Melbourne Red M140
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AndyM140

Original Poster:

563 posts

157 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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After lusting over one of these for the last 3 or for years I’ve finally grown some nadgers and bought one.
1 owner, 24,000 miles BMW supplied in my favourite colour for these. Melbourne red. Problem is I think these look a bit tame stock and the handling is a bit ‘floaty’ so I had a few bits and pieces done to sort this out. Next step is to add some Bilstein shocks to properly sort the handling but what I’ve done so far has improved this massively. Then possibly an LSD and more power…….
I’ll try keep this updated if any ones interested, I know it may divide opinion ??







Easternlight

3,658 posts

160 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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Very nice, good to see you've gone with a colour. I've been looking at these just for that engine.
But I have reservations as to my ability to keep it pointing the right way. laugh

AndyM140

Original Poster:

563 posts

157 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
quotequote all
Absolutely had to be this colour. I’ve always had silver/black/white cars.
Stop thinking about it and do it, I’m so glad I did I can’t stop driving it!

mooseracer

2,416 posts

186 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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Nice colour cool

Mine is boring black with Birds suspension and LSD followed by a remap. I wondered wtf I'd done when I bought it standard but once the handling is sorted they are great fun.

interstellar

4,348 posts

162 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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Back in 2016 I ordered a new 340i and asked my 8 year old to pick the colour inside and out. She choose Melbourne Red with oyster interior and I think it’s the nicest colour I have had only maybe matched with my F90 that arrived last month.

Yours looks great!!!!





AndyM140

Original Poster:

563 posts

157 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
quotequote all
I came from a diesel BClass so even with the wafty handling it felt great 😂. Then I got used to it and got what everyone says about feeling disconnected. It’s currently on springs with the underbody brace added along with Black subframe bush inserts.

AndyM140

Original Poster:

563 posts

157 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
quotequote all
interstellar said:
Back in 2016 I ordered a new 340i and asked my 8 year old to pick the colour inside and out. She choose Melbourne Red with oyster interior and I think it’s the nicest colour I have had only maybe matched with my F90 that arrived last month.

Yours looks great!!!!






That is a lovely blue!

Glenn63

3,488 posts

100 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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Very nice OP I agree the red is best on these but I couldn’t find one in my budget so went with a white one.
Handling wise I added Bilstein b16’s, m4 lower arms, chassis brace, and polly bushes and it made a massive difference to the ride and handling well worth it if your thinking of going the modified route.

AndyM140

Original Poster:

563 posts

157 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
quotequote all
Glenn63 said:
Very nice OP I agree the red is best on these but I couldn’t find one in my budget so went with a white one.
Handling wise I added Bilstein b16’s, m4 lower arms, chassis brace, and polly bushes and it made a massive difference to the ride and handling well worth it if your thinking of going the modified route.
What’s the theory behind the M4 lower arms?

Glenn63

3,488 posts

100 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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Apparently not much to play with when doing an alignment, can get much more camber on the fronts with the m4 arms. So I’m told anyways I’m no master mechanic! laugh

AndyM140

Original Poster:

563 posts

157 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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I did wonder what the thinking was, I’ll have a look for some.

Glenn63

3,488 posts

100 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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The turn in on mine now is so vastly better than stock (I track mine so use it hard). But as I did all the mods at the same time it’s hard to say if one thing made the big difference if you get me.
Certainly needs and lsd though. I also have all the mods ready for a ‘stage 2 +’ but wondering weather to go for a turbo whilst at it!

N88

1,313 posts

195 months

Saturday 16th April 2022
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That looks brilliant in that colour with the subtle visual mods you’ve done.

Great cars. I had a black one on lease, then when the lease came to an end I couldn’t find a car that ticked all the boxes better and so bought a white one.

I’ve just recently moved on from it as I needed something bigger for a growing family and I’m missing it already!

martin mrt

3,867 posts

217 months

Sunday 17th April 2022
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Absolutely the best colour these come in, yours sits absolutely perfect on the Bilsteins

I had a black one in 2018 (lease through Mrs MRTs work and no colour choice) it was a great car.

The B58 is an absolute masterpiece, fast but also immensely frugal too.

The chassis and lack of LSD were it’s only downfalls, single tyre fires were common, but your already addressing these. Good work.

Edited by martin mrt on Sunday 17th April 08:46

N88

1,313 posts

195 months

Sunday 17th April 2022
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Is it just me that never found it particularly frugal?

Had both a manual and an auto and averaged 26mpg in my ownership - admittedly mostly shorter journeys. Having said that I don’t remember ever doing much better than 35mpg on longer trips either.

Zarco

19,390 posts

225 months

Sunday 17th April 2022
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N88 said:
Is it just me that never found it particularly frugal?

Had both a manual and an auto and averaged 26mpg in my ownership - admittedly mostly shorter journeys. Having said that I don’t remember ever doing much better than 35mpg on longer trips either.
That doesn't sound bad for a 300bhp straight 6 to me.

Glenn63

3,488 posts

100 months

Sunday 17th April 2022
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I went to Anglesey last month did 41mpg on the way there and 9mpg on track. I think the longer journey mpg is decent for the performance. I went for an early morning hoon around the Yorkshire dales today and managed 20mpg and I wasn’t hanging around!


MDMA .

9,639 posts

117 months

Sunday 17th April 2022
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Cracking car, and great pictures also. The depth of colour in the shots above look brilliant.
I’d love to do an old school build with the engine from this in an E30 Touring.

Mild-Peril

12 posts

40 months

Sunday 17th April 2022
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Nice car. I’ve a 2018 one in Estoril Blue myself which I’m very fond of.

Am I right in assuming (judging by what I can make out in the pics) that it has the M Performance exhaust? If so, how do you find it doing steady speeds on motorways etc? It’s something I’m interested in but am concerned about drone and have no real means of testing one locally.

Deep Thought

37,888 posts

213 months

Sunday 17th April 2022
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N88 said:
Is it just me that never found it particularly frugal?

Had both a manual and an auto and averaged 26mpg in my ownership - admittedly mostly shorter journeys. Having said that I don’t remember ever doing much better than 35mpg on longer trips either.
we get 27 ish out of ours - thats usually shorter journies.

Throw in the odd commute in to the office and longer run and we get around 31 ish.

Thats broadly similar to our previous A45 and our previous 370Z also for that matter.

With 340BHP and petrol i dont think you're really going to get much more.