<![CDATA[2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread]]>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 Adapter

Never 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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]]>https://wibimmers.com/topic/6564/2010-328i-m-sport-build-threadRSS for NodeWed, 16 Sep 2026 05:54:04 GMTTue, 27 Jul 2021 15:33:54 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Tue, 03 Feb 2026 23:10:57 GMT]]>

pynacl said:

Also bought an N54 intake manifold and plan to retrofit that when the garage is warm enough (too poor for a heater). Choosing this route over the 330 “3 stage” intake swap to avoid dealing with pesky DISA valves - the power gains are pretty similar: https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1902505

I understand modifying an N52 is relatively pointless, but I’m doing it for the sheer sport of it.

Isnt that why we are all doing BMW things?

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/123228https://wibimmers.com/post/123228Tue, 03 Feb 2026 23:10:57 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:42:23 GMT]]>Also bought an N54 intake manifold and plan to retrofit that when the garage is warm enough (too poor for a heater). Choosing this route over the 330 “3 stage” intake swap to avoid dealing with pesky DISA valves - the power gains are pretty similar: https://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1902505

I understand modifying an N52 is relatively pointless, but I’m doing it for the sheer sport of it.

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/123186https://wibimmers.com/post/123186Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:42:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:39:49 GMT]]>Found an Armaspeed carbon intake + snorkel for sale. I wanted a Gruppe M, but they’re too hard to find for the N52. Hoping the sound signature is similar!

Haven’t tested the sound yet, but fit is okay at best. It’s marketed as a 325i intake, which I thought would be identical. It seems too tall and sat slightly proud. Relocating a power steering line got it good enough to close the hood. Will be keeping my eye out for a Gruppe M in the future.

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/123185https://wibimmers.com/post/123185Tue, 20 Jan 2026 16:39:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:25:11 GMT]]>Very cool! I don't remember seeing that in the accessory catalog.

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/123113https://wibimmers.com/post/123113Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:25:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:19:14 GMT]]>Little winter storage update, I found a pretty rare part I had to buy. These things have been NLA for like a decade and rarely pop up, because honestly who the hell would buy an OEM carbon brace for a 328i.

Engine bay is filthy I know

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/123093https://wibimmers.com/post/123093Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:19:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:39:23 GMT]]>Was really dreading this job, but the headliner finally gave out and started dangling - well at least the sunshade part. The rear was also sagging super badly. I ordered new OEM-like fabric, some glue, and got to work. Turned out 8/10, good enough, but definitely is a learning curve to this process and there are a few areas I caused a wrinkle, didn't apply enough glue, or didn't sand off enough of the old adhesive. Once all the trim, door seals, grab handles etc were reinstalled it looks nearly perfect though.

The job itself was super tedious. After wrestling it for quit some time I realized the headliner is removable by folding the front seats back and sliding out the rear driver door while slightly folding it in a "U" shape.

Car just turned over 150k miles

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/122006https://wibimmers.com/post/122006Tue, 15 Jul 2025 05:39:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Sat, 31 May 2025 19:30:49 GMT]]>Fantastic, cool you can convert to folding rear seats as well.

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/121649https://wibimmers.com/post/121649Sat, 31 May 2025 19:30:49 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Thu, 22 May 2025 16:17:36 GMT]]>Saddle is one of the best e90 interiors in my opinion, looks great with the black!

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/121568https://wibimmers.com/post/121568Thu, 22 May 2025 16:17:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Wed, 21 May 2025 17:05:29 GMT]]>I really wanted to find a saddle brown or coral red interior to swap into the E90, but there were some limitations I learned:

- needs be from an LCI car due to the additional headrest restraint system

- needs to be sport with the thigh rest

I searched locally for the better part of a year and turned up empty handed. So I opted to do the insane thing and buy a second E90 with all the parts I wanted, and did the swap. The one big challenge here is that my seats are manual bases, which I wanted to keep. Turns out the only way to do this is to strip the seats down to the bare frame and swap the foam, leather, electronics over. Overall was an absolute pain in the ass, but worth it I think.

With the swap I also got heated seats, rear split folding seats (which I did not have before!) rear door sunshades, and a power sunshade rear deck out of it.

Donor car:

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Swap:

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/121565https://wibimmers.com/post/121565Wed, 21 May 2025 17:05:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Sat, 24 Aug 2024 23:15:27 GMT]]>Ive put a 1000 trouble free miles on it. Seems like the new battery and new FRM fixed this cars woes. These E90s are really great - cheap, easy to work on, fun to drive 6MT, okay to get a little banged up by two goldens.

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119522https://wibimmers.com/post/119522Sat, 24 Aug 2024 23:15:27 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:50:35 GMT]]>

m42b32 said:

This is the first I'm hearing of it, has it basically made protool useless? I still use it for fixing things on my wife's Mini so it would suck to have the diagnostic functionality gone...

I hadn’t heard about it either but it’s not the only place those resources were available either, just the most public.

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119109https://wibimmers.com/post/119109Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:50:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:03:23 GMT]]>

pynacl said:

My understanding is the legal actions only impacted them hosting their "Standard Tools" package - aka Inpa, NCSExpert, WinKPF for those folks that like to do it raw. I don't think it impacted their ProTool because that is using closed-sourced, proprietary software. Although I would put money on them using parts of the BMW IP code in their product. Looks like they still sell it and support it though

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Ah ok that makes more sense, I forgot they had hosted those.

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119106https://wibimmers.com/post/119106Wed, 10 Jul 2024 14:03:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Wed, 10 Jul 2024 05:53:34 GMT]]>

m42b32 said:

This is the first I'm hearing of it, has it basically made protool useless? I still use it for fixing things on my wife's Mini so it would suck to have the diagnostic functionality gone...

My understanding is the legal actions only impacted them hosting their "Standard Tools" package - aka Inpa, NCSExpert, WinKPF for those folks that like to do it raw. I don't think it impacted their ProTool because that is using closed-sourced, proprietary software. Although I would put money on them using parts of the BMW IP code in their product. Looks like they still sell it and support it though

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119105https://wibimmers.com/post/119105Wed, 10 Jul 2024 05:53:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Tue, 09 Jul 2024 18:32:36 GMT]]>

pynacl said:

Aside from the fact the FRM came from an E9X M3 and the previous owner (who I can only imagine has dog shit for brains) had coded it to turn on the high beams when the headlight switch was set to off (position 2) - this literally took me weeks of wire tracing and headaches only to figure out it was coded that way...

I chuckled at this, but also thought of reasons it may have been that way (possibly aftermarket headlights wired incorrectly or halos wired as high beams). All in all I'm glad you got it sorted!

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119099https://wibimmers.com/post/119099Tue, 09 Jul 2024 18:32:36 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Tue, 09 Jul 2024 14:06:12 GMT]]>

pynacl said:

If you didn't know, Bimmergeeks, who used to host the resources was hit with a cease and desist from BMW NA and removed access to things like Inpa, WinKPF, NCSExpert, along with all the sp-daten files for all the different chassis.

This is the first I'm hearing of it, has it basically made protool useless? I still use it for fixing things on my wife's Mini so it would suck to have the diagnostic functionality gone...

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119095https://wibimmers.com/post/119095Tue, 09 Jul 2024 14:06:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:25:41 GMT]]>After a few weeks of research, forum perusing, and tinkering I finally fixed the electrical problems with the E90. I believe this all stemmed from the battery. 2 years ago I replaced the battery with a factory equivalent 90ah AGM unit. I forgot to use a coding tool to tell the car it was an AGM battery, and according to some stuff I've read the power output of the two types is slightly different. Without the coding, it can cause subtle voltage spikes to flow through the car's various ECUs. Long story short, through forgetting to code it and harsh winter storage, that battery caused quite the issues, namely frying my front footwell module.

Some symptoms of a failed FRM are: no power windows, no central locking system, headlights permanently on, no interior lights, no 6MT hill assist, no blinkers, amongst a very illuminated dash, and a host of other issues.

To fix it I had to buy a replacement FRM and go scouring the internet for the coding tools. If you didn't know, Bimmergeeks, who used to host the resources was hit with a cease and desist from BMW NA and removed access to things like Inpa, WinKPF, NCSExpert, along with all the sp-daten files for all the different chassis. After days of digging / testing I got my laptop setup and coded a new FRM - surprisingly it all worked like a charm! Aside from the fact the FRM came from an E9X M3 and the previous owner (who I can only imagine has dog shit for brains) had coded it to turn on the high beams when the headlight switch was set to off (position 2) - this literally took me weeks of wire tracing and headaches only to figure out it was coded that way...

Edit: I did also send the original FRM off to an ECU repair shop, but they deemed it "un-salvageable" and could not find the issue.

The steps were:

  1. Install new FRM module in the footwell
  2. Flash the car to accept a newer FRM3 from the previous FMR2 module via WinKPF
  3. Read the VIN/car data from the CAS via NCSExpert
  4. Write the VIN/car data from the CAS to the new FRM3 module
  5. Revert some weird settings the previous FRM3 owner had via BimmerCode app
  6. Clear all faults and verify VIN matches between CAS and FRM via Inpa

Here is the car with a sweet sweet error free dash and fully working!

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119092https://wibimmers.com/post/119092Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:25:41 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:17:05 GMT]]>

Jdesign said:

Sounds like a super annoying issue. I would get a voltmeter and see if you can find the OEM voltage inputs and outputs and test for variations. Ive been there, voltage issues are a pain. 

After some testing I did find that the original source of the electrical issue was stemming from a faulty battery - I think from improper winter storage which was my fault. It was a 2022 date stamp so I was pretty surprised! Sadly since I was too lazy to test/fix this sooner, it fried the footwell module 😦

patsbimmer1 said:

Have you checked the ground strap under the car going from engine to frame?

I didn't think to check the ground strap, but after an absurd amount of testing I did figure it out finally. In the end it was more difficult to fix the damage caused by the faulty battery than it was to fix the original issue. That's what I get for being lazy!

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119091https://wibimmers.com/post/119091Mon, 08 Jul 2024 22:17:05 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:48:48 GMT]]>Have you checked the ground strap under the car going from engine to frame?

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/119090https://wibimmers.com/post/119090Mon, 08 Jul 2024 18:48:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:14:58 GMT]]>Sounds like a super annoying issue. I would get a voltmeter and see if you can find the OEM voltage inputs and outputs and test for variations. Ive been there, voltage issues are a pain.

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/118920https://wibimmers.com/post/118920Tue, 25 Jun 2024 16:14:58 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Fri, 07 Jun 2024 05:33:01 GMT]]>I will note the car does run and drive fine, but since I cannot roll the windows down for taco bell drive-thru what is the point

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/118712https://wibimmers.com/post/118712Fri, 07 Jun 2024 05:33:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Fri, 07 Jun 2024 05:31:25 GMT]]>I drove the E90 on and off through the past couple years virtually without issue... until recently. It developed a rare issue where the car would completely lose power after turning it off. A single jump start would fix it, and it would run fine again for several months. It was like it was bridging the gap of a shitty connection somewhere. I didn't think much of it, but it ended up killing the cars electronic footwell module. This ECU is supposedly very susceptible to voltage spikes killing it. Sadly this thing controls headlights, blinkers, central locking system, windows, amongst a ton of other critical stuff. I tried replacing the FRM with a used one and coding it to the car, which did work for 24hrs. Sadly, for god knows what reason, that one shit the bed too. I sent off the original FRM to an ECU repair shop, to which they pinged me today saying they could not figure out what is wrong with it. So the car sits for now

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/118711https://wibimmers.com/post/118711Fri, 07 Jun 2024 05:31:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Wed, 09 Feb 2022 00:31:20 GMT]]>

KaiserRolls said:

Sell it to me 

Ah see but then I'd have to officially take the loss of overpaying for the car! Only half joking but, I really do love this thing. It's in storage since it felt wrong to expose it to it's first winter when I have that extra parts bin of an M3 I've been driving

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/112049https://wibimmers.com/post/112049Wed, 09 Feb 2022 00:31:20 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Mon, 07 Feb 2022 03:04:53 GMT]]>Sell it to me

]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/112029https://wibimmers.com/post/112029Mon, 07 Feb 2022 03:04:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to 2010 328i M Sport // Build Thread on Sun, 06 Feb 2022 21:55:42 GMT]]>Update - it is now a barn find. Think I can register it as "chalk gray"?

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]]>https://wibimmers.com/post/112027https://wibimmers.com/post/112027Sun, 06 Feb 2022 21:55:42 GMT