[sean2648]

Introduction and getting the car

Pretty excited to be a new forum member and first time BMW owner. Just purchased my car a little over a month ago now.

2015 BSM 335i MSport 6MT. Had just about every package I wanted on it other than the cold weather, unfortunate you cannot retrofit that in according to what I have read so far on the forums. The car was just about in immaculate condition, 23k miles, and I didn't have to drive that far to get it.

Had a few hiccups with the sale and almost lost out on it due to some miscommunication and a very scatterbrained seller. It got to the point I had to start looking at my backup choices and was getting very sad.

It was a decision at the beginning between this car, a brand new 2019 WRX STI Limited, and a 2019 Honda Civic Type R.

I come from basically a lifetime of Japanese imports. The first car ever was a 98 eclipse GST, modded the hell out of that one, very fun car, miss it. Next was a 91 Nissan 300zx that a family member basically gifted me (good ole deer ruined that one), and then a brand new at the time 2007 honda civic si coupe that I dropped basically everything other than going FI into. I just sold that car like 2 days ago to someone who will thoroughly enjoy it, it only had 78k miles on it, pretty good for an 11-year-old car. I was a very active forum member on 8thcivic.com, attended quite a few car meets and drives, met a lot of great people. Sold and bought quite a few parts on there, great community. Hoping to find sort of the same here.

Nevertheless, owning a BMW is a brand new, exciting experience. The quality is a huge step up from what I've previously driven, the maintenance costs worry me a little bit due to the wonderful reputation these cars have =P But that's what a good extended warranty is for. But very excited to own this car. I needed a 4 door sedan since my wife and I just had our 2nd daughter that was fun to drive and wasn't a full-blown dad car. I feel like I hit that right on the money.

The build thread should be fairly active. I don't want to do anything too crazy while the car is still under warranty.

Here are the pictures from when I picked the car up, once the weather clears up a bit, and I can clear the car I'll upload some better pictures.












These are the options that came with the car as I got it.

- Black Sapphire Metallic Paint
- Coral Red Leather Interior
- M Sport Package
- Premium Package
- Driver Assistance Package
- Technology Package
- Adaptive M Suspension
- M Sport Brakes
- Brown Walnut Interior Trim
- HK Sound Package
- M Door Sills
- M Performance Black Kidney Grilles
- M Performance Rear Spoiler
- 19" Orbit Gray Style 442M
- Bridgestone Potenza S001 Run Flats


**Updated 7/4/19**

Mods

Interior/Exterior Cosmetic

- M Performance Gloss Black Kidney Grilles
- M Performance Spoiler
- Clear Front Reflectors
- Silver OEM front turn signal bulbs
- 18% tint
- M Performance Pedals
- Red Push Start button
- Cup Holder Tray Insert
- Alcantara tri stitch carbon fiber center armrest
- Alcantara tri stitch carbon fiber ebrake
- Alcantara tri stitch shift boot
- Raceseng Translucent Red Weighted Shift knob
- Custom Red Laced CF interior trim set
- Illuminated Gloss Black AC Trim Panel
- Carbon Fiber Steering wheel with perforated leather and tri color stitching
- M performance Carbon fiber steering wheel insert with custom powdercoated red metallic inner trim
- Sport line red all weather mats
- Sport line red trunk liner
- Hardwired Blackvue DR900s Dashcam
- BMW 442M Orbit Grey wheels with michelin as3
- Dual Slat CF Kidney Grilles
- M style CF Mirror Caps
- Blacked out sequential mirror turn signals
- IND painted keyhole cover
- Rennline Phone Mount
- OEM Euro Blackline LCI Taillights
- Upgraded Headlight bulbs


Make it go fast/Suspension/Braking

- CTS Intake
- CTS Front mount intercooler
- AWE Tuning Exhaust with performance midpipe, 102mm Black Chrome Tips
- ER Charge pipe (polished)
- ER Downpipe
- NGK 2 step colder plugs gapped at 0.022
- ECS Tuning Clutch Stop
- Custom Dynotune by TTFS
- M Performance Blue Brakes
- Various Quality of Life Coding done

Misc

- Aquapel window treatment
- 2 stage paint correction
- Cquartz Ceramic Coated

Upcoming plans

New wheels and tires
Pure turbo inlet
TTFS Fuel Pump
Pure turbo stage 2 upgrade
GFB Diverter valve (purchased, just waiting to install)
ER TIC piping (purchased, just waiting to install)



Very excited to be part of the community here and maybe meet some fellow owners in the MD/VA area. Looking forward to updating this thread. Let the modding begin!

[theEZV]

Nice to see another local. Mine is also black w/coral red.

[regpaq]

Damn that intake is beautiful, too bad it's so pricey

[sean2648]

It definitely is way too pricey, took a while to justify pulling the trigger since I could do a lot else for the money. Talked with a few people who have it and out of all their mods it still puts a smile on their face. Best sounds out of any intake and obviously looks awesome. And it's a bit more rare than other things

[silvrbreez]

Looking forward to follow your build.

[CJ421]

You really got lucky finding a car with that option loadout, not to mention it's 6MT. Congratulations!

I switched out the factory shifter/boot for the M Performance alcantara version and haven't looked back. Not that the stock setup is bad, though.
The M Performance aluminum pedals are also a nice and relatively inexpensive upgrade.

Charles

[sean2648]

Ya from my time searching for the car I definitely realized how lucky I got when I found the one I did, hence why I was a bit sad when the seller started doing some "interesting" things. I was going to have to drive to indiana to get the next best one, and it was mineral grey with just about the same options and mileage, but more expensive and CPO.

Ya the alcantara shift knob and boot and ebrake and boot are probably going to be ordered within the next week, definitely on the list. Same with the pedals, they are all smaller purchases that make little details all the better. I have a list from bmwpartspros, it'll all get ordered at once.

Need to look into a short shifter option, the one on this BMW is painful compared to my last car, hard to compare a honda and BMW in that department though. But I feel like I am rowing a boat going through the gears. And the play on the actual pedal is insane.

[sean2648]

Originally Posted by silvrbreez

Looking forward to follow your build.

Thank you, actually was looking through yours like a week ago, really appreciate the long posts, the backstory, and attention to detail when you write.

[silvrbreez]

Originally Posted by sean2648

Thank you, actually was looking through yours like a week ago, really appreciate the long posts, the backstory, and attention to detail when you write.

Thanks man! Reading over your options list again, your car is a little like mine but with more "pop" and a manual. Almost like cousins...I'm reserved and you're the wild one. Not to mention I came from a 08 TL Type S and you from an 07 Civic SI.

[sean2648]

Originally Posted by silvrbreez

Thanks man! Reading over your options list again, your car is a little like mine but with more "pop" and a manual. Almost like cousins...I'm reserved and you're the wild one. Not to mention I came from a 08 TL Type S and you from an 07 Civic SI.

ya heh, definitely getting that vibe as well. The acura definitely looked awesome btw, I'll have to see if I still have pictures of my civic laying around I can post on here.

[sean2648]

Got this installed today. Sorry for the crappy glare, was a very sunny day. It looks AMAZING in person, even more so than the pictures.

The door handles are definitely the more annoying piece to swap out, the rest was a breeze.

[sean2648]

Never posted pictures, but swapped out for sportline all weather mats to go with the red and black theme.

[silvrbreez]

Where'd you get the CF bits from?

[sean2648]

had a guy who specializes normally in Audi trim make it for me, used my existing trim. If you're interested can get you in contact with him. Normally does just the gloss regular CF but I specifically wanted red laced.

[Ralph335]

Congrats on your first Bimmer. Looks great! You found one with an awesome option set.
Also in MD and also came from a Honda/Acura - had a 06 RSX Type S before my 335. Somewhat surprised you didn't go for the CTR. I don't love the looks of them but I hear they drive amazingly.

[sean2648]

It was a very very close choice. I had a red CTR ready to go basically. I just had a friend really put the 335i choice in my head, started doing some browsing, and the rest is history.

[sean2648]

This is what I came from.

[Ralph335]

Nice looking Si. I had a friend with a red one that was supercharged. Really fun car.
Oh red CTR? Nice. Don't see too many of those. I mostly see black ones on the road around Bmore. I'd have to go Champ White but I'm a sucker for a white car. My RSX was PWP.

[mike@x-ph.com]

Sub'd

[sean2648]

Thanks Mike! Will be talking to you shortly when I decide to go full bolt on. Love reading all the positive experiences people have had with you

[sean2648]

These came in today, will install over the weekend.

[sean2648]

Been a while since I have updated this. Life has been busy with the holidays and all.

Had a very big scare when I had the car up working on it. The power steering rack case that encloses the little motor had a crack in it and 1 of the 3 torq bolts missing. Car is a previous 1 owner, only accident was a minor rear passenger side collision, so it shouldn't have been for that. And definitely wasn't from anything I had done since I have barely owned the car. Called up my local indy shop before BMW, and they were very surprised at the pictures I sent them. Got a quote to replace and it was definitely not good. But luckily when he called up to get the part numbers, he saw there was a recall for our cars on the power steering rack. It's normally just to check the bolts though as they can get loose, not for a crack. Called up BMW and spoke with the shop foreman, and THANKFULLY he said everything would be covered under warranty, big sigh of relief right there.

Had a bunch of communication loss once my car was there though for the repair. Someone didn't even confirm my appt correctly, get me set up with a loaner, parts weren't ordered, nothing. They had to order the parts outside the US, and I was out my car for about 4 weeks. It was rough. But everything was fixed, no issues, good as new - thankfully.