Dave330 Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 Looking for inspiration on my return to an e46, and thought I'd try to get a feel for the things that others have done to their cars. I'm not talking about the £1k coilovers, M3 wheels or supercharger installs. This is going to be a daily driver for me. Instead, I'm interested in the little things you did or changed that made a big difference to your enjoyment of the car. Some examples that I'm considering include a retrimmed steering wheel, an atf change and a Bluetooth streaming add-on to the HK system. Over to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edges Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 Led lights, very good tyres, FK coilovers, nice wheels, good polish and that's about it. I'm wanting to fit a z4 gear shifter to reduce throw too. Can't be arsed with much else as its never gonna be the m3 I want to buy next. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave330 Posted June 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 Led external lighting is a great call. I hadn't thought of that. Isn't there something a bit fiddly with the coding of the bulbs, or am I remembering that incorrectly ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TERKIN Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 carbon dipped trims are my favorite small mod.. amber indicators aswell Paddybrown23 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan53 Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 Reprogramming things with PA soft and also altering the temp gauge to give a correct unbuffered reading TriggerFish and RedDevil 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daz 330 Cs Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 1 hour ago, Dave330 said: Led external lighting is a great call. I hadn't thought of that. Isn't there something a bit fiddly with the coding of the bulbs, or am I remembering that incorrectly ? I fitted genuine LED rears to my Cs, probably the best money I spent on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edges Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 The led bulbs I fitted today are fine, you have to buy canbus compatible ones. The have resistors in so the car sees the correct current draw. Didn't know you could unbuffer the temp gauge!!! Who's got pa??? I want mine doing lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerFish Posted June 29, 2016 Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 1 hour ago, alan53 said: Reprogramming things with PA soft and also altering the temp gauge to give a correct unbuffered reading This. Mine is now only vertical between 85 and 95c. Better headlights. Replacing carbon cube with something less vile. Lumbar support for the seats. Gearbox oil. Ambient interior lighting. To do; dynamatt. Made a hyuuge difference in my e30. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave330 Posted June 29, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2016 3 hours ago, Edges said: The led bulbs I fitted today are fine, you have to buy canbus compatible ones. The have resistors in so the car sees the correct current draw. Didn't know you could unbuffer the temp gauge!! Love the idea of making the temp gauge read more like reality. Do you have a link to the LEDs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edges Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 Dave, they're in halfords for £13 a pair. Or £6.50 with trade card. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 (edited) Plus 1 for the Halfords LED's, had them in mine for nearly a year and they been perfect. My best mods have been the gloss black foglight surrounds and colour coded splitters. Gloss black the front lower grill and rear diffuser Phillips extreme bulbs, made a good difference also had my MOT man adjust the lights up a little more and i can now see at night! Airbox mod, makes a nice noise, colder air fed to it and was free. Gearbox and diff oil, improved gear changes. brakes and suspension overhual, huge improvement especially the brakes. alcantara gaitors and the touchscreen stereo. Stereo really updates the interior. Shifter bushes made a big difference. Disa valve overhaul kit, made a noticeable difference between 2k and 3k rpm. Cupholders!!!! Just a few of the bits i have done. Would love to put a set of sticky tyres on the car but seeing as my other car has R888's and this is meant to be the "sensible" car, i dont think the missus would be to pleased! Edited June 30, 2016 by R11CH The Laird 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave330 Posted June 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 2 hours ago, R11CH said: Cupholders!!!! Yes. Thank you! Ordered already, and collecting a 330ci Sport on Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave330 Posted June 30, 2016 Author Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 Do the LEDs fit prefacelift cars too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennno2005 Posted June 30, 2016 Report Share Posted June 30, 2016 (edited) On 29 June 2016 at 20:23, TriggerFish said: This. Mine is now only vertical between 85 and 95c. Better headlights. Replacing carbon cube with something less vile. Lumbar support for the seats. Gearbox oil. Ambient interior lighting. To do; dynamatt. Made a hyuuge difference in my e30. I really don't like having the lumbar on in mine. Beats me why anyone would go to the effort of installing something that makes you feel there is a kid behind with its knees in the seat! 29 minutes ago, Dave330 said: Do the LEDs fit prefacelift cars too? Yes but they will need coding. You can get eagle eye ones off eBay for prefacelift which are cheaper and work straight out of the box. Edited June 30, 2016 by bennno2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edges Posted July 1, 2016 Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 If you're talking the led bulbs from halfords, yes they'll fit pre face. If you're talking led tail lamps of a facelift, yes but you need to be clever with some resistors or get then coded Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edges Posted July 1, 2016 Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 Shifter bushes made a big difference. Disa valve overhaul kit, made a noticeable difference between 2k and 3k rpm. Cupholders!!!! Just a few of the bits i have done. I need cup holders!! What was the shifter bushes you replaced? Mine wobbles around in gear like it in a pot of soup! I've been looking at fitting the shifter unit from a z4 to reduce the throw too! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave330 Posted July 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 1 hour ago, Edges said: I need cup holders!! The parts are available (genuine BMW kit, I think) for about £55 from Amazon. Depending on interior colour, you will need: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0018066HM https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B001Q6IZMM So much more useful than the little tray with the (broken) roller top thing. 1 hour ago, Edges said: If you're talking the led bulbs from halfords, yes they'll fit pre face. It was the sidelights I was most keen on, to be honest. Without trying to sound too pathetic, the forum isn't showing much helpful - do you have a link to the right kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConRod Posted July 1, 2016 Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 Retrimmed steering wheel and new CS gearknob made a big difference to the driving experience for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave330 Posted July 1, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) 4 hours ago, ConRod said: Retrimmed steering wheel I gather than Royal are considered the best, but they are certainly pricey. Are there any alternatives? Edited July 1, 2016 by Dave330 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted July 1, 2016 Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 (edited) I'm Looking forward to getting my royals trimmed wheel back. Best cheap mods I've done. Re dying the scuffed/worn leather bolster and gear knob, it took years off the interior and was cheap. Polishing the the shadow line trim (black trim round the Windows) as it looked like oil in a puddle, it's now gloss black again. I just used 3m cutting compound by hand. Cleaning the exhaust made the car look much better too. I used a scouring pad, then 2000 wet n dry and finished it off with Autosol. Cup holders as said. Making a a hidden cable run to my armrest to hook up my iPhone to the headunit. Carbon wrapping my gear surround as it was looking very old, it's now nice and fresh. All the the above are cheap mods and if you like your car looking good and they were all worth doing in my book. You'll see most of them in here Edited July 1, 2016 by Hawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted July 1, 2016 Report Share Posted July 1, 2016 10 hours ago, Edges said: I need cup holders!! What was the shifter bushes you replaced? Mine wobbles around in gear like it in a pot of soup! I've been looking at fitting the shifter unit from a z4 to reduce the throw too! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk I bought the cupholders, coin holder and the whole handbrake surround from Bmw for little over £100. I had Bmw fit the bushes while doing the clutch, was about £20 for the three bushes and simple enough to fit. Have heard the z4 shifter is a shorter throw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edges Posted July 2, 2016 Report Share Posted July 2, 2016 It was the sidelights I was most keen on, to be honest. Without trying to sound too pathetic, the forum isn't showing much helpful - do you have a link to the right kit? Halfords store pal Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edges Posted July 2, 2016 Report Share Posted July 2, 2016 I had Bmw fit the bushes while doing the clutch, was about £20 for the three bushes and simple enough to fit. Have heard the z4 shifter is a shorter throw. Sorry to be a pain!! This is the shifter I want from a z4, but number 7 is the bush I think causes a lot of slop, plus the bar number 9 where it goes in each end. Are they the 3 bushes you had done? I'm struggling to find any sure information on this :/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TriggerFish Posted July 2, 2016 Report Share Posted July 2, 2016 The e30 layout is largely the sane, and it was the bush 9 equivalent that made the most diffference. http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Replacing_Gear_Linkage http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Z3_short_shifter_conversion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R11CH Posted July 2, 2016 Report Share Posted July 2, 2016 (edited) Here is the invoice i got with all the parts replaced Checking realoem it would appear it was 5 items changed. From support to bush on my list. Edited July 2, 2016 by Daz 330 Cs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
