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      06-23-2021, 09:44 PM   #45
classic_erik
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Quote:
Originally Posted by parthpatel1 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Brought the truck in this week because I felt shamed about the suspension creaking! I was living with it, but writing up that suspension deep-dive post really got me thinking that it was unacceptable.

Turns out my K-MAC adjustable bushings are completely rusted and shot. I am in shock. These were installed only last June! Trying to decide my next move, but I'm happy the creaking wasn't due to my BC Racing Coilovers.

Do you guys think I should wait for a warranty replacement from K-MAC and just replace the bad bushings, or go back to a new OEM lower control arm? The labor for replacing the bushings on the existing control arms is more than replacing the entire control arm! Also thinking that since these are the original control arms / ball joints it is probably a good idea to replace the whole thing and move on. I will just have to deal with the negative camber in this scenario.
Update - Spoke with Kevin at K-MAC who confirmed they completely overhauled the adjustable bushings with a new design so this type of issue won't happen again. I am going to replace the lower control arms and give K-MAC another shot with the free replacement adjustable bushings.
Nice! From a purely asthetic perspective do you think you could get away with only the adjustable rear control arms? Thinking about leaning this way.
100%. That is now my current setup and I'm quite happy with it! Very small sacrifice in looks.
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      06-23-2021, 09:51 PM   #46
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What are your thoughts on the RW side skirts? Worth the investment?
I'm definitely high on their side skirts. Great fitment and the quality is excellent. No issues!
Think I'll have to add them to the to-do list
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      06-24-2021, 12:34 PM   #47
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On the Dinan Carbon fiber air intake. It is only a new reshaped cover for the OEM air intake base/box, right? Dinan only advertises it for the X5M (F85) & X6M (F86). So you were able apply the Dinan air box cover to your existing OEM X5 50i air intake box/base without issue or did you have to get an intake box/base from the X5M / X6M? Thanks for your insight as looking to add this but didn't realize the Dinan part is just a reshaped, thinner airbox cover which creates more space in the existing OEM box to fit larger air filters.
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      06-24-2021, 01:21 PM   #48
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Originally Posted by emo View Post
On the Dinan Carbon fiber air intake. It is only a new reshaped cover for the OEM air intake base/box, right? Dinan only advertises it for the X5M (F85) & X6M (F86). So you were able apply the Dinan air box cover to your existing OEM X5 50i air intake box/base without issue or did you have to get an intake box/base from the X5M / X6M? Thanks for your insight as looking to add this but didn't realize the Dinan part is just a reshaped, thinner airbox cover which creates more space in the existing OEM box to fit larger air filters.
The Dinan CF CAI cover is a direct plug and play fit to the 50i air box. Honestly not sure why they don't advertise it to do so, but the F85 has an identical air box.
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      06-24-2021, 01:37 PM   #49
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Awesome, thanks for the quick confirmation. Kudos on all your mods, you have created an X5 model my X6 begs to be when it grows up! And additional thanks for your thorough documentation. This thread is an awesome read.
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      06-24-2021, 01:55 PM   #50
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Originally Posted by emo View Post
Awesome, thanks for the quick confirmation. Kudos on all your mods, you have created an X5 model my X6 begs to be when it grows up! And additional thanks for your thorough documentation. This thread is an awesome read.
Thanks man!
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      06-24-2021, 02:09 PM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Brought the truck in this week because I felt shamed about the suspension creaking! I was living with it, but writing up that suspension deep-dive post really got me thinking that it was unacceptable.

Turns out my K-MAC adjustable bushings are completely rusted and shot. I am in shock. These were installed only last June! Trying to decide my next move, but I'm happy the creaking wasn't due to my BC Racing Coilovers.

Do you guys think I should wait for a warranty replacement from K-MAC and just replace the bad bushings, or go back to a new OEM lower control arm? The labor for replacing the bushings on the existing control arms is more than replacing the entire control arm! Also thinking that since these are the original control arms / ball joints it is probably a good idea to replace the whole thing and move on. I will just have to deal with the negative camber in this scenario.
Update - Spoke with Kevin at K-MAC who confirmed they completely overhauled the adjustable bushings with a new design so this type of issue won't happen again. I am going to replace the lower control arms and give K-MAC another shot with the free replacement adjustable bushings.
Final update:

Had my front lower control arms replaced this week and all of my creaking problems from the failed KMAC adjustable bushings are solved. I purchased Lemforder OE arms from FCP Euro that include the updated ball joint design

I made the decision to skip the KMAC front camber kit this time around given the high cost of labor for pressing (additional $400). Kevin from KMAC explained the newly designed bushings could withstand the pressure during an alignment but I didn't want to ever deal with this again.

Even with the factory control arms, my indy was able to keep the negative camber in the front right around -1.0 while bringing the toe into factory spec so I'm happy with the results!

Lastly, I made the decision to go back to the middle dampening settings on the BC Racing coilovers as the truck was just too bouncy. So far I'm happy to report it was the right decision! We will see how the bottoming out analysis continues…
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      06-24-2021, 02:35 PM   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Final update:

Had my front lower control arms replaced this week and all of my creaking problems from the failed KMAC adjustable bushings are solved. I purchased Lemforder OE arms from FCP Euro that include the updated ball joint design

I made the decision to skip the KMAC front camber kit this time around given the high cost of labor for pressing (additional $400). Kevin from KMAC explained the newly designed bushings could withstand the pressure during an alignment but I didn't want to ever deal with this again.

Even with the factory control arms, my indy was able to keep the negative camber in the front right around -1.0 while bringing the toe into factory spec so I'm happy with the results!

Lastly, I made the decision to go back to the middle dampening settings on the BC Racing coilovers as the truck was just too bouncy. So far I'm happy to report it was the right decision! We will see how the bottoming out analysis continues…
How many miles on your x5 when you changed the control arms?
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      06-24-2021, 02:54 PM   #53
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mega-Ken View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Final update:

Had my front lower control arms replaced this week and all of my creaking problems from the failed KMAC adjustable bushings are solved. I purchased Lemforder OE arms from FCP Euro that include the updated ball joint design

I made the decision to skip the KMAC front camber kit this time around given the high cost of labor for pressing (additional $400). Kevin from KMAC explained the newly designed bushings could withstand the pressure during an alignment but I didn't want to ever deal with this again.

Even with the factory control arms, my indy was able to keep the negative camber in the front right around -1.0 while bringing the toe into factory spec so I'm happy with the results!

Lastly, I made the decision to go back to the middle dampening settings on the BC Racing coilovers as the truck was just too bouncy. So far I'm happy to report it was the right decision! We will see how the bottoming out analysis continues…
How many miles on your x5 when you changed the control arms?
I've got 51k miles on her.
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      06-27-2021, 05:40 AM   #54
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Hey guys, wanted to put together a build thread for my first BMW. Pretty conservative build from the factory with a lot of potential. Joined Bimmerpost the first week I took delivery and was off to the races! Every single mod was influenced from what I've seen from others on the forum. I can't stress enough that I literally built this with you over the past 2.5 years. I love you guys. THANK YOU.

My goal with this build was clean and mean. I've never seriously modded a car or truck before so I have to say this was so much fun looking back through all of my experiences. Lots of ups and downs. I could probably say if I had to do each mod again I'd take a different approach with the install. That said I tried to install as much as I could within reason. With each mod I experienced a full spectrum of emotions ranging from joy, satisfaction, headaches, anxiety and even anger. Went through a million clips, lost pieces of random plastic stuff that I have no idea what they were for, and lost screws and torque bits in areas I will never be able to access or retrieve. Just got to move on to the next mod...Trust me it was all FUN!

Parts list with a few comments:

Exterior
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Front Splitter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Splitters
  • RW Carbon F85 Carbon Fiber Mirrors
  • RW Carbon Carbon Fiber Side Skirts
  • M Performance Gloss Black Kidney Grill
  • M Performance Gloss Black Rear Spoiler
  • M50D Open Grill and Trim Conversion - Installed these at the same time as the IND front reflectors. These were the single biggest PITA mods I came across. Honestly not sure how you can do these mods without taking the front bumper off. That was fun...
  • IND Gloss Black Roundels and Badges
  • IND Painted Reflectors
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber Fender Inserts
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber F85 Grill
  • Thule Aero Rack
  • XPEL Prime XR Plus 20% Front Tint

Interior
  • Alcantara and Perforated Leather Steering Wheel w/ F85 M Performance Carbon Fiber Trim - 2nd wheel I've ordered from Coby - Couldn't recommend them enough!
  • F85 Napa Black Knee Pads - Another PITA mod.
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber / Alcantara Trim
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Shifter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Console
  • M Performance Stainless Steel Pedals
  • M Performance Illuminated Door Sills
  • IND Polar Blue Start Button
  • M LED Puddle Lights

Suspension
  • BC Racing Coilovers - Good all around coilover from BC Racing. If you want a modest uptick in performance while lowering your truck at a good price, these are for you. Note they only make a kit to replace the standard 4 steel spring option. Take your time dialing these in - PATIENCE required.
  • KMAC front adjustable bushings - Big fan of camber kits - Along with the SPC rear kit, these are the only ones available for our trucks. I was able to bring negative camber to exactly -1.0 on all 4 corners with this kit. I couldn't handle the tucked look so this was more of a cosmetic mod even though you will see a cost savings on tire life.
  • SPC Industries adjustable rear control arms - See above.

Performance Upgrades
  • M Performance Brake Kit with F85 Rotors - #1 favorite mod to date - The stock 50i setup is criminally unacceptable.
  • Brembo Rear Big Brake Kit (Porsche Retrofit) - BMW needs to include 4 pot rear calipers on all of their performance vehicles. C'mon!
  • Dinan Stage 1 Tune - I posted recently about my first Dynojet pulls registering 423 awhp / 478 awtq here.
  • Dinan Cold Air Intake - Pretty carbon fiber housing that sounds mean but not worth the money - the modest performance gains don't justify the cost.
  • SuperSprint Race Muffler w/ Gloss Black Powdercoat Tips - Beautiful Italian engineering that brought my truck to the next level.
  • NGK Laser Iridium Plugs - Gapped at 0.60mm

Current Wheels
  • BC Forged HCA162S - 22x10.5+30 / 11.5+16 (Matte Black Center/Gloss Black Lip/Black Exposed Hardware) w/ Atturo AZ850s. Experimented with my offsets relative to my first set of BC Forged 22s, going slightly more aggressive. I think these are the perfect offsets for those who are lowered on coilovers. Favorite wheels to date and only added an hour of detailing time with a 2 piece exposed hardware wheel! Give Atturo a shot - quite the underrated tire brand. Some additional photos here.
  • 611M Winter Set - Gloss Black Powdercoat w/ IND custom black center caps. Running with 15mm spacers on all 4 corners.

Previous Wheels in Order
  • 469M - Brief stint with original set off the lot.
  • 467M (Winter set) - Paid full price for this winter set from the dealer at time of purchase. Still my worst buy to date but I was clueless at the time.
  • 612M - Gloss Black - These were (and still are) my favorite OEM wheel.
  • BC Forged RZ21 - 22+10.5+32 / 11.5+19 in Gloss Brushed Dark Black - Absolutely loved these wheels. First dive into a forged wheel and couldn't have been happier. Decided I wanted a satin black wheel so moved on.

AND I'M DONE!!!

[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6665bd50_k.jpg[/img]
[img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7eee0f75_k.jpg[/img]
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Your build has been the inspiration of almost all the modifications I have and have not made. Your's is truly a reference F15. A few observations based on my experience so far with the F15 (2018 X5 50i M Sport).

1. You do get what you pay for. The BMW M Performance parts are well worth the price. I never ended up installing ANY of the parts I bought on eBay - side by side you can tell the carbon fiber quality is lower. Even high quality trim pieces that I bought from RG Sports and Autotechnic were not at the same level as the original BMW M Performance kits. So go real when you can 😊

2. The MPBK are the real deal and don't just look better but make a significant difference. I believe they are hard to find, but we'll worth it!

3. If you have to use RFT, 19 inch rims are the most comfortable. It pains me that I have to keep my 21 inch in storage because the ride is so noisy and harsh for the roads here. I will likely get the 469M as a compromise (will end up with 19,20 and 21 inch rims). LOL. I love your rims and how it is lowered, so I might still lower it, but it doesn't bother me too much for now…

4. I got the Dinan cold air intake and the carbon fiber looks cool, but I agree not worth the price since I don't notice any improvement. I decided not to mess with engine tuning for now. The performance is fine for me for now…

Lastly, I was thinking of putting the X5M style knee guards in the center console, but since mine came with the piano black interior the center console with the piano black trim looks nice and matches with the stereo and the exterior gloss black trims. Also your warning on how difficult it was to pull off….the M Performance carbon fiber and Alcantara trim however looks great! It took a month to ship from Germany!

I got all my parts installed at the dealer. I also put the M Performance vinyl guard while removing all the model designation badges. Keeps the lower sill cleaner. I posted an image to show how it looks. Hopefully not to tacky…

I will always remember your X5 as a benchmark and one I can look for inspiration as you move on to your next! 🙏
Attached Images
 

Last edited by FCX5; 06-28-2021 at 07:46 PM..
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      06-27-2021, 09:47 AM   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Final update:

Had my front lower control arms replaced this week and all of my creaking problems from the failed KMAC adjustable bushings are solved. I purchased Lemforder OE arms from FCP Euro that include the updated ball joint design

I made the decision to skip the KMAC front camber kit this time around given the high cost of labor for pressing (additional $400). Kevin from KMAC explained the newly designed bushings could withstand the pressure during an alignment but I didn't want to ever deal with this again.

Even with the factory control arms, my indy was able to keep the negative camber in the front right around -1.0 while bringing the toe into factory spec so I'm happy with the results!

Lastly, I made the decision to go back to the middle dampening settings on the BC Racing coilovers as the truck was just too bouncy. So far I'm happy to report it was the right decision! We will see how the bottoming out analysis continues…
I think you made a good decision going middle of the road on dampening settings
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      06-27-2021, 11:18 PM   #56
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Wow!!!! Loved your approach and thanks for sharing…….
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      06-28-2021, 12:35 AM   #57
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Stunning!
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      06-28-2021, 10:52 AM   #58
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Just a great example of how to modify an X5. Well done!
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      01-03-2022, 11:22 AM   #59
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This was a good read. Thanks for sharing!
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      05-03-2022, 12:45 PM   #60
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Perfect build! So clean -- you've done it right
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      05-03-2022, 04:12 PM   #61
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Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Hey guys, wanted to put together a build thread for my first BMW. Pretty conservative build from the factory with a lot of potential. Joined Bimmerpost the first week I took delivery and was off to the races! Every single mod was influenced from what I've seen from others on the forum. I can't stress enough that I literally built this with you over the past 2.5 years. I love you guys. THANK YOU.

My goal with this build was clean and mean. I've never seriously modded a car or truck before so I have to say this was so much fun looking back through all of my experiences. Lots of ups and downs. I could probably say if I had to do each mod again I'd take a different approach with the install. That said I tried to install as much as I could within reason. With each mod I experienced a full spectrum of emotions ranging from joy, satisfaction, headaches, anxiety and even anger. Went through a million clips, lost pieces of random plastic stuff that I have no idea what they were for, and lost screws and torque bits in areas I will never be able to access or retrieve. Just got to move on to the next mod...Trust me it was all FUN!

Parts list with a few comments:

Exterior
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Front Splitter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Splitters
  • RW Carbon F85 Carbon Fiber Mirrors
  • RW Carbon Carbon Fiber Side Skirts
  • M Performance Gloss Black Kidney Grill
  • M Performance Gloss Black Rear Spoiler
  • M50D Open Grill and Trim Conversion - Installed these at the same time as the IND front reflectors. These were the single biggest PITA mods I came across. Honestly not sure how you can do these mods without taking the front bumper off. That was fun...
  • IND Gloss Black Roundels and Badges
  • IND Painted Reflectors
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber Fender Inserts
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber F85 Grill
  • Thule Aero Rack
  • XPEL Prime XR Plus 20% Front Tint

Interior
  • Alcantara and Perforated Leather Steering Wheel w/ F85 M Performance Carbon Fiber Trim - 2nd wheel I've ordered from Coby - Couldn't recommend them enough!
  • F85 Napa Black Knee Pads - Another PITA mod.
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber / Alcantara Trim
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Shifter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Console
  • M Performance Stainless Steel Pedals
  • M Performance Illuminated Door Sills
  • IND Polar Blue Start Button
  • M LED Puddle Lights

Suspension
  • BC Racing Coilovers - Good all around coilover from BC Racing. If you want a modest uptick in performance while lowering your truck at a good price, these are for you. Note they only make a kit to replace the standard 4 steel spring option. Take your time dialing these in - PATIENCE required.
  • KMAC front adjustable bushings - Big fan of camber kits - Along with the SPC rear kit, these are the only ones available for our trucks. I was able to bring negative camber to exactly -1.0 on all 4 corners with this kit. I couldn't handle the tucked look so this was more of a cosmetic mod even though you will see a cost savings on tire life.
  • SPC Industries adjustable rear control arms - See above.

Performance Upgrades
  • M Performance Brake Kit with F85 Rotors - #1 favorite mod to date - The stock 50i setup is criminally unacceptable.
  • Brembo Rear Big Brake Kit (Porsche Retrofit) - BMW needs to include 4 pot rear calipers on all of their performance vehicles. C'mon!
  • Dinan Stage 1 Tune - I posted recently about my first Dynojet pulls registering 423 awhp / 478 awtq here.
  • Dinan Cold Air Intake - Pretty carbon fiber housing that sounds mean but not worth the money - the modest performance gains don't justify the cost.
  • SuperSprint Race Muffler w/ Gloss Black Powdercoat Tips - Beautiful Italian engineering that brought my truck to the next level.
  • NGK Laser Iridium Plugs - Gapped at 0.60mm

Current Wheels
  • BC Forged HCA162S - 22x10.5+30 / 11.5+16 (Matte Black Center/Gloss Black Lip/Black Exposed Hardware) w/ Atturo AZ850s. Experimented with my offsets relative to my first set of BC Forged 22s, going slightly more aggressive. I think these are the perfect offsets for those who are lowered on coilovers. Favorite wheels to date and only added an hour of detailing time with a 2 piece exposed hardware wheel! Give Atturo a shot - quite the underrated tire brand. Some additional photos here.
  • 611M Winter Set - Gloss Black Powdercoat w/ IND custom black center caps. Running with 15mm spacers on all 4 corners.

Previous Wheels in Order
  • 469M - Brief stint with original set off the lot.
  • 467M (Winter set) - Paid full price for this winter set from the dealer at time of purchase. Still my worst buy to date but I was clueless at the time.
  • 612M - Gloss Black - These were (and still are) my favorite OEM wheel.
  • BC Forged RZ21 - 22+10.5+32 / 11.5+19 in Gloss Brushed Dark Black - Absolutely loved these wheels. First dive into a forged wheel and couldn't have been happier. Decided I wanted a satin black wheel so moved on.

AND I'M DONE!!!

















How did you get the interior led so bright?
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      05-03-2022, 04:32 PM   #62
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Roman0323 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Hey guys, wanted to put together a build thread for my first BMW. Pretty conservative build from the factory with a lot of potential. Joined Bimmerpost the first week I took delivery and was off to the races! Every single mod was influenced from what I've seen from others on the forum. I can't stress enough that I literally built this with you over the past 2.5 years. I love you guys. THANK YOU.

My goal with this build was clean and mean. I've never seriously modded a car or truck before so I have to say this was so much fun looking back through all of my experiences. Lots of ups and downs. I could probably say if I had to do each mod again I'd take a different approach with the install. That said I tried to install as much as I could within reason. With each mod I experienced a full spectrum of emotions ranging from joy, satisfaction, headaches, anxiety and even anger. Went through a million clips, lost pieces of random plastic stuff that I have no idea what they were for, and lost screws and torque bits in areas I will never be able to access or retrieve. Just got to move on to the next mod...Trust me it was all FUN!

Parts list with a few comments:

Exterior
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Front Splitter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Splitters
  • RW Carbon F85 Carbon Fiber Mirrors
  • RW Carbon Carbon Fiber Side Skirts
  • M Performance Gloss Black Kidney Grill
  • M Performance Gloss Black Rear Spoiler
  • M50D Open Grill and Trim Conversion - Installed these at the same time as the IND front reflectors. These were the single biggest PITA mods I came across. Honestly not sure how you can do these mods without taking the front bumper off. That was fun...
  • IND Gloss Black Roundels and Badges
  • IND Painted Reflectors
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber Fender Inserts
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber F85 Grill
  • Thule Aero Rack
  • XPEL Prime XR Plus 20% Front Tint

Interior
  • Alcantara and Perforated Leather Steering Wheel w/ F85 M Performance Carbon Fiber Trim - 2nd wheel I've ordered from Coby - Couldn't recommend them enough!
  • F85 Napa Black Knee Pads - Another PITA mod.
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber / Alcantara Trim
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Shifter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Console
  • M Performance Stainless Steel Pedals
  • M Performance Illuminated Door Sills
  • IND Polar Blue Start Button
  • M LED Puddle Lights

Suspension
  • BC Racing Coilovers - Good all around coilover from BC Racing. If you want a modest uptick in performance while lowering your truck at a good price, these are for you. Note they only make a kit to replace the standard 4 steel spring option. Take your time dialing these in - PATIENCE required.
  • KMAC front adjustable bushings - Big fan of camber kits - Along with the SPC rear kit, these are the only ones available for our trucks. I was able to bring negative camber to exactly -1.0 on all 4 corners with this kit. I couldn't handle the tucked look so this was more of a cosmetic mod even though you will see a cost savings on tire life.
  • SPC Industries adjustable rear control arms - See above.

Performance Upgrades
  • M Performance Brake Kit with F85 Rotors - #1 favorite mod to date - The stock 50i setup is criminally unacceptable.
  • Brembo Rear Big Brake Kit (Porsche Retrofit) - BMW needs to include 4 pot rear calipers on all of their performance vehicles. C'mon!
  • Dinan Stage 1 Tune - I posted recently about my first Dynojet pulls registering 423 awhp / 478 awtq here.
  • Dinan Cold Air Intake - Pretty carbon fiber housing that sounds mean but not worth the money - the modest performance gains don't justify the cost.
  • SuperSprint Race Muffler w/ Gloss Black Powdercoat Tips - Beautiful Italian engineering that brought my truck to the next level.
  • NGK Laser Iridium Plugs - Gapped at 0.60mm

Current Wheels
  • BC Forged HCA162S - 22x10.5+30 / 11.5+16 (Matte Black Center/Gloss Black Lip/Black Exposed Hardware) w/ Atturo AZ850s. Experimented with my offsets relative to my first set of BC Forged 22s, going slightly more aggressive. I think these are the perfect offsets for those who are lowered on coilovers. Favorite wheels to date and only added an hour of detailing time with a 2 piece exposed hardware wheel! Give Atturo a shot - quite the underrated tire brand. Some additional photos here.
  • 611M Winter Set - Gloss Black Powdercoat w/ IND custom black center caps. Running with 15mm spacers on all 4 corners.

Previous Wheels in Order
  • 469M - Brief stint with original set off the lot.
  • 467M (Winter set) - Paid full price for this winter set from the dealer at time of purchase. Still my worst buy to date but I was clueless at the time.
  • 612M - Gloss Black - These were (and still are) my favorite OEM wheel.
  • BC Forged RZ21 - 22+10.5+32 / 11.5+19 in Gloss Brushed Dark Black - Absolutely loved these wheels. First dive into a forged wheel and couldn't have been happier. Decided I wanted a satin black wheel so moved on.

AND I'M DONE!!!

















How did you get the interior led so bright?
Also how much for the leather need pads? Is there a part number for it
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      05-03-2022, 04:48 PM   #63
P1
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Let's get you some LED headlights!
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      05-03-2022, 04:49 PM   #64
blackoutF15
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I can never get tired of looking at these pictures of your ride
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      05-03-2022, 06:09 PM   #65
blue dragon
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Quote:
Originally Posted by P1 View Post
Let's get you some LED headlights!
We know he needs it to complete the build. Also GFHB rocks...
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      05-03-2022, 08:50 PM   #66
classic_erik
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Drives: 23' X7 40i M Sport
Join Date: Jan 2019
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Garage List
Quote:
Originally Posted by Roman0323 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by classic_erik View Post
Hey guys, wanted to put together a build thread for my first BMW. Pretty conservative build from the factory with a lot of potential. Joined Bimmerpost the first week I took delivery and was off to the races! Every single mod was influenced from what I've seen from others on the forum. I can't stress enough that I literally built this with you over the past 2.5 years. I love you guys. THANK YOU.

My goal with this build was clean and mean. I've never seriously modded a car or truck before so I have to say this was so much fun looking back through all of my experiences. Lots of ups and downs. I could probably say if I had to do each mod again I'd take a different approach with the install. That said I tried to install as much as I could within reason. With each mod I experienced a full spectrum of emotions ranging from joy, satisfaction, headaches, anxiety and even anger. Went through a million clips, lost pieces of random plastic stuff that I have no idea what they were for, and lost screws and torque bits in areas I will never be able to access or retrieve. Just got to move on to the next mod...Trust me it was all FUN!

Parts list with a few comments:

Exterior
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Front Splitter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Diffuser
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Rear Splitters
  • RW Carbon F85 Carbon Fiber Mirrors
  • RW Carbon Carbon Fiber Side Skirts
  • M Performance Gloss Black Kidney Grill
  • M Performance Gloss Black Rear Spoiler
  • M50D Open Grill and Trim Conversion - Installed these at the same time as the IND front reflectors. These were the single biggest PITA mods I came across. Honestly not sure how you can do these mods without taking the front bumper off. That was fun...
  • IND Gloss Black Roundels and Badges
  • IND Painted Reflectors
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber Fender Inserts
  • Autotecknic Carbon Fiber F85 Grill
  • Thule Aero Rack
  • XPEL Prime XR Plus 20% Front Tint

Interior
  • Alcantara and Perforated Leather Steering Wheel w/ F85 M Performance Carbon Fiber Trim - 2nd wheel I've ordered from Coby - Couldn't recommend them enough!
  • F85 Napa Black Knee Pads - Another PITA mod.
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber / Alcantara Trim
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Shifter
  • M Performance Carbon Fiber Console
  • M Performance Stainless Steel Pedals
  • M Performance Illuminated Door Sills
  • IND Polar Blue Start Button
  • M LED Puddle Lights

Suspension
  • BC Racing Coilovers - Good all around coilover from BC Racing. If you want a modest uptick in performance while lowering your truck at a good price, these are for you. Note they only make a kit to replace the standard 4 steel spring option. Take your time dialing these in - PATIENCE required.
  • KMAC front adjustable bushings - Big fan of camber kits - Along with the SPC rear kit, these are the only ones available for our trucks. I was able to bring negative camber to exactly -1.0 on all 4 corners with this kit. I couldn't handle the tucked look so this was more of a cosmetic mod even though you will see a cost savings on tire life.
  • SPC Industries adjustable rear control arms - See above.

Performance Upgrades
  • M Performance Brake Kit with F85 Rotors - #1 favorite mod to date - The stock 50i setup is criminally unacceptable.
  • Brembo Rear Big Brake Kit (Porsche Retrofit) - BMW needs to include 4 pot rear calipers on all of their performance vehicles. C'mon!
  • Dinan Stage 1 Tune - I posted recently about my first Dynojet pulls registering 423 awhp / 478 awtq here.
  • Dinan Cold Air Intake - Pretty carbon fiber housing that sounds mean but not worth the money - the modest performance gains don't justify the cost.
  • SuperSprint Race Muffler w/ Gloss Black Powdercoat Tips - Beautiful Italian engineering that brought my truck to the next level.
  • NGK Laser Iridium Plugs - Gapped at 0.60mm

Current Wheels
  • BC Forged HCA162S - 22x10.5+30 / 11.5+16 (Matte Black Center/Gloss Black Lip/Black Exposed Hardware) w/ Atturo AZ850s. Experimented with my offsets relative to my first set of BC Forged 22s, going slightly more aggressive. I think these are the perfect offsets for those who are lowered on coilovers. Favorite wheels to date and only added an hour of detailing time with a 2 piece exposed hardware wheel! Give Atturo a shot - quite the underrated tire brand. Some additional photos here.
  • 611M Winter Set - Gloss Black Powdercoat w/ IND custom black center caps. Running with 15mm spacers on all 4 corners.

Previous Wheels in Order
  • 469M - Brief stint with original set off the lot.
  • 467M (Winter set) - Paid full price for this winter set from the dealer at time of purchase. Still my worst buy to date but I was clueless at the time.
  • 612M - Gloss Black - These were (and still are) my favorite OEM wheel.
  • BC Forged RZ21 - 22+10.5+32 / 11.5+19 in Gloss Brushed Dark Black - Absolutely loved these wheels. First dive into a forged wheel and couldn't have been happier. Decided I wanted a satin black wheel so moved on.

AND I'M DONE!!!

















How did you get the interior led so bright?
Nothing this is just good lighting I suppose 👍🏻
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