What's the first mod thing you did to your E86 after purchase

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Eastsider

New member
 Liverpool
Hi all,

First question on the forum, I'd like to know the first mod you did to your car after purchase ?
Sometimes we rush into changing and upgrading some parts only to have it removed a few weeks later and sometimes we keep them so let's hear what you did and how they felt afterwards.
 
2.5i: removed an incorrect M badge from the grille before I'd even driven it home; or CDV removal once I'd arrived home
3.0si: Stormwerks gearknob (ordered before I'd actually bought the car on the off chance)
 
The car was already well spec'd so just swapped my Eventuri over and tweaked the alignment. Sounded sweet and drove just how I like it but better. There was something not feeling quite right, then after a few days it clicked and I swapped original for the V1 knob. :driving:
 
Bought black kidney grilles, originally from eBay, which fitted ok but felt slightly loose and I wasn’t happy that they left a mm or two gap around the edge in a couple of places.

So replaced them with a set from Salberk Performance, which look a bit less OEM but fit perfectly, just like the standard parts.
 
I didn't do any mods for about 4 years.

In that period it was just swap from 19" CSLs to OE 18" 224Ms, tyres (OE Contis were awful), brake pads and servicing...and CDV removal.

I did some bush/mount replacements with aftermarket upgrades once OE items degraded, then exhaust and Gruppe-M, and once the car hit 100,000 miles I did brake and suspension upgrades (coilovers, strut brace, ARBs). After that it was just replacement seats.
 
It's more said in jest, as I assume your comment was, too. I don't dislike them as a blanket rule. They're great for the right places/people, but I'm not that person (maybe I would be if I lived in a different climate to the UK).

Having had convertibles before as hire cars/test driving for family members, I can see the appeal of hearing a great V8 or whatever roaring away with the roof down.

That said, some convertibles - like that Range Rover or that god-awful VW T-something are just not it regardless of driver!

For me, the downsides are:
- are louder/less refined with the roof up
- much louder with it down
- more to go wrong
- more to leak/ingress water
- we have wet winters, so roof down is potentially ruled out half the year
- we have increasingly boiling summers, and as someone prone to sunburn, the roof/shade is a godsend compared to layers of suncream (I appreciate that one is personal, not everyone will suffer)
- no effective aircon with the roof down/melting

But I also appreciate they are usually emotional purchases/second cars, so a lot of those negatives are offset by that.

Like my e30 is prone to rust, has no crash safety, twitchy to drive in the wet, and no aircon in the summer, so it's equally flawed on paper, but I still love it! So no convertible hate as such from me, I just prefer the looks of the superior ( ;) ) coupe.

For OP - cruise control and Bluetooth music retrofit
 
danfrost89 said:
I feel like I missed the Stormwerks gearknob option from my thinking - I assume it's the 'steel vs leather' thing? Did you go for V1 or V2?
Click to expand...
V1, in both Z4’s. Made such a difference in the 2.5i I preordered as soon as the 3.0si was a potential. Didn’t want to swap the 5 speed knob into the 6 speed.
 
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