Darkside Developments FMIC

[mike07s]

I’ve been doing some research into replacing the OEM FMIC for an uprated version to allow me to move up to MHD Stage 1+. The obvious choice was the Wagner EVO1 (£430) but I’ve come across a very similar offering from Darkside Developments at £330. The only difference I can see is a slight dimension reduction (510mm x 210mm x 130mm) vs (520mm x 210mm x 130mm) for the EVO1. Does anyone have any experience with the Darkside Developments FMIC?

Thanks,
Michael

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/front-mount-intercooler-for-bmw-n54-n55-petrol-engines-135i-335i.html?setCurrencyId=1&sku=BMW5400&srsltid=AfmBOoqD53G9GXJQV4wu-Er-6MvQc1BqxVZdR8b3jgU__m_mxpILU8cUjdU

https://www.wagner-tuning.uk/200001023.html

 

[tiglon]

I’ve been doing some research into replacing the OEM FMIC for an uprated version to allow me to move up to MHD Stage 1+. The obvious choice was the Wagner EVO1 (£430) but I’ve come across a very similar offering from Darkside Developments at £330. The only difference I can see is a slight dimension reduction (510mm x 210mm x 130mm) vs (520mm x 210mm x 130mm) for the EVO1. Does anyone have any experience with the Darkside Developments FMIC?

Thanks,
Michael

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/front-mount-intercooler-for-bmw-n54-n55-petrol-engines-135i-335i.html?setCurrencyId=1&sku=BMW5400&srsltid=AfmBOoqD53G9GXJQV4wu-Er-6MvQc1BqxVZdR8b3jgU__m_mxpILU8cUjdU

https://www.wagner-tuning.uk/200001023.html

Darkside are primarily into diesel tuning I think. All products I've looked at on their website (for the Yeti, not the Z4) are rebranded Darkside, but not made by Darkside, and generally available cheaper elsewhere (usually AliExpress, which I would guess is where they get a lot of stuff from, before painting a logo on).

Their FMIC for N54 looks a lot like the Direnza FMIC, for example, which can be found at just over £300. It also looks very similar (but not identical) to a few on AliExpress for around £130.

There's more to intercoolers than just size, you need to know what's inside as well and there are no details at all on the Darkside website.

Not saying it won't be good, but I'd want to ask them who it's made by before handing over my money.

 

[B21]

I’ve been doing some research into replacing the OEM FMIC for an uprated version to allow me to move up to MHD Stage 1+. The obvious choice was the Wagner EVO1 (£430) but I’ve come across a very similar offering from Darkside Developments at £330. The only difference I can see is a slight dimension reduction (510mm x 210mm x 130mm) vs (520mm x 210mm x 130mm) for the EVO1. Does anyone have any experience with the Darkside Developments FMIC?

Thanks,
Michael

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/front-mount-intercooler-for-bmw-n54-n55-petrol-engines-135i-335i.html?setCurrencyId=1&sku=BMW5400&srsltid=AfmBOoqD53G9GXJQV4wu-Er-6MvQc1BqxVZdR8b3jgU__m_mxpILU8cUjdU

https://www.wagner-tuning.uk/200001023.html

Darkside are primarily into diesel tuning I think. All products I've looked at on their website (for the Yeti, not the Z4) are rebranded Darkside, but not made by Darkside, and generally available cheaper elsewhere (usually AliExpress, which I would guess is where they get a lot of stuff from, before painting a logo on).

Their FMIC for N54 looks a lot like the Direnza FMIC, for example, which can be found at just over £300. It also looks very similar (but not identical) to a few on AliExpress for around £130.

There's more to intercoolers than just size, you need to know what's inside as well and there are no details at all on the Darkside website.

Not saying it won't be good, but I'd want to ask them who it's made by before handing over my money.

I’ve used two Wagner FMIC with no complaints and apparently great performance

 

[mike07s]

I’ve been doing some research into replacing the OEM FMIC for an uprated version to allow me to move up to MHD Stage 1+. The obvious choice was the Wagner EVO1 (£430) but I’ve come across a very similar offering from Darkside Developments at £330. The only difference I can see is a slight dimension reduction (510mm x 210mm x 130mm) vs (520mm x 210mm x 130mm) for the EVO1. Does anyone have any experience with the Darkside Developments FMIC?

Thanks,
Michael

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/front-mount-intercooler-for-bmw-n54-n55-petrol-engines-135i-335i.html?setCurrencyId=1&sku=BMW5400&srsltid=AfmBOoqD53G9GXJQV4wu-Er-6MvQc1BqxVZdR8b3jgU__m_mxpILU8cUjdU

https://www.wagner-tuning.uk/200001023.html

Darkside are primarily into diesel tuning I think. All products I've looked at on their website (for the Yeti, not the Z4) are rebranded Darkside, but not made by Darkside, and generally available cheaper elsewhere (usually AliExpress, which I would guess is where they get a lot of stuff from, before painting a logo on).

Their FMIC for N54 looks a lot like the Direnza FMIC, for example, which can be found at just over £300. It also looks very similar (but not identical) to a few on AliExpress for around £130.

There's more to intercoolers than just size, you need to know what's inside as well and there are no details at all on the Darkside website.

Not saying it won't be good, but I'd want to ask them who it's made by before handing over my money.

I’m aware of Darkside back from when I had a Fabia vRS. They seemed to have a good reputation back then (2010s) though I had hoped they’d be producing their own parts rather than welding on a name plate. As you say the lack of test data isn’t ideal and it seems Wagner is the more proven FMIC out of the two. TDCs 335i video recently is a good example of what you’re saying, not all FMIC are necessarily an improvement!

 

[mike07s]

I’ve been doing some research into replacing the OEM FMIC for an uprated version to allow me to move up to MHD Stage 1+. The obvious choice was the Wagner EVO1 (£430) but I’ve come across a very similar offering from Darkside Developments at £330. The only difference I can see is a slight dimension reduction (510mm x 210mm x 130mm) vs (520mm x 210mm x 130mm) for the EVO1. Does anyone have any experience with the Darkside Developments FMIC?

Thanks,
Michael

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/products/front-mount-intercooler-for-bmw-n54-n55-petrol-engines-135i-335i.html?setCurrencyId=1&sku=BMW5400&srsltid=AfmBOoqD53G9GXJQV4wu-Er-6MvQc1BqxVZdR8b3jgU__m_mxpILU8cUjdU

https://www.wagner-tuning.uk/200001023.html

Darkside are primarily into diesel tuning I think. All products I've looked at on their website (for the Yeti, not the Z4) are rebranded Darkside, but not made by Darkside, and generally available cheaper elsewhere (usually AliExpress, which I would guess is where they get a lot of stuff from, before painting a logo on).

Their FMIC for N54 looks a lot like the Direnza FMIC, for example, which can be found at just over £300. It also looks very similar (but not identical) to a few on AliExpress for around £130.

There's more to intercoolers than just size, you need to know what's inside as well and there are no details at all on the Darkside website.

Not saying it won't be good, but I'd want to ask them who it's made by before handing over my money.

I’ve used two Wagner FMIC with no complaints and apparently great performance

Good to know thanks. I’ve read through one of your previous threads on the EVO1 upgrade. For me that’ll wait till a future power upgrade if I decide to take things up a notch.