Teezoh's M135i

[Teezoh]

Hey gents, hope you’re all doing well!

It’s been a hot minute since I’ve shared anything about the car, and I just realized I don’t even have a dedicated thread for her. So here we are - kicking things off and keeping it updated for all the shenanigans and upgrades to come.

A Bit of Backstory​

(If you’re just here for the juicy recent updates, skip to the “Xcede Spa Day” section!)

I spent a long time searching for an M135i before I found her. Sure, I had the budget for the M140i, but I wanted the pre-LCI M135i. Long story short, it’s a sentimental thing - it links back to my dad, so the connection runs deep.

Yes, there’s an eternal debate between the B58 and N55. Sure, the B58 makes more power. But let’s be real: the N55 wins hands down when it comes to pure auditory bliss. (Fight me.)

Along the way, I learned a thing or two about the N55, especially the PWG vs. EWG debate. I was laser-focused on finding an EWG and might’ve missed out on some great PWG deals. But then later I met Ashley from Xcede, and man, his PWG 135i is an absolute monster. He taught me it’s less about the car and more about the tuner’s skill and ethics that’ll help you hit your goals.

The Purchase​

When we moved to Cape Town, one of my contacts in Joburg called me about a clean M135i that had just landed. It checked all my boxes - and even a few “planned mod” boxes. Buying a modded car can be risky, but I decided to ride the faith wave. She came with the gorgeous 768M rims I had dreamed of, and that sealed the deal.

Within a month, she was booked at Wulf for software. I have a thread on here with that whole story but this was faith guiding me to Xcede. That’s where I met Ashley, and the rest is history.

Fast Forward to December 2024​

Nine months in (don’t worry, no babies were made), I found myself back in Kempton visiting old friends. Despite the endless rain, the car performed like a champ there.

Just before heading back to Cape Town, I realized she needed new tyres. Cue a chaotic day:

1. Burned off the old rubber in a completely responsible manner on private roads with no sea cucumbers in sight.
2. Got to the tyre shop, only to find they didn’t have the front set we’d booked.
3. After a frustrating wait, they finally installed the rear tyres but sent us elsewhere for alignment.
4. The alignment shop flagged a minor issue with a lower control arm. At that point, I was beyond gatvol and just wanted to get home.

We made the 12-hour drive back to Cape Town without a hitch. She averaged 8.9L/100km at 114.4 km/h - a solid performance in my books. Back here in Cape Town, I opened her up a bit on a quick shop run (sport mode, meth on, paddles rocking, in my own world), first, second and the moment I hit third there was an ominous pop, loud AF and not the pop the meth creates. Cue LIMP mode and a drivetrain error. Fantastic.

Ashley to the rescue again - she was booked in for some much-needed TLC and what I now call the “Xcede Spa Day.”

Xcede Spa Day​

Here’s what went down:

• LIMP mode fix: Misfire on cylinder 6 was the code I got with a quick scan before she went in. It was due to two dead coil packs and one failed injector. Replaced and sorted.
• Front lower control arms: Installed new ones with fresh bushes.
  
• PCV whine: Replaced the tappet cover because the whine was driving me nuts and I thought well, while Ashley is in there.
  
  
• Roof wrap: Ashley hooked me up with a gloss-black roof wrap - looks incredible.
  
• Detailing: Treated her to a 2-stage detail. These guys were working till 8 PM, and the results speak for themselves.
  
• Driver side door: Was not locking, new actuator lock fitted and sorted
  
• 2 New tyres in the front: Just in time as the old set started cracking on the inside wall
• Breakfluid service indicator came up: Sorted

Oh, and just when we thought we were in the clear, they found a buckle in both of the front rims when fitting the tyres. Classic. But we went all-in, checking all four rims and then fixing all four rims and doing a proper alignment.



She’s back now, looking like a million bucks, shining like a disco ball, and performing better than ever.

What’s Next?​

• CTS coil set
• Upgraded fuel pump
• Hybrid turbo
• Intercooler

Stay tuned - it’s only going to get wilder from here.

 

[Greenz]

Looking sharp!Glad she is all sorted and healthy again though it sounds like your pocket had an overly festive festive season🥲

 

[Teezoh]

Looking sharp!Glad she is all sorted and healthy again though it sounds like your pocket had an overly festive festive season🥲

Thanks! Yeah, but luckily I was saving up for the turbo, maintenance and upkeep first though.

 

[Sabretooth tiger]

Car looks great bro. I take it you on the R5k call out list now

 

[Teezoh]

Car looks great bro. I take it you on the R5k call out list now

Thanks man! Nope, their standards must be high hey, still waiting for the calls...

 

[Pisancho]

Nice. I also had misfires on mine. Was plugs and coils. My Stage 1 hybrid turbo is pretty much a stock EWG turbo as I am PWG. I'm still on the stock intercooler, I normally do a quick pull here and there so haven't been in a rush to do it. I am planning to do more upgrades in a year or 2 but i haven't decided yet as my main concern is the transmission. I know guys are pushing big power on the ZF8 but I don't have info on how long the trans lasts.

If i can find a reputable company that can build up the trans I would go straight to a Pure 750 turbo with all the supporting mods to push 370 plus kw on pump fuel as I don't want the hassle of doing port or charge pipe injection. Bearings I will be doing sometime this year to get ACL bearings fitted and King for the main ones for peace of mind but it probably isn't necessary.

 

[70007]

Love that rear view look on the lift. Your car looks awesome! I thought its been a while since I saw your car, now I know why. Enjoy!

 

[Teezoh]

Nice. I also had misfires on mine. Was plugs and coils. My Stage 1 hybrid turbo is pretty much a stock EWG turbo as I am PWG. I'm still on the stock intercooler, I normally do a quick pull here and there so haven't been in a rush to do it. I am planning to do more upgrades in a year or 2 but i haven't decided yet as my main concern is the transmission. I know guys are pushing big power on the ZF8 but I don't have info on how long the trans lasts.

If i can find a reputable company that can build up the trans I would go straight to a Pure 750 turbo with all the supporting mods to push 370 plus kw on pump fuel as I don't want the hassle of doing port or charge pipe injection. Bearings I will be doing sometime this year to get ACL bearings fitted and King for the main ones for peace of mind but it probably isn't necessary.

Regarding the trans, the torque is the actual thing to watch/keep in mind when boosting the power. There are guys running 700+nm without any slipping even though the 8HP45 is only rated for 450nm on paper.

As a cooling alternative, go with meth - it's wonderful and adds loads of oemf

 

[Pisancho]

Regarding the trans, the torque is the actual thing to watch/keep in mind when boosting the power. There are guys running 700+nm without any slipping even though the 8HP45 is only rated for 450nm on paper.

As a cooling alternative, go with meth - it's wonderful and adds loads of oemf

Cool. Any guys you know running with say 700Nm that have had their trans last more than 3 years? If I can get like 350kw with 650Nm I would be happy. Even 600Nm with 350kw would be a damn fast car. Just that torque plays a role in the power also with the RPMs. We are also rwd so as long as you arent running wide tyres I guess the trans should hold fine. And if the torque is too large will probably be just spinning tyres everywhere lol.

Which turbo are you going for? Whats your target power goals?

 

[AshG108]

I had my M135i running 630nm on the wheel, and then I added a few more mods and the transmission was absolutely fine. I did do the ZF service as soon as I got the car preventatively before I did any mods, the gearbox was in good condition and then modding began and I drove it with the 630+wnm for just close to 3 years. Sold the car and the gearbox is still holding up great and the car was remapped again before selling and it was even more powerful...and the new owner has no complaints and his feedback till now is the gearbox and engine is still running as smooth as when we did the sale and that was just over a year and 7 months.

I can safely say that the gearbox can handle the power well...mind you I also did no upgrades to the gearbox at all except the ZF service and xHP software (I had stage 4).

 

[Teezoh]

Cool. Any guys you know running with say 700Nm that have had their trans last more than 3 years? If I can get like 350kw with 650Nm I would be happy. Even 600Nm with 350kw would be a damn fast car. Just that torque plays a role in the power also with the RPMs. We are also rwd so as long as you arent running wide tyres I guess the trans should hold fine. And if the torque is too large will probably be just spinning tyres everywhere lol.

Which turbo are you going for? Whats your target power goals?

See @AshG108 reply, they hold up well if you do the maintenance the car needs.

Turbo will be done by Ashley from Xcede and I'm not chasing any numbers at all since she's never even set rubber on the rollers to date. You can tune for a Dyno queen chasing numbers or you can tune for real-world performance and the way you personally drive, I opt for the latter.

Besides the trans holding up fine, when doing XHP (and you should) you also have options to limit the torque per gear if you're putting down too much power on launch.

Updates:​

CTS coil set - ordered
100% Meth - collected, no more 50/50 mixing, just need to pick up an extinguisher before filling the tank
Yellow DRLs - ordered
Sequential indicators - ordered

 

[Mytfine]

Overseas they are using the zf 8 speed in various conversions with big horsepower numbers and little issues reported.

 

[Venom23]

Car looks great man

 

[Teezoh]

Hey Gents, little update on the car.

So, after the usual afternoon chaos of a school run, traffic, and questioning my life decisions yesterday, I finally made it to Xcede at 15:00 sharp-ish. Cape Town traffic did its thing, but at least I wasn’t late enough to need a pit lane penalty.

Straight to business - CTS Performance Coils installed! The Xcede crew made it look easier than changing a diaper. And trust me, I’ve been in both situations. One smells like regret; the other smells like horsepower.



While I was there, I told Ash we’d tackle the Yellow DRL change & sequential indicators later. Why? Because getting to those boards under the headlights on a pre-LCI is a mission fit for NASA. Not today, stress.

Ash took the car for a quick test pull. Seeing (and hearing) her from the outside was something else. The N55 was singing, and I suddenly understood why people stand outside car meets with their phones out.

Driving home, I instantly felt the difference. Turns out I had just adapted to my dying coils like a bad relationship. Now? She’s alive. Throttle response is so sharp it could slice through my grocery bill.

Bonus: The CTS Coils actually look good. Not that anyone will see them, but it's the car equivalent of having designer underwear. No one knows, but you feel faster.

Future plans? Turbo upgrade is still on the list, but lately, I’ve been eyeing an F80 M3. The negotiation phase with the wifey has begun. Talks are ongoing, no casualties yet.

Cosmetic changes are booked with Ash in two weeks, so stay tuned. Until then, hope you enjoyed the read.

 

[Pisancho]

Hey Gents, little update on the car.

So, after the usual afternoon chaos of a school run, traffic, and questioning my life decisions yesterday, I finally made it to Xcede at 15:00 sharp-ish. Cape Town traffic did its thing, but at least I wasn’t late enough to need a pit lane penalty.

Straight to business - CTS Performance Coils installed! The Xcede crew made it look easier than changing a diaper. And trust me, I’ve been in both situations. One smells like regret; the other smells like horsepower.

View attachment 27427

While I was there, I told Ash we’d tackle the Yellow DRL change & sequential indicators later. Why? Because getting to those boards under the headlights on a pre-LCI is a mission fit for NASA. Not today, stress.

Ash took the car for a quick test pull. Seeing (and hearing) her from the outside was something else. The N55 was singing, and I suddenly understood why people stand outside car meets with their phones out.

Driving home, I instantly felt the difference. Turns out I had just adapted to my dying coils like a bad relationship. Now? She’s alive. Throttle response is so sharp it could slice through my grocery bill.

Bonus: The CTS Coils actually look good. Not that anyone will see them, but it's the car equivalent of having designer underwear. No one knows, but you feel faster.

Future plans? Turbo upgrade is still on the list, but lately, I’ve been eyeing an F80 M3. The negotiation phase with the wifey has begun. Talks are ongoing, no casualties yet.

Cosmetic changes are booked with Ash in two weeks, so stay tuned. Until then, hope you enjoyed the read.

Very nice. What are the pros of the coils? Do they last longer? I don't understand the performance gain with them. I would get the F80 if possible, you would put a hybrid turbo for example just to get the same power as the M3. Hvae to change a lot of things to hit like 370KW which was what a stage 2 M3 would do. Unless the car is paid off then dropping 100k on an upgraded fuel pump, stage 3 hyrbid from Stallion and the extras would make sense. Limiting the torque to even 600Nm to protect your ZF would still net you around 330KW which is plently for your car.

 

[Teezoh]

Very nice. What are the pros of the coils? Do they last longer? I don't understand the performance gain with them. I would get the F80 if possible, you would put a hybrid turbo for example just to get the same power as the M3. Hvae to change a lot of things to hit like 370KW which was what a stage 2 M3 would do. Unless the car is paid off then dropping 100k on an upgraded fuel pump, stage 3 hyrbid from Stallion and the extras would make sense. Limiting the torque to even 600Nm to protect your ZF would still net you around 330KW which is plently for your car.

Hey, so from my understanding:

Stronger Spark:
High-performance ignition coils are designed to deliver a more powerful and consistent spark to the spark plugs.

Improved Engine Performance:
This stronger spark translates to more complete combustion, resulting in better throttle response, increased power output, and smoother acceleration.

Enhanced Reliability:
Built with higher-quality materials than stock coils, reducing the chances of misfires and failures.

To make something clear, it did not make my car faster all of a sudden. The difference I'm feeling is simply moving away from dying coils to fresh ones. To take full advantage of the CTS coils though you could increase the gap on the plugs, specifically when running 1 step or 2 step colder (I do) along with a more aggressive ignition map on your tune.

 

[Pisancho]

Hey, so from my understanding:

Stronger Spark:
High-performance ignition coils are designed to deliver a more powerful and consistent spark to the spark plugs.

Improved Engine Performance:
This stronger spark translates to more complete combustion, resulting in better throttle response, increased power output, and smoother acceleration.

Enhanced Reliability:
Built with higher-quality materials than stock coils, reducing the chances of misfires and failures.

To make something clear, it did not make my car faster all of a sudden. The difference I'm feeling is simply moving away from dying coils to fresh ones. To take full advantage of the CTS coils though you could increase the gap on the plugs, specifically when running 1 step or 2 step colder (I do) along with a more aggressive ignition map on your tune.

Makes sense. I have 1 step colder plugs coz of the higher boost from the hybrid. Did change the car feel. Yours look sick though!

 

[Teezoh]

Heya gents,

Long time no see. I thought I’d share what’s new, how the plan evolved and where this ride is headed.

1. Sequential Indicators​

1. Installed blacked‑out sequential indicators. YouTube makes it look easy, but removing mirrors after years of sitting there turned into a wrestling match. Both mirrors shattered on extraction, like kak in ’n wolkombers.
2. Passenger side replaced; driver side on order and should arrive next week.
3. Verdict: they match the car’s look perfectly, but I hate not seeing the flash inside because the new mirror edges don’t light up. I might revert to stock.

2. Performance​

1. After stints at Wulf and Xcede for tuning, I was torn about switching to MHD.
2. Reached out to a European tuner to nail down the hardware path. The plan is a BorgWarner S257 bottom‑mount kit targeting 550 to 600 whp. Bottom‑mount keeps the engine bay looking OEM‑clean, which I love.
3. This morning I finally bit the bullet with MHD. I ordered the VAG adapter yesterday, it showed up today, and within 20 minutes I was running.
4. MHD perks include map switching for every mood, brap and anti‑lag on tap, plus logging that actually tells you what’s happening. Running an S2+ map feels noticeably quicker than Xcede’s. Full disclosure: if I’d told Ash I didn’t care about stock turbo safety limits, they could have hit similar power I guess. But now that I’m here, I’m stoked.

3. Cosmetics​

1. The black roof has become skoolgelde. I want an OEM‑plus look again (I think, idk): remove the wrap, lose the canards (even though they help with the 763 19" wheels), and decide on wheel color. Gloss black, paint‑match white or standard silver.
2. Work’s been hectic so the car’s been parked more than driven, which makes cosmetic overthinking even worse.

What’s Next​

• Finalise the mirror decision once the driver side arrives.
• Lock in the hardware timeline for the BorgWarner kit. This year or next, it’s happening.
• Pick a wheel finish and either peel the wrap or commit to the black roof.

That’s the latest from my corner. Thoughts, feedback or wild recommendations are welcome. Always helps to hear your take.

 

[AshG108]

Cool update dude, if you don't have an interior removal kit already....order one. They help massively when ding removal jobs on the car.
Secondly, my car I kept OEM+ if you want to call it that...I would day remove the white roof and carnards...get an MPerf front spoiler to give the car a new look, it really REALLY transforms the look of the M135i.

With the wheels, stay with gloss black or try the CS colour I had on my CS wheels. THey go well with many additions on the cosmetic side...although the M2 CS gold wheels are really something else too!!! Have been seeing a few cars recently, the CS models also have a good colour too....maybe they will work well?

Send a video on the braaap activation

 

[Greenz]

Remove wrap+lose canard.

The dark wheels go nicely with your skirts and front lip.