Pictures Driveway Update: 2 New Cars

[Centurion]

My latest cometic enhancements are:

• Plasti-dip spraying the silver canards(front bumper surrounds) black
• Replacing the silver mirror caps with black M-style ones
• Tint wrapping the wing mirror indicators

 

[Betty Swollocks]

My latest cometic enhancements are:

• Plasti-dip spraying the silver canards(front bumper surrounds) black
• Replacing the silver mirror caps with black M-style ones
• Tint wrapping the wing mirror indicators

Bluewater? I've never seen it so quiet.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

I like how you made this car your own without going over the top. Tasteful.

 

[Rolf]

Very nice add ons to your car, I like that they subtly change and improve the standard look. Alcantara wheel is classy and looks like a joy to hold. Was the blackened grill your change as well or did you buy the car like this?

 

[hovabongZA]

It’s a car you should keep for a very very long time.

 

[Centurion]

Bluewater? I've never seen it so quiet.

...[/QUOTE]

Yes, Bluewater.

It was quiet because I went there late morning on a wet weekday in mid-January.

I like how you made this car your own without go...

Thanks.

When I plasti-dip sprayed the canards, my other half said:

What are you doing to Lennox.
He is starting to look mean.
We are just a wee family.



The exterior is complete. I won't add side skirts or a front lip as I still want the car to look a bit discrete.

Very nice add ons to your car, I like that they subtly chan...

Cheers. I wish you could all see the car because with the add-ons and interior colours, it looks superb. The black grill, smoked taillights and headlights were part of the complimentary Shadow Edition that included Harman Kardon sound system, cruise control and tinted windows.

It’s a car you should keep for a very very long tim...

I probably will. The only car that could entice me is an M4 with switchable AWD. However the M140i does so many things so well, is easy to park, a full set of tyres only cost £480 compared with £900 for my X3, is chuckable in corners, not too heavy, is compact to park, has a hatch which makes it easy for me to use it for taking bulky items to the dump etc.


Here is a run down of all my enhancements:

Chassis
M Performance Limited Slip Differential: £2,500
Birds B1 Suspension Springs and Dampers: £2,200
BMW Underbody Brace: £200
Total: £4,800

Exterior
Maxton spoiler cap: £100
Reiger Diffuser: £300
AutoID M-style mirror housing: £220
Tint wrap for wing mirror indicators: £3
Plasti-dip spray for front bumper canards/surrounds: £8
Total: £631

Interior
Red starter button: £4
Alcantara Royal Steering wheel: £200
Total: £204

Sub total for enhancements: £5,635/6,700 EUR/$7,400

Car purchase price from new: £28,000/EUR33,000/$37,000

Specs
333hp(360hp~ on dyno)
0-62mph in 4.5sec
0-124mph in 16.1sec

 

[Centurion]

A few glamour photos of my car:

 

[Centurion]

Both cars are still running fine and have not had any issues! The most recent modification to the M140i is a backbox mod with the pipes going straight through the rear box without any muffling. It now sounds like a car with Mperformance exhaust which is not available to PPF cars.

Other than that grip levels in the M140i is sensational now that's ambient temperature is 19-25 degrees. MPSS tyres are shite during winter and simply thrive in warm weather. It feels like I have new car.

Here are a few lockdown photos.

 

[Centurion]

Just to give an update. The modification of my backbox has now bedded in and the car sounds like it has an M Performance car.

From factory my car has an OPF filter which makes the exhaust sound quieter than it should. The Mperformance exhaust was discontinued by BMW in 2018 right before WLTP changes.

What has been done to my back box? It been open and the muffling material has been removed. The inlet pipe go in and the exhaust fumes exit straight through to the rear tips as if I had an m performance box.

In comfort mode it's as quiet as stock. Under load and above 3k rpm it sound like the car below.

Enjoy

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[Rolf]

Just to give an update. The modification...

You must enjoy powersliding your M140i on dirt roads hehe. It does have a nice exhaust note, perhaps more throaty than the M4

 

[CrunchSlaughtered]

You must enjoy powersliding your M140i on dirt roads hehe....

As far as I remember it has a LCD so it doesn't need a dirt road in order to drift.

 

[Centurion]

You must enjoy powersliding your M140i on dirt roads hehe....

As far as I remember it has a LCD so it doesn'...

Correct. I can kick the rear out very easily when exiting a corner and the car will automatically straighten, bite the tarmac and keep delivering power.

With the LSD fitted it's playful but controllable. The car will be less playful once I have fitted Michelin Pilot 4S tyres to replace the highly temperature sensetive MPSS.

Some say the B58 does sound better than the S55. In all honesty both sound fun with a performance exhaust, back box mod or aftermarket exhaust.

 

[Centurion]

This weekend I had my first post-lock down blast in my M140i. It's great to be out on the roads when the sky is clear and the tarmac gets toasty from direct sunlight. I also had the opportunity to drive a friend's 2017 Lotus Exige for the first time.

It's a superbly good looking car and has greater presence than photos or dimensions suggest. I loved driving it and will strongly consider it as a third car. The driving experience felt closer to a cut price F430 Scuderia than 718 Cayman S or 992CS.

Have you ever driven a Lotus @martinbo

Plus
-Exhaust and engine noise! This car sounds and shifts like sound effects for drag races in 2 Fast 2 Furious. My inline6 and even the flat 6 that was with us was quiet in comparison.
-It's more comfortable than I expected. At just 1,100kg the car does not jitter or skip over bumps.
-The car feels weighted down on the road and follows it beautifully. Now I understand why Lotus suspension is famous.
-Driving it is wearing a superhero cape. Within 1-2 minutes you quickly climatise to the car's clutch, brake and accelerator pedals and adjust your driving accordingly in order to nail every instruction. Think of it as a crossbreed between a single seater race car and a Porsche.

Negative
-The lack of power steering makes the car feels heavy to steer from standstill of very low speeds.
-Not many interior amenities.
-Brand new it's as expensive as a 718 GT4.

 

[Rolf]

Thanks for sharing your driving experience with these awesome cars. They must be making your senses work overtime.

 

[Centurion]

Thanks for sharing your driving experience with these aweso...

The Exige is an exceptionally engaging car but isn't hard work or wild as if it'd going to kill you. Even a novice driver would fine it confidence inspiring.

I haven't driven the GT4 yet but hopefully will in the next few months.