Help me pick a turbo kit!

[LoBoost]

Hello everyone, I’m looking for a little advice. I’m currently overseas for work for the next few months, and want to settle on / order a single turbo kit for my 135i before I head home.

The following are the kits I’m considering, and what I like and dislike about em.

Top mounts:

Docrace: I like that there seem to be a lot of these kits out there, and they seem to be of good quality. Also seems like you will get your kit delivered in a timely manner.

VI Engineered: I like the placement of the 02 sensors and wastegates, it seems like they would be easy to get to if any maintainence is required. I’m not certain I like the air filter. The placement of the turbo makes it seem like it may be hard to use a proper filter.

Bottom mounts:

4N Performance: Looks like a clean, well put together kit. Still waiting for pictures of the production kit, and Dyno’s and Logs.

Vargas Single kit: Initial pics look nice, I like the Idea of a cast manifold from a strength standpoint.

Top mount VS Bottom mount: Which would you choose and why? I like that I could replace a top mount turbo quickly without taking a lot of the car apart. I like bottom mounts because they keep the hot parts where BMW intended them to be.

If money was no object, which kit would you buy?

 

[ShocknAwe]

I'm waiting for the bottom mount options to flesh out a bit. 4N is still in development, and VTT hasn't released any details. There will be other options. If none of those pan out as predicted, I'll be going with a DocRace top mount.

 

[AZN54]

I just ordered a Doc top mount. John is awesome to work with and quoted vs actual delivery time seems to be spot on.

 

[Torgus]

Money no object the CPE TT kit if it ever gets released.

ACF/VM top mount seems to be the best top mount in my opinion.

 

[ShocknAwe]

What sets the ACF top kit apart in your eyes?

Money no object the CPE TT kit if it ever gets released.

ACF/VM top mount seems to be the best top mount in my opinion.

 

[Torgus]

What sets the ACF top kit apart in your eyes?

It is a tried and tested product which I have always seen good reviews for. Manifold looks awesome.

Vs. the Doc Race: Shorter runners with significantly less bends which means better spool. Tear drop wastegates. Stainless Steel Vacuum Lines. It's the small stuff which I think makes it a better kit.

He is also very easy to communicate with. Responds to every email I have sent him same day.



The VI manifolds all look different IIRC. I assume they use a jig but the bends etc are not uniform between the different manifolds in the pictures I have seen. Makes me worry about fitment. Also it has not been out for years with proven results.

 

[LoBoost]

Added ACF to the poll. Hadn’t really looked at that kit before. That manifold looks really nice!

 

[135Pats]

Money no object, go with the Motiv kit. Though tbh, several of the ones you've mentioned are quality pieces of hardware.

 

[JimboFresh206]

following...

 

[LoBoost]

Money no object, go with the Motiv kit. Though tbh, several of the ones you've mentioned are quality pieces of hardware.

That Motiv kit is pricey. Looks to be single scroll?

EDIT: added the Motiv kit to the poll

 

[STE92]

Top mount u can show the bling.... Doc Race without a doubt.

 

[doublespaces]

I'm waiting for the bottom mount options to flesh out a bit. 4N is still in development, and VTT hasn't released any details. There will be other options. If none of those pan out as predicted, I'll be going with a DocRace top mount.

^ This. Trust me, these people will take your money when you get back too.

Money no object the CPE TT kit if it ever gets released.

ACF/VM top mount seems to be the best top mount in my opinion.

This also, but money is an object for most people. If OP does have plenty of money, then buy the CPE TT kit or the VTT Stage 3 twin kit, whichever one fits better. Twins are the way to go, but you want real turbos not the hybrid ones, in my humble opinion.

 

[LoBoost]

I dont want twins. Ive had plenty of cars with twins. I’ve had 2 B5 S4’s (one was a Tial 770 turbo car), my GTR has twins, and for some reason Volvo put a supercharger and turbo charger on my 2018 S90.

Twins are double the complications, double the chance of failure, and double the headache IMO.

 

[135Pats]

That Motiv kit is pricey. Looks to be single scroll?

EDIT: added the Motiv kit to the poll

It is but it spools very, very quickly. I've put nearly 20k miles on mine over the least 3+ years. No issues whatsoever with any of the hardware.

 

[luchocamp]

speedtech stg 3 with borg warner efr turbos ftw ! how much whp do you want ?

 

[suspenceful]

I love my Doc Race kit, for many reasons. The wastegate position is nice, can be accessed from the bottom and you don't have to worry about the heat being right next to the intercooler piping/coupler (ViE). Everything fit perfectly and everything was of top quality. Came very quickly too. If you decide to go with a Doc Race kit, use code N54JAKE for $100 off!

You can see an overview I put together of the kit on YouTube:

In my next video (twins vs. single), you can see the kit mounted up on the motor on the stand. It's beautiful!

 

[Abacus38]

Lag is not an issue if you size the turbo correctly. Too many people out here slapping on 6466 only wanting 600whp. My vote would be either Motiv(Xona) , AD-E (PTE), or A bottom mount(EFR) bottom mount.

 

[TWilly]

I have ACF top mount. and even though the fitment is tight (with any top mount kit) it was very doable and also with ACF they have a 3.5in down pipe and all the wastegate lines are stainless steel so that's nice. also Anthony is very easy to contact and was very helpful for my install and weeks later when one of my wastegate lines broke he was nice enough to send me another one, no charge! so at the end of the day I gotta say I love my ACF kit

 

[Vitan]

Vargas looks really interesting. ACF bottom also. Bottom mount because of hot parts, spool and trans. response. Its cleaner install also. Top mount only for wow factor.

 

[veer90]

Money no object? Motiv definitely. Proven to make power, proven to take a beating on the road course, won't play games with you and get your kit 5 months after it was promised, etc etc.

Only thing it's a cool 7-8 grand and there's zero sense spending that money for a turbo kit IMO. Same applies to VM. They used to ask that much for their top mount and recently reduced their prices, showing how much profit was built in. So I won't buy from them out of principle.

In reality, if I had to buy a ST kit right this second, I would order VIE. No JPworks or Youwish bullshit, and no new and unproven kits.