Best basic mods for a street driven M3?

[RLM3]

I recently purchased a well maintained 2011 e90 zcp m3 with manual transmission. It is my weekend fun car and want to modify it lightly to give it an edgier personality.

My car is plenty fast for me stock, but I did install test pipes and a tune, which improved throttle response and exhaust tone.

I'd like to improve the handling next and was considering the following mods:

- Lighter weight 18" squared APEX/Titan wheels.
- Shorter Swift coil springs for my stock zcp suspension
- Upgrading sway bars/bushing

Can you actually notice wheels that weigh 5# less per corner on a street car?

Other mods that would be beneficial on a budget?

Thanks

[roastbeef]

Yes on the wheels.

Not budget friendly, but solid subframe bushings make the car feel great.

Other than that, a nice intake for the noise.

[BimmerRookie]

F10 shift knob. It's the little things.

[Bpark1977]

+1 on the intake. The Eventuri definitely changes the induction sound for the better.
I'd say test pipes depending on your emissions requirements.

[SYT_Shadow]

Upgrading the rear sway bar is pretty expensive. It can be done with the rear subframe solid mounts. I don't think either of these is basic.

Test pipes or an Xpipe is really nice, it's a noticeable sound upgrade as well as power

As basic mods I'd add the thrust bushing up front. It's perfect for street use
https://www.bimmerworld.com/Suspensi...iABEgL69_D_BwE

[akkando]

get the lighter wheels

get some ohlins

solid subframe bushings and stiffer diff bushings if you can afford it.

get carbon fiber plenum for huge improvement in intake sound.

[kyoo]

gonna be selling my apex wheels that are in pretty good condition - 18x9 front 18x10 rear, apex arc8 in hyper silvers.. big difference in feel, the OEM wheels are massively heavy

[Space Fox]

I'll be selling my 18" Apex wheels as well! I'll try and take some pictures this weekend and get them over to you.

[Jerezblack.m3]

Originally Posted by Space Fox

I'll be selling my 18" Apex wheels as well! I'll try and take some pictures this weekend and get them over to you.

Originally Posted by kyoo

gonna be selling my apex wheels that are in pretty good condition - 18x9 front 18x10 rear, apex arc8 in hyper silvers.. big difference in feel, the OEM wheels are massively heavy

Where are you guys located? I cant see since im on my iphone

[Space Fox]

Originally Posted by Jerezblack.m3

Where are you guys located? I cant see since im on my iphone

I'm in Tampa

[timothy2001]

Originally Posted by akkando

get the lighter wheels

get some ohlins

solid subframe bushings and stiffer diff bushings if you can afford it.

get carbon fiber plenum for huge improvement in intake sound.

Those intakes can get pricey, what price range are the bushings in?

[Richbot]

This is basically the entire design brief for the mods I've done on my car, except for the low budget part, lol, that's been out the window for a while. But edgier, faster, more fun, without ruining the car as four person four door every day street car, that's been my main goal with my car. You've already got a lot of the best bang for buck covered but I'll shade in some of what I did and why:

Square 275/35-18 on 18x10's, don't overthink it, I tried overthinking it, Iw as wrong . Edgier without ruining the car = Michelin PS4S, or 265/35-18 Yokohama A052 if you really don't care about tire wear/noise/deep puddles. The Conti ECS is a nice in-between option too, if you're the type who wants good handling but slightly lower ultimate grip in exchange for friendlier breakaway characteristics for funsies, they're also quiet and not-squealy at the limit which is nice.

Look at the forged Bimmerworld TA16's if you want an an OEM-like look, they're ZCP-like in styling. I have the Contis on my TA16's. It's the nicest wheelset I've ever owned. IMO - Get forged wheels, that you like, the first time, you'll be less likely to get itchy about trying new wheels a year from now. They're not 3x the price of the cast Apex's, it's more like only 40-50% more money now. I've owned a lot of wheels and I wish I woudln't have spent all that money on wheels that aren't this nice.

Camber up front - 2-2.5 ish (Dinan fixed plates are cheap and effective for getting this much camber without adding moving parts) makes a big difference in how stuck the front end is, which makes playing with the rear end easier and more fun, and you can rotate tires now with your square setup, so wear isn't really a big issue. I have the Dinan plates with Sachs front coilovers, the street ones. I'd keep EDC if I were you. If you're doign springs, look at doing the Dinan-style shaved guide supports and bumpstops too, you'll want that suspension travel back.

Dinan front swaybar. Easy button. There are other front swaybar options that are also good, but I have the Dinan. I wouldn't bother with the rear on a street car especially a street car with square wheel/tire setup.

Stoptech or PFC direct-replacement front rotors - another spot to shed easy, bolt-on weight "while you're in there" on your next front brake change, and that rotor weight has under-appreciated knock-on impacts like taking some flywheel effect out of the rotating assembly at speed, which shows up in better response at your fingertips. I have a Stoptech front 355mm brake kit, but if I were doing it again, I'd probably just get lighter rotors, there weren't many options back in the before times when I got the Stoptechs

Lighter battery next time your OEM one craps out, there are really nice LiFePo drop in options that shed 50lb from the car without much work, if you're using the car as a weekend warm weather car it's an especially great option. Between the battery, wheels, rotors, and exhaust mods, you'll have a car that's 100lb lighter than it was from the factory, with no real downsides.

[mym3adventures]

I second the F10 M5 shift knob. Slightly heavier and just makes the driving experience a bit better.

If you don't have one already, a front lip from a reputable vendor would also make the front end look a bit more updated. Same with some white angel eyes (LUX).

[pbonsalb]

Or ZHP knob for less $ if you don’t need it yo be illuminated.

[RLM3]

Thanks for all the info guys!

I just ordered an f10m5 shift knob!

Can you easily hear an aftermarket intake over the howl of a catless exhaust? I even considered adding different mufflers, but worried it would be too loud.

[kel_m3]

Autosolutions SSK... I just put one in. Sublime.

[serranot]

Originally Posted by kel_m3

Autosolutions SSK... I just put one in. Sublime.

+1. Single best "for-the-money" option out there.

[shimmy23]

UCP
zhp knob
Good set of tires
Swift springs are nice but i ended up installing ohlins coilovers
15/12 wheel spacers for your ZCPs
Fresh fluid change

As for aesthetics
Color matched side markers
Tint?
Nice polish and sealant detail

[Bpark1977]

Originally Posted by RLopez63

Thanks for all the info guys!

I just ordered an f10m5 shift knob!

Can you easily hear an aftermarket intake over the howl of a catless exhaust? I even considered adding different mufflers, but worried it would be too loud.

Yes. You can hear them both in a wonderful symphony.

[bimmergixxer]

Originally Posted by BimmerRookie

F10 shift knob. It's the little things.

Best Mod for the money. Does not have to be F10, but any short shift knob will vastly improve the shifting experience.

[XKxRome0ox]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Or ZHP knob for less $ if you don’t need it yo be illuminated.

i went with the ZHP knob because it was significantly cheaper than the f10m5 illuminated knob
i kinda regretted it when i realized i'd lose the illuminated gear symbol on the knob...

after installing the ZHP knob, i have never once thought about or noticed the missing illumination

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by RLopez63

Can you easily hear an aftermarket intake over the howl of a catless exhaust? I even considered adding different mufflers, but worried it would be too loud.

You can hear even mild intakes like Dinan over catless exhausts because the S65 has a loud intake sound stock

With a full carbon airbox like Karbonius or Evolve you can hear it clearly no matter how loud your exhaust is