M3AN 4016 Report post Posted October 10, 2020 3 hours ago, Matt said: ...realoem next. Almost guaranteed I'd say. ? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted October 13, 2020 Well, just dropped the car off to P&S for new DMF and clutch kit to be fitted. They seemed to think doing the rear crank seal was easy enough while they're in there, so doing that too. Fingers crossed for a smooth drive home this evening!! ? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted October 14, 2020 Very happy to report that the problem is now solved!! The guys at P&S did a great job, they said the DMF was definitely shagged and had heaps of play, plus the thrust bearing was about as bad as they'd ever seen apparently. No wonder it was feeling so bad! It was certainly an expensive exercise getting this solved, especially given how many other components I've replaced along the way trying to chase it down. Oh well, should be good to go for another 150,000 kms now! So I enjoyed a very smooth and quiet drive home which was a huge relief. Now I can really get on with enjoying driving it again, especially since I've only just done the MILV and tune! 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 So now that the flywheel and clutch is sorted I can get started on fitting the rest of the interior bits and pieces I’ve been buying over the last few months. Luckily I purchased them before having to fix the clutch or it may not have happened ? Which brings me to... Interior update #2: retrimmed steering wheel in smooth nappa leather, with M tricolour stitching and black alcantara centre insert. Before and after below... 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 how much is that? that smooth leather is so much nicer.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammo 2544 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 Looks good man, steering wheel wrap is such a good mod. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 3 hours ago, qube said: how much is that? And where did you get it done? Looks sweet. ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 It definitely wasn't the cheapest, but definitely cheaper than a brand new one, plus could choose the leather and stitching etc. After seeing so many positive posts and reviews about them on youtube, and other forums, I had it done by royal steering wheels in the UK. Cost was £175 (Incl. VAT) + £60 Postage + £100 deposit. Will get the deposit refunded once I post my steering wheel back to them. As I said, not cheap, but the quality is excellent!! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammo 2544 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 1 hour ago, M3AN said: And where did you get it done? Looks sweet. ? Not sure about OP but you can get real leather wraps in custom styles (smooth / perforated / suede / centre stripes) from ebay for under $100 which fit like a glove and DIY in a few hours. The alcantara bits I imagine cost a little more. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 Yeah I did see those too. The thought of sitting there for a few hours doing that, then looking back on all my mistakes while I'm driving filled me with dread so I quickly looked for other options. I didn't actually shop around much though, just messaged royal steering wheels and went from there! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammo 2544 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 21 minutes ago, Matt said: Yeah I did see those too. The thought of sitting there for a few hours doing that, then looking back on all my mistakes while I'm driving filled me with dread so I quickly looked for other options. I didn't actually shop around much though, just messaged royal steering wheels and went from there! Fair enough, my second effort was definitely better than the first, but not perfect - luckily I went black stitching on black... Your car must be a little weapon on the back roads! 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 I did the wrap before on a non m steering wheel and it wasnt too hard. But makes it quite thick so doing it on an already thick msport wheel im not so sure Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 (edited) The time and effort you've put into your interior, @Sammo is amazing, and it looks incredible as a result! With 2 little kids I have to be pretty selective about where my time goes, so definitely having to go the easy but expensive option in most cases. I fitted the steering wheel during my lunch break at work today ? It is definitely a fun little car! Great handling and plenty of power for any of the roads I end up on. I can't think of much else that blends the performance/fun factor, with the daily drivability and enough practicality to be able to ferry the kids around when I need. I won't be selling it any time soon, that's for sure! Edited October 15, 2020 by Matt 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NZ_InFerno 371 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Sammo said: Fair enough, my second effort was definitely better than the first, but not perfect - luckily I went black stitching on black... Your car must be a little weapon on the back roads! Got a link for the wraps, it looks good! Seems a lot slimmer than other wraps I've seen. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammo 2544 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 27 minutes ago, NZ_InFerno said: Got a link for the wraps, it looks good! Seems a lot slimmer than other wraps I've seen. Check out 'Mewant wheel wrap' on Ebay for your wheel type - heaps of options. I've bought two from them, first was pleather (as a tester of sorts) and was a lot thicker - this real leather one is a bit thinner and very nice indeed. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 15 hours ago, Matt said: It definitely wasn't the cheapest, but definitely cheaper than a brand new one, plus could choose the leather and stitching etc. After seeing so many positive posts and reviews about them on youtube, and other forums, I had it done by royal steering wheels in the UK. Cost was £175 (Incl. VAT) + £60 Postage + £100 deposit. Will get the deposit refunded once I post my steering wheel back to them. As I said, not cheap, but the quality is excellent!! Thanks. My 130i wheel is fine but I want my M3 wheel redone and since it's the M3 and I want it perfect, I'm prepared to pay. You should also get your VAT back too, it's not due on goods shipped outside the EU. In fact you shouldn't have been charged VAT in the first instance to be fair. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qube 3570 Report post Posted October 15, 2020 I have seen many positive reviews about royal steering wheel uk. I think its definitely the go-to place to get this job done properly. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted November 10, 2020 Interior update number 3: 1m style gauge cluster plus alcantara covered gauge pod. I wanted the gauge pod to have the orange stitching, and asked for it, but just got sent this plain one. No matter, I ordered another one from a different supplier and this one did come with the proper orange stitching but they sent me a LHD version, despite assuring me they’d send me a RHD version. So the plain one stays for now. Oh well, it actually looks pretty good I reckon. More alcantara goodness coming soon... 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted November 10, 2020 In other news, despite the new DMF and clutch, I do still have a vibration at motorway speeds. Starting to really annoy me! At least the low speed vibrations have been solved. Next on the list will be fitting new output shafts and wheel bearings and hope that fixes it ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted November 10, 2020 2 minutes ago, Matt said: In other news, despite the new DMF and clutch, I do still have a vibration at motorway speeds. Starting to really annoy me! At least the low speed vibrations have been solved. Next on the list will be fitting new output shafts and wheel bearings and hope that fixes it ? Have you checked the harmonic damper/balancer? You'll need to remove the belt to check it properly and if there's even a smidgen of doubt the balancer itself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted November 10, 2020 16 minutes ago, M3AN said: Have you checked the harmonic damper/balancer? You'll need to remove the belt to check it properly and if there's even a smidgen of doubt the balancer itself. No I haven't. Will definitely get that looked at too, thanks for the tip Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jacko 2156 Report post Posted November 22, 2020 Hows the MILVs and tune working out? Noticeable difference? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted November 22, 2020 15 hours ago, Jacko said: Hows the MILVs and tune working out? Noticeable difference? I feel like I have barely had the chance to enjoy them properly since I got them installed, to be honest! But in saying that, I am still really happy with them, the difference isn't huge, but definitely noticeable. There's just a little bit more, right across the whole rev range. I don't think I'd recommend doing it before any of the other suspension stuff I've done in terms of transforming the car. But if you've got that stuff sorted (like you have) and if you need to change the VCG, then I'd definitely say "While you're in there..." ? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Matt 123 Report post Posted November 23, 2020 Bit of a long post this time, but there is much to update on! Firstly, there is interior updates 4, 5, 6, and 7 (ish)? As I hinted at above I'm adding more alcantara bits through the interior. The inspiration is the 1M coupe, and the goal is to pretty much replicate the complete 1M interior in the 130i, which means getting rid of the textured aluminium completely (which I've never really liked) and swapping it either for alcantara covered parts, or matte black plastic, exactly as in the 1M. I am also going for the orange stitching where I can on the alcantara. I haven't got all the bits yet (more coming), but so far this is where I'm at... Alcantara door pulls on all 4 doors: Genuine 1M handbrake boot with smooth leather handbrake handle, Genuine 1M gearshift surrounds, gearknob and alcantara shift boot. I have also replaced the ashtray with a wireless Qi charging pad from Inbay, so no more charging cables runnning across the centre console! Next up I have been doing some upgrades to the ICE. My car was optioned (or not optioned, if you will) with the base audio which sounds pretty crap. Considering I seem to spend 1.5-2 hours a day in this car on my commute, a better sounding stereo was well overdue! So I have added in the following: Focal 4.320 4 channel amp, plus the Focal BMW IMP 2.1 wiring harness, just to make the install easier. This makes it plug and play in newer BMWs but given the age of mine, I installed it exactly the same way as the factory Alpine system is done, by splicing into the existing speaker wiring. So now the front door speakers, and under-seat subs are run off the Focal amp, and the rear speakers are run off the factory headunit E8X/E9X Logic 7 tweeters. I chose these since they are a factory part, the fit directly into the existing (empty) tweeter pods, and plug into the second socket on the factory door speakers. I actually think the base door speakers are fine for the job they do, they just need tweeters and proper amplification to get the most out of them! If you can get them second hand off ebay too, it is a relatively cheap upgrade One thing that isn't up to the job, in my opinion is the factory under-seat subs, so these have been replaced with "GRS B200-4 ASD Series 8" Glass Fiber Subwoofer" which I managed to score from parts express at 75% off on a clearance special! Now there is actually some proper bass to be felt from the system, and since these are designed for BMW, they fitted perfectly into the factory enclosures, and the factory wiring plugged straight in. Suffice to say, it sounds WAY better now, definitely of the quality I expect from a BMW now, and it is actually enjoyable to turn the volume up loud finally! Amp (currently mounted on a piece of Rimu, because that's what I had lying around ?? One of the subs fitted in its spot: Logic 7 tweeters: Last but not least, I got sick of looking at the phone mount stuck onto my centre air vent, which I always used for google maps, so I have added in a wireless apple carplay system from AliExpress. This is an add on unit that connects in to the existing CCC idrive, so it still has all the original idrive menus, but holding down the menu button, while in the aux audio screen opens up apple carplay. Since it is wireless too it means I can just leave my phone on the charging pad in the centre console, and no ugly cables to plug in! Extra bonus, it comes with a microphone for hands free calling, which i've mounted on top of the A pillar trim, and the steering wheel controls work to skip tracks etc when playing spotify/podcasts etc. Obviously there's no touch screen so you navigate around using the idrive controller. Probably as expected for a system like this it isn't 100% bug free, and does occasionally glitch or freeze, but it still has massively improved the car for the daily commute, so I am stoked with it. So as of now, the only piece of aluminium trim I have left is the one in the middle of the dash. I have ordered a replacement in black alcantara with orange stitching, as well as another gauge pod in black alcantara with orange stitching to complete the 1M package. Hopefully they come in the next month or two, and hopefully they are actually the correct version for RHD unlike the last one I bought. While I was coding in the new cluster (a couple of posts up), I also finally got around to coding in the SPBR option for the M performance brakes (or the 135i version of that I have). Can't say I can feel too much difference to be honest, maybe a fraction sharper at first bite, but that could just be my imagination?? Anyway, I'm sure the coding option is there for a reason so good to do it finally and have it as it should be, Lastly, the car is getting new rear wheel bearings, and rear axles fitted later this week, to hopefully (really really hoping) cure the high speed vibration the car suffers from currently. Will get the harmonic balancer checked at the same time, and the car will get a full condition check before taking it to my/its first track day on Sunday. Can't wait! That's it for the updates for now. Hopefully it runs well at the trackday with no issues, then I will try and make it to the next Auckland meet the week after that, if it is on. 5 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
M3AN 4016 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 Quality work Matt, I like the direction you're heading. I'm starting to get audio envy even though I'm no audiophile. As a matter of interested, what did you wrap the door handles/puller in and where did you get it from? 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
