesis Coupe on Work Meisters.

[saigonair]

So far, the car is great. The B58 makes solid power and paired with the ZF8, it's a ton of fun. xDrive makes launches insanely smooth. I'm having a blast at stock power.

Performance plans wise, I plan on just going the regular downpipe + tune route with some exhaust stuff to wake the car up and later down the line potentially xHp transmission tune. It's pretty insane how much power can be unlocked with such few mods on these B58 cars. In terms of suspension/wheels, I come from a stance background previously owning a bagged genesis coupe so I know I'll be bagging it and throwing on some JDM 3pc wheels LOL

[saigonair]

First thing I had to do was get some window tint. I decided to go with 20% carbon tint from Madico on my rear window and side windows.

Tinting 4 series coupes, specifically the door windows, proved to be pain in the ass for my tinter. It took 2 tries on each door. The tinter installed the tints like any other normal car but it eventually started bubbling on the bottom side of both door windows. The solution was to take both door panels off to get better tint fitment at the bottom of the window. Apparently 4 series coupe door panels sit very tight against the windows which make it hard to tint.

COST: $280 CAD + tax

[saigonair]

Found the stock bumper to be boring so bought a M performance style diffuser carbon fiber. Real carbon fiber, not hydro dipped trash LOL. Diffuser definitely makes the rear end more aggressive. Love it.

Install was straight forward but the fitment on some tabs are bit too shallow to hang on to anything. It's hard to notice from far away but when you look close, the right side sticks out a little bit. I'll probably throw some double sided 3m tab between the gap to delete that gap.

COST: $455 CAD including shipping and tax.

[jnj2455]

Welcome to the club

Mine is black in RWD manual guise but I also love your blue. I also have the MPPSK exhaust & tune, it's a fun addition to the car.

[saigonair]

Originally Posted by jnj2455

Welcome to the club

Mine is black in RWD manual guise but I also love your blue. I also have the MPPSK exhaust & tune, it's a fun addition to the car.

Thank you! Nice spec! The M performance exhaust sounds amazing. I think it's the best sounding exhaust available on these cars.

[eff32fl]

Very nice ride! I also have a 2019 440i in estoril blue with MPPSK.

[saigonair]

Originally Posted by eff32fl

Very nice ride! I also have a 2019 440i in estoril blue with MPPSK.

Thank you! Yours looks great. Love the lip. Estoril blue is such a nice colour.

[saigonair]

Ordered Work Meister S1 3pc wheels. Will take 3-4 months to build them and ship from Japan. Fitment will be aggressive but should be good for flush fitment on bags.

Model: Work Meister S1 3pc
Front: 19x9.5+24 R disk
Rear: 19x9.5+23 O disk
5x120
White face
Standard polished lip
Gold hardware

COST: $5,200~ CAD

[saigonair]

The stock light grey accents of F3x interiors are an eye sore IMO. So I got these genuine alcantara trim for the interior door handles for a steal off a guy who sold his F3x long ago and had no use for them anymore. Feels and looks 100x better.

COST: $40 CAD ($160~ CAD brand new)

[saigonair]

JDM broadway mirrors for increased visibility in rear view mirror. Results are way better IRL.

COST: $30 CAD

[saigonair]

Not a mod, but picked up a pair of rare discontinued WORK black leather neck pillows from a buddy. The black carbon weave ones were discontinued recently and the black leather ones were discontinued prior to that.

Gonna have a lot of WORK/JDM goodies on this car lol

COST: $100 CAD

[saigonair]

Bought an M Performance style carbon fiber grill with single slats. Install was straight forward but as usual, the fitment on some tabs were too shallow to latch onto anything so I had to use zip ties to hold it in on some areas.

Overall, happy with the look as the chrome OEM grill looks tacky IMO.

COST: $160 CAD

[saigonair]

Bought the MHD universal wifi adapter. Going to be using this to mess around with Bimmercode for now and then MHD ECU tunes and xHP transmission tunes in the future.

COST: $130 CAD for adapter and $70 for BimmerCode

Bimmercode's pretty neat. I'll be using this reply to track all the Bimmercode stuff I do. As of 10-07-23, I've done the following:

Headunit:
- iDrive start animation: M variant 2

Instrument Cluster:
- Low fuel warning 1: 50km --> 30km
- Low fuel warning 2: 90km --> 60km

Front Electronic Module:
- Fold/unfold mirrors automatically upon locking: Inactive --> Active

Rear Electronic Module:
- Daytime driving lights rear inner part: Inactive --> Active
- Daytime driving lights rear outer part: Inactive --> Active

Seat Module Driver/Passenger:
- Easy entry seat movement: Inactive --> Active

[saigonair]

First oil change and new Akebono brake pads! Done at 60,000 KM on Oct 6, 2023.

[saigonair]

Took advantage of black friday 15% off sales for both MHD super license and xHP flash combo. MHD tune flash took 4.5 minutes and xHp trans tune took around 2.5 minutes. First time flashing the car using the MHD wifi adapter with no battery chargers hooked the battery and no issues! Worked effortlessly. It's insane how easy it is to download hp in these cars.

The difference is amazing. MHD stage 1 91oct gives noticiable power gains from stock and the burbles (short/medium) are mint. xHP makes the shifts buttery smooth. Love it so far. Once I get a VSRF catless downpipe, i'll be going to stage 2 93oct.

MHD master license COST: $648 CAD
xHP flash combo COST: $410 CAD

[Samir72]

Very interested to see it once those rims are fitted they do look special.

Also given you have a black interior, M4 front seats could be a very nice upgrade to the interior without to much trouble as you already have black, I do see black m4 seats come up for sale on eBay pretty often.

Would love to do m3 seats in mine but need to go full colour swap inc doors cards as I have oyster mine.

[saigonair]

Originally Posted by Samir72

Very interested to see it once those rims are fitted they do look special.

Also given you have a black interior, M4 front seats could be a very nice upgrade to the interior without to much trouble as you already have black, I do see black m4 seats come up for sale on eBay pretty often.

Would love to do m3 seats in mine but need to go full colour swap inc doors cards as I have oyster mine.

I’ll have everything on after the winter hopefully. Can’t wait. Don’t see Meisters on f3x often.

And yeah I have my eye on the look out for f8x seats. They’re so nice

[saigonair]

Today I installed a custom intake I got made. It’s full titanium with my brands logo on it (@rugged.jp on Instagram). Install was straight forward. The only annoying part was pulling out the bottom of the stock intake box. You really have to just pull hard. Everything else was easy.

The intake itself is way louder than I expected. It sounds good but it’s a tad loud. Overall super happy for something that is pretty much 1 of 1.

COST: $600 CAD

[saigonair]

Update after a long hiatus.

Winter is over so car is now bagged and I threw on the Meisters. 19x9.5+24 square with Pirelli Pzero 235/35/19 tires. Also threw on P2M checkered floor mats, carbon fiber spoiler, Work wheels license plate covers, Nightrunner International Lug nuts, and 326Power stud conversion kit. Rolled the front fenders too.

I'll do a more detail post about these things later but too lazy lol

[toxik]

looks proper

[thatgarrett]

When I clicked on this thread, I didn’t expect to appreciate this build nearly as much as I do, coming from the subie world I had a certain idea of what JDM would be but this is actually super clean. Wheels and air isn’t really my thing but lots of attention to detail, quality parts and mods, and cohesive final result- super unique and well done, appreciate your vision for it, kept it pretty clean but with a definite JDM twist on it