One mod that you'll never regret is buying better tires. It's one of those performance mods that you'll notice immediately and will brings lots of joy.
unless you don't have the power to spin them. Then it just makes the car less fun. low power cars with insanely grippy tires is probably the least fun driving experience. worse than all the power and no grip.
Love how most of us wise car guys eventually get older and we all come to the same conclusion. OEM+ is the way to go. Respect the original design but give it a small touch of your personal tastes using high quality parts.
my car journey started 7 years ago with a 2013 BRZ, it had an invidia n1 on it when I picked it up and I ended up going catless with an UEL header and I love it at the time. I've had 3 cars since then, and currently own a 2020 s3 that i've got tuned with a high flow catted downpipe, but i ended up having a vibrant bottle resonator welded in because i've reached the point that OEM+ is the way haha, i've been slowly modifying the car while maintaining the stock look/feel with my own touch
Exhaust. Exhaust. Exhaust. My favorite aftermarket exhausts to listen to can be found on other people’s TH-cam videos. And that’s pretty much the only place I care to hear them. Whenever I’ve made the decision to equip my car with an aftermarket exhaust modification I seem to completely dread driving the car. Induction mods/sounds on the other hand, are still very satisfying for me.
Not in Europe bruh. Totalitarian regime here forcing us these sheit OPF filters. If you want something worthy of exhaust sound, there's no other way. It's going to come to US too mark my words
I went with a hks legamax premium on my ND, and it's probably the most tasteful exhaust I've ever put on a car. It sounds almost stock at idle but has a deeper tone when you step on it whilst still remaining sensible and not over the top. Zero drone on the highway too. There are decent systems out there, but mostly people go for the loud, raspy and droning exhausts.
100% agree with everything you mentioned. I see so many big youtubers making all these same mods on every build like they're completing a checklist. They clearly don't daily the cars like you do though, because most of this stuff is just a waste and becomes a headache with regular use.
You realize Justin is one of those guys suggesting these mods. I have been swayed, imagine thousands of people deciding to do a mod because they saw it on Justin's page 😮
YUP, I had one on my infiniti and it honestly wasnt bad at all, but my BMW it is UNBEARABLE, the drone gives me the worst headaches and makes the interior rattle like hell, definitely gonna be switching to a true catback soon, lesson learned I guess, an expensive one unfortunately
I agree with virtually everything you’ve mentioned. I’ve just got my first BMW and the mods will be very subtle. I’ve had Hondas in the past with ridiculous exhausts and far too low. At 42 I’ve finally had enough of a bad back and bleeding eardrums 😂
I definitely don't regret it but I totally feel you that a lowered car kinda gets old sometimes and literally forces you to change how you drive. Both my cars are so low that getting in and out of my driveway is an absolute mission lol I have to put rubber ramps and all this wood at the end of the driveway so I don't destroy my front lips 😂
I don't regret lowering, but at the same time, I do. The problem is that when I drive in not so lowered-friendly areas, I get irritated. But when I get out of the car and look at it...I can't make myself raise it up at all lol it just looks too good to mess with it. Thankfully, my ride quality hasn't suffered at all, because I spent more than I like to think about on a set of KW V3 coils.
maybe do a modest drop like me i went with rsr down which is only 15mm drop all round on the gr supra dosent scrape or change my driving style compare to stock.
I raised my car recently to accommodate for a different wheel, and I don’t know why I even lowered it to the floor in the first place. I don’t gotta worry about scraping anymore and it looks so much more tasteful, AND no more 2x4’s just to jack it up lol
When I was younger I modified my cars just like you guys. Lowered stance, body kits, lights and loud exhaust. when I got my first my first german car 11 years ago which was an E90 I started to appreciate the design language. One factor was I really can’t afford to mod out the E90 as it was costly and labour is expensive just to add some parts. then I began to appreciate BMWs own catalog that can buy you enhancements for the car. They call it BMW performance back then. After years of owning my E90, the only mod i’ve done was install an OEM 18” wheel with a different design, the rest of the money went into maintenance and detailing. When I switched cars with the F30 335i I became more of a purist, I’ve decided to order with an M sport package with the colour I like and the interior colour that I fancy. 3 years later I regretted not getting the MPPK package while ordering it so I had to retrofit the MPPK power package to get that extra oomph. I was also tempted to install the rear foglight mod that Justin was doing. In 2020, the pandemic hit and we decided to get something more practical for the current situation especially at that time where everything was uncertain, so we decided to get a base model BMW X3 30i as our daily with Xdrive so its gonna go anywhere. I didn’t mod the X3 it is all stock until today. At present, the X3 has become a daily workhorse for us and is really dependable but it wasnt as exciting as a 335i F30. We decided to get something fun and all we can afford as a second car is a new 2024 430i. We ordered it in the color combo we liked and the m sport option. Not as fast as the 440i but its enough for me. Happy Driving!
No mods, personally. But exhausts that are obnoxiously loud are off putting for me--prefer a smooth deep rumble. A few weeks ago a coworker installed aftermarket an exhaust on his Charger, and it's LOUD!! Another coworker has a VW which is even louder. (Makes me want to projectile vomit) But my neighbor has an S6...and it sounds amazing--doesn't wake the neighborhood on cold starts...just a deeeep "therapeutic" rumble. 😁 [Off topic... Yesterday purged my channel subscripts and unsubbed 60+ channels and obviously kept the ones I honestly enjoy. Your channel wasn't even a question, and so here we still are. Thank you, AS ALWAYS, Justin--keep on doing your thing!!! 💯👍]
Another amazing video not only is it highly informative but also the cinematography is perfect. I am a filmmaker, so I really appreciate the quality of the video. You reinvigorated the love I had for BMW, and I recently purchased a BMW M340i because of you. Thanks again for another great piece of content.
I "regret" nearly everything... it was a cool learning experience but I'm over exhaust, downpipe, struts. Wish I could easily go back to stock. All exterior pieces I did eventually became tacky and got taken off. These days oil changes and paint corrections have my attention for the daily. Lowering... that was a short stint that cost me about 4k in suspension damage. Don't do springs kids.
My favorites. Cold air intakes that make a lot of noise as they pull in hot air from inside the engine bay. Followed by, lowering springs on OEM shocks and struts; great way to reduce the life of your suspension system. And finally, giant wing on the back of a car that can't go faster than 120mph and does 0 to 60 in around 7 seconds. I have used KIES carbon Fiber spoilers on most of my BMWs and they do fit perfectly.
The older you get the more you realize that manufacturers spend a great deal of time and money developing a car to be the best possible, often times when we go changing things we're really just making it worse.
That’s what I think is so hilarious about a lot of these “Spend 3x the value of your car in mods” based channels. I definitely respect that Justin is pointing this out, but these channels as a whole are just primarily two separate money from teenagers via their affiliate links Knowing for well, there are numerous downsides to all of these upgrades. Full disclaimer I’m 35 years old now and had I been in my late teens or early 20s when all of the stuff was around, I would partake in it as well. but you hit the nail on the head with the appreciation of engineering from OEM… now if we can only get mother truckers to change their oil every 3000 miles, we’d make a real difference in this world 😂😂😂
Manufacturers have to balance noise, mpg, power, and cost Not necessarily better depending on what you're looking for, but more the best all around they can make it you're gonna lose one going for another
@@bondmcnuggetmost people stop when they get older. Because a lot of the mods they do when they’re younger are just too extreme. Kits, exhausts, stage 2/3 clutches and slammed suspension. I’ve never been a power guy. So I’ve done the exact same base mods for every car I’ve owned (barely noticeable suspension and wheels). And I never go back and regret anything - because nothing is extreme. OEM+ for longevity.
I watched the video in it's entirety and take issue with only one thing: when lowering a vehicle, keep in mind no matter what ride quality suffers. Also run a thicker tire to help somewhat with clearance and make sure if you're going low that you're beefing up the rest of your suspension, trailing arms, bushings, adjustable ball joints, etc. if you're just looking for "low" you'll always have issues.
One thing I had buyer's remorse was my bilstein B16 damptronics and H&R sway bars on my F80 M3. This combo made my car very stiff and as you said , I paid so much money to make a car feel like a rock and feel like old car running on worned out shocks.. these suspensions aren't cheap, and I don't even think it improved handling, if anything it made it easier for it to slide around due to stiffness
Love hearing this, especially from a guy with BMW experience. You should do one with your recommended modifications too! Also, as far as exhausts go, I think there's a difference between loud and too loud. With my e90, I just tell myself that as long as I can put my grandmother in the car without feeling embarrassed, my exhaust isn't too loud, and my ride quality is okay.
100% on the exhaust. I rode in a 440 with an aftermarket catback exhaust. I thought it sounded cool initially, but after an hour of driving around, the drone got old real fast. Sure, it sounds better in the 5% of spirited driving, but the rest 95% is what's really matters. I'm very happy I stuck with stock exhaust in my 340. I have a 200cell catted downpipe and it sounds great for daily driving.
I like the look of wide wheels sticking out from the side of the car. I know a lot of people hate it but I think it looks cool. Just another example of "to each their own" I guess lol.
I only have two modification regrets over the last 8 years: 1. Like you mentioned, I slammed both my '04 Toyota Matrix XRS and '98 LS400 on coil overs. I regretted it after I scraped up the OEM body kit on the Matrix and got the notorious front wheel well rubbing on the LS400 (no wiring harness damage, thankfully). 2. Being impatient and not saving up for the wheels I really wanted. I got Avid1 TE-37 reps for my Matrix instead of the real thing because I hated rolling on OEM wheels at the time but couldn't afford to shell out for real wheels and good tires at the same time. I also went through 3 sets of wheels on the LS400 before I stumbled across a set of OZ Racing Operas in 18x8 & 18x9 +35 for sale on my local FB Marketplace and picked them up!
I too regretted some aftermarket mods on my e92. Specifically the m3 rep fenders. The fitment I’d say was an 8/10 and the turn signals started yellowing within months 😅 Now with my 340i, I’ve learned that less is more and have only done oem+ mods. This video was very informative and visually pleasing. Keep up the great work Justin! Oh and I love the M caliper stickers that I bought from your store, they look incredible on my f80 calipers 🤌🏼
You know I have to agree with you on almost all of these. The loudest exhausts are fun for like 2% of the time you’re driving if it’s a daily. I’m going to update my exhaust, but I’m going to go with a milder sound. I prefer a sleeper the older I get
I preach Shock/spring combos over Coilovers to everyone and they look at me like I’m crazy. But the simplicity and comfort make them the best for daily.
i'm with you on #1, loud exhuast is draining now being older, i don't want loud, i want symphony and theater that integrates in the background, not the foreground. and for suspension.. welll.. i'm going OE on my E90, but addign the M3 control arms for less deflection, and better solidarity over the factory pressed/stamped arms. and will likely add turner toe rods just for ease of adjustment, plus more solid design with machined parts over the stamped metal. the car already came with the M sport package. and sadly had a VRSF exhaust already installed, but i've been lookign at the Turner Ti valved catback, so i have many plans for the car to make it a well performing sweet daily weekend Auto X/track weapon.
LOL great to see you learn all this so young, SMART!!! I bought a 2023 M240 and I had a choice Eibach 2" lowering springs or 3/4" lowering springs, the smarted me chose the ladder : ) now for my one and only regret, I put a chin spoiler on and that was a $500 mistake, I ended up putting the OEM back on and now I have no worries
I have stock cats on my F80 which I daily but with full valved catback so it’s basically stock when closed and I can actually hear my radio lol but then switch the car to sport and the sound just comes to life. especially with the direction everything is going, I can’t recommend a valved exhaust enough for anyone looking to keep an enjoyable exhaust but want the flexibility of sounding stock whenever you want! don’t think i’ll ever own another daily and modify the exhaust without having the functionality of valves
I don't know man, I have most of these mods, minus the steering wheel and trunk. Different car. Definately have the lowered stance, the loud exhaust, the front bumpercover from a different year/trim. In age, I'm "over the hill" at this point. For sure if someone wants to improve performance on a lower trim vehicle when the manufacturer makes a performance trim for the vehicle they want, just buy the performance package. Examples are Sti and type R. Either get an older year, or save up. Because you're 100% right about the parts changes. The exhaust I have I only get slightly annoyed with depending on mood. (Most of the time I love it) I drive with the windows down anyway, so there's loads of wind noise as is. It's a little like driving a motorcycle. You either love it or you hate it. Downshifting and hearing the crackles and pops coming out of the tail pipe never gets old. The wife has never even sat in this car. But yeah, I have to yell at people if I want to talk to them. The front bumpercover I had to repair because it was broken and started to hang. After the fix, it sits well on the car and looks a lot better than the stock bumpercover. My car sits 3" off the ground. Most of the time, its not an issue. However, I most certainly need to plan my routes. Today even, I took a detour because of an RR crossing that I might have trouble navigating. Parking garage speed bumps are my enemy. There's some places I just won't drive with this car. Road debris is the big one. If you think it will clear, it won't. I nearly put a hole in my oil pan because of something in the road. The debris nailed a cross beam pretty hard. But I don't scrape everywhere I go. Its pretty rare actually. Just be mindful of ground clearance and you'll be fine. I did get adjustable upper control arms though. In 2 yrs I needed to replace my tires because of uneven tire wear. Not doing that again. I have a full contact patch in the rear now. The fitment still looks good. As for the trunk lid, I've been eyeing an aftermarket one with an integrated dovetail like what you have. I haven't pulled the trigger, but it's something I've really been considering. I can address any leaks, I just really want that integrated aero. ~$1500 is about the cost of what I've been looking at. I won't buy something like that off ebay. Mods like these are for toys/projects. A reliable backup vehicle is always needed that is a completely different driving experience. This way, if you don't want to drive the track missle 1000mi, you don't have to. Personally though, I love to daily my project car. I don't know how I would feel driving it all the way across the country though. Being thrown in the air over bumps is a reality. I drive a boosted NB1 miata. A guy in a Z4 gave me props today. I get thumbs up, waves, lights flashed, "hey man I love your car", etc. Other times I have guys in Chargers make fools of themselves next to me. I got this car to embarrass people who hog the left (passing) lane. I had to do that twice today. It's a blast to drive and hugs the road. 70mph feels like 140mph in other cars. The car is just fun to drive during a normal day on the street. Its a driving enthusiast car. Overall, no regrets.
Maturing for me was installing a valved muffler! Best decision ever on my subaru! It's catless, resonated and had a muffler delete.. i loved it when i was younger but as my ears got older and many attention with cops, i decided to pull the plug and installed a very expensive valved muffler.. i can make it sound absolutely stock and be drone free at the highway, and at the push of a button i can make it louder when im driving spirited on back roads... if i could tell younger myself, i'd say to have wheels and suspension as my first mods instead of performance and aesthetic mods...
We just put a decent entry level exhaust on my sister's 325i, with a key fob that opens and closes the valves. Huge difference. We don't have to worry about waking up neighbors early or later in the evening. And can adjust the sound according. Best decision for the exhaust tbh.
I totally resonate with this video! Coming from a base model Honda civic, I did all of the following: muffler and resonator deletes, lowered the car, tried so hard for it to look like a type r, ended up ruining the car as 1. It was no longer comfortable to drive 2. Fitment was not as good as oem in some parts (not a super big issue) 3. Wanting more power and spending all of the extra money when I could have gotten a Type R was not worth it. Luckily, with my current car, the m340i, it fixed a lot of problems: 1. Superior suspension 2. Valved exhaust (FROM THE FACTORY) 3. Can handle WAY more power than any civic ever could with the b58 and zf8 speed. Final thoughts are just to save up for the better car/part and don’t cheap out
Invidia r400 was my best purchase as a daily exhaust for my 86. Quiet from 1-4rpms and loud enough from 5-7. And the pops are good if you shift from 3.5-.5.5
Hey man for the exhaust on you red scion, get a vibrant bottle style resonator. Vibrant 17930 (2.5") or 17950 (3"). It'll quiet it down some and kill basically all the rasp depending on the setup (if you have a aftermarket downpipe or headers which are usually catless or with a race cat, you're probably gonna need more than 1). I'd give it two weeks or so for break in period as it initially makes it very quiet but gets louder as it breaks in. But will be a little quieter than lets say your current setup right now. I had to do this with my X-force exhaust when I i had my Elantra N-line. Cheap and effective.
I just bought a 2020 X5 M50i and it’s nice just the way it is, people are telling me to tune and do the exhaust but I don’t want no troubles just a nice car to drive.
Going for 18' 8.5j 225/40/18 then swapping to XXR 9j wheels 225/45/17 Where my car came with a 15' 6.5j 185/65/15 Really had my suspension torn apart. After that switched up to a lighter 17' 7j wheels and 215/55/17 meatier tyre really helped a lot. Looking to get OEM+ wheels from Toyota to ease up the comfort more.
Just discovered your channel mate, great videos. I love how straight forward, practical, and down to earth they are. I just bought a 15 535i M sport, and a lot of this is great to know! Thanks lad, keep up the good work!
Yep I would agree with most of this...currently suffering from extreme lows in my 330Ci as the previous owner fit aftermarket springs on stock dampers (another big no no on my list)!! Looks great but literally hits & scrapes over everything 😢. Luckily this is getting sorted on Friday with a nice set of adjustable coilovers 😊. Loud exhaust I still quite enjoy 😅!
I had a 330ci optioned with the Alcantara wheel (ZHP). Ended up having to put an M3 wheel on there because it just dissolved no matter how I washed my hands, maintained it, and protected it with a windshield shade.
I love the Alcanterra steering wheel. I have one for my M235i. However, I wear BMW leather driving gloves. It still looks new. I would recommend wearing leather gloves. Great for the winter since we loose the heat function.
as someone who bought a base model 4 series, I completely agree with your take on the m sport, its not worth all the trouble doing the conversion... Please to whoever reads this just save up a little extra money and get one with the factory m sport it really isn't worth this extra hassle
I’d say doing Poly bushings was the biggest mistake along with lowering springs on factory EDC. When I hit a bump and blew the rear shock that repair bill was equally as shocking. I’ve only done really small things to my BMW like a M Performance carbon wing and factory shadow line grille. I thought about lowering it but the car rides really well and I’m almost 50 so I want to keep that check engine light in my back off 😊
I understand a few of these as a 33 year old. I have my MK7.5 Golf R and I did a few things to it Cobb exhaust ( resonated ) IE intake PS5 Tyres and pretoria wheels Bilstein B6 shocks stage 2 tune and thats all I did. It is not loud and it still works as a daily that I occasionally take to the track. Makes 380hp and its not enough to kill you but enough to have some fun.
Agree with all you said except the m- sport conversion especially the visual parts (bumpers and wheels) ..it gives you the OEM + you just said by the end of the video
Aweomse video! I recently bought a 17 340i and been contemplating the M conversion body kit. I think I still want the front bumper but your perspective was great to hear. Extremely worried about spending that money for it to not fit the way I envision
The biggest thing (and I cannot stress this enough) is going to a reputable paint shop and paying to have it done right. Don’t go to the cheapest place in town like I did with my E90 😅. If you buy the bumper from Kies, it’s the same one that I have, and the fitment on it is flawless. Only issue I had was the lower grilles on the bottom of the bumper are tricky to snap in.
I personally regret decating my car. The sound difference is there, but in front you can mostly hear the metal parts, pumps and stuff, instead of the engine itself. Also my biggest mistake was going cheap on painting the front bumper I swapped to M pack version. I've only painted the bumper, so the color didn't match perfectly, it was bugging me so I wrapped the whole car, but no vinyl is going to look as good as proper paint job. Definitely learned one thing there: don't mess with the exterior too much (actually I've replaced the grill, mirror caps and indicators and those look great). But the bumpers and especially paint, just don't. Buy a car that has a good paint, and the bumpers you want. I don't regret changing mine, but I do regret not buying an actual m-pack in the beginning.
Wow, finally, someone is truly honest about their experience with purchasing MODs that don't make sense and show the wrong side of modding a car. In my younger years, I spent soo much money moding a car only to hate my dream car so much I had to turn around and just sell it due to the experience. Modding is so expensive, and you're going to burn money for what you get. You see, people always buy an older car that's deprecated over the years, making it a lot more affordable to the average buyer. The first thing they do is ask what mods I should do?! I always tell them to pay off the car before anything! Then, save your money on mods and start saving for the next vehicle. MODing a car is taking advantage of buyer, which makes it mod's look good in photo, but the minute you drive the car, it turns it into a pile of @#4%. I'm like bro, you got a BMW, 90% of people would love to be driving what you have! Just be happy and enjoy the car! Forget all that nonsense!
I simply buy a car that I like the look of and then enjoy it. Just switched to a used 5 Series G30 LCI 530e M Sport, can’t get enough of it. It’s stunning! BMW alloy wheel designs are one of the best in the industry. My only upgrade would be to polish + ceramic coat it! And may be add a wireless charger …
Engine map mod... spent the money and my Supra got check engine light + slower performance. Car was so low that I made a 3 step 1x6 wood ramp just to put the jack under it. Not going back to those days
I regret going e85. It was super fun until a cylinder blew up. I won the battle but, lost the war with that mod. My M sport didn't come with the M brakes and I'm contemplating buying the m kit from the dealership or maybe a cheap used ebay kit that looks decent. Can't decide on orange, red, or yellow.
I really like the orange brakes. That would have been my first choice, but my friend ended up giving me his blue ones when he upgraded his. I’d definitely check ebay first, there are a lot of kits for sale in excellent condition. They are crazy expensive to buy brand new
Alcantara is basically polyester. It does not possess good wear capabilities. MSport option is always a base for me on any BMW. A functioning car in the real world is worth more than a curb queen.
That’s just plain wrong. Alcantara is proven to be more durable than leather, and it’s more comfortable in very hot or cold conditions. When maintained, it still looks new after many years. The maintenance shown in the video is not really what you need to do to keep it clean
Currently watching this video after I had my G87 M2 lowered and installed downpipes and going through the same remorse and it’s only been 2 weeks haha… I love how the car sounds and looks but I completely understood what you meant when you love it lowered until you have to drive somewhere. I’m honestly considering just putting it back to how it was (catback and stock ride height with cosmetic mods) even though I’d basically have thrown out the money that I spent on labor for the parts to be installed. But hey you live and you learn, and maybe I’ll be able to get good sleep again knowing my warranty’s good 😭🤣 Knowing this info now I’d definitely refrain from lowering my daily and probably downpipes on a car with warranty. I love the sound but pay to play still scares me
While I’m sad you roasted my car in this, you’re not wrong about the issues with how low it is and how loud 😆 Kind of wild to see how flat that piece on the exhaust is now 🤣 It’s been interesting watching your car tastes change through the years! This came out great babe, proud of you!
I definitely agree on lowering and exhaust. Lowered a ‘99 Cobra Mustang and although it looked cool it didn’t handle any better. It’s almost like all those factory engineers know a thing or two. Loud exhaust sounds cool at first but it gets old quick and I don’t want any additional attention. Older and wiser now. Keep up the great videos! I’m a BMW guy now!
Thanks for sharing your mod thoughts after having them for a while. Very informative. I lowered my 2002 Jetta a couple years ago. I still like how it looks, but man is it bumpy. My girlfriend pretty much won’t ride in it now. 😂
After watching thicwhips and you for many months I bought a 2014 f30 335xi base couple months ago, just got an m sport bumper and now I’m watching this video after having it on for couple of weeks. I won’t lie, I do look back and already prefer the base bumper even though the m sport just looks like how a bmw should look in my opinion.
The bit you said about turning a base into a sport is facts because I did that with my Q50 and the brakes was the most annoying thing taking the bumper off was also annoying but honestly it was a good experience.
I did the entire M sport conversion on my F32 435. I wasn’t in the market for a car at the time but it fell into my lap so I bought it. It had no m sport but it was a manual and pretty well optioned so it was tricky to find as it is. I ended up buying all OEM bumpers over the course of a year or two and slowly getting everything together over time. It’s not the bumpers that are gonna hurt your wallet, it’s the plastics. I spent over $500 on plastics alone that go underneath the front bumper to make sure everything fit perfectly. I bought a wheel, shift knob, and some interior trim as well and all in I was probably around $4k on making it look like an M sport. And even still it will technically never be a true M sport. It was a good learning experience and I’m happy I did it but I’ll be buying the car as an msport in the future.
I literally feel the EXACT way, as I get older (I'm 32 now) I wan't to mod my car less and less. Subtle and classy is what I'm going for. Never thought I would find someone expressing themselves that I share the exact same thoughts. LESS IS MORE!!
I remember wanting a louder exhaust on my 9th gen accord (so quiet) but I’m glad I just got it slightly louder to the point I can heard it when I floor it but it’s quiet when cruising
100% agree good video. Don't build a track car for the street... For me I like to drive canyon and mountain roads so I build for that purpose with reliability and useability in mind. Fun with good sound in the car without upsetting the locals or getting unwanted attention from government goons.
I actually don't regret any of the mods I've done to my E46. It puts a smile on my face everytime I drive it. As long as I drive it alone and just for driving pleasure 😅 At some point the car loses its ability to be the daily driver. Exhaust becomes irritating on the highway when I drive it faster and try to talk with my passengers, I'm running BBS RX II wheels with 10mm spacers so the rims' lips are flush with fenders, coilovers set to "last optimal" ride height (top of the tire barely hides under the fender) and I have to deny when more than one person wants to ride with me so I don't rub the fenders. At some point it becomes a whole new mindset. Would not do this to my daily driver but no regrets when it comes to my funcar 🙃
I bought my first car last summer(a beater mk4 golf as a daily), The previous owner had installed a new cat but had made horrible job and so the exhaust was very leaky when I got it. I've tried sealing it and it's much better now but I guess there still is some small leaks somewhere since it's bit too loud for my comfort still especially when accelerating lol. That being said I would never purposefully make my car more loud. Also I like actually being able to drive my car so I probably would get nightmares about slammed cars if I was more dedicated car guy :D
WOW...youre growing up! You said you wanna make it back in one piece...can u imagine yourself saying that 10 years ago? I think not. Thats what becoming older does to you...makes u more cautious...Makes u wanna live to see the next day...
Years and years ago I was well into modding. I bought a Japanese imported M2R turbo. Had HKS exhaust, Tein coilovers and some unidentified wheels. First MOT it failed because a wheel was bent. No replacement wheel available. Needed it sorted ASAP so new set of wheels. Few years in, exhaust rusts (yes, HKS wasn't fully stainless) so needed a full exhaust as that didn't come in bits) Bit further down the line, had a spin off and damaged a shock. Couldn't repair. No longer sold. Whole new set of coilovers to sort one broken one. The moral of the story is, it's hard to get just the mod part you need, and you'll often need sets of things to fix small things. If it was a standard car, I could have easily got 1 wheel, 1 shock and the part of the exhaust that had a massive hole in it.
Thanks for the video, really good! Definitely prefer the OEM plus vibe! Exhaust sound is out of the picture for my F31 diesel! 😅 I'm about to change control arms and tension arms to M3, that'll be interesting. I'll hopefully make a vid as there's not that much out there on this.
Justin your right I drove a 328i E92 that my friend owned, a 2007 non M sport stright 6 N52 no mods, car runs very good, no rattles just nice riding car. But as you say to stay away from some big modifications. Well, I also own a 2010 E92 Stright 6 N51 3 stage manifold that is by vin# an M sport with all the goodies seats, M sport suspension, paddles, body trims, lowered and most of all the hydraulic steering. Long story short my friend drove my car now he's hooked and wants to convert his I told him it's not worth the money and you are changing many components you do not want to mess with. I told him that if you want an M sport car, find one stock by vin#. I told him by now it's going to be a little hard to do there prices have gone up. Anyway you are more than right right stay away from mods that distroy your car not help in the long run. Buy it already as it came from the factory with some non invasive personal touches for that ultimate driving machine experience.
Ive always preferred "tasteful" mods. I want only a slightly louder exhaust to give me some of that nice humm and grumble but not the type thats too overbearing. I preferr lowered cars but not the type thats so low that i cant clear a speed bump, just about a 2-3cm lowering is enough. And with that amount of lowering almost any 17 or 18" wheels will make the car look incredibly clean. I also dont mind having a front lip on the bumper as long as it's not the teenager-ish overdesigned transformers type.
As I got a little older, I definitely do not enjoy stiff suspension & being super low as I did when I was younger. Also getting good seats is heavily underrated.
When we had our BRZ for a short time we did the Invidia cat back on ours' and it was great. Sounded so good but no bad drone and don't feel it was that loud inside when just cruising. Might be one of the first videos I've watch from you after following your amazing photography on IG. Still absolutely love your BMW
Loud exhausts were never cool, people that like to annoy others have them. You can get an aftermarket exhaust that’s not obnoxious. My Mugen exhaust sounds good and not loud at all. I had Alcantara on my Sim…..changed that out real quick. Was afraid to touch it without gloves
I’ve never liked a loud exhaust, i keep getting told to put one but to me is why would I spend money to make my car louder. louder does not mean faster. But man the part about lowering it hits home😭😂. It looks so good just standing there but when I have to drive it I don’t like it. As you say it does change the way you drive and sometimes I find myself dreading going to a new place because I don’t know how the roads will be.
I really like your videos. I also agree with most of your thoughts. Myself, I went straight the the m-package on my 340. I did miss on the m-sport exhaust though. That’s my only regret.
One mod that you'll never regret is buying better tires. It's one of those performance mods that you'll notice immediately and will brings lots of joy.
I fully agree, this had me chasing a BMW 3 series in a MK1 Golf
Good tires and better suspension including sway bar and strut bars
@@sirndimz3418😅😅😊😅
unless you don't have the power to spin them. Then it just makes the car less fun. low power cars with insanely grippy tires is probably the least fun driving experience. worse than all the power and no grip.
@@HexlGamingsounds like your commute has no turns.
I do agree that an over tired car with stock suspension is not good.
Love how most of us wise car guys eventually get older and we all come to the same conclusion. OEM+ is the way to go. Respect the original design but give it a small touch of your personal tastes using high quality parts.
my car journey started 7 years ago with a 2013 BRZ, it had an invidia n1 on it when I picked it up and I ended up going catless with an UEL header and I love it at the time.
I've had 3 cars since then, and currently own a 2020 s3 that i've got tuned with a high flow catted downpipe, but i ended up having a vibrant bottle resonator welded in because i've reached the point that OEM+ is the way haha, i've been slowly modifying the car while maintaining the stock look/feel with my own touch
Exhaust. Exhaust. Exhaust. My favorite aftermarket exhausts to listen to can be found on other people’s TH-cam videos. And that’s pretty much the only place I care to hear them. Whenever I’ve made the decision to equip my car with an aftermarket exhaust modification I seem to completely dread driving the car.
Induction mods/sounds on the other hand, are still very satisfying for me.
Yes! One of my takeaways from all of this is; there’s a reason that the car left the factory the way that it did.
It’s only worth it if it’s a truly good sounding motor. My n55 never gets old. Although it’s not ridiculously loud
prob because it's not a v8
Not in Europe bruh. Totalitarian regime here forcing us these sheit OPF filters. If you want something worthy of exhaust sound, there's no other way. It's going to come to US too mark my words
I went with a hks legamax premium on my ND, and it's probably the most tasteful exhaust I've ever put on a car. It sounds almost stock at idle but has a deeper tone when you step on it whilst still remaining sensible and not over the top. Zero drone on the highway too.
There are decent systems out there, but mostly people go for the loud, raspy and droning exhausts.
100% agree with everything you mentioned. I see so many big youtubers making all these same mods on every build like they're completing a checklist. They clearly don't daily the cars like you do though, because most of this stuff is just a waste and becomes a headache with regular use.
You realize Justin is one of those guys suggesting these mods. I have been swayed, imagine thousands of people deciding to do a mod because they saw it on Justin's page 😮
I can relate to it all. A sign of us maturing !
yessir! leave the loud exhausts for the college kids and highschool kids, cuz eventually they will grow out of it too
Totally agree. Every single thing he mentioned I’ve gone through
Yeah that's why yt suggested me this vid i guess.. 😅 these online platforms knows a lot about us
Same! Had a great SAAB 900 turbo that I unintentionally destroyed lowering and modding, growing up has its rewards lol👍
muffler delete is my nightmare. I'll never do it again
Yup. Had a muffler delete on my 997. WORST DECISION EVER!
Payed 400 for mine. 3 weeks later, payed another 200 to put it back to stock. Neighbor hated me.
a valved exhaust makes such a difference!
YUP, I had one on my infiniti and it honestly wasnt bad at all, but my BMW it is UNBEARABLE, the drone gives me the worst headaches and makes the interior rattle like hell, definitely gonna be switching to a true catback soon, lesson learned I guess, an expensive one unfortunately
@@ZacSupwhat engine do you have ? My n55 axle back delete is perfect, then again i dont daily it
I agree with virtually everything you’ve mentioned. I’ve just got my first BMW and the mods will be very subtle. I’ve had Hondas in the past with ridiculous exhausts and far too low. At 42 I’ve finally had enough of a bad back and bleeding eardrums 😂
Congrats! What model did you get?
You could have done the same with your Hondas as well, they didn't have to be loud or low.
I definitely don't regret it but I totally feel you that a lowered car kinda gets old sometimes and literally forces you to change how you drive. Both my cars are so low that getting in and out of my driveway is an absolute mission lol I have to put rubber ramps and all this wood at the end of the driveway so I don't destroy my front lips 😂
My favorite is having to pull up onto pieces of wood to get my “low profile” jack to fit under it 😂
@@justinbuicehahaha that too! Gotta love it 😂
I don't regret lowering, but at the same time, I do. The problem is that when I drive in not so lowered-friendly areas, I get irritated. But when I get out of the car and look at it...I can't make myself raise it up at all lol it just looks too good to mess with it. Thankfully, my ride quality hasn't suffered at all, because I spent more than I like to think about on a set of KW V3 coils.
maybe do a modest drop like me i went with rsr down which is only 15mm drop all round on the gr supra dosent scrape or change my driving style compare to stock.
I raised my car recently to accommodate for a different wheel, and I don’t know why I even lowered it to the floor in the first place. I don’t gotta worry about scraping anymore and it looks so much more tasteful, AND no more 2x4’s just to jack it up lol
Totally agree. There's a certain beauty in simplicity.
When I was younger I modified my cars just like you guys. Lowered stance, body kits, lights and loud exhaust. when I got my first my first german car 11 years ago which was an E90 I started to appreciate the design language. One factor was I really can’t afford to mod out the E90 as it was costly and labour is expensive just to add some parts. then I began to appreciate BMWs own catalog that can buy you enhancements for the car. They call it BMW performance back then. After years of owning my E90, the only mod i’ve done was install an OEM 18” wheel with a different design, the rest of the money went into maintenance and detailing. When I switched cars with the F30 335i I became more of a purist, I’ve decided to order with an M sport package with the colour I like and the interior colour that I fancy. 3 years later I regretted not getting the MPPK package while ordering it so I had to retrofit the MPPK power package to get that extra oomph. I was also tempted to install the rear foglight mod that Justin was doing. In 2020, the pandemic hit and we decided to get something more practical for the current situation especially at that time where everything was uncertain, so we decided to get a base model BMW X3 30i as our daily with Xdrive so its gonna go anywhere. I didn’t mod the X3 it is all stock until today. At present, the X3 has become a daily workhorse for us and is really dependable but it wasnt as exciting as a 335i F30. We decided to get something fun and all we can afford as a second car is a new 2024 430i. We ordered it in the color combo we liked and the m sport option. Not as fast as the 440i but its enough for me. Happy Driving!
No mods, personally. But exhausts that are obnoxiously loud are off putting for me--prefer a smooth deep rumble. A few weeks ago a coworker installed aftermarket an exhaust on his Charger, and it's LOUD!! Another coworker has a VW which is even louder. (Makes me want to projectile vomit) But my neighbor has an S6...and it sounds amazing--doesn't wake the neighborhood on cold starts...just a deeeep "therapeutic" rumble. 😁
[Off topic... Yesterday purged my channel subscripts and unsubbed 60+ channels and obviously kept the ones I honestly enjoy. Your channel wasn't even a question, and so here we still are. Thank you, AS ALWAYS, Justin--keep on doing your thing!!! 💯👍]
I’m glad I made the cut, and glad you are enjoying the content! 💪
i hope that charger is a v8
Another amazing video not only is it highly informative but also the cinematography is perfect. I am a filmmaker, so I really appreciate the quality of the video. You reinvigorated the love I had for BMW, and I recently purchased a BMW M340i because of you. Thanks again for another great piece of content.
I appreciate that! 🙏 I had a lot of fun filming this one!
I "regret" nearly everything... it was a cool learning experience but I'm over exhaust, downpipe, struts. Wish I could easily go back to stock. All exterior pieces I did eventually became tacky and got taken off. These days oil changes and paint corrections have my attention for the daily. Lowering... that was a short stint that cost me about 4k in suspension damage. Don't do springs kids.
My favorites. Cold air intakes that make a lot of noise as they pull in hot air from inside the engine bay. Followed by, lowering springs on OEM shocks and struts; great way to reduce the life of your suspension system. And finally, giant wing on the back of a car that can't go faster than 120mph and does 0 to 60 in around 7 seconds.
I have used KIES carbon Fiber spoilers on most of my BMWs and they do fit perfectly.
The older you get the more you realize that manufacturers spend a great deal of time and money developing a car to be the best possible, often times when we go changing things we're really just making it worse.
That’s what I think is so hilarious about a lot of these “Spend 3x the value of your car in mods” based channels. I definitely respect that Justin is pointing this out, but these channels as a whole are just primarily two separate money from teenagers via their affiliate links Knowing for well, there are numerous downsides to all of these upgrades. Full disclaimer I’m 35 years old now and had I been in my late teens or early 20s when all of the stuff was around, I would partake in it as well. but you hit the nail on the head with the appreciation of engineering from OEM… now if we can only get mother truckers to change their oil every 3000 miles, we’d make a real difference in this world 😂😂😂
Manufacturers have to balance noise, mpg, power, and cost
Not necessarily better depending on what you're looking for, but more the best all around they can make it you're gonna lose one going for another
Not true if you know what you are doing. Some people should not modify cars.
@@bondmcnuggetmost people stop when they get older. Because a lot of the mods they do when they’re younger are just too extreme. Kits, exhausts, stage 2/3 clutches and slammed suspension.
I’ve never been a power guy. So I’ve done the exact same base mods for every car I’ve owned (barely noticeable suspension and wheels). And I never go back and regret anything - because nothing is extreme.
OEM+ for longevity.
@@thatloserwhoplaysadd reliability to it. An amg engine with a tune can do much more horse power than stock. But at the cost of longevity.
I watched the video in it's entirety and take issue with only one thing: when lowering a vehicle, keep in mind no matter what ride quality suffers. Also run a thicker tire to help somewhat with clearance and make sure if you're going low that you're beefing up the rest of your suspension, trailing arms, bushings, adjustable ball joints, etc. if you're just looking for "low" you'll always have issues.
One thing I had buyer's remorse was my bilstein B16 damptronics and H&R sway bars on my F80 M3. This combo made my car very stiff and as you said , I paid so much money to make a car feel like a rock and feel like old car running on worned out shocks.. these suspensions aren't cheap, and I don't even think it improved handling, if anything it made it easier for it to slide around due to stiffness
Love hearing this, especially from a guy with BMW experience. You should do one with your recommended modifications too! Also, as far as exhausts go, I think there's a difference between loud and too loud. With my e90, I just tell myself that as long as I can put my grandmother in the car without feeling embarrassed, my exhaust isn't too loud, and my ride quality is okay.
That could be a good idea for a future video!
100% on the exhaust. I rode in a 440 with an aftermarket catback exhaust. I thought it sounded cool initially, but after an hour of driving around, the drone got old real fast. Sure, it sounds better in the 5% of spirited driving, but the rest 95% is what's really matters. I'm very happy I stuck with stock exhaust in my 340. I have a 200cell catted downpipe and it sounds great for daily driving.
I like the look of wide wheels sticking out from the side of the car. I know a lot of people hate it but I think it looks cool. Just another example of "to each their own" I guess lol.
As always, just calling a spade, a spade. Thanks for your honesty so some of us can avoid some of those issues.
I only have two modification regrets over the last 8 years:
1. Like you mentioned, I slammed both my '04 Toyota Matrix XRS and '98 LS400 on coil overs. I regretted it after I scraped up the OEM body kit on the Matrix and got the notorious front wheel well rubbing on the LS400 (no wiring harness damage, thankfully).
2. Being impatient and not saving up for the wheels I really wanted. I got Avid1 TE-37 reps for my Matrix instead of the real thing because I hated rolling on OEM wheels at the time but couldn't afford to shell out for real wheels and good tires at the same time. I also went through 3 sets of wheels on the LS400 before I stumbled across a set of OZ Racing Operas in 18x8 & 18x9 +35 for sale on my local FB Marketplace and picked them up!
#2 extends beyond cars. I can think of quite a few things I’ve settled for because I didn’t want to wait 😅
Big agree on the exhaust. Honestly can’t believe anyone would buy an exhaust that only provides sound and not performance gains.
I too regretted some aftermarket mods on my e92. Specifically the m3 rep fenders. The fitment I’d say was an 8/10 and the turn signals started yellowing within months 😅
Now with my 340i, I’ve learned that less is more and have only done oem+ mods.
This video was very informative and visually pleasing. Keep up the great work Justin!
Oh and I love the M caliper stickers that I bought from your store, they look incredible on my f80 calipers 🤌🏼
Thanks! Glad to hear that the decals worked out! 💪
What mods did u do on the 340i?
@@Aurora1337onYT here’s the current list of mods www.justinbuice.com/bmw-340i-mods
You know I have to agree with you on almost all of these.
The loudest exhausts are fun for like 2% of the time you’re driving if it’s a daily. I’m going to update my exhaust, but I’m going to go with a milder sound. I prefer a sleeper the older I get
I used to do muffler deletes and loud exhausts. I recently got a valved catback and can control the volume. Absolute game changee
I preach Shock/spring combos over Coilovers to everyone and they look at me like I’m crazy. But the simplicity and comfort make them the best for daily.
i'm with you on #1, loud exhuast is draining now being older, i don't want loud, i want symphony and theater that integrates in the background, not the foreground. and for suspension.. welll.. i'm going OE on my E90, but addign the M3 control arms for less deflection, and better solidarity over the factory pressed/stamped arms. and will likely add turner toe rods just for ease of adjustment, plus more solid design with machined parts over the stamped metal. the car already came with the M sport package. and sadly had a VRSF exhaust already installed, but i've been lookign at the Turner Ti valved catback, so i have many plans for the car to make it a well performing sweet daily weekend Auto X/track weapon.
Well done, you've grown up. I think we've all been down the same path.
LOL great to see you learn all this so young, SMART!!! I bought a 2023 M240 and I had a choice Eibach 2" lowering springs or 3/4" lowering springs, the smarted me chose the ladder : ) now for my one and only regret, I put a chin spoiler on and that was a $500 mistake, I ended up putting the OEM back on and now I have no worries
Awesome content!
When seasons change, car guys always find something “new” for the car :)
I have stock cats on my F80 which I daily but with full valved catback so it’s basically stock when closed and I can actually hear my radio lol but then switch the car to sport and the sound just comes to life. especially with the direction everything is going, I can’t recommend a valved exhaust enough for anyone looking to keep an enjoyable exhaust but want the flexibility of sounding stock whenever you want!
don’t think i’ll ever own another daily and modify the exhaust without having the functionality of valves
That’s good to know. I will definitely go that route in the future.
I don't know man, I have most of these mods, minus the steering wheel and trunk. Different car. Definately have the lowered stance, the loud exhaust, the front bumpercover from a different year/trim. In age, I'm "over the hill" at this point.
For sure if someone wants to improve performance on a lower trim vehicle when the manufacturer makes a performance trim for the vehicle they want, just buy the performance package. Examples are Sti and type R. Either get an older year, or save up. Because you're 100% right about the parts changes.
The exhaust I have I only get slightly annoyed with depending on mood. (Most of the time I love it) I drive with the windows down anyway, so there's loads of wind noise as is. It's a little like driving a motorcycle. You either love it or you hate it. Downshifting and hearing the crackles and pops coming out of the tail pipe never gets old. The wife has never even sat in this car. But yeah, I have to yell at people if I want to talk to them.
The front bumpercover I had to repair because it was broken and started to hang. After the fix, it sits well on the car and looks a lot better than the stock bumpercover.
My car sits 3" off the ground. Most of the time, its not an issue. However, I most certainly need to plan my routes. Today even, I took a detour because of an RR crossing that I might have trouble navigating. Parking garage speed bumps are my enemy. There's some places I just won't drive with this car. Road debris is the big one. If you think it will clear, it won't. I nearly put a hole in my oil pan because of something in the road. The debris nailed a cross beam pretty hard. But I don't scrape everywhere I go. Its pretty rare actually. Just be mindful of ground clearance and you'll be fine. I did get adjustable upper control arms though. In 2 yrs I needed to replace my tires because of uneven tire wear. Not doing that again. I have a full contact patch in the rear now. The fitment still looks good.
As for the trunk lid, I've been eyeing an aftermarket one with an integrated dovetail like what you have. I haven't pulled the trigger, but it's something I've really been considering. I can address any leaks, I just really want that integrated aero. ~$1500 is about the cost of what I've been looking at. I won't buy something like that off ebay.
Mods like these are for toys/projects. A reliable backup vehicle is always needed that is a completely different driving experience. This way, if you don't want to drive the track missle 1000mi, you don't have to. Personally though, I love to daily my project car. I don't know how I would feel driving it all the way across the country though. Being thrown in the air over bumps is a reality.
I drive a boosted NB1 miata. A guy in a Z4 gave me props today. I get thumbs up, waves, lights flashed, "hey man I love your car", etc. Other times I have guys in Chargers make fools of themselves next to me.
I got this car to embarrass people who hog the left (passing) lane. I had to do that twice today. It's a blast to drive and hugs the road. 70mph feels like 140mph in other cars. The car is just fun to drive during a normal day on the street. Its a driving enthusiast car.
Overall, no regrets.
Came here from your “before financing a car video” and now I’m subscribed. Awesome content!
Thank you!
Amen to all of this man. Perfect example of growing up and the mod bug maturing.
Maturing for me was installing a valved muffler! Best decision ever on my subaru! It's catless, resonated and had a muffler delete.. i loved it when i was younger but as my ears got older and many attention with cops, i decided to pull the plug and installed a very expensive valved muffler.. i can make it sound absolutely stock and be drone free at the highway, and at the push of a button i can make it louder when im driving spirited on back roads... if i could tell younger myself, i'd say to have wheels and suspension as my first mods instead of performance and aesthetic mods...
We just put a decent entry level exhaust on my sister's 325i, with a key fob that opens and closes the valves. Huge difference. We don't have to worry about waking up neighbors early or later in the evening. And can adjust the sound according. Best decision for the exhaust tbh.
I totally resonate with this video! Coming from a base model Honda civic, I did all of the following: muffler and resonator deletes, lowered the car, tried so hard for it to look like a type r, ended up ruining the car as 1. It was no longer comfortable to drive 2. Fitment was not as good as oem in some parts (not a super big issue) 3. Wanting more power and spending all of the extra money when I could have gotten a Type R was not worth it.
Luckily, with my current car, the m340i, it fixed a lot of problems: 1. Superior suspension 2. Valved exhaust (FROM THE FACTORY) 3. Can handle WAY more power than any civic ever could with the b58 and zf8 speed. Final thoughts are just to save up for the better car/part and don’t cheap out
Invidia r400 was my best purchase as a daily exhaust for my 86. Quiet from 1-4rpms and loud enough from 5-7. And the pops are good if you shift from 3.5-.5.5
Perfect video man, I'm starting my F30 project and these are awesome pointers to have before doing anything crazy!
Glad I could help! Good luck on the build 😎
As always, I'm impressed with the quality and amount of information in your videos! Transparency is also awesome...not many post regrets!
Hey man for the exhaust on you red scion, get a vibrant bottle style resonator. Vibrant 17930 (2.5") or 17950 (3"). It'll quiet it down some and kill basically all the rasp depending on the setup (if you have a aftermarket downpipe or headers which are usually catless or with a race cat, you're probably gonna need more than 1). I'd give it two weeks or so for break in period as it initially makes it very quiet but gets louder as it breaks in. But will be a little quieter than lets say your current setup right now. I had to do this with my X-force exhaust when I i had my Elantra N-line.
Cheap and effective.
Thank, I’ll look into it!
I just bought a 2020 X5 M50i and it’s nice just the way it is, people are telling me to tune and do the exhaust but I don’t want no troubles just a nice car to drive.
Going for 18' 8.5j 225/40/18 then swapping to
XXR 9j wheels 225/45/17
Where my car came with a 15' 6.5j
185/65/15
Really had my suspension torn apart. After that switched up to a lighter 17' 7j wheels and 215/55/17 meatier tyre really helped a lot. Looking to get OEM+ wheels from Toyota to ease up the comfort more.
Just discovered your channel mate, great videos. I love how straight forward, practical, and down to earth they are. I just bought a 15 535i M sport, and a lot of this is great to know! Thanks lad, keep up the good work!
Thank you! Glad I could help!
Side note but the 340 looks great! The dry carbon on the interior has to be my favorite mod, I think it looks so clean
Thank you!
Yep I would agree with most of this...currently suffering from extreme lows in my 330Ci as the previous owner fit aftermarket springs on stock dampers (another big no no on my list)!! Looks great but literally hits & scrapes over everything 😢. Luckily this is getting sorted on Friday with a nice set of adjustable coilovers 😊. Loud exhaust I still quite enjoy 😅!
Nice! What coilovers are you going with?
@@justinbuice going with BC Racing BR Series 👍🏽
I had a 330ci optioned with the Alcantara wheel (ZHP). Ended up having to put an M3 wheel on there because it just dissolved no matter how I washed my hands, maintained it, and protected it with a windshield shade.
Easily one of the best TH-camrs and the videos are always great! Keep it up bro
Thanks I appreciate that!
I love the Alcanterra steering wheel. I have one for my M235i. However, I wear BMW leather driving gloves. It still looks new. I would recommend wearing leather gloves. Great for the winter since we loose the heat function.
That’s a smart idea. Is it too hot driving with them in the summer? I suppose with the AC on it wouldn’t be too bad
as someone who bought a base model 4 series, I completely agree with your take on the m sport, its not worth all the trouble doing the conversion... Please to whoever reads this just save up a little extra money and get one with the factory m sport it really isn't worth this extra hassle
the quality of your videos is incredible, so nice to watch!
Greetings from Germany
Thank you!! 🙏
I’d say doing Poly bushings was the biggest mistake along with lowering springs on factory EDC. When I hit a bump and blew the rear shock that repair bill was equally as shocking. I’ve only done really small things to my BMW like a M Performance carbon wing and factory shadow line grille. I thought about lowering it but the car rides really well and I’m almost 50 so I want to keep that check engine light in my back off 😊
People with VW love to put Alfa Romeo wheels on their cars here in Spain. Specially on mk3s
I love Alfa wheels. They look good on a lot of cars
I understand a few of these as a 33 year old. I have my MK7.5 Golf R and I did a few things to it
Cobb exhaust ( resonated )
IE intake
PS5 Tyres and pretoria wheels
Bilstein B6 shocks
stage 2 tune and thats all I did. It is not loud and it still works as a daily that I occasionally take to the track. Makes 380hp and its not enough to kill you but enough to have some fun.
Agree with all you said except the m- sport conversion especially the visual parts (bumpers and wheels) ..it gives you the OEM + you just said by the end of the video
The end result is great, but still more money and effort than just buying the car that way.
Aweomse video! I recently bought a 17 340i and been contemplating the M conversion body kit. I think I still want the front bumper but your perspective was great to hear. Extremely worried about spending that money for it to not fit the way I envision
The biggest thing (and I cannot stress this enough) is going to a reputable paint shop and paying to have it done right. Don’t go to the cheapest place in town like I did with my E90 😅. If you buy the bumper from Kies, it’s the same one that I have, and the fitment on it is flawless. Only issue I had was the lower grilles on the bottom of the bumper are tricky to snap in.
@@justinbuicegreat advice!
I personally regret decating my car. The sound difference is there, but in front you can mostly hear the metal parts, pumps and stuff, instead of the engine itself.
Also my biggest mistake was going cheap on painting the front bumper I swapped to M pack version. I've only painted the bumper, so the color didn't match perfectly, it was bugging me so I wrapped the whole car, but no vinyl is going to look as good as proper paint job.
Definitely learned one thing there: don't mess with the exterior too much (actually I've replaced the grill, mirror caps and indicators and those look great). But the bumpers and especially paint, just don't. Buy a car that has a good paint, and the bumpers you want. I don't regret changing mine, but I do regret not buying an actual m-pack in the beginning.
Wow, finally, someone is truly honest about their experience with purchasing MODs that don't make sense and show the wrong side of modding a car. In my younger years, I spent soo much money moding a car only to hate my dream car so much I had to turn around and just sell it due to the experience. Modding is so expensive, and you're going to burn money for what you get. You see, people always buy an older car that's deprecated over the years, making it a lot more affordable to the average buyer. The first thing they do is ask what mods I should do?! I always tell them to pay off the car before anything! Then, save your money on mods and start saving for the next vehicle. MODing a car is taking advantage of buyer, which makes it mod's look good in photo, but the minute you drive the car, it turns it into a pile of @#4%. I'm like bro, you got a BMW, 90% of people would love to be driving what you have! Just be happy and enjoy the car! Forget all that nonsense!
Definitely as I get older, the comfort and quality is where I want to focus more on rather than the sound of the car.
I simply buy a car that I like the look of and then enjoy it. Just switched to a used 5 Series G30 LCI 530e M Sport, can’t get enough of it. It’s stunning! BMW alloy wheel designs are one of the best in the industry.
My only upgrade would be to polish + ceramic coat it! And may be add a wireless charger …
Don't really regret doing those mods but just learned that, there is a time and place for everything.
Car guy's license revoked 😂😂😂
😂
Engine map mod... spent the money and my Supra got check engine light + slower performance. Car was so low that I made a 3 step 1x6 wood ramp just to put the jack under it. Not going back to those days
I regret going e85. It was super fun until a cylinder blew up. I won the battle but, lost the war with that mod. My M sport didn't come with the M brakes and I'm contemplating buying the m kit from the dealership or maybe a cheap used ebay kit that looks decent. Can't decide on orange, red, or yellow.
I really like the orange brakes. That would have been my first choice, but my friend ended up giving me his blue ones when he upgraded his. I’d definitely check ebay first, there are a lot of kits for sale in excellent condition. They are crazy expensive to buy brand new
Alcantara is basically polyester. It does not possess good wear capabilities.
MSport option is always a base for me on any BMW.
A functioning car in the real world is worth more than a curb queen.
That’s just plain wrong. Alcantara is proven to be more durable than leather, and it’s more comfortable in very hot or cold conditions. When maintained, it still looks new after many years. The maintenance shown in the video is not really what you need to do to keep it clean
@@ABC123er
Yeah, you have no idea of its wear cycle. It is good unless touched then it just pills.
@@ABC123er I have M Per Alcântara on mine for 6 years now. Still looks new
Currently watching this video after I had my G87 M2 lowered and installed downpipes and going through the same remorse and it’s only been 2 weeks haha… I love how the car sounds and looks but I completely understood what you meant when you love it lowered until you have to drive somewhere. I’m honestly considering just putting it back to how it was (catback and stock ride height with cosmetic mods) even though I’d basically have thrown out the money that I spent on labor for the parts to be installed. But hey you live and you learn, and maybe I’ll be able to get good sleep again knowing my warranty’s good 😭🤣
Knowing this info now I’d definitely refrain from lowering my daily and probably downpipes on a car with warranty. I love the sound but pay to play still scares me
Biggest regret is the m3 style bumper on my f30. Will be buying the m-sport soon and wishing I didn’t make this mistake when I first started🤦♂️
The F80 M3 style rear bumpers for the F30 just looks so "chad", not in a good way... They look like they got huge chins.
While I’m sad you roasted my car in this, you’re not wrong about the issues with how low it is and how loud 😆
Kind of wild to see how flat that piece on the exhaust is now 🤣
It’s been interesting watching your car tastes change through the years!
This came out great babe, proud of you!
Great video! I have yet to modify any cars, and it’s nice to see another perspective on very popular mods
Great video Justin! Very informative!
Thank you so much!! 🙏
@@justinbuice I learned a lot from your videos. It inspired me to make some changes on my f32!
That FRS may be loud, but it sounds pretty dang good!
I agree! 😎
Meh, you can't do magic with 4 cylinders, they're still gonna sound kinda bland.
@@raidden-1583tbf it is a boxer so it has a unique sound
@@raidden-1583 lots of 4-cyls sound great... IDK what youre on about. Especially boxers, i vastly prefer 4 cyl boxers to 6 cyl boxers.
I’ve been watching ur 340 videos since the day you bought it and it really motivated me buy one. 2 months ago, I am a proud owner of a 2017 340i 😌
That’s awesome, congrats on the car!
I definitely agree on lowering and exhaust. Lowered a ‘99 Cobra Mustang and although it looked cool it didn’t handle any better. It’s almost like all those factory engineers know a thing or two. Loud exhaust sounds cool at first but it gets old quick and I don’t want any additional attention. Older and wiser now. Keep up the great videos! I’m a BMW guy now!
Thanks for sharing your mod thoughts after having them for a while. Very informative. I lowered my 2002 Jetta a couple years ago. I still like how it looks, but man is it bumpy. My girlfriend pretty much won’t ride in it now. 😂
Oh no 🤣. To be honest, I drive my Avenger a lot just because it’s the most comfortable car in our fleet 😂
After watching thicwhips and you for many months I bought a 2014 f30 335xi base couple months ago, just got an m sport bumper and now I’m watching this video after having it on for couple of weeks. I won’t lie, I do look back and already prefer the base bumper even though the m sport just looks like how a bmw should look in my opinion.
The bit you said about turning a base into a sport is facts because I did that with my Q50 and the brakes was the most annoying thing taking the bumper off was also annoying but honestly it was a good experience.
I replaced my steering wheel for an Alcantara one. As you said, never again. Sold it and got an F80 one instead.
I did the entire M sport conversion on my F32 435. I wasn’t in the market for a car at the time but it fell into my lap so I bought it. It had no m sport but it was a manual and pretty well optioned so it was tricky to find as it is. I ended up buying all OEM bumpers over the course of a year or two and slowly getting everything together over time. It’s not the bumpers that are gonna hurt your wallet, it’s the plastics. I spent over $500 on plastics alone that go underneath the front bumper to make sure everything fit perfectly. I bought a wheel, shift knob, and some interior trim as well and all in I was probably around $4k on making it look like an M sport. And even still it will technically never be a true M sport. It was a good learning experience and I’m happy I did it but I’ll be buying the car as an msport in the future.
I literally feel the EXACT way, as I get older (I'm 32 now) I wan't to mod my car less and less. Subtle and classy is what I'm going for. Never thought I would find someone expressing themselves that I share the exact same thoughts. LESS IS MORE!!
I remember wanting a louder exhaust on my 9th gen accord (so quiet) but I’m glad I just got it slightly louder to the point I can heard it when I floor it but it’s quiet when cruising
100% agree good video. Don't build a track car for the street... For me I like to drive canyon and mountain roads so I build for that purpose with reliability and useability in mind. Fun with good sound in the car without upsetting the locals or getting unwanted attention from government goons.
I actually don't regret any of the mods I've done to my E46. It puts a smile on my face everytime I drive it. As long as I drive it alone and just for driving pleasure 😅 At some point the car loses its ability to be the daily driver. Exhaust becomes irritating on the highway when I drive it faster and try to talk with my passengers, I'm running BBS RX II wheels with 10mm spacers so the rims' lips are flush with fenders, coilovers set to "last optimal" ride height (top of the tire barely hides under the fender) and I have to deny when more than one person wants to ride with me so I don't rub the fenders. At some point it becomes a whole new mindset. Would not do this to my daily driver but no regrets when it comes to my funcar 🙃
I bought my first car last summer(a beater mk4 golf as a daily), The previous owner had installed a new cat but had made horrible job and so the exhaust was very leaky when I got it. I've tried sealing it and it's much better now but I guess there still is some small leaks somewhere since it's bit too loud for my comfort still especially when accelerating lol. That being said I would never purposefully make my car more loud. Also I like actually being able to drive my car so I probably would get nightmares about slammed cars if I was more dedicated car guy :D
WOW...youre growing up! You said you wanna make it back in one piece...can u imagine yourself saying that 10 years ago? I think not. Thats what becoming older does to you...makes u more cautious...Makes u wanna live to see the next day...
Years and years ago I was well into modding. I bought a Japanese imported M2R turbo. Had HKS exhaust, Tein coilovers and some unidentified wheels.
First MOT it failed because a wheel was bent. No replacement wheel available. Needed it sorted ASAP so new set of wheels.
Few years in, exhaust rusts (yes, HKS wasn't fully stainless) so needed a full exhaust as that didn't come in bits)
Bit further down the line, had a spin off and damaged a shock. Couldn't repair. No longer sold. Whole new set of coilovers to sort one broken one.
The moral of the story is, it's hard to get just the mod part you need, and you'll often need sets of things to fix small things. If it was a standard car, I could have easily got 1 wheel, 1 shock and the part of the exhaust that had a massive hole in it.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THIS UP! OEM+ is the only way
Thanks for the video, really good!
Definitely prefer the OEM plus vibe! Exhaust sound is out of the picture for my F31 diesel! 😅 I'm about to change control arms and tension arms to M3, that'll be interesting. I'll hopefully make a vid as there's not that much out there on this.
Nice! Let me know if you feel a big improvement with those, I might upgrade mine too!
Justin your right I drove a 328i E92 that my friend owned, a 2007 non M sport stright 6 N52 no mods, car runs very good, no rattles just nice riding car. But as you say to stay away from some big modifications. Well, I also own a 2010 E92 Stright 6 N51 3 stage manifold that is by vin# an M sport with all the goodies seats, M sport suspension, paddles, body trims, lowered and most of all the hydraulic steering. Long story short my friend drove my car now he's hooked and wants to convert his I told him it's not worth the money and you are changing
many components you do not want to mess with. I told him that if you want an M sport car, find one stock by vin#. I told him by now it's going to be a little hard to do there prices have gone up. Anyway you are more than right right stay away from mods that distroy your car not help in the long run. Buy it already as it came from the factory with some non invasive personal touches for that ultimate driving machine experience.
Ive always preferred "tasteful" mods.
I want only a slightly louder exhaust to give me some of that nice humm and grumble but not the type thats too overbearing.
I preferr lowered cars but not the type thats so low that i cant clear a speed bump, just about a 2-3cm lowering is enough.
And with that amount of lowering almost any 17 or 18" wheels will make the car look incredibly clean.
I also dont mind having a front lip on the bumper as long as it's not the teenager-ish overdesigned transformers type.
Unless you are chasing static clout, bags are certainly a viable option. Especially nowadays with companies like airlift
I’d consider going that route next time.
msport conversion tip hits hard. def spent more even doing my own work
💯agree on the loud exhaust, you can have performance and not obnoxious
As I got a little older, I definitely do not enjoy stiff suspension & being super low as I did when I was younger. Also getting good seats is heavily underrated.
I have a G80 manual stock, and I think the vehicle is perfect as is! I am definitely enjoying this phase with the car!
for your loud exhaust droning, you should sound deadening the spare tire area and doors, make a large difference.
I will look into that, thanks!
When we had our BRZ for a short time we did the Invidia cat back on ours' and it was great. Sounded so good but no bad drone and don't feel it was that loud inside when just cruising. Might be one of the first videos I've watch from you after following your amazing photography on IG. Still absolutely love your BMW
Thank you! And thanks for checking out the channel. I have a couple car photography videos on here too 😎
Loud exhausts were never cool, people that like to annoy others have them. You can get an aftermarket exhaust that’s not obnoxious. My Mugen exhaust sounds good and not loud at all. I had Alcantara on my Sim…..changed that out real quick. Was afraid to touch it without gloves
I’ve never liked a loud exhaust, i keep getting told to put one but to me is why would I spend money to make my car louder. louder does not mean faster.
But man the part about lowering it hits home😭😂. It looks so good just standing there but when I have to drive it I don’t like it. As you say it does change the way you drive and sometimes I find myself dreading going to a new place because I don’t know how the roads will be.
I really like your videos. I also agree with most of your thoughts. Myself, I went straight the the m-package on my 340. I did miss on the m-sport exhaust though. That’s my only regret.
Every customization, unfortunately I still don't them. Moved away from sports cars and now have jeep gladiator lifted in 37
100% agree on lowering, my frs is kinda painful to drive but damn does it look good