2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread
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Up until last week I had 3 cars, '15 F30 335i, '08 E92 328i, '02 E46 M3. I sold the 335 and 328 last week in an effort to "downsize". Ever since I had the idea to downsize I've been searching for the perfect daily to my M3. For me that means the following recipe: 4 doors, safe, RWD, 6MT, NA. I want to be able to haul our two dogs around, but still be a fun spirited driving machine (E92 wasn't cutting it with the cramped backseat).
I set out to find a run of the mill E90 328i. Didn't really care too much about spec, until I saw a super cool M Sport one pop up for sale. Sadly it had hail damage and I passed on it, but couldn't get the idea out of my head of having a daily thats ~cool~. So then I revised my criteria to: LCI, E90, RWD, M Sport, 6MT. At first I didn't realize how rare of a spec this actually is, but was pleasantly reminded after posting a WTB ad on the Bimmerpost forums. From my research it seems that combination is even rare on the 335i, so I would expect the 328i version is even more uncommon. Most that could afford to spec out a 328 would normally just spring for a 335. To find one meant I had to find someone who custom ordered the NA, lower spec of the car for a very specific reason, to be the ultimate daily driver.
After quite a bit of searching the entire US, I came across one in Orlando FL that ticked every box:
- 6MT
- LCI
- RWD
- M Sport
- Non-iDrive
- Manual Seats
It's on the higher side of mileage at 141k, but has all the common maintenance items addressed and a few tasteful mods:
Maintenance
Valve Cover Gasket Kit (Valve Cover Gasket, Spark Plug Tube Seals, Both Eccentric Shaft Seals)
Oil Filter Housing Gasket
NGK OEM Spark Plugs
Upper Radiator Hose
Coolant Hose
Expansion Tank Hose
Accessory Drive Belt Kit (Serpentine Belt, Belt Tensioner Assembly, and Drive Belt Idler Pulley)
Water Pump Replacement Kit (Pierburg Water Pump and Borg Warner Thermostat, OEM BMW Coolant)Mods
BC Extreme Low Coilovers
Apex ARC-8 17x9 ET30
Achilles ATR Sport 2 255/40/17
Stud Conversion
Silicone Intake Inlet Hose
LED Headlight and Fog Light bulbs
Eonon GA9465 Headlights with Apple Car AdapterNever been this excited to own a 230hp NA car, but for some reason I'm just as jazzed as the day I bought my F30. Will be flying out this Friday (7/30/21) to collect it and drive it home. Absolutely hitting tail of the dragon on the way back.
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Love it! A manual n52 would be the perfect daily driver. Arguably the most reliable modern BMW.
Agreed, definitely a nifty little motor! N52s are virtually unkillable. They might piss oil like a geyser but man they are reliable. During my search I did come across one with the M Performance kit, but it was pre-LCI, auto and silver. Think I'll be happy with this spec though!
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Agreed, definitely a nifty little motor! N52s are virtually unkillable. They might piss oil like a geyser but man they are reliable. During my search I did come across one with the M Performance kit, but it was pre-LCI, auto and silver. Think I'll be happy with this spec though!
I wouldn't say unkillable, they're still a BMW after all lol! I'd say you made the right choice, LCI is the way to go in my opinion over pre and the black headliner on an Msport is a big bonus too
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Interior looks super clean for the mileage, congrats on the find! N52'a don't have as much grunt but they are still fun to drive. It'll complement the M3 great.
I think so too. I see these in a similar light to the E46 ZHP. Won’t be throwing anyone back in their seat, but make a great companion daily to the big brother M3.
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Welcome to the greatest chassis BMW has ever made. I have no bias whatsoever...
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Welcome to the greatest chassis BMW has ever made. I have no bias whatsoever...
Never driven the E9X M3. I'm scared to because I know I'll buy one as soon as I try it. Once I get my own house with a garage that will be the first addition. Idk if it's sacrilegious but I think the DCT version would be neat
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Never driven the E9X M3. I'm scared to because I know I'll buy one as soon as I try it. Once I get my own house with a garage that will be the first addition. Idk if it's sacrilegious but I think the DCT version would be neat
Well boy do I have a treat for you then lol. The DCT is phenomenal. Next time you're in the area you can take it for a drive!
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Well boy do I have a treat for you then lol. The DCT is phenomenal. Next time you're in the area you can take it for a drive!
No kidding, I would absolutely take you up on that offer?! If I'm ever down that way I'll have to make sure I bring the E46 for you to test drive
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No kidding, I would absolutely take you up on that offer?! If I'm ever down that way I'll have to make sure I bring the E46 for you to test drive
"Milwaukee is too far" "I don't want to put miles on my car"
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"Milwaukee is too far" "I don't want to put miles on my car"
Says the guy who missed out on the free BMW UDE AutoX event because he didn’t want to drive 50 min…
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Says the guy who missed out on the free BMW UDE AutoX event because he didn’t want to drive 50 min…
"Milwaukee is too far" "I don't want to put miles on my car"
I bet you guys are a real show to have together in person lol!
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I bet you guys are a real show to have together in person lol!
Constant shit talking and making fun of others decisions. Its always a hoot.
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@pynacl I’ll be down at the tail this weekend on Sunday lol. Want to jam???? We have a cabin if you need a place to crash
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So I don't know a lot about the e90 chassis, but what does LCI mean? Was that a mid-chassis update? Kind of like early to late e30's?
I know I could google this easily, but it's not important enough to me to search through search results.
Life Cycle Impulse. So it's a mid generation face lift. On some cars it's more dramatic than others. On the e90 it was new front bumper, headlights, taillights, hood, kidneys, wheel options and I believe it moved the iDrive to the CIC unit. The LCI models also introduced the option for an M Sport as opposed to pre-LCI that had the sport package and optional M Performance bumpers that could be installed after delivery. It also dropped the N54 later in the LCI for the N55. It's mostly cosmetic.
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Made the drive from Orlando to Minneapolis! Trip was great besides a small hiccup with the Hampton hotel in Asheville, NC. Rolled into town deliriously tired at 1:30am, only to find they didn't clean the room prior to our arrival and the previous tenants decided to piss the bed. They put a fresh comforter over about 2 gallons of piss soaked mattress. Did I accidentally lay in it? Yup! Piss out of luck they say. We did get the room for pee... I mean free. So pissed. In all seriousness they did refund the room and put us up in some cots.
The car was great, but not without issue, it's a BMW after all. Threw an ABS/DSC/Brake light about 2hrs in. Luckily brought my scanner with and turned out to be a rear wheel speed sensor, so thank god its just that. Otherwise car handled the trip perfectly. Here's a shot at a scenic overlook right before hopping on Tail of the Dragon
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