01-05-2020, 12:30 AM | #1 |
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*CARB0N M - Build & Story
I attended an M Track Day in Palm Springs with my father in October 2019 and VERY soon thereafter the search for an ///M began.
Luckily I was able to find a 2017 F80 M3 CPO with 15.5K miles in Texas that was lightly optioned. The car was at Autobahn BMW in Fort Worth so my wife and I drove out to take a look and give it a test drive. We worked out a deal and now I'm here - on this forum - getting ready to explain the obsession that has taken place since that day. I'll do my best to keep things up to date and to provide as much detail as possible. The forum has been a great place for inspiration, explanation and reference and there's a chance being dilligent here might help someone else in their journey to the ///M world. Exterior:
Last edited by Carb0n M; 01-05-2020 at 01:23 AM.. |
01-05-2020, 12:42 AM | #2 |
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License Plates
My first purchase for the car was my first ever vanity plate. I normally opt for a USNA or veteran oriented plate, but decided that since I would be decking this car out in Carbon Fiber....I might as well see if they had a Carbon Fiber plate design.
Turns out in Texas they do!!!! MyPlates.com I really wanted this plate as it's perfect for me, but it's listed as "Coming Soon" and is not yet available. Hopefully soon! I'm on the list and will upgrade to this plate in a heartbeat!!!! This was the plate I ended up with, a simple plate that checks the box of being Carbon Fiber...but has some aesthetic dings. The first being the large white section below the CF design, I really wish they had continued this to be at a minimum in line with the bottom mounts. It will be a while before the plates arrive, so in the meantime it's time to meet the rest of the Family (X5d, C3 and the not pictured 750i). Last edited by Carb0n M; 01-05-2020 at 12:59 AM.. |
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01-05-2020, 12:51 AM | #3 |
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Can I get away with a Euro Plate?
I've also always wanted a EURO plate, as I think it adds a certain cool factor. They just fit the cars design and styling so well...might as well go for it here in Texas as I've never had issues with running only a rear plate on my Audi A3 TDI that I drove here for 4 years.
In my search I found a bunch of vendors, but given that I had selected a CF rear plate I wanted to match it on the front so it had to be CF and also a simple design with a 2x2 weave layered Right-Left and Top-Bottom. I found Custom Euorpean Plates and was instantly impressed with how well it matched with my vision. Background Color: Carbon Fiber Text Color: White |
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01-05-2020, 01:22 AM | #4 |
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M Performance Rocker Decal V2 (#51142414016)
I really like the look of the M Performance car on display at Palm Springs International Airport (PSP) with the ///M decals but could NOT drive that every day.
Rather I wanted to give the car some flair but not too much. Given that both this car and my car are Alpine White, I decided to install an ///M Performance rocker decal. Now keep in mind that there are two versions, you'll want the V2!!! The lettering is much different and the V1 is just too boring to be installed on any ///M car....for reference below: Version 1 Version 2 I purchased a set of the V2 decals and had them installed at Classic BMW. I could have done the installation myself, but I'd rather have the warranty and peace of mind that Classic will make it perfect. They did, as always! |
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01-05-2020, 01:53 AM | #5 |
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M Performance CF Engine Cover (#11122413815)
Next up was the Carbon Fiber engine cover to replace the stock engine cover, which is just ABS plastic. You can find these online at a variety of retailers, but there are some things that you need to look for (if you care, not everyone does when it's rarely seen under the hood).
Carbon Fiber Engine Covers - Many options, but nothing High Quality. Eventuri - I was disappointed in the QC on this, it's not pre-preg and there is a great deal of pulling of the carbon fiber weave at the 6 o'clock position. If you took a straight edge to the weave, there are few that are straight. I'm also positive that this is more than likely just heat treated and not autoclaved. M Performance The VALUE ADD here is that the engine cover is made of "Pre-Preg" Carbon Fiber, meaning that the carbon has been pre-impregnated with activated resin making it easier to install into an aluminium mold without any defects that might affect the aesthetics. This piece is also autoclaved (an amazing process), and if you look at the carbon fiber weave, you'll notice that it's beautiful...art like and the weave lays flat below the clear-coat. There are ZERO waves and the lines do not have any variance whatsoever. VIDEO Last edited by Carb0n M; 01-05-2020 at 02:01 AM.. |
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01-06-2020, 11:29 PM | #7 |
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M Performance Blackline Tail Lights (#63212450105) upgraded with LED reverse bulbs
M Performance Blackline Tail Lights (#63212450105) upgraded with LED reverse bulbs
In terms of tail lights, I've always liked the European versions. They seem to be more pleasant to the eyes, and less glaringly red . The stock tail lights are VERY red, with very little variety and as many of you know come with non-led reverse bulbs. So as I was searching for OEM replacements, I took to the ones below: Stock: Blackline: Installation: The installation was exceptionally easy and I would rate the difficulty at 3/10 and the time needed is less than an hour. I also snuck in some LED reverse bulbs while the tail lights were brand new out of the box. There are many vendors that sell direct replacement, and they will be error free. Give the forum a quick search. If you want to use the ones I chose, search ebay for "H21W BAY9S LED Reverse Backup Light Bulbs For 2016+ BMW F30 LCI 3 Series F80 M3." The tools required are:
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01-09-2020, 11:05 PM | #8 |
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Wheels and Tires
My car was a CPO and included M437's with brand new tires. I loved the look, all black with ferric grey accents, but wanted to retain these for track use. Details on the wheel are below:
M437 OEM Specs
Ultimately, I chose to go with Titan7 and the TS-5 model specially built for the F8X platform. The main reasons for me choosing this brand is that I'm a fan of quality (watch their factory tour video) and not a huge fan of brand names. It matters more to me to have the BEST, not the most popular. Also, given the plethora of options in the market today I wanted to go with a company that has a passion for ///M cars and a great presence on the forum (giving back sort of). Overall, I'm very happy with my selection and look forward to enjoying these until it's time for a new set! The details on these are below! When you compare them with the stock wheels, they show a slight weight reduction but retain the feel on the road. I kept the Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tires, so it's apples to apples minus the size variance. F8X Titan7 TS-5 Specs
Check out Titan7's videos here: Titan7 Factory Tour Titan7's TS-5 Release Kevin at EAS hooked me up with custom center caps! Can't wait to receive them and update with installed pictures. |
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01-09-2020, 11:06 PM | #9 |
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Before
Here is a un-packed before shot!
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01-10-2020, 11:37 PM | #13 |
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01-19-2020, 06:14 PM | #14 |
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M Performance GTS Hood (#41618068159) Ordered
Received the F82 M4 GTS carbon fiber hood and had it installed by the fine folks at Aselk Motorsport. They did an amazing job! For anyone interested the part number is M Performance GTS Hood (#41618068159). Make sure to also order the struts or retain yours for the installation.
What a difference it makes from the stock hood, and this one is OEM BMW so there were zero issues. Love it! Let me know what you think. |
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