tman
Well-known member
Thread is long overdue, being a Friday I have some time on my hands....
For those who know me, I’ve been a resident on the forum for a few years, having owned a E46 328i followed by a E90 320d. I must say the 320d was a game changer. Not only a rock solid car, but with ample power and excellent economy it was by far the best car I have ever owned. After owning the 320d for 5 years, I got to know a few fellow forum members at events & I started learning more about these cars. I was set to start the process to source a 330d as a worthy upgrade.
This process proved to be nearly impossible taking me longer than 12months, due to strict requirements. Being a fanatic has changed the way I look at cars. I’m very pedantic when it comes to criteria, ie: service history, parts to be used, owner attitude, service intervals, willingness/transparency of dealers etc etc. I walked away from more cars I can even remember and learned valuable lessons along the way.
Fast forward: I sourced the below vehicle for my SO late 2017 from a fellow fanatic on the forum. She was in desperate need of a reliable vehicle, and although the timing wasn’t right for me, the car checked all the boxes and it was a no brainer to purchase. Following that there was a bit of a plot twist, my SO was used to an SUV and after trying to make the marriage work with the 330d for 6 months, she just didn’t feel comfortable in the lower sedan. Due to the fact that my ongoing 330d searched proved fruitless, the search was altered to source her a SUV. Long story short, THIS popped up which was also purchased from a fellow fanatic, and as they say the rest is history!
Although I was also looking at F30 330d’s, good examples were selling at close to double the price of the E90’s. I am no stranger to the newer tech in the F30, having driven quite a few 320d’s, 330d’s and even a few LCI models. In my opinion, the 8 speed ZF gearbox is much better than the 6 speed in the E90, but in all honesty, I don’t think it was justifiable to pay double for a vehicle, which is not double the car. I will however keep a close eye on the F30’s, as It will be a worthy successor to the E90 in a few years. I am in the process of doing some major ongoing property renovations, so the lack of extra financial obligation, and increased cash flow in other areas is also well received. Everything worked out quite well in the end.
Car Details:
E90 330d LCI
Alpine white with Dakota Grey leather
Factory Extra’s:
• Automatic
• Glass Sunroof
• Fully electric memory seats
• PDC Front & Rear
• Xenons + headlight washer system
• Bluetooth
• BMW Hi-Fi Sound
• M-sport Steering wheel with Paddleshift.
• Also came with a Medic kit and the Mobility kit – (minus a spare wheel tho)
0-75 000km – Clean service history from BMW, no comments.
Car Purchased @ 75 000km, October 2017 post motor plan.
As part of preventative maintenance, the following was done @ 75 000km:
• OEM Oil Filter + Oil Change (Shell Helix HX7 10w40)
• Liquimoly Injector cleaner added to diesel
• Leather clean and treatment on the interior.
• 4x Continental tyres fitted
• Clean Mass Airflow Sensor
• New OEM Air Filter
• A new spare key was coded by BMW, as Dekra lost the key during the RWC process (luckily they paid)
At 80 000km the following was done:
• New OEM Rear brake pads
• OEM Diesel filter replacement
• Brake fluid Flush done
At 85 000km the following was done:
• OEM Oil Filter + Oil Change (Shell Helix HX7 10w40)
• Leather clean and treatment on the interior (need to get the interior deep
cleaned, see below)
• Wayne’s Injector Cleaned added to diesel
• Clean Mass Airflow Sensor
• Wheel balancing, rotation and alignment + Slight adjustment to the left front camber. This was a total bitch to sort out, and I am still not 100% happy. I had to do balancing 3 times and only on the 3rd does it seem 3 wheels have a very slight buckle/bend. Will be sorted soon, in the notes below.
• New OEM Air filter (I inspected the current filter, and to my surprize it was filthy after only 10 000km – it had to be replaced)
• New Front Disks & Pads
• Gearbox service @ ZF – Nico and the team were friendly as always. The service started with a diagnostic via the Footwell Module. All the adaptions were normal and within spec. This followed an oil inspection. No metal shavings / filings were found in the oil, which is good news, but they did not recommend an oil change. Due to the fact that the box has been acting 100% normal, with no slipping, hard/up downshifts, limp mode etc, I listened to their sound advice and left the car as is.
• The FRM module was starting to give me a headache (interior lights not working, electric windows acting up). I suspect that the car was jumped when BMW coded the new key, because I started experiencing problems, after the new key was coded (Pity I cant prove it). The Module was fixed by our resident OBDworx. After initially consulting with Gert I was advised to get the battery tested. If any problems were to be picked up on the battery, or if the car was still on the original battery it was to be replaced. Upon testing & inspection it was discovered that the battery was dated Jan 2016 and in perfect health. FRM module fixed and 100% working.
I am quite pedantic when it comes to maintenance, more specifically preventative maintenance, as you can judge from the above. I am quite satisfied with the maintenance schedule and the car is running very healthy, not missing a single beat!
Performance Mods:
I have been in 2 minds about doing any type of performance mods due to 2 factors. Firstly, I don’t really consider myself an aggressive or fast driver. I’m more of a conservative driver, enjoying the journey and adhering to the rule of law. Secondly, with my type of mind-set I have been considering the possible negative impact and/or wear and tear. Downpipe was fitted to drop temps and backpressure on the turbo, and to improve sound. From the extensive research I have conducted, the Xhp gearbox flash doesn’t add any stress to the gearbox, that will be done in due time too.
76mm Downpipe & Mid Box delete – completed by Powerflow 24/04/2018
Here is a link to a cold start: LINK
In normal driving conditions, its sounds normal. If you push the car, you can hear an extra "roar" from the engine, it really transforms the car, to be honest it doesn't sound like a diesel anymore. I cant but help to floor the gas when I drive through a tunnel, sounds vicious AF!
Cosmetic changes:
After an unfortunate reversing mishap, I was left with some minor damage to the rear bumper. This was sorted out when I booked the car in at Majour 2 autobody repairs on the 21st of May 2018. Bumper was plastic welded and rear bumper was fully resprayed. I am very happy with the result.
I sourced an extra set of 320d kidney grills and Mirror caps from a fellow forum member, thanks Rob! The kidneys was taken apart and I wrapped them in gloss black Vinyl. I am very pleased with the end result, best of all I didn’t have to touch my 330d grills, so I can always pop them back in when I get tired of the look.
Due to the funny shape, the mirrors proved impossible to wrap. After the 3rd attempt they still had more bubbles in than the entire Finding Nemo movie so I abandoned the idea.
Fail.com
As with the grills, they are an extra set so I experimented with them and sprayed them black. This was done by sanding the mirrors down, priming with Rust-oleum Flat black primer, spraying gloss black with Rust-oleum “2x Ultra cover”, and finishing off with Rust-oleum “Gloss protective Enamel”. I must be honest, I am not a bit fan of spray painting things. I have found that one simply cant achieve a lasting shop finish in your wendy house, and I have my reservations if this will last (especially because its front facing on the car, and its prone to stone chips). Ill see how long it lasts and if I experience any chips or fading colour Ill snap the original covers back on, and get them redone professionally.
Interior Detail:
The grey interior is a real pain to keep clean. I booked an interior detail on the 1st of June 2018, not only to revitalise the leather seats, but also to clean the dirty grey carpets. I am very pleased with the result. I have also ordered Scotchgaurd, with I will apply to the fabric that is close to the feet.
Before:
After: (note: carpet still wet in pics)
Pending / Future maintenance and mods:
The car has one or 2 additional cosmetic maintenance items due – Ill update this thread as they are completed with pics
Xhp Gearbox flash – pending
Ill take some decent pics of Kobus, as soon as he is washed. There is a reason he is called "Vuil Kobus"
For those who know me, I’ve been a resident on the forum for a few years, having owned a E46 328i followed by a E90 320d. I must say the 320d was a game changer. Not only a rock solid car, but with ample power and excellent economy it was by far the best car I have ever owned. After owning the 320d for 5 years, I got to know a few fellow forum members at events & I started learning more about these cars. I was set to start the process to source a 330d as a worthy upgrade.
This process proved to be nearly impossible taking me longer than 12months, due to strict requirements. Being a fanatic has changed the way I look at cars. I’m very pedantic when it comes to criteria, ie: service history, parts to be used, owner attitude, service intervals, willingness/transparency of dealers etc etc. I walked away from more cars I can even remember and learned valuable lessons along the way.
Fast forward: I sourced the below vehicle for my SO late 2017 from a fellow fanatic on the forum. She was in desperate need of a reliable vehicle, and although the timing wasn’t right for me, the car checked all the boxes and it was a no brainer to purchase. Following that there was a bit of a plot twist, my SO was used to an SUV and after trying to make the marriage work with the 330d for 6 months, she just didn’t feel comfortable in the lower sedan. Due to the fact that my ongoing 330d searched proved fruitless, the search was altered to source her a SUV. Long story short, THIS popped up which was also purchased from a fellow fanatic, and as they say the rest is history!
Although I was also looking at F30 330d’s, good examples were selling at close to double the price of the E90’s. I am no stranger to the newer tech in the F30, having driven quite a few 320d’s, 330d’s and even a few LCI models. In my opinion, the 8 speed ZF gearbox is much better than the 6 speed in the E90, but in all honesty, I don’t think it was justifiable to pay double for a vehicle, which is not double the car. I will however keep a close eye on the F30’s, as It will be a worthy successor to the E90 in a few years. I am in the process of doing some major ongoing property renovations, so the lack of extra financial obligation, and increased cash flow in other areas is also well received. Everything worked out quite well in the end.
Car Details:
E90 330d LCI
Alpine white with Dakota Grey leather
Factory Extra’s:
• Automatic
• Glass Sunroof
• Fully electric memory seats
• PDC Front & Rear
• Xenons + headlight washer system
• Bluetooth
• BMW Hi-Fi Sound
• M-sport Steering wheel with Paddleshift.
• Also came with a Medic kit and the Mobility kit – (minus a spare wheel tho)
0-75 000km – Clean service history from BMW, no comments.
Car Purchased @ 75 000km, October 2017 post motor plan.
As part of preventative maintenance, the following was done @ 75 000km:
• OEM Oil Filter + Oil Change (Shell Helix HX7 10w40)
• Liquimoly Injector cleaner added to diesel
• Leather clean and treatment on the interior.
• 4x Continental tyres fitted
• Clean Mass Airflow Sensor
• New OEM Air Filter
• A new spare key was coded by BMW, as Dekra lost the key during the RWC process (luckily they paid)
At 80 000km the following was done:
• New OEM Rear brake pads
• OEM Diesel filter replacement
• Brake fluid Flush done
At 85 000km the following was done:
• OEM Oil Filter + Oil Change (Shell Helix HX7 10w40)
• Leather clean and treatment on the interior (need to get the interior deep
cleaned, see below)
• Wayne’s Injector Cleaned added to diesel
• Clean Mass Airflow Sensor
• Wheel balancing, rotation and alignment + Slight adjustment to the left front camber. This was a total bitch to sort out, and I am still not 100% happy. I had to do balancing 3 times and only on the 3rd does it seem 3 wheels have a very slight buckle/bend. Will be sorted soon, in the notes below.
• New OEM Air filter (I inspected the current filter, and to my surprize it was filthy after only 10 000km – it had to be replaced)
• New Front Disks & Pads
• Gearbox service @ ZF – Nico and the team were friendly as always. The service started with a diagnostic via the Footwell Module. All the adaptions were normal and within spec. This followed an oil inspection. No metal shavings / filings were found in the oil, which is good news, but they did not recommend an oil change. Due to the fact that the box has been acting 100% normal, with no slipping, hard/up downshifts, limp mode etc, I listened to their sound advice and left the car as is.
• The FRM module was starting to give me a headache (interior lights not working, electric windows acting up). I suspect that the car was jumped when BMW coded the new key, because I started experiencing problems, after the new key was coded (Pity I cant prove it). The Module was fixed by our resident OBDworx. After initially consulting with Gert I was advised to get the battery tested. If any problems were to be picked up on the battery, or if the car was still on the original battery it was to be replaced. Upon testing & inspection it was discovered that the battery was dated Jan 2016 and in perfect health. FRM module fixed and 100% working.
I am quite pedantic when it comes to maintenance, more specifically preventative maintenance, as you can judge from the above. I am quite satisfied with the maintenance schedule and the car is running very healthy, not missing a single beat!
Performance Mods:
I have been in 2 minds about doing any type of performance mods due to 2 factors. Firstly, I don’t really consider myself an aggressive or fast driver. I’m more of a conservative driver, enjoying the journey and adhering to the rule of law. Secondly, with my type of mind-set I have been considering the possible negative impact and/or wear and tear. Downpipe was fitted to drop temps and backpressure on the turbo, and to improve sound. From the extensive research I have conducted, the Xhp gearbox flash doesn’t add any stress to the gearbox, that will be done in due time too.
76mm Downpipe & Mid Box delete – completed by Powerflow 24/04/2018
Here is a link to a cold start: LINK
In normal driving conditions, its sounds normal. If you push the car, you can hear an extra "roar" from the engine, it really transforms the car, to be honest it doesn't sound like a diesel anymore. I cant but help to floor the gas when I drive through a tunnel, sounds vicious AF!
Cosmetic changes:
After an unfortunate reversing mishap, I was left with some minor damage to the rear bumper. This was sorted out when I booked the car in at Majour 2 autobody repairs on the 21st of May 2018. Bumper was plastic welded and rear bumper was fully resprayed. I am very happy with the result.
I sourced an extra set of 320d kidney grills and Mirror caps from a fellow forum member, thanks Rob! The kidneys was taken apart and I wrapped them in gloss black Vinyl. I am very pleased with the end result, best of all I didn’t have to touch my 330d grills, so I can always pop them back in when I get tired of the look.
Due to the funny shape, the mirrors proved impossible to wrap. After the 3rd attempt they still had more bubbles in than the entire Finding Nemo movie so I abandoned the idea.
Fail.com
As with the grills, they are an extra set so I experimented with them and sprayed them black. This was done by sanding the mirrors down, priming with Rust-oleum Flat black primer, spraying gloss black with Rust-oleum “2x Ultra cover”, and finishing off with Rust-oleum “Gloss protective Enamel”. I must be honest, I am not a bit fan of spray painting things. I have found that one simply cant achieve a lasting shop finish in your wendy house, and I have my reservations if this will last (especially because its front facing on the car, and its prone to stone chips). Ill see how long it lasts and if I experience any chips or fading colour Ill snap the original covers back on, and get them redone professionally.
Interior Detail:
The grey interior is a real pain to keep clean. I booked an interior detail on the 1st of June 2018, not only to revitalise the leather seats, but also to clean the dirty grey carpets. I am very pleased with the result. I have also ordered Scotchgaurd, with I will apply to the fabric that is close to the feet.
Before:
After: (note: carpet still wet in pics)
Pending / Future maintenance and mods:
The car has one or 2 additional cosmetic maintenance items due – Ill update this thread as they are completed with pics
Xhp Gearbox flash – pending
Ill take some decent pics of Kobus, as soon as he is washed. There is a reason he is called "Vuil Kobus"
raise:
