Tedious but traditional New Car thread

[IanF]

Nice one Beany!. Need to buy suitable attire now

[Beany]

Nice one Beany!. Need to buy suitable attire now

I've already got a vape, do I need to get a tracksuit too?

[IanF]

Nice one Beany!. Need to buy suitable attire now

I've already got a vape, do I need to get a tracksuit too?

///M yes

[Beany]

Sigh, OK, but you're not getting me to do any exercise.

[DeskJockey]

Sigh, OK, but you're not getting me to do any exercise.

Don't worry about that. For the demographic that wears that as a lifestyle choice, exercise doesn't come into it.

[V8Granite]

You will have to listen to Busta Rhymes.

Dave!

[tim]

Excellent. They are lively at speed. Live long.

[duncs500]

Excellent.

[240PP]

Solid purchase

[mik]

Excellent. They are lively at speed. Live long.

Is that tamed by the Litchfield sus, or only partially? (Not that I expect that's a logical cost for a not-new car - unless things are tired already anyway).

[Carlos]

Yes and Birds are probably better known for a reasonably priced Bilstein set up. Someone on here has a Birds car.

https://www.evo.co.uk/bmw/m140i/202709/ ... -hot-hatch

My M140i didn't have a the bolt on x brace underneath which Beanys may have as an earlier car and there was noticeable twist in the chassis when accelerating hard.

You'll have a ball in that, nice purchase

[Beany]

Apparently the current thinking is much (much) stiffer rear subframe bushings, to prevent the rear end from moving around quite so much, is the best way to stop the back from getting all loose and wobbly at speed, but as I tend not to drive that fast over backroads any more it shouldn't be an issue. The rear bracing would also no doubt help, I have read about that - not in any detail as yet but it's literally a bolt on if it's not there, apparently.

Obviously they're tweekable, with ~400hp being doable with a rolling road map/intake/exhaust (about a grand?) but without an LSD, and on standard suspension, I think I'll get familiar with 320bhp first. that, and while there's not been many reported problems, that particular ZF8 is torque limited, and even a basic remap blows past that limit easily....

Primary use for the car will be pootling about town, and what I'll pompously call 'mild GT work' - IE in a couple of weeks I'm going down to Devon for work, I expect the ZF8 and comfort suspension mode - and a fixed roof - will make it rather less grating a run than doing it in the E46, I won't be worried about it suddenly deciding the wipers won't want to work, and it should get 10mpg better in Eco mode, too....

[Jobbo]

Yes and Birds are probably better known for a reasonably priced Bilstein set up. Someone on here has a Birds car.

Had - that was @DaveE before he bought his Boxster GTS.

Beany, nice one - and the busiest thread on here for ages

[Rich B]

Apparently the current thinking is much (much) stiffer rear subframe bushings, to prevent the rear end from moving around quite so much, is the best way to stop the back from getting all loose and wobbly at speed, but as I tend not to drive that fast over backroads any more it shouldn't be an issue. The rear bracing would also no doubt help, I have read about that - not in any detail as yet but it's literally a bolt on if it's not there, apparently.

Obviously they're tweekable, with ~400hp being doable with a rolling road map/intake/exhaust (about a grand?) but without an LSD, and on standard suspension, I think I'll get familiar with 320bhp first. that, and while there's not been many reported problems, that particular ZF8 is torque limited, and even a basic remap blows past that limit easily....

you won't be doing any of this. Just drive the car and enjoy it.

[Beany]

you won't be doing any of this. Just drive the car and enjoy it.

Oh 95% both of that.

There's lots of info on how to fix little things like that now the cars a bit older, though, so it's handy to keep an eye on such things.

Polybushes in the back made the Puma significantly more stable at speed, but to be fair, rear subframe bushes are not a one hour job to do, etc, I don't drive like that any more, etc.

[Mito Man]

Does it come with a shitty stick so you can beat away the Lidl ladies (or was it Aldi?) as they all try and cram into your back door?

[Beany]

No, I expect them to swoon theatrically and beg me to do them up the wrong 'un.

Oh, and of course it's Lidl. I have some class....

[DaveE]

Nice one @Beany

Congrats on the new car!

And yeah, it was me who had the Birds kit fitted to my M140i

I had their suspension kit, an LSD, and the rear subframe brace (oddly the 3 doors come with this, but not the five doors - the latter of which maybe need it more)

It's not cheap, but it totally transformed the car

Genuinely one of those "Within 20 yards you can feel the difference" kind of changes

I specifically chose a fixed damper model knowing that I was going to get the Birds kit fitted, and never regretted it

I also had a mod fitted that allowed wireless Car Play and Android Auto too (while retaining the original screen etc) - another worthwhile upgrade

Oh, and the shift paddles are easily removed/upgraded too - there are loads of options that make a real difference as they stock ones are really stubby and plastic feeling. You can also fit the ones from the M2 as I had as well...

[Beany]

Well, if it were modified it might help, seems Safely Insured are only accepting new quotes on cars with at least three modifications, and can't do a multicar policy

I know the insurance will be - notably - more than the E46 but that's a complete ballache, and as far as I'm aware the car doesn't have any particular mods that would count (brakes, zorst, etc)

To other insurers I go I guess.

[dinny_g]

I must say (and forgive me if this is out of order) but 4 years ago, "Old Job" Beany would never have been in the market for a 135i.

Bloody marvelous I say!!!