335is Build - Rebuilding a neglected 335is

doublespaces

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So, 10k 335is...? Branded title but if you rock it, then that is superb. My first 335i was an E90 with a totaled front end and a clean title I picked up in 2009. I have a pretty interesting thread on it over at e90post. I originally wanted an E93 335is, but they start around 27k for something I got as a 335i for 18k. I really like the LCI lights though.
 

dyezak

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Correct. My first 335i was a CPO 2007 e92 that I picked up in 2009. And now I have an e90 and this e92 335is. I've always wanted the DCT and that was the real draw.
 
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doublespaces

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The DCT has been pretty big for me too. I just can't afford to upgrade it and justify an engine build at the same time. I'll have plenty of fun under 750 whp.
 

dyezak

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The DCT has been pretty big for me too. I just can't afford to upgrade it and justify an engine build at the same time. I'll have plenty of fun under 750 whp.

The upgrades for the thing really aren't that much in the grand scheme of things. A Dual Plate Clutch setup for the 6sp is $1900 + $700 for a flywheel. You will spend $2400 for the DCT clutch and the same for an M4 flywheel. It is really a wash. And the auto is worse...
 

doublespaces

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That is assuming you don't pay anyone to install any of that stuff, and also assuming you don't go in and put the clutch basket and the other parts in there, and you'd almost be crazy not to. Where does it end, the answer to that is where you can be happy. So I think I'm going to try and enjoy my car for what it is instead of the revolving door of parts being bought/sold/broken.
 

dyezak

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Need to clean it up for good pictures but this snap from today will have to do for now.

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dyezak

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In case anyone was/is wondering how rare the 335is really is, this is the best we have from BMWNA on production numbers, and this car is 1 of 127:

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dyezak

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Oh, and I found a company a few miles from me, R&R Wheel that came by and looked at the factory 19" 313 wheels and quoted me $100/ea to strip them, machine the faces to get rid of the curb rash, and re-powder coat them factory fresh. I'll probably take them up on it shortly.
 

dyezak

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This was the first time I've ever seen such a readout, and I thought I'd share with you guys. I asked for ABS and Airbag systems to be checked for DTC's. I was provided a check of the entire car.

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Aaron

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Who are you using to host photos? Free? I picked up a 335 to rebuild also, and would love to do a thread like this, but of course photofucket.
 
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doublespaces

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And as I mentioned in the other thread, if you don't want to make an album, you can treat photos here just like attachments. Once attached, there will be a button next to the image that lets you insert the photo into the body. Also when I upload photos, I literally just drag and drop several of them into the quick reply box and it uploads them automatically.
 

dyezak

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Ok, so I wasn't planning on fixing the NAV for a while. I generally use my phone anyhow for navigation. But I stumbled upon ///MPorium BMW. If you haven't heard of them (him) that's OK, he is just an ebay store:

http://stores.ebay.com/Mporiumbmw/_i.html?rt=nc&_pgn=1&_ipg=48

He exclusively buys salvaged/wrecked ///M cars and parts them out....*extremely* meticulously. His daily drivers are a pair of matching white exterior and red interior ///M's. An e93 M3 and e70 x5M....nice. He has some really cool stuff. Entire S65s (yes, multiple), DCT's, an e92 Carbon Fiber Roof, the matching e92 alcantara slick top headliner to match the CF Roof. He also has things like full comfort access sensor suites (for a comfort access retrofit), and PDC retrofits, etc. But the majority of his inventory is just normal used parts, one of which is the Shark Fin antenna cluster.

At $30 for the antenna it's not expensive, but I have seen videos of removal of the Shark Fin itself and it's a bitch. Definitely not something I want to do right now, but getting an antenna this cheap sounds like a good idea. And the kicker is ///MPorium BMW is only about 15mi from my house. So I swing by, see his cool garage setup, about 1/10th of his inventory, chat for a bit, and leave with my antenna.

When I got home I put the antenna on my counter top in my garage. Later that evening I was walking out the garage to take out some garbage, and on the way back in the house I had this strange urge to tug on my shark fin. I don't know why...they are taped down with some gnarly 3m glue/tape stuff that is famous for being a bear to remove.

The damn thing just popped right off!

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Judging by the part number sticker on the antenna itself, and the glue/tape that let go so easily, I could tell that someone had gone through the trouble of removing the shark fin before to diagnose the issue. They probably just checked the connections, found them to be secure, that didn't fix the Nav, and they didn't want to spend the $225 for a new antenna. They just put the shark fin cover back on with the same adhesive. Not cool, but it is a win for me...

One bolt, then the old antenna swapped for the new one.

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At this point I just bolted the raw fin down and went for a test drive. Nav works!!! Since everything appears kosier it's time to button this thing up correctly. First we need to remove this new antenna and clean the roof correctly in prep for new 3m adhesive:

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Now we need to clean up the mounting surface of the plastic fin cover and apply new adhesive:

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Finally we bolt in the new antenna, put the cover on with the new adhesive, buff out the paint, and give it the ole tug test to make sure it's g2g!

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And that good people is how you luck out into replacing a shark fin antenna in less than 30min due to some other previous fuckup that worked out in your favor!
 
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dyezak

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For anyone keeping track, there are only 2 problems left with the car to sort out to make it nearly perfect. The back bumper needs a respray (probably just going to do a complete new one) and there are three small door dings to get some PDR (paintless dent removal) on. I was quoted $450 for the dents, and roughly $700 for the bumper. So for a little more than $1000 I'll have a nearly flawless 335is. Then it'll be time for the real work. Plans will be:

Upgrade LPFP for full e85
V8bait tune (e85 and 93o)
Motiv/MHD Flex Fuel setup (once available)

That should take me into the winter when we will make big changes. At that point I'll try and push the factory DCT, I expect for the DCT to hold somewhere near 600-650hp if tuned correctly. Stay away from large low end torque is rule #1. That means the stock shortblock won't have any issues dealing with this part of the build. So I'll just be doing a turbo upgrade and running a Stage 4 bucketless with a VTT Double Barrel shotgun kit for fueling. The turbo kit is what is up in the air. I'm leaning towards a Doc Race 6266, an ACF bottom mount EFR, or Tony's new secret twin setup. It'll probably be Feb time frame for that upgrade so we have time to weigh the options.

Then it'll be DCT upgrade time (spring 2018). At that point I'll pull the DCT and shoot it down to ABR in Houston since they are a SSP certified shop. I'll have them work some magic on the DCT and we will see how it behaves.

Then next summer it'll be time for a full build on the short block and pushing the turbo to the limit of the fuel system.

At that point I fully expect to be breaking drivetrain components and need to upgrade those.......
 
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doublespaces

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So you're all in on this thing about $11k in restoration and purchasing the car itself? That is amazing.
 

dyezak

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Give or take yes. I mean there was about $200 of gas used to drive from SF back to DFW hahaha :joycat:. But I bet I'm $500 within $11,000 total for this car (not including the mods).
 
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dyezak

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Being that I travel for work (airplanes and rental cars) or I work from home when not traveling; I don't get to drive my cars much. On top of that this car has been in the body shop for almost 2 months so I haven't had much of a chance to enjoy it.

I just went out for a quick drive in it and boy does it make you smile :)
 
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dyezak

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I figured I got the cheapest 335is in the country, so I just did some cursory checks for prices on used 335is.

Rock bottom cheapest:
Autotrader.com - $14,900 (6sp, no nav, no options, 125,000mi)
Cars.com - $15,400 (6sp, no nav, no options, 98,000mi)
Ebay.com - $19,980 (6sp, nav, few options, 68,000mi)

Optioned like this one (DCT, NAV):
Autotrader.com - $19,000 (89,000mi)
Cars.com - $17,500 (102,000mi)
Ebay.com - $20,700 (89,000mi)

Optioned like this one with <50,000mi:
Autotrader.com - $20,100 (same car as cars.com)
Cars.com - $20,100 (same car as autotrader.com)
Ebay.com - $24,400

I know I have a branded title. So I checked carfax...they calculate the drop in value due to the branded title (and the open airbag recall I need to get fixed). Carfax (on mine) - $18,890