Top 5 upgrades?

[LMUNick]

Okay- here's one I personally would like to see and may be of help to new e34 owners. Keeping cost relatively in mind, what are the top 5 upgrades you would recommend for a stock e34? Its open to both performance and cosmetics, combinations of both...In short, I am totally looking for idea's to turn my Greta into an Angela-

[dternst]

I'm extremely happy with the performance of my M60 engine. All of my modifications have been cosmetic:

Rear headrest
Throwing Star Wheels
Euro bumper trim
Clear or smoked side markers and tail lights
Placed CD changer in rear armrest

[Denasti]

1. Wheels (too small)

2. Headlights/bulbs (too dim)

3. Suspension (too soft)

4. ECU chip (too slow)

5. Window tint (too Hot!)


My list that I have went in that orderto make it just right. I think it works nicley. I need to post a darn pic on my signature :D

[Incantation]

#1 thing to do with any car, especially the e34 is to lower it. you can do all else but the car will look gay unless it's been dropped

having said that.. #1 would be stereo
#2 wheels
#3 exhaust
#4 eat
#5 change all the lights:
angel eyes (with eyebrows to make them real angel eyes and not weird circles)
clear corners/sides/rears
#5

[uscharalph]

Wow! I haven't done any of the things you guys ahve suggested. I'm still tying to get everything that's stock working properly. One thing at a time. What I have done:

1. Get all dash / OBC / climate control lights to work.
2. Seat Twist Fix
3. Cooling System Overhaul (New Radiator, Water Pump, Thermostat, Fan Clutch, Hoses & Belts)
4. New Tires
5. Complete Detail (Inside & Out + Engine Bay)
6. LKM Fix
7. Radio Fix & CD Changer Install
8. Heater Core Bypass
9. New Roundels
10. Trunk Hinge Wire Repair
11. Glovebox Flashlight

Not bad since Mid March 2005

[willobmw]

1) Euro Smiley Headlights
2) Smoked corners
3) E.A.T. Chip
4) Clear Tail Lights
5) Performance Exhaust
Willobmw
1990 535ia

[Beez540]

Well, it's always a personal preference.... but this is what I've done in the 6 months of having my 540.

1. Stereo

2. EAT chip

3. Experimenting with diff. wheels (still deciding what to do)

4. Resonator removed squarish tips added.

5. The baby is currently having the nose, hood, roof, & trunk lid repainted (not an upgrade but it needed to be done) along with that some color matched kidney covers and headlight eyelids. + a full buff and detail. It's spending the weekend at the car spa & makeover joint so to speak.

Next thing I really want to do is put some M-Tech springs in the front end.
But I'll be poor for awhile... maybe next year.

[Nick.Hay]

...idea's to turn my Greta into an Angela-

So I guess that'd be cosmetic then??

Lower her,

Give her some nice 'heels' (18x8in stilettos are my pick)

Clear her lenses

Tint her windows

and depending on how you like your music, Install some quality ICE :D


(Plug...Plug: Check out my car at Cardomain (www.cardomain.com/ride/610024) to see how much of a difference these few mods make to the appearance of my 15yo 535i)

[Gayle]

Here is what I think are the big 5 that give you the "oh I've got such a hot car feeling" without spending a gazillion $


chip
short shifter
wheels
clears
lowered
detail it within an inch of its life

But no matter what youve done, it is never enough. I couldn't make myself stop the list at 5. There is always one more upgrade.

[digitaldragon03]

1. Tint - It looks great and it really does help with the sun.
2. Chrome Pipes - They are $20 a piece and they add some class to the car.
3. Rear Headrests - Even the crappiest of cars today have rear headrests, why dont we have them, i dont know. (Im looking for some tan ones, if anybody knows where i can get them or is selling)
4. Clears - Clear corners all around make the car look more modern. Dont get the volvoish clear ones, they look weird on this car. Get the originals.
5. Wheels - Our 15 inchers are way too small, get some 17s or even 18s of some bling factor.
5.1. Chip - Add some more creases to the back of your seat.

[Beez540]

Well, it's always a personal preference.... but this is what I've done in the 6 months of having my 540.

1. Stereo

2. EAT chip

3. Experimenting with diff. wheels (still deciding what to do)

4. Resonator removed squarish tips added.

5. The baby is currently having the nose, hood, roof, & trunk lid repainted (not an upgrade but it needed to be done) along with that some color matched kidney covers and headlight eyelids. + a full buff and detail. It's spending the weekend at the car spa & makeover joint so to speak.

Next thing I really want to do is put some M-Tech springs in the front end.
But I'll be poor for awhile... maybe next year.


OOPS - edit -

3.5 Tint the car... vastly changes the look, and cools it down a bit in the summer.

[pundit]

Well so far in order of installation...
1. EAT chip
2. M-System II Forged Wheels (Throwing Stars)
3. Stereo (in progress!)

Still to come...
4. Springs & Shocks (Either Vogtlands or Eibachs & Konis)
5. Tinted glass (It does get hot here in summer!)

Beyond that probably not much more.
Already have an M-Tech II wheel, rear headrests, rear rollerblind, dual climate and memory seats & mirrors as standard.

[stx133]

come on you guys, how about power...
a chip is nice but a blower is better..
if your not running 13s you need to run harder

[digitaldragon03]

Look at original post, "keeping cost in mind". Might as well supercharge if money wasnt an issue. This post is for quick, cheap mods that affect the way the car looks or performs.

[bmwoohoo]

Okay- here's one I personally would like to see and may be of help to new e34 owners. Keeping cost relatively in mind, what are the top 5 upgrades you would recommend for a stock e34? Its open to both performance and cosmetics, combinations of both...In short, I am totally looking for idea's to turn my Greta into an Angela-

Well so far in the last two weeks I have done 2 of my top 5

Smoked rear lights and staggered 18" shoes.

#3 is on the way here .. which is replacing the front corner lights with clear and going to replace the side lights with smoked as well. But I think this would go as one of the same steps as changing out the lights in general.

#4 Tinting those windows

#5 Will be lowering the front end. The back looks to be OK now

The rest in no particular order will be to build a sub woofer to give the other speakers a break.

Here is a pic of the first two I did ..

[Alan_525i]

I'm gonna separate these into two categories...

Cosmetic:
1. Rear Spoiler (very happy with this, very distinctive)
2. Front Spoiler (or if you want 540 ducts or DTM corner splitters)
3. Euro Lights (Not purely cosmetic though, I need em, bad)
4. Wheels!!!
5. Steering Wheel (M-Tech II - Smaller and better feeling - Love it!!!)

Performance
1. Lowering (this goes under cosmetic too and should be your first/second mod along with wheels)
2. SWAY BARS!!! (best bang for the buck Mod I ever did to my car)
3. Good tires (There is a difference, I love my SO3s but they do wear quick, I hardly drive really so it isn't that big a deal)
4. Chip (I haven't done one, but it will be done soon)
5. Exhaust (Not really for performance, even though people tell you it is. It's all about the look and sound).

[adamisbomb]

Thanks for all the tips...I just got my 90 525i with 148k and i can use this list for stuff to do. Im going to get some clear corners soon and then rims. tint would look great my car is the dark green color. thanks all.

[M20Turbo]

If you really want performance, look into a turbo along with a complete engine rebuild. Korman does good work in NC.

[1995 525i]

If you really want performance, look into a turbo along with a complete engine rebuild. Korman does good work in NC.

Wheels, Exhaust and a chip are what I want next. So far I've redone the stereo completely, tinted the windows and blacked out the trim. Will have the inside re-redyed then work on getting it chipped.

[califblue]

here are mine
1) Sachs Kit
2) M-tech Sways F& R
3) Mark D's Chip
4) Brunos sub frame bushings
5) Good tires

[angrypancake]

Wheels, Exhaust and a chip are what I want next. So far I've redone the stereo completely, tinted the windows and blacked out the trim. Will have the inside re-redyed then work on getting it chipped.


have you lowered it yet?

[liquidtiger720]

1. suspension - lower it
2. wheels - 17/18's
3. euro spec lights
4. new radio/hu- ICE..etc
5. Sway bars.

[hakwuzhere]

Todays the 90 day anniversery of buying my baby. Heres what Ive done so far, and what Im doing next...

EAT Chip
Smoked Corners, Tails, Headlights
Angel Eyes w/Xenon
Euro Trim
RD Subframe Inserts (Best $20 you can buy)
Lamin-X on all front lights, yellow on fogs, smoke on headlights

Heres what happens tommrow:

Tint
Chrome Tips

In two weeks:

Vogtland Springs
Full Audio System (its all ordered, just shipping by then :))

And after all that, Im still on stock 15's :( But in a month and a half Rondell style 58's staggered 17x8.5/17/10...

http://www.veeshanvault.org/gallery/albums/album34/MyE3412806resized12.sized.jpg

http://www.veeshanvault.org/gallery/albums/album34/MyE3412806resized7.sized.jpg

Had I known how much I wanted the drop I woulda done it already...

[pyro]

Blackout chrome grill and sides
one of the best things i did

[hakwuzhere]

Just forgot to list it... blackout tape arrives tommorow... grills will happen eventually, but trim and lights will be blacked out hopefully this weekend (comon warm weather!!!!)

[InfernoM3]

Just forgot to list it... blackout tape arrives tommorow... grills will happen eventually, but trim and lights will be blacked out hopefully this weekend (comon warm weather!!!!)
Are you headlights smoked headlights or the smoked laminx? I remember they were selling somethng like this at bavauto? Got any pics from the front? thanks

[hakwuzhere]

Smoked Lamin-X over DEPO Projector34's... Im gonna blackout the chrome trim around the lights, and try to blackout the top of the AE's to give it a real BMW AE look.

heres what they look like on.

http://www.veeshanvault.org/gallery/albums/album34/MyE3412806resized9.jpg

Yellow Lamin-X on the fogs... and WOW!!!!! that makes my Xenon/Fog combo brighter than my Highbeam/Xenon combo...

[Zeuk in Oz]

Okay- here's one I personally would like to see and may be of help to new e34 owners. Keeping cost relatively in mind, what are the top 5 upgrades you would recommend for a stock e34? Its open to both performance and cosmetics, combinations of both...In short, I am totally looking for idea's to turn my Greta into an Angela-

- Respray
- Window Tinting
- Sports exhaust
- Chip
- 35 yo blonde bimbo in the passenger seat

[hakwuzhere]

- Respray
- Window Tinting
- Sports exhaust
- Chip
- 22 yo blonde bimbo in the passenger seat

Fixed for accuracy ;)

[KB535i]

1.lower it
2. Euro ellipsoids (smileys)
3.Wheels/tires
4. Chip (EAT or JC)
5. tint, euro trim, clear fronts/rears, ......I cant stop!!!!!!!!!!

[Zeuk in Oz]

Fixed for accuracy ;)
I wish ! They would arrest me for cradle snatching !

At my advance age anything under 40 will do ! :D

Come to think of it, make that 45 ! ;)

[1995 525i]

have you lowered it yet?

Waiting on the money fairy to pay me a visit..Any suggestions on what I should use?

[1995 525i]

1.lower it
2. Euro ellipsoids (smileys)
3.Wheels/tires
4. Chip (EAT or JC)
5. tint, euro trim, clear fronts/rears, ......I cant stop!!!!!!!!!!


I am thinking of lowering my car when I get some rims, but I am concerned about ride harshness and wheel rub ( I want 18" rims). So how much do I lower it so it will handle a bit better, look better but not give me the problems I have just mentioned?

[ILoveMPower]

Personally I've heard the sachs kit is a good balance of aesthetics, performance, and drivability. This is what I plan on getting eventually...

My top five (keeping cheap in mind):
1. Clear lights (turn signals, tails)
2. Euro trim
3. Blacked out kidneys
4. Shadowline
5. EAT chip

After I get the chip, I'm going with suspension, wheels, and then the interior begins...

[1995 525i]

Personally I've heard the sachs kit is a good balance of aesthetics, performance, and drivability. This is what I plan on getting eventually...

My top five (keeping cheap in mind):
1. Clear lights (turn signals, tails)
2. Euro trim
3. Blacked out kidneys
4. Shadowline
5. EAT chip

After I get the chip, I'm going with suspension, wheels, and then the interior begins...

ballpark...

[InfernoM3]

Smoked Lamin-X over DEPO Projector34's... Im gonna blackout the chrome trim around the lights, and try to blackout the top of the AE's to give it a real BMW AE look.

heres what they look like on.


Yellow Lamin-X on the fogs... and WOW!!!!! that makes my Xenon/Fog combo brighter than my Highbeam/Xenon combo...
So you have the smoked ones? wonder how dark the charcoal are? and for both the highbeam/low beam did you order the $44 set? Can you please post some close up pics of the headlights.

thanks.

[hakwuzhere]

I kinda think Lamin-X ripped me off, I ordered the $44 set and apparantly that includes headlights and fogs... then I ordered the $17 set for yellow fogs... they called me and said I didnt need to order both and would not charge me for the second fog kit... then charged me anyway.

I think if you call them that you can order the $44 and get smoked/yellow fogs without going through what I did.

[InfernoM3]

I kinda think Lamin-X ripped me off, I ordered the $44 set and apparantly that includes headlights and fogs... then I ordered the $17 set for yellow fogs... they called me and said I didnt need to order both and would not charge me for the second fog kit... then charged me anyway.

I think if you call them that you can order the $44 and get smoked/yellow fogs without going through what I did.
hey bavauto has the full set for $49? anyone have these? don't know if they are lighter or darker.