E91 Straight Six Bearding

[lord trumpton]

campionissimo said:

I joined the club at the start of May, having bought a 09 plate 325d SE touring.

Finished in Grey with a dakota brown leather (pretty much matches my wifes Citroen C2 Code color for colour inside and out!). 94k on the clock and FSH with the manual box, Had the run flats replaced with non run flats and a Slime compressor and bottle of goop, and new brake pads by the seller - has needed 2 wheel speed sensors since I got it, but these have been done under warranty.

I'm not a huge fan of the black headlining of an MSport (had it on an E46 320i a few years back) so looked for the SE, which feels much lighter inside. Also the ride is noticeably more comfortable on the slightly smaller rims.

Edited by campionissimo on Saturday 14th July 21:42

Very nice indeed

I'm with you on the SE format. The M Sports do look utterly fab but I find the SE a really nice, relaxing drive but with the power to enjoy when mood and conditions allow.

[ExVantagemech..]

My SE is on 18" Msport wheels with RS3 tyres. Even with the bigger wheels its so much better than the RFT's.
I stuck new dampers on the rear, now fancy a set of eibachs and new front dampers - ride height is certainly a little high from standard.

[campionissimo]

Couple of the inside......

[campionissimo]

ExVantagemech.. said:

My SE is on 18" Msport wheels with RS3 tyres. Even with the bigger wheels its so much better than the RFT's.
I stuck new dampers on the rear, now fancy a set of eibachs and new front dampers - ride height is certainly a little high from standard.

Don't say that! I'll be shopping for 18's now!

[lord trumpton]

campionissimo said:

Couple of the inside......

Oooff that really is lovely

[Mr Tidy]

phil_cardiff said:

Sort of related - I see an E90 325i can be had for £2500 now. Talk me out of buying one and throwing £4ks worth of Birds suspension and new bushes at it

I know - I picked up an E91 325iSE earlier this year for just under £3K!

The few 330is I found were about twice the price and I just couldn't justify that - I've got a Z4 Coupe for when I am in a hurry!

But the build quality on my E91 does seem significantly better than the E46 it replaced, although sometimes it feels a bit too refined for my liking.

[2 GKC]

rallycross said:

These petrol 330i E91 manuals are fantastic cars and so rare to find a low mileage one.m
One thing your car really would benefit from is sports (front) seats which is a simple upgrade and makes a huge difference to how the car feels.

Changing the front seats on that car would be sacrilege. Keep it original, sports seats won't make the slightest difference to the feel of the car. All they'll do is wear quicker

[phil_cardiff]

Mr Tidy said:

phil_cardiff said:

Sort of related - I see an E90 325i can be had for £2500 now. Talk me out of buying one and throwing £4ks worth of Birds suspension and new bushes at it

I know - I picked up an E91 325iSE earlier this year for just under £3K!

The few 330is I found were about twice the price and I just couldn't justify that - I've got a Z4 Coupe for when I am in a hurry!

But the build quality on my E91 does seem significantly better than the E46 it replaced, although sometimes it feels a bit too refined for my liking.

Good point about the refinement. I think it adds to their all round appeal but sometimes I wish you could hear that 6 more.

[2 GKC]

Fairly strong whiff of petrol from my 55 plate 330i. Nothing to do with overfilling. Any ideas?

[Mr Tidy]

2 GKC said:

Fairly strong whiff of petrol from my 55 plate 330i. Nothing to do with overfilling. Any ideas?

I have no idea what it may be but when I fill my 06 plate 325i I also get a strong smell of petrol, so would also be interested to find out what may be the cause.

[lord trumpton]

Mr Tidy said:

2 GKC said:

Fairly strong whiff of petrol from my 55 plate 330i. Nothing to do with overfilling. Any ideas?

I have no idea what it may be but when I fill my 06 plate 325i I also get a strong smell of petrol, so would also be interested to find out what may be the cause.

I've read before - its a problem with the fuel breather pipe and quite common on the e9X

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Mike335i]

2 GKC said:

Changing the front seats on that car would be sacrilege. Keep it original, sports seats won't make the slightest difference to the feel of the car. All they'll do is wear quicker

I disagree, sports seats are much more supportive and adjustable. Having sat in both, I would go out of my way to find sport seats.

[lord trumpton]

Mike335i said:

2 GKC said:

Changing the front seats on that car would be sacrilege. Keep it original, sports seats won't make the slightest difference to the feel of the car. All they'll do is wear quicker

I disagree, sports seats are much more supportive and adjustable. Having sat in both, I would go out of my way to find sport seats.

I do like the look of the sport seats but unfortunately both the e91 and moreso the f series sports seats are too narrow on the backrest for me...the side bolsters pinch my back.

I'm not fat btw just fairly broad. PH director type of course

[cerb4.5lee]

Mike335i said:

2 GKC said:

Changing the front seats on that car would be sacrilege. Keep it original, sports seats won't make the slightest difference to the feel of the car. All they'll do is wear quicker

I disagree, sports seats are much more supportive and adjustable. Having sat in both, I would go out of my way to find sport seats.

I'm another one who much prefers the sports seats, I just kept sliding around all over the place on the SE seats. The sport seats hold you in tight and give the car a better feel for me.

[cerb4.5lee]

lord trumpton said:

I do like the look of the sport seats but unfortunately both the e91 and moreso the f series sports seats are too narrow on the backrest for me...the side bolsters pinch my back.

I'm not fat btw just fairly broad. PH director type of course

I'm only a slight build so the SE seats didn't work for me, it has been mentioned before that if you're a bigger build they are fine though.

[2 GKC]

Mike335i said:

I disagree, sports seats are much more supportive and adjustable. Having sat in both, I would go out of my way to find sport seats.

Fair enough, but if you had immaculate and relatively rare coloured non sport seats as pictured, would you bother trying to upgrade them as suggested?

[rallycross]

2 GKC said:

Mike335i said:

I disagree, sports seats are much more supportive and adjustable. Having sat in both, I would go out of my way to find sport seats.

Fair enough, but if you had immaculate and relatively rare coloured non sport seats as pictured, would you bother trying to upgrade them as suggested?

I suggested it, having done this myself previously on 330i and 330d the standard SE seats in these cars are a bit rubbish, no lateral support very flat base, and you do move about it. It does transform how the car 'feels' for the driver. But as above the OP has a preference for these so that makes sense.

I did not mean change the colour of the seats obviously that would be silly, just find a pair of nice clean sport front seats and put them in (its quite easy to do especially if your seats are black).

[ATM]

rallycross said:

2 GKC said:

Mike335i said:

I disagree, sports seats are much more supportive and adjustable. Having sat in both, I would go out of my way to find sport seats.

Fair enough, but if you had immaculate and relatively rare coloured non sport seats as pictured, would you bother trying to upgrade them as suggested?

I suggested it, having done this myself previously on 330i and 330d the standard SE seats in these cars are a bit rubbish, no lateral support very flat base, and you do move about it. It does transform how the car 'feels' for the driver. But as above the OP has a preference for these so that makes sense.

I did not mean change the colour of the seats obviously that would be silly, just find a pair of nice clean sport front seats and put them in (its quite easy to do especially if your seats are black).

I find the steering wheel padding to be a bit too squidgy. Anyone else?

[phil_cardiff]

Interesting debate which begs the question 'what's your ideal spec?'

Mine is a 330i SE E91 in Titan Silver with m-sport seats and steering wheel and the 17 inch m-sport wheels.

Suspension by Birds and the audio equipment significantly upgraded. All the car I'd ever need.

[twokcc]

twokcc said:

E91 2009 LCI 325d SE ex BMW management car with about £5k extra icluding Nav, Auto, 18" full heated leather but no sport seats---------------------------------------------------------------
Until Now

Fitted this today like for like replacement passenger Sport seat has base tillt and bolster width adjustment.(not sure if working)





Drivers seat may have to wait until new year.
Looks as if door cards and back seat are the same as existing so no need to change. Just need to work out how to swap map pocket from SE seat onto sport sThis

Edited by twokcc on Friday 15th December 20:01

My post after changing passenger to sport seat, drivers still SE, both now changed.
The sports seat were manual heated(same as SE) but have base tilt. Find this big improvement as never been able to get stepped backrest just right. Base tilt allows any angle of seat so can use this to get right angle on backrest, difference in base angle doesn't make any difference in comfort for me. Got instructions on how to power side bolsters but not an auto electrician so still to sort out. passenger's bolsters set spot on for me but drivers bolsters to narrow. Looks as if this could resolve other posters problems with width between bolsters.
Took 4 yrs to find manual heated M sport seats for LCI at a reasonable price but well worth doing.