Discussion
Thanks for the comments, I wasn't 100% sure but once I got them on and cleaned it up I was happy. They are growing on me more each time I look at them.
JWH said:
Potentially silly question, sorry, but are those alloys the standard 19 inch ones that come on the M4? If so are you running spacers or is that the factory offset?
Yeah, straight off an M4, no spacers, that's just how they sit. The M3/4 are wider so the wheels are more tucked in when they're fitted to them. On the narrower F3x body the wheels sit further out. They're just right for me, it sits nice and looks smart, flush with the arch but they don't need stretched tyres etc to get them on. Long time no post. Been a busy boy the last couple of years and not had much spare time but I’ve still got the 340i.
Last spring I took the plunge and flashed a tune on it, after much deliberation I went with MG Flasher. Only the stage one tune but it results in one hell of an extra kick, even going from the MPPSK it has really changed the car. It’s never felt slow but it’s another level now, the figures of another 50bhp and a good dollop of torque only tells half the story. At the same time I added a gearbox tune for the ZF8 using XHP. It’s all very clever, much like the MG flasher stuff it’s all adjusted and flashed through an app on my phone. Gear changes are a little quicker now (they were fast before) and it offers the ability to make tweaks to how the box behaves. Lots of cool little bits but as expected once it’s all set how I like it that’s it, you leave it as that.
These two pieces of software combined have really enhanced the engine and gearbox combo, the spread of torque combined with the 8 speed box seems to outperform the already impressive figures. A road trip with a mate in his F10 M5 left us both surprised at how well the F30 kept up! Not only that, even with the extra power it still sips fuel when you want it to. I’ve kept the MPPSK sound settings but these can be adjusted in the app too, it’s got a cool feature where you can press a sequence of buttons and change the level of noise from the exhaust from no burbles at all to full ASBO.
I’m still loving the coilovers, the car drives so well on them. It’s firm while still being comfortable but it really makes the car feel so sure footed when pushing on. It’s no longer being used daily but it’s still getting a good run out. A couple of months back I made another trip over to Germany. The car was faultless, ate the miles up on the way there and made the twisty bits very enjoyable! Also managed the usual trick of using very little fuel on the drive there, everyone else thought I was joking when I said I’d do the drive home on a tank!
Plans going forwards, top of the list is the LSD, there’s no point putting more power through it if it can’t use any of it. I fancy an intake for the noise then decide what point I’ll stop power wise. I’m tempted to go for the downpipe & fuel pump then get a map that doesn’t push the turbo too hard and hope for reliability with that setup. There does come a point where you question if it is even worth adding more power, it’s never going to spend much time on the track and it’s already rare that the current level of power can be used on the road so I’m conscious not to go too mad.
I’ve also been eyeing up some cosmetic bits, dry carbon shifter/wheel trim and perhaps a splitter/diffuser/side skirts too but I don’t want to start making it look tacky, it’s fine line sometimes!
Few random shots, hopefully next year I’ll get some of that done and have the time to update this post!
Last spring I took the plunge and flashed a tune on it, after much deliberation I went with MG Flasher. Only the stage one tune but it results in one hell of an extra kick, even going from the MPPSK it has really changed the car. It’s never felt slow but it’s another level now, the figures of another 50bhp and a good dollop of torque only tells half the story. At the same time I added a gearbox tune for the ZF8 using XHP. It’s all very clever, much like the MG flasher stuff it’s all adjusted and flashed through an app on my phone. Gear changes are a little quicker now (they were fast before) and it offers the ability to make tweaks to how the box behaves. Lots of cool little bits but as expected once it’s all set how I like it that’s it, you leave it as that.
These two pieces of software combined have really enhanced the engine and gearbox combo, the spread of torque combined with the 8 speed box seems to outperform the already impressive figures. A road trip with a mate in his F10 M5 left us both surprised at how well the F30 kept up! Not only that, even with the extra power it still sips fuel when you want it to. I’ve kept the MPPSK sound settings but these can be adjusted in the app too, it’s got a cool feature where you can press a sequence of buttons and change the level of noise from the exhaust from no burbles at all to full ASBO.
I’m still loving the coilovers, the car drives so well on them. It’s firm while still being comfortable but it really makes the car feel so sure footed when pushing on. It’s no longer being used daily but it’s still getting a good run out. A couple of months back I made another trip over to Germany. The car was faultless, ate the miles up on the way there and made the twisty bits very enjoyable! Also managed the usual trick of using very little fuel on the drive there, everyone else thought I was joking when I said I’d do the drive home on a tank!
Plans going forwards, top of the list is the LSD, there’s no point putting more power through it if it can’t use any of it. I fancy an intake for the noise then decide what point I’ll stop power wise. I’m tempted to go for the downpipe & fuel pump then get a map that doesn’t push the turbo too hard and hope for reliability with that setup. There does come a point where you question if it is even worth adding more power, it’s never going to spend much time on the track and it’s already rare that the current level of power can be used on the road so I’m conscious not to go too mad.
I’ve also been eyeing up some cosmetic bits, dry carbon shifter/wheel trim and perhaps a splitter/diffuser/side skirts too but I don’t want to start making it look tacky, it’s fine line sometimes!
Few random shots, hopefully next year I’ll get some of that done and have the time to update this post!
cerb4.5lee said:
Alright...you don't need to rub it in! 
Haha, I’ve always said a modest drop and spacers can really change how the car looks, even the top of the range M3 etc need a little help there. My mates just got an Alfa Guilia Quad and as beautiful as it is, he’s still looking at springs and spacers for it. Pizzaeatingking said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I love the silver wheels, and they sit loads better on your 340i than they do on my M4. They sit too far in the arches on the M4 as you say. Spacers incoming I reckon! 
Yeah, cracking wheels but they need to sit right! GiantCardboardPlato said:
Pizzaeatingking said:
cerb4.5lee said:
I love the silver wheels, and they sit loads better on your 340i than they do on my M4. They sit too far in the arches on the M4 as you say. Spacers incoming I reckon!
Yeah, cracking wheels but they need to sit right! 
Ok... 
GiantCardboardPlato said:
HM-2 said:
is this not equally as true when running wheels of a different offset and size, though?
Correct.I've always got the impression that this is one of those sort-of-truisms that seems to make sense on paper but doesn't in reality in most cases, largely because a) the practical differences with the sizes of spacer most people run (3-5mm) are so tiny as to make no practical difference, and b) the scrub radius of many cars may not be "optimum" for, say, performance driving, from the factory anyway.
Edited by HM-2 on Wednesday 18th January 07:59
HM-2 said:
GiantCardboardPlato said:
HM-2 said:
is this not equally as true when running wheels of a different offset and size, though?
Correct.I've always got the impression that this is one of those sort-of-truisms that seems to make sense on paper but doesn't in reality in most cases, largely because a) the practical differences with the sizes of spacer most people run (3-5mm) are so tiny as to make no practical difference, and b) the scrub radius of many cars may not be "optimum" for, say, performance driving, from the factory anyway.
Edited by HM-2 on Wednesday 18th January 07:59
GiantCardboardPlato said:
The steering axis and the centre of your contact patches will no longer be aligned, ie you have altered the scrub radius.
Weird that; no wonder so many cars are crashing... 
Also odd that my pal who's a very respected motorsport mechanic has been setting up track day cars for Ford M Sport & BMW M Sport for many years and they all use various spacers depending on wheels/track set up and never any issues...
d_a_n1979 said:
GiantCardboardPlato said:
The steering axis and the centre of your contact patches will no longer be aligned, ie you have altered the scrub radius.
Weird that; no wonder so many cars are crashing... Also odd that my pal who's a very respected motorsport mechanic has been setting up track day cars for Ford M Sport & BMW M Sport for many years and they all use various spacers depending on wheels/track set up and never any issues...
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