April 30, 2018
WHAT:
Oil + Filter Change & Angel Eye Bulb Replacement
Parts from FPC Euro:
Liquimoly 10W-60
OEM Mahle Filter
Liquimoly MOS2 Anti-Friction
CTA No Spill Funnel (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)
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May 20, 2018
WHAT:
JL Motoring E90 M3 "GTS Style" Carbon Fiber Diffuser
So I have been shopping around trying to find a diffuser for the E90 M3 that I liked enough to purchase. On my previous car I had the Vorsteiner Type 2 Diffuser which I liked, but it wasn't ever as nice as those that i've seen on the coupe. I wanted to try to find something different from the normal E90 offerings while still remaining affordable.
I started looking at "replica" options since most of the name brands were priced higher than I felt was reasonable for a piece like this and JL Motoring was the first that come to mind. In the past I had ordered CF front splitters from them for my previous M3 as well as a friends' E90 M3.
When I originally started my search, JL Motoring had only 2 diffuser options for the sedan (unlike the e92 m3 which has many variations), the Type 2 Style that I previously had which only surrounds the inner exhaust portion of the bumper, and a full length version with fins that were extremely small and not visible, which I really didn't like.
I felt like I was going to have to settle for one or the other and was kind of bummed out.
Eventually I decided to bite the bullet and just purchase the Type 2 Style diffuser. Went online to buy, and Lo and behold I came upon this new offering which I have never seen before... The GTS Style Diffuser.
It looked exactly like what I wanted.
Contacted JL via PM and scheduled a time to drop by their office and pickup the diffuser same-week.
Link to product:
http://www.jl-motoring.com/BMW_E90_M...p/bmdi9056.htm
On to the pics, and I will follow up with the overall review!
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As you can see, the quality is pretty damn good for a "replica" part. Weave is clean, and the piece is solid, yet light. Quality is better than what I expected. Not 10/10 OEM, but not the typical 5/10 reproduction pieces you may find elsewhere.
Note: this is a CF overlay on top of FRP, not full CF.
On to the install:
JL Motoring was nice enough to provide me with two single-use 3M Primer 94 sticks. This is an "adhesive promotor" that helps the double sided tape stick better to both the bumper and the diffuser. You simply crack the bead on the stick by squeezing, and rub the "brush" end along the area you are going to apply the tape. I did this on both the diffuser as well as the bumper.
Here's my OCD Tape job:
Test Fitted & Drilled Out Inner Mounting Holes:
Note: The screw in mounting tabs are not pre-drilled on this part [see pic 2] So I placed the diffuser up against the bumper without the tape and aligned it properly to test-fit with some plastic clamps. I then drilled out the correct sized holes for the OEM screws to fit properly. Unfortunately the only part of the diffuser that
didn't fit were the two outer mounting tabs. The outer tabs are very strong, so they aren't flexible enough to be flush with the screw holes, they need about 5-10 degrees of more inward angle to line up properly with the screws and be able to be drilled properly. I simply just left them unscrewed as I was confident with my tape job and think it will still hold on well. I may try to redress this and find a way to have them screw in.
All done!
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Overall after going thru the install process I would definitely recommend this diffuser to all you E90 M3 owners out there who are looking for an alternative to the typical diffusers that you see here all the time.
Install was fairly simple and easy for anyone patient and mechanically inclined.
Weave as you can see is very good.
I'd rate this product an 8/10 overall.
10/10 being OEM, and 1/10 being the diffuser that I went to pick up a couple months ago which was produced by the well known Extreme Dimensions. I opened up 3 of them to inspect before just leaving the warehouse empty handed. Fitment and weave was atrocious.
All in all, highly recommended and JL Motoring was very nice, communicative and great to deal with! :hattip: