m3freak86's 2018 F80 M3 Build Journal

[m3freak86]

Hey everyone. One of my favorite things about my car ownerships is keeping a build journal together to share the process. I have been documenting my journey of my cars via youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@Scoobyfreak86), but I am still old school and love the journal process as well. Let's start off from the beginning of when I first picked up my new to me 2018 BMW F80 M3 Competition with 18k miles.

After spending 6 years building and modifying my 2017 Subaru STI, I finally felt a sense of completion with the car. I was ready to move onto the next step in my car journey. Parted out the STI and sold at the beginning of 2023. Thankfully, I have another vehicle to drive in the mean time, so selling the STI was a very stress-free process. After the STI was gone, I started my search in finding the replacement. I realized I was able to take my time and not rush into anything just to fill the empty garage spot.

I was pretty dead set on a 997 911 C2S, but after chasing a few of them in this market, I realized it may not be the right time to own a car like that. My end goal is to be in a GT Porsche of some variant and while I would love to just say screw it and get one, I decided to take a step back and think of what I needed, not what I wanted. Being a Father of 3 and lots of other life responsibilities, I realized that a Porsche just wasn't the move at this time. So, I started looking into the next best thing. Something I was familiar with...M cars. I owned a 2004 E46 M3 back in 2009 and have extremely fond memories owning that car. Did a very similar process documenting my journal via forums with that as well. However, the forum (m3forum.net) is a thing of the past now, so all those posts are unfortunately gone.

Anyway, started looking into a few e9x's and f80's, but I wanted to find something special. Something low miles, unabused/untouched, ready for me to enjoy and put my own touch on. There were a few e92's I was interested in, but the market was saying otherwise and couldn't fathom spending MSRP on a 10+ year old used car. After eliminating a few other contenders on my list, I ended up landing on a 2018 F80 M3 with 18,736 miles on the clock. Mineral grey metallic on black, carbon roof, exec pack, and most importantly 6MT! The car was located down in Chantilly, VA at a dealer named Chantilly Auto Sales. Dealt with Tony there and couldn't say enough great things about the experience. My buddy offered his time to drive me down at 5AM in his Carrera T to go pick up the car.

Instagram: @chrisvuono

June 12, 2023: Pick up Day

It was love at first sight. The spec, the color, the low mileage. It was exactly what I was after. After signing a few papers and getting everything finalized, I was headed back for the 3.5 hour journey to NJ in my brand new to me F80 M3.

Some quick snaps of the car as well as the video I made picking up the car


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3VoXIrOpDY

[m3freak86]

June 13, 2023

What's being done: So long PPF

First full day of ownership, I decided to get working on the car. Now, I already had some big plans for the car, but getting it up to my standards was very important to me so I could start with a clean slate.

I typically am not a PPF kind of person, but this car came decked out in PPF. Front bumper, headlights, kidney grilles, hood, front fenders, roof, b pillars, mirrors, side skirts, extended rear fender coverage, and rear bumper. After walking around the car a few hundred times, I realized there were a few areas of the PPF that I wasn't happy with. There was also a disclosed small bump on the rear bumper that I knew I could massage out with some heat. So after taking a closer look at the rear bumper, I just wasn't happy with some of the areas of the PPF coming up. Because of this, I decided to pull it off while leaving the top shelf covered in PPF for protection of putting things in/out of the trunk.

Thankfully, the PPF came off super easily without any issues. Got to work massaging the little imperfection out using some heat and some tools. While it is not 100%, it came out better than expected. Enough that it didn't bother me as much. I do plan to address this fully at a later date, but for now, I was happy.

Video below on this whole process!

[m3freak86]

June 17, 2023

What's being done: LED Reverse Lights

We all have to start somewhere, right? If you know me, I love lighting. I think proper lighting on cars makes or breaks a car. Any vehicle I own where I see an opportunity to improve lighting, I jump in head first. With that said, I couldn't believe the reverse lights on a 65K MSRP M3 were basic yellow halogen bulbs. I knew this was a small change, but it had to be done. I started looking to some options people were using for this upgrade and found that it's not as easy as finding a simple good LED bulb and swapping it out. The F80 is quite a bit more sophisticated than what I am used to, so finding specific bulbs that wouldn't cause any error codes or flickering was important to me.

After some research, I found these https://amzn.to/3u1CZ7K. Came in super fast and I got to work installing them in the tails. Install was super simple and straight forward. Remove the liner, unplug the stock bulbs, and swap in the new LED ones. Being it was my first "mod" on the car I was hoping I wouldn't run into any issues and thankfully, they fired right up with no error codes or issues. I was very pleased with the small upgrade as it not only increased the output, but also updated the rear end with some proper LED's.

Some photos comparing the stock vs the LED's as well as the full video install

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFWKoliRLmU

[m3freak86]

June 21, 2023

What's being installed: Uniden R7 Mirror Tap/Mirror Mount

This method of installing a radar under the mirror has traveled with me from car to car. I love the clean install of this modification making it an almost OEM piece of the interior. I am not a big "speeder", but I do like to be aware of my surroundings and keeping myself informed of what's around. This car gets up to speed rather quickly, so having a radar on hand is definitely a must.

There are a few ways to go about doing this, but mounting under the mirror and tapping into the power behind the mirror is always my preferred method. Although, this one was a bit tricky due to the sensor on the windshield causing the arm of the mirror mount to hang a bit lower than I normally like. However, it satisfied my need for a clean install and made me check it off the list.

Took a bit to figure out the proper wires to tap into, but I go over exactly which ones in my install video.

Here is what I used:
Mirror Mount: https://amzn.to/3Ms0rRT
Mirror Tap: https://amzn.to/49wyjXN
Radar: https://amzn.to/3So7nTV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwalnfK7BDc

[m3freak86]

Finally got a chance to give the car its first wash in the garage after the long drive home. There is nothing like getting to know a new car than spending some quality time cleaning every nook and cranny. I am an avid weekend detail enthusiast, so I can always appreciate the therapeutic release I get from washing.

[AudiDad]

Looking forward to reading/seeing the progression of this vehicle. Also helps that you are also from NJ lol.

[m3freak86]

Originally Posted by AudiDad

Looking forward to reading/seeing the progression of this vehicle. Also helps that you are also from NJ lol.

I’ll be adding to it each day to catch up where the car is currently.

NJ FTW!

[m3freak86]

June 24, 2023

What's Being installed: Apple Carplay

My car is fairly loaded. Most of the bells and whistles were checked on the build sheet, however, the $300 option to add carplay was a box that was missed. Didn't realize this until I tried to connect my phone to the car at the dealer I purchased it from. Not a big deal as it is fairly a simple fix, but thought it was funny how the original owner didn't check that box.

With that being said, I knew there were companies out there that offer the carplay service for a reasonable fee. I just wanted something simple that I could load up to the car in my garage. Came across a company called RAcodings that had this service available for only $55! Just had a snag an OBD2 to Ethernet cable to load the file onto the car.

Very happy I was able to get this feature on the car as carplay is my go-to media service in a car. I find it to be extremely user friendly, easy to navigate/read, and a very clean look. Not only did I get carplay, but FULL screen wireless carplay, video in motion, and screen mirroring. Not bad for the cost!

Full video on the install below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dgjo7NBHak

[m3freak86]

July 11, 2023

What's being installed: Eventuri V2 Intake and Engine Cover

Before I even got this car, I knew exactly the route I wanted to go. I have been dreaming of my own F80 for quite some time, so when it was time to start modding, I pretty much had a whole list of items ready to go. I've been working with Bryant from Envision Tuning for a few years now, so I reached out to him to place a pretty big order with everything I wanted for the car. It was a rather large list, so we had to wait for everything to trickle in, but one of the first items delivered was the Eventuri Intake and engine cover.

The Eventuri intake was an absolute must for me. The R&D that went into this piece was pretty incredible. As most of us know, intakes hardly do anything for the car performance wise. Let's face it, most of the time we get an intake for the extra swooshy noises. However, the Eventuri is different. They were able to not only give the engine bay an even more beautiful appearance, but actually pick up some decent gains! They claim 15-20HP and 18-23ftlb tq. I was skeptical on this of course, but I will touch base on this in a bit.

Upon opening the boxes, I was pleasantly surprised at the quality. Although, this is expected given the cost of this thing. Carbon weave is beautiful. Quality is absolutely top notch. It was a beautiful piece. Same thing went for the engine cover. Extremely high quality with no abnormal weave pulls or imperfections. Very pleased with everything in terms of a cosmetic standpoint.

I could hardly wait to get to installing this, so I went into the garage and got it knocked out. Install was extremely straight forward. Everything slid into place properly and there was no manipulation needed on any part of the intake or engine cover. Almost like it was meant to be there! The best part about it... NO TUNE NEEDED. Coming from the STI world, it was a nice change to be able to install something and not need a complete tune revision.

Next day I took the car for a spin to make sure the install was done properly. After letting the car warm up properly, I was welcomed with a beautiful induction noise under heavier acceleration. Smiling ear to ear, it confirmed that this was the correct route to go and couldn't be happier with my choice. After spending a decent amount of seat time with the new intake, I was definitely able to feel the bump in power on the butt dyno. Now it's not going to be jaw dropping, but the car felt less restricted and felt way more open. Spoke to a few trusted sources to get their take on if the gains were real and they confirmed that many customers that go with Eventuri have seen the claimed power gains via their dyno.

What is to not like? The look is amazing and you get a small bump in power? Sign me up. Anyone on the fence, I highly recommend going this route. Yes, there are cheaper options out there, but I can confirm there is nothing more beautiful than some highly R&D'd Eventuri carbon under the hood.

Some snaps and full install video below!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHuEMqRIjLE

[m3freak86]

July 19, 2023

What's being installed: Rennline Phone Mount

It's no surprise that this day and age, having a place to put your phone in your car is important. I never got on the phone mount train in previous cars as there was always a cubby or area to place it while driving. However, I found the F80 to not have a great spot to store your phone. Wanted something that would not only charge my phone, but mount it in an out of the way area while still having access to it if need be.

Insert: Rennline. Had a very kind friend send me a rennline phone mount to me as a car warming gift (is that a thing?). Thanks Jeff! One of the reasons why I loved this mount so much is the OEM like setup. It's very discreet and flows well with the interior. Positions the phone in a fantastic spot that's out fo the way, yet still accessible.

I later picked up the rennline magsafe charging mount that pops right onto the existing ball joint for a seamless install. Ended up getting a small 12v to USB adapter and plugged it in the passenger side footwell area. Super clean install and love this mount!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSh-DZgQl6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgN5v7C6m1M

[m3freak86]

July 23, 2023

What's being installed: BMS Valve Controller

Well, I think we can all agree here that the stock S55 isn't the best sounding M car to ever come off the BMW production line. Although, there are definitely ways to improve it and I wanted to start simple. One thing that bothered me to no end was the start up valve closing sound. It not only ruined a great cold start sound, but sounded like the exhaust was broken. Sounded like a vacuum cleaner and just wasn't my favorite part about the car. Since I am a bit of an exhaust nut, I decided to start tackling the sound as soon as I could.

Now, I did learn a small trick to have the car start keeping the valves open (accessory mode, m1, tap throttle pedal, push to start). This did help rectify the valves closing on start up. However, the valve programming is all over the place when driving (even in different m modes). I found the valves to be articulating under certain loads, rpm, modes, gears, speed, etc. An annoyance that got the best of me and knew I had to get some type of valve controller to have more freedom of the exhaust.

Found a few solutions, but it seems like the Burger Motorsport Tuning (BMS) Valve Controller was the popular choice. Decided to pick it up and see what it was all about.

Nothing fancy about the module at all as it just plugs directly into your OBD2 port with a module at the other end. Tucked everything away for a nice clean install.

This little gizmo is very, very cool. Not only does it allow you to open/close the valves at your leisure, but it allows you to customize a few other things. Turn off active sound, Full brightness LED headlights, Fuel gauge boost gauge (very cool!), and lastly, this acts as a code remover as well. Lots of cool features in this little thing.

Simple press of a button on the blinker stalk and you have complete control of the valves! Exactly what I was after. Car sounds so much better and glad I decided to pick this up. A must mod if you want a little extra sound without having to change out any hard parts.

[m3freak86]

As I mentioned earlier, I knew the direction I wanted to go with this car. I placed a very larger order with Envision tuning back in June and had to wait for everything to come in. Decided to take a trip up to Connecticut and visit Envision Tuning (and redline restoration) to haul the massive order back to the garage. About a 3.5 hour drive each way so it was a nice cruise in the truck to pick everything up.

When I got home, couldn't help but unload it all and see what I have gotten myself into. A bit overwhelming to say the least, but super thankful I was in a position to do something like this. I tend to build my cars over time, but since I was manifesting this one for so long, it went a bit faster than normal.

Check out the video below picking everything up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74ifMmghWTg

[m3freak86]

July 29, 2023

What's being installed: Autotecknic carbon diffuser, IND reflectors, Acexxon rear reflectors, and M Performance carbon gas cap

After taking inventory of all the new parts I had to install, I wanted to get warmed up by doing some simple cosmetic mods. Things that wouldn't take an entire afternoon in the garage, but still make a notiable difference visually.

Started off with the diffuser. The car came with some "Farbon Ciber" parts on the rear that were not up to my level of standards. Just some cheapo eBay stick on parts that I knew needed to be addressed immediately. Started off with removing the crappy diffuser and install the incredibly clean Autotecknic carbon M Performance style diffuser. There was no surprise that this was a superior piece to the part I removed, so it was an easy swap over. Simple unbolt and pop the new one in. Some visual differences overall, so I welcomed the change on the rear end.

While I was back there I also decided to remove the red reflectors that the US spec'd m3's got. Most go with the paint matched route, but I decided to go with something different. Since there are a few "vents" back there, I wanted to try out the inserts by Acexxon. This way, I wouldn't have to worry about having a perfect paint match and it would add a bit more character to the rear bumper. There are a couple choices to go with (matte, gloss, horizontal slats, hex). I decided to go with the gloss hex design as I felt it was the cleanest option. Popped off the stock red reflectors and popped in the new ones. Was very happy with the fitment and massive change it made to the rear. Very simple mod, but a must for all F8x!

Next up, orange reflectors. Oh boy, what an eyesore. These things stuck out like a sore thumb. I couldn't wait to get them off the car and get some proper painted matched ones from IND. Install was super easy as it required some heat to remove the stock ones and popped the new ones in. Now, I do have PPF on the car (including the front bumper), so I noticed it was throwing off the color a bit. I reached out to IND to see if they had any insight and said putting PPF on the reflectors would make it blend a bit better. I have yet to do this, and sort of just accepted the so so paint match. However, I have seen a few MG F8x's with the IND reflectors and it seems look just like mine as well. Either way, better than the bright orange pieces!

Last small mod for the day was something not many would see but myself. I am all about the details and truly believe these are the kinds of things that separate them from the rest. Any chance I can install an M performance part, I am for it! Snagged the carbon m performance gas cap and threw it on the bland stock gap to give it some character. Again, one of those things no one will notice, but it makes me happy every time I go to get gas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NcQwD3hKkk

[m3freak86]

July 30, 2023

What's being installed: Autotecknic Competition CS Style Carbon Fiber Front Lip

I love the F80 front bumper. I truly think it is one of the best looking front ends of any car to ever come out. It has enough style without being over styled. And after seeing the G8x front end, I think there is no question, this is the best front end on any M3 ever. But... I may be biased. I digress.

While the front end looks amazing stock, I do think these fronts ends benefit from a small front lip. Nothing huge or obnoxious. Just something to add a bit more aggression to the lower portion of the bumper. Thankfully, the aftermarket support on these cars is massive and there is quite the array of front lip choices. However, knowing I am lowering this car a considerable amount, I didn't want to fork out $1000+ for a lip that I know would take a beating in the near future.

I battled a bit on the m performance style or the cs style, but ultimately went with the CS style due to giving it a bit more aggression. The front "fangs" reminded me a lot of the e46 m3 splitters that were offered as an add on from BMW. Always loved that look and felt like it was a great omage to it's younger brother.

Now, I have had experience with Autotecknic in the past. I ran their diffuser on my e46 and had great experience with it. Fit and finish was top notch. Decided to snag their front lip to see if the quality still held true. Now, I did say earlier that I wanted to go with a cheaper option, but don't get me wrong. This lip is $800, so don't get the wrong idea I think this is cheap. But I felt it was the only one that was reasonably priced that had the fit and finish that would be up to my standards. There are plenty of lips out there in the $2000 range that I simply could not justify.

Unboxing the "cheap" lip, I once again was pleased with the quality of the carbon. No odd pulls or imperfections. It very much looked like a much more expensive carbon piece. Quick mock up on the front bumper and saw no complaints or odd fitment areas where it was questionable.

No hardware is included with the lip, so dug through my bolt and screw collection and used some 1/4" self tappers to get this thing installed. I also used some 3m double sided tape to give it a bit more security.

After getting it on the car, I was very pleased with the new look. Gave that aggression I was looking for, while not being over the top and in your face. Looks like it's meant to be there!

I do plan on adding some side skirts in the future to tie the front lip in with the sides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYvMAVRZW_o

[m3freak86]

August 1, 2023

What's being installed: Goldenwrench Supply Engine Bay Cap Set and IND Paint Match Keyhole delete

Small details matter. Again, one of those things that I feel takes an ordinary piece and makes it beautiful. The S55 engine bay is a really nice place to be. It looks great from factory, but we can admit, the caps in there are nothing to look at. I upgraded all my caps in my STI and loved what it did for the engine bay. I knew I had to do it with this one and thankfully, Goldenwrench Supply has a really nice kit for this car that really takes it to the next level.

Now, I do wish these caps were full replacements. Granted I realized the cost would be higher, I think adding a full replacement would take this to the next step. Although, they do a great job at adding some wonderful detail in a quick amount of time. Simply peel and stick! Very impressed with the quality of everything and love all the details etched into each cap. I felt the blue was a really nice contrast to mineral grey.

Next up was deleting the useless keyhole in the driver door. I don't think in any car I have ever owned, I have used the keyhole to unlock. Now, my parents cars back in the day, certainly yes. However, keyfobs and "keyless" entry has been around for quite some time and found the never used keyhole on the f80 was an eyesore. Thankfully, IND has the option to delete this and cover it up with a paint matched cap. Unlike the front bumper reflectors, this was a perfect paint match. Install was very easy and it really cleaned up the side of the car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9aAL_aMZQQ

[Innovade]

Love seeing threads like this. Thanks for sharing!

[m3freak86]

Originally Posted by Innovade

Love seeing threads like this. Thanks for sharing!

Of course! Glad I decided to bite the bullet and started before it's too late. Thanks for following along!

[m3freak86]

August 2, 2023

What's being installed: OEM M Performance Alcantara Armest, shift boot/shifter, brake handle/boot, and m performance led door projectors

I am a big Alcantara fan and love the way it warms up an interior. I overall prefer Alcantara over leather or other materials used in cars as it really gives that sports car feel. It does require a bit more work to keep clean, but I don't mind the extra work it takes. I think it is worth it.

In my last car, I worked with a buddy of mine that does custom Alcantara work. I ended up doing a lot in the car and it really brought the subpar interior to another level of clean. Since I realized how much I loved the material, I knew I had to get some in the M3 asap. Thankfully, BMW has some extremely nice OEM pieces that fit the bill. Decided to snag the arm rest, shift boot/shifter, and e-brake boot/handle to throw in the car. Install was extremely straight forward and really brought the interior to where I prefer it. The overall supple feel and look is exactly what I was after. Naturally, it fit perfect since its all OEM stuff.

Next up, I wanted to do a small little detail on the doors. Again, one of those things not many will notice... but I certainly will. I noticed the doors project some light onto the ground when you are getting into the car at night. BMW has some really nice OEM LED's that pop right into place, so decided to snag those as well. I also picked up the ///M Performance slides tol so I had a few more options to choose from. Super simple install as this is a plug and play installation. Although, it took some figuring out how to dismantle the small projector to change out the slide. Decided to go with a really simple, yet clean slide that I think works very well with the car. I only purchased 2 at the time, not realizing the rear doors had the lights as well. I later purchased another set of 2 to round out the install.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhOFfrGYGGw

[m3freak86]

August 3, 2023

What's being installed: Autotecknic Carbon Fiber CS Rear Trunk Lip

Last piece of the subpar "carbon" that came on the car was the rear trunk lip. It was a style I wasn't necessarily a fan of and it being very poor quality, I knew it had to be replaced asap. Since I went with everything else from Autotecknic, I decided to snag their CS style carbon trunk lip.

Very high quality and yet again the carbon weave is top notch. Went ahead and removed the old spoiler and got cracking on the install of the new one. I was surprised the Autotecknic didn't come with double sided tape already installed, but it wasn't a big deal since I have plenty on hand.

Cleaned up the trunk to make sure the new trunk lip would adhere well, lined it up evenly on each side, and stuck it down to the trunk. Kept pressure on the lip for a few minutes to make sure everything adhered properly to the paint.

Was much happier with the look of this one than the previous lip style. This is a replica of the one that comes off the CS m3/4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_FkgHjFEL4

[m3freak86]

August 6, 2023

What's being installed: OEM M2 CS Alcantara Steering Wheel, M Performance Carbon Fiber Steering Wheel Trim, IND Gloss Black Trim Inlay, and Polar Blue M1/2 Start/Stop button

To round off the OEM Alcantara interior pieces, the steering wheel was something I was highly anticipating. I had my first experience with an Alcantara steering wheel in my e46 and loved the way it made the car feel. Since then, I was hooked and put an alcantara wheel in all my cars. I was pleasantly surprised to see a few OEM options available, so I decided to snag the OEM M2 CS wheel as I preferred the small red preforated stripe at the top over the GTS orange.

When I first felt this wheel, it was love at first...feel? The over thickness of the wheel was much larger and overall felt way higher quality than the stock leather wheel. M steering wheels are always known to have a much thicker diameter, but the f80 stock leather wheel was a bit of a let down when I first drove an F80. It felt too skinny and not too special. However, as soon as I grabbed the M2 CS wheel, I knew it was a huge upgrade.

The small detailed additions I added really took it to the next level and made the already fantastic steering wheel even better. The carbon trim is an OEM piece, so it matches all the other OEM carbon trim in the car. The small trim inlay is normally silver, but felt the gloss black was a really subtle touch to make the wheel look more aggressive and cleaner.

Last but not least was to add a small pop of color to the steering wheel and dash. The polar blue m1/2 and start stop buttons is a direction match to the BMW roundel blue coloring, so I felt it would tie in nicely to the interior. Although it seemed a bit gimmicky at first, I am very happy I decided to swap these out. Gives the interior a nice pop of color to an otherwise black/grey interior.

As mentioned earlier, I have installed quite a few steering wheels in my day, so this was an easy install for me. I got into great detail in my video (below) on how to install every piece mentioned above.

After I finished everything up, I knew right away it was the right move. It is amazing how much better the interior looks and feels from these few small mods. At this point, the car really started to feel like mine and knew I was headed in the right direction.

One note to anyone interested in this wheel (or any OEM Alcantara wheel): You will loose the heating function (if equipped). This may be a deal breaker to some as I know many use their F8x's year round. For me, this isn't my daily and the car will be hibernating in the winter months, so it wasn't a concern for me. Also the fact that anytime I did have a heated wheel, I never used it. I always felt like it got way too hot to feel comfortable and my commute is rather short, so by the time it got warm, I was parking. But, definitely something to consider if you use that feature. I guess one could get their OEM leather wheel wrapped in Alcantara if you wanted to keep this function.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OR6EE6viQI

[m3freak86]

August 8, 2023

What's being installed: Goldenwrench Supply Oil Filter Housing Cap and a Carbonex Hood Latch

In my original large purchase, I snagged the future classic oil filter housing cap. However, I decided to hold off on the install of that due to the install method of this cap. You needed to put a tool directly on the anodized aluminum and I was fearful it would end up getting nicked up and not looking good over time. This piece is directly in the center of the engine bay, so after some deliberation, I decided to look at some other options.

I wasn't aware that Goldenwrench had an option at the time, so I decided to check out and see what they offered. Sure enough, they had a very nice option that seemed to be a great remedy to my uncertainty of the install method on the FC cap. Goldenwrench thought about this and they designed a very cool design where a tool doesn't touch the anodized part of the cap. Rather, they have an hex bolt in the center of a scratch resistant metal. Decided to snag this as it would match the rest of the caps and be a much cleaner look overall.

I picked up a new filter kit as well, so I could swap it out when I changed out the housing cap. Not necessary, but I figured might as well since I was there. Install was extremely simple and really happy with the change. Everything went according to plan and very pleased with the outcome.

Last small piece I wanted to install was a new hood latch. The stock handle is made of plastic and I felt like I was going to break the thing in half everytime I opened the hood. Not to mention, BMW latches require a double pull, so it required some decent effort to open up the hood. Found a brand called carbonex that offered a really nice anodized aluminum latch that bolts right up to the stock mechanism. Again, very small detail, but worth it to me since I am always opening up the hood to clean, work, or just stare at the engine bay. IND actually offers this latch in a paint match option as well, but felt the black was super clean and very OEM+.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_P1IgUfNHY

[m3freak86]

August 9, 2023

What's being installed: Motorsport Plus Yellow LED CSL DRL Lights

I won't lie, I am a very big JDM and motorsport fan. I am always drawn to yellow or amber DRL's and fog lights. On all my cars, one of the first things I did was install some proper yellow fogs. It fed my JDM fanboy and motorsport infatuation.

When I saw this was an option for the F80, it was a no brainer. Of course, snagging these was one of the first things on my rather large list. I love the white, but the yellow does it for me. The great thing about this mod is that it is entirely reversible if one chooses to go back to the OEM white.

Thankfully, I already did a similar install of these on my buddies G80 a few months ago, so I was extremely familiar and comfortable with the process. In fact, the F80 install is easier than the G80 since both boards are located in one heatsink on the top of the headlight. The G80 had separate heat sinks for each DRL. Once of which was in the wheel well, which required remove of the wheel. Obviously, not hard, but a lot more steps than the F80.

After I threw the driver side in, it was love at first sight. I loved how much more aggressive the car looked with the yellow DRL's. Super bright, beautiful yellow coloring, and it fills out the DRL light tubes perfectly. For around $300, this is easily one of my favorite mods to date. Highly recommend it for anyone that loves that motorsport look.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXfl5XwtTX0