Sensible Car. e92 330d.

[massiveCoRbyn]

Is it wood, or is it patterned plastic?

 

[BIFCAIDS]

I don't get where people come from with the wood hate. My M-lite had the brushed silver stuff and it's s**t. Admittedly I fear wood might be trying a bit hard in a 1 series so I got the full carbon fibre set instead...

If I had a 3 series or up it would 100% have wood.

If I'd have spec'd my new one from factory I'd have gone with the Ash wood but I like my brushed stainless and piano Black trim.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

Is it wood, or is it patterned plastic?

Plastic/Metal

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

Plastic/Metal

That answers it for me then. If it's actual wood, then maybe. Patterned plastic is never cool.

 

[BIFCAIDS]

That answers it for me then. If it's actual wood, then maybe. Patterned plastic is never cool.

Well they're an expensive car but they're not going to be Bentley levels with real wood. I mean, I could be wrong but the dash trim is very good in BM's its all metal clips so never breaks.

 

[Cookson]

I ripped my wood trim out for silver. f**k that pipe n slipper s**t.

 

[terryc101]

Imitation wood is up there with imitation carbon fibre.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Is it wood, or is it patterned plastic?

Apparently its an incredibly thin veneer of wood thats stuck onto plastic trim & lacquered ...

I ripped my wood trim out for silver. f**k that pipe n slipper s**t.

Did you rip out the 2 cylinders that appear to be missing from your engine bay as well?
:kissingheart:

Imitation wood is up there with imitation carbon fibre.

Christ no. That wrapped carbon sh1t is even worse than my plastic wood lol.
I just didnt like the contrast of the silver, the wood makes it feel more dark & cosy on those cold winter nights ...

 

[Cookson]

ADid you rip out the 2 cylinders that appear to be missing from your engine bay as well?
:kissingheart:

Soon to be sold my friend, I'm heading back to a 330i......... because f**k diesel for an 8 mile commute

 

[GrahamS]

Couple of little updates on this now.
Wires switched in the steering wheel so that the paddles work correctly now - way way better!!
View attachment 1351863
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Lip spoiler fitted, although the pictures are fairly bad so it doesn't really show it 😂
Would take another one now, but car is filthy again ...
View attachment 1351864
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Also bought the Alpine retrofit kit in the Ebay December sale, 20% off meant it was only £240, whoop whoop:
View attachment 1351866
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Picked up the necessary a-pillar trims for £10 each as well, happy days!
Done 800 miles over the past couple of weeks driving back & forth to Cornwall and Basingstoke, averaging 42mpg.
Even did the Cornwall run on one tank of fuel instead of the usual 2 :tongueclosed:
Still happy with it! Can genuinely see myself in an F30 335d next ...

Didn't realise you had one of these now Dave. I've got a very early 330d e90. I wish I got that MPG out of mine, I really struggle to see anything above 38.

Fitted some wood a couple of days ago, absolutely hate the silver stuff (& its in rather poor condition) ...
On the flipside, Sarah thinks ive "ruined the car" 😂


Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Much wood. So oldman. Very impress.

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Need to "create" a holder somehow for my CIC controller however (its CCC trim), hence the silver bit still in the car.

Waiting to do exactly the same thing. Difficult to find it in good condition though!

 

[alistairolsen]

Old school fake burr walnut is nasty, but lots of the modern dark wook trim looks really nice. The stuff in my 3 series looks almost piano black until you actually look at it and then it has a straight grain in it.

Looking good dave

 

[Ian_182]

Who ever specs wood in a modern car needs their head looking at.
It shouldn't even be on the options list.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Who ever specs wood in a modern car needs their head looking at.
It shouldn't even be on the options list.

You're wrong .

 

[Stay Puft]

He's right unless you are over 65 and chain smoke cigars!

 

[Ian_182]

You're wrong .

On many things im sure.
But not wood in a car.

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

But it's not even wood in these is it? 😂

 

[Ian_182]

Faux wood then lol.

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

On many things im sure.
But not wood in a car.

My old Rover Metro had stick on wood effect trim, it looked s**t - but then it'd have looked s**t if it was piano black too. In a 3 or a 5? Wood is a fine selection!

On an M3 I'd just stick with the carbon fiber trim, Merc AMG though... More of a wood car IMO

 

[massiveCoRbyn]

I had an Orion 1600E, that had genuine wood cappings on the door cards. Quite impressive for a Ford lol.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Irrespective of mine or others love for the wood, this car is still being awesome :up:
Back home to Cornwall & back last week at 42 mpg, around town has dropped to 34 or so, but i still fill it up so rarely compared to the RS3/M3 i dont really care 😂

Am getting itchy feet though, purely as well, ive had it nearly 6 months & we all know what im like. Have looked at all sorts, 8P S3/RS3, 8V S3, Golf 7R, F30 330d/335d etc etc, but well, i always stayed away from 330d's as they are the only car you ever realistically need and well, every time i look at something else, i question whether it would be worth sometimes up to £10-12k more than what i have ... difficult to justify new car, aaaaaargh.

On that basis, i think ill mess about with what i have ... so ...
I bought this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Motorola-Moto-G-UNLOCKED-/112853042840
and this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/20cm-Mic...apter-for-Android-Tablet-Samsung/182917204193
to go with my K+DCAN diagnostic lead ... so that i can put the XHP Stage 2 gearbox software on it:
As per here: https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1347613.
Reviews like this seem to suggest that all the things that annoy me about it atm, might be solved for less than £200: http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1391147

Have also been pondering wheels, i like OEM, so the M269 specifically:

But then, with a little bit of lowering (ill fit the Bilstein B12 at some point, springs/dampers have almost 100k miles on them), the MV4's still look lovely ...

As an aside, it looks like BWChiptune are getting circa 320 bhp out of the N57 330d now :tongueclosed:

 

[cat171]

I like it on the wheels it has already.

 

[Cookson]

http://www.cmwheels.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=60_67_68_312&product_id=1226

FAT FAT rears

 

[Short Norman]

This threads got me looking at 325/330d's to replace the aging E46, mine would have to be a touring though.

@Sir_Dave going back to your first post what industry do you work in to be effected so much by Brexit. Has it picked up any since getting the oil burning coupe.

 

[alistairolsen]

but i still fill it up so rarely compared to the RS3/M3 i dont really care 😂

I always stayed away from 330d's as they are the only car you ever realistically need and well, every time i look at something else, i question whether it would be worth sometimes up to £10-12k more than what i have ... difficult to justify new car, aaaaaargh.

Totally agree with both of these. I keep trying to convince myself on something else, but the car is good enough at everything that anything else always involves too big a compromise somewhere.

 

[Sir_Dave]

FAT FAT rears

I always have issues with his rims tbh, the front offsets are always slightly wrong, i.e. wider to give the look of spacerz, which annoy me.
That & fitting M359/CSL wheels to a 330d just makes me shudder lol.

This threads got me looking at 325/330d's to replace the aging E46, mine would have to be a touring though.
@Sir_Davegoing back to your first post what industry do you work in to be effected so much by Brexit. Has it picked up any since getting the oil burning coupe.

SME Asset Finance (predominantly software/IT), so still feeling the pinch really as most of the business expenditure that i finance is driven by confidence in the future/expansion/new employees etc, so currently it all seems a bit, "well we are leaving the EU, but we dont really know the terms" which i feel is giving a level of uncertainty. On the flipside, ive done far more working capital loans than previously, which kind of backs up my feeling of difficulty in certain SME sectors. Things have however improved in terms of my job situation, but thats mainly as 3 people have resigned reducing the wage bill!

 

[Craig]

http://www.cmwheels.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=60_67_68_312&product_id=1226

FAT FAT rears

I'd love them for my E46 tourer

 

[Cookson]

I always have issues with his rims tbh, the front offsets are always slightly wrong, i.e. wider to give the look of spacerz, which annoy me.

Mine fit perfectly on the E91, and whilst I know it's not a CSL, I just love the "style" of the wheel. Getting a 9.5" rear to sit just right on the rear with the ET27 offset was why I went for them.

2017-08-07_08-06-31 by Phil Cookson, on Flickr

 

[Waitey]

This threads got me looking at 325/330d's to replace the aging E46, mine would have to be a touring though.

@Sir_Dave going back to your first post what industry do you work in to be effected so much by Brexit. Has it picked up any since getting the oil burning coupe.

Buy my Alpina!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Mine fit perfectly on the E91, and whilst I know it's not a CSL, I just love the "style" of the wheel. Getting a 9.5" rear to sit just right on the rear with the ET27 offset was why I went for them.

That actually looks really good!!
I probably should have bought a touring lol.

 

[Short Norman]

Buy my Alpina!

I'd love it, I've always liked them but my estate is used as the family beater and I only paid £4K for the current one seven years ago.

It would sit lovely along side my M3 though.

 

[Cookson]

@Sir_Dave

 

[Sir_Dave]

So yesterday i got everything in place for my XHP Flashtool ...

Took 40 mins to back up the car, 15 mins to upload the editing software, then 5 for the actual flash. In reality, as i dont have a battery pack/trickle charger, i had to drive around in the snow/slush between each step to get the battery above 12V (it wont mess with things below that), but all in all, the hardest part of the installation was using Android after IOS for years. Needless to say, im not a convert 😂

IMG_2541 by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Is the software worth £165+MotoG £35+cables £20? Well, initial impressions, after driving around for 50 miles, is abso f*cking lutely, the slushbox was really beginning to annoy me. Naturally, compared to the RS3/DSG, the torque converter thingy takes an age to lock up in the lower gears, shifts are smooth but slow and there is an annoying tendency to hold the revs a little too long when changing from 2nd to 3rd occasionally. The merest hint of accelerator and it would drop down a gear as well, which when you have a literal mountain of torque at your disposal isnt really necessary. In D, i also had no idea which gear i was in, which shouldnt really matter, but hell, it would just be nice to know ...

The XHP Stage 2 solves all of these problems and then some.
I havent even messed with Sport Mode/Manual changing yet, it was worth the money just for the improvements in Drive :up:

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Full list of changes:
Stage 2
The Stage 2 Setup is made for people wanting the most from their transmission on street use. The revised Torque Converter setup provides snap-on take-off feeling at every junction, the cut-shift times in D/S/M modes wash away the sluggish shift feeling, BMW has implemented in these transmissions. The Sport Setup is also the Map of choice for people with tuned engines. The raised TQ Limiters allow up to 900 Nm of Torque.
- Optimized D & S Shiftpoints for better acceleration in part and full throttle situations
- Firmer, sportier upshifts in D/S/M mode
- Faster paddle response time
- Optimized Shift Strategy for up/downhill driving
- Optimized Warmup Behaviour
- Optimized Torque Converter Lockup in 1st/2nd/3rd gear
- Lowered minimum RPM limit manual mode (5/6th gear)
- Adapted Torque Limits for Tuned engines
- Kickdown delete in D & Manual Mode
- Start in 1st Gear in Manual Mode
- Gear Display in Dash in D/S/M Modes

To those with a BMW and the 6 speed ZF, i can recommend it wholeheartedly, its literally like driving a new car!!

 

[JB21]

Yeah the guy who's e92 335d I was test driving was talking about this tech for the ZF as he could see how frustrated I was getting with it in either mode, sluggish in D and too jumpy in Sport. Good to see its actually a decent upgrade. :up:

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

using Android after IOS for years. Needless to say, im not a convert

£35 Vs whatever iPhone you have unless it's a 4S is not really a fair test is it

 

[Ex-User (19928)]

Mazing that you can map your car with your phone. Looks cool AF

 

[Sir_Dave]

£35 Vs whatever iPhone you have unless it's a 4S is not really a fair test is it :wink:

Mazing that you can map your car with your phone. Looks cool AF

Its more the interface tbh, its mega fast in operation, but just more complicated than im used to. Or just different. Creature of habit etc.
On the flipside, it allows me to do things like this, so im glad i bought it!

Yeah the guy who's e92 335d I was test driving was talking about this tech for the ZF as he could see how frustrated I was getting with it in either mode, sluggish in D and too jumpy in Sport. Good to see its actually a decent upgrade. :up:

Yes, very very good upgrade, whilst the gearshifts are indeed faster, the torque converter locking up quicker does appear to have made it noticeably faster. The kickdown lockout is great as well, put your foot down in 4th & itll just stay in that gear, like you would in a manual.

More mods this weekend anyways, boring OEM things first, because im just sad :yum:

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr
Part no: 51477139051, £18.35 (bought on one of the ebay 20% days, plus BMW had an offer on):

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Then onto the main event, the speaker/amp upgrade. Parts purchased:
e92 HiFi Alpine retrofit kit, part no: 65412163268, £245
Corner Moulding Right O/S Side E92 E93 3 Series, 51337184198, £12.68
Corner Moulding Left N/S Side E92 E93 3 Series, 51337184197, £12.68 (all bought at the same time as the above for double discounts yo)
Seal, inner left mirror triangle, 51337119173 & Seal, inner right mirror triangle, 51337119174 at £22.27 (needed or you get wind noise)

Before:

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After:

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Note the TT trying to get in on the action, think it was feeling a little left out on all the love 😂

Installation took 2-3 hours, wiring is super super easy as BMW redid it for the LCI model & made all the connectors plug & play instead of splicing. Instructions not required. Havent re-coded it yet as it sounds perfectly good as it is (& i havent got my coding laptop finished yet). MASSIVE improvement over the standard garbage already though. Its not exactly BOSE as per the TT/Boxster, but it actually have some bass now, can turn it up without distortion at last! Will probably upgrade the underseat subs to the L7 ones at some point, but finally, i have some decent tunes in me car :up:

Next thing on the list? Well i hit a f*cking huge pothole the other day & have a rattle from the front end somewhere. Investigation needed, but if anything needs changing (it does have 97k miles on it afterall), it'll be rude not to put a Bilstein B12 kit on it id imagine ... need to bin off the runflats as well, but as they are Bridgestone with 6mm all round, it seems like a waste ... although i could sell them on i guess.

Got it cleaned as well, such a nice looking car imho.

Untitled by Sir_Dave, on Flickr

Edit, looking at that photo, i think i need to check the rear springs for snappage lol.

 

[alistairolsen]

Looking good. The boot trim has to be the single most dissapointing thing on the E9x series, its awful.

 

[cat171]

Nice update fella, the car still looks really nice!

 

[Simon_16v]

100% getting one of these once I'm in the new house!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Now for sale, sans the Alpine retrofit kit:
https://www.cliosport.net/threads/’59-plate-330d-m-sport-highline-£8-995-ono.818046/#post-11599821