The Silent Assassin 320d M Sport

[jay8732]

I finally got round to the detail I've been planning. Took much advice from forum members here - you know who you are

I spent 9 hours on the Friday, another 1.5 hours on the Saturday and another 2 hours on the Sunday. The method is broken down below for reference in case anyone is interested:

Friday activities
Foam wash with Clean Green and rinse
Snow foam wash with Carchem Snow Foam and rinse
Shampoo wash with Clean Green and rinse
Decontamination wash with DNA-e Iron Extreme and rinse
Clay bar (Shield) using Clean Green as a lubricant
Snow foam wash with Carchem Snow Foam and rinse
Shampoo wash with Carchem Shampoo and rinse
Dry the car
Polish using Menzerna Medium Cut Polish 2400 - I bought a Tork Craft Random Orbital Polisher machine. Its nothing pro but better than by hand. I used a Waxedshine medium pad.
Wax and buff using Collinite Liquid Insulator Wax 845 - this was the first coat. I let this coat cure for about 15 hours.

Saturday Activities
Snow foam wash with Carchem Snow Foam
Rinse and dry
Wax and buff - 24 hour cure

Sunday activities
Snow foam wash with Carchem Snow Foam and rinse
Sealant with Waxedshine Aquabead - super easy to apply - you literally spray a mist on to a panel at a time while still wet, count to 10 and rinse off - that is it. I know this is a sacrificial layer as it won't bond well with the wax, but hoping it will provide some protection to the wax and allow the wax coating to last a little longer. I am applying it with each wash as a top up. Will see how it goes but thus far the results are good, shine and beading is there.

Lessons learnt - firstly its a lot of work - although I really enjoy the DIY so that is OK for me but be aware. It was something I've wanted to do and now I've done it. Products (Shampoo, Snow Foam and tyre dressing I had, I bought the clay bar kit + Iron Extreme + Wax + Sealant + foam applicator pads) plus the polisher and pads (smaller backing plate + 2 cutting pads) cost me R3300. The polisher is a once off and some of the products are multiple use products - especially the wax will last a long time. Next lesson, I could have spent more time on the polishing, but being my first time I did not want to go to hard and make a mess of it. Overall, very happy with the results.

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Shucks, car looks mint! Still need to get the side skirt extensions for mine.

What did you do with your old tail lights?

 

[Salt]

Shucks, car looks mint! Still need to get the side skirt extensions for mine.

What did you do with your old tail lights?

Thanks a mil.

Another forum member bought them from me

 

[Salt]

Hey all! Wanted to share this...just had to!

@YasserIsmail kindly did this little video for me - such skill and so much potential! Please also check out his Youtube page below - and most importantly - like and subscribe - we must support local folks! Currently on 404 subscribers - let's get it to 450 and boost a forum member working to build out community!

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
The Carbon Connection <----------------- CLICK THERE
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[Salt]

Hello everyone. I hope all are well.

Two updates I would like to share

This is one I thought about for some time, and pulled the trigger on in November last year. I took it to a local company and they wrapped the fuel door for me with 3M carbon fibre look wrap. I think it came out exceptionally. I realize this is not everyone's cup of tea but I totally dig it and it certainly looks even better in real life. Its not completely in your face, but sort of subtle yet there.





The second update I will share in a separate post.

 

[Salt]

I acquired an OEM 320d M Performance exhaust end of last year. The exhaust was pretty new still, and in excellent condition. It has the Active Sound system on the exhaust as well. I did not connect the Active Sound module however. My car already has the downpipe done, so with the M Performance exhaust installed the only silencer of sort is the smallish resonator that is on the M Performance exhaust now(see below). The car does smoke a little more now when opening up the throttle, but that was to be expected. With normal driving and in Comfort mode, you can hear the car sounds a little deeper but nothing crazy when driving normally. When pressing the 'go faster' pedal down, and especially in Sport mode - you can hear the difference. So for me, its best of both worlds - nothing crazy when driving relaxed, but a clear increase in exhaust sound when giving it horns. It also looks stax better - the slightly bigger and better looking M Performance tips just looks great. We just did a 3000km trip and droning was not an issue for anyone in the car on the trip. I will post a link to a YouTube video with the sound in the next post.

 

[Salt]

So following on from my post above - here is the link to the video. Best to listen to it with head/ear phones - a phone or PC speakers really doesn't do it justice and even then it still doesn't quite sound as good as it does in real life. It was recorded from inside the car with the one front and one back window open. Its really not the best recording but the best I could do and really wanted to share the results with everyone. Again, probably not everyone's taste but I am really enjoying it. The car was in sport mode for the recording.

 

[CK4LIFE]

What an amazing sound... nice one Salt..

 

[FiRi@Rennzport]

Sounds good

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

 

[///M Individual]

Sounds very nice bud. Well done!

 

[Salt]

Thanks for the feedback, appreciate.

 

[Salt]

Hey all. Just a quick update...

Car reached 150 000km this week - no regrets.


I ordered some number plate magnets and two other goodies from @Rennzport - thanks Firi. I fitted new door projector lights and I installed the sequential side mirror indicators. One evening in the week I quickly removed the front bumper and installed the magnets. While removing the wheel arch liner I noticed the dried marks of a fluid leak - front control arm/thrust rod bushing. I ordered two new ones from BMW and installed them today.





Even though only the one was leaking you can see below the other side was already cracked anyway - best to do both in these scenarios. This also prompted me to schedule a suspension refresh over the next few months to replace all the control arms.


I've got a really nice upgrade loading...hoping to get it done within the next week. And then a nice list of maintenance items coming up too.

 

[FiRi@Rennzport]

Thanks for the support again @Salt

Sent from my SM-S908E using Tapatalk

 

[Salt]

So something that has been on mind for while now was the brakes on the car. I never really felt the stock brakes were that great, and I've tried a set of EBC Red Stuff pads up front but that didn't make any difference for me. Also, for me that stock calipers really didn't do anything for the car looks wise. So I've looked around for a while but never pulled the trigger on the upgrade. Recently the rear brakes were up for new pads and discs and I thought now is the chance to relook at the upgrade. Long story short, I found a set of blue M Sport calipers, bought new discs, pads and sensors from BMW Midrand and got the upgrade done. Besides for the actual changing of parts coding was also done. In essence I've gone from 312mm discs with a single piston caliper up front and 300mm discs and a single piston caliper at the back to 340mm discs with 4 piston calipers up front and 345mm discs with a two piston caliper at the back. Besides for the increased braking performance which was key for me, they also look the part which is awesome. It was not a cheap upgrade but to me it was worth it.

 

[Salt]

Again just updating the records again:

In terms of mechanical work, preventative maintenance and servicing done since I took ownership:
New front brake disks and pads - 11/2019
Major service including V Belt - 02/2020
Front shocks replaced - 02/2020
Both front door locks replaced - 02/2020
AC system discharged and re-gassed - 02/2020
Cooling system bled, checked for leaks and refilled - 02/2020
Both front thrust rods replaced - 02/2020
ZF Gearbox service - 07/2020
Stage 2 tune - 07/2020
Downpipe - 08/2020
Boost seals replaced - 10/2020
New rear brake pads & wear sensor - 10/2020
Oil service - 10/2020
Brake fluid service - 10/2020
Oil service - 05/2021
New front brakes (EBC Yellow Stuff) & wear sensor - 05/2021
Cabin Filter & Air Filter changed - 05/2021
Oil & Fuel filter service - 11/2021
Rear Diff Oil Service - 11/2021
Both front forward/lower control arms replaced with OEM - 03/2022
Oil service - 03/2022
Cabin and Air filters changed - 03/2022
Brake fluid service - 04/2022

Mechanical/Performance upgrades:
OEM M Performance Exhaust System installed.
OEM Blue M Sport Brake System installed.

Visual mods/care:
Dual slat kidney grilles gloss black
M Perf style boot spoiler gloss black
M Perf style diffuser gloss black
M Perf style side skirt extensions gloss black
M Perf style side skirt vinyl - matt black
M Perf style front lip gloss black
Resprayed honeycomb grilles gloss black
M logo on exhaust tips
New number plates
V Braces wrapped in blue vinyl
Steering Wheel insert wrapped in blue vinyl
Gearlever insert wrapped in blue vinyl
405M Style rep 19" rims
M logo door projector lights
M4 style mirror caps gloss black
Fuel Door wrapped with carbon fibre finish wrap
Partial engine bay bolt dressing in blue
OEM M Performance Blackline rear lights
OEM M Performance carpets
Full DIY paintwork decontamination, clay bar, polish and wax - the wax coating is being topped up periodically.
Smoked sequential side mirror indicators installed.
New M Logo door projector lights installed.

Coding:
Cornering fog lights
Door light reverse
Digital speedo
Lock/unlock beep
BMW i warning chimes
BMW i ring tone
Rear DRL
Window interruption cancel
Sport Displays in red
Start/Stop cancel
iDrive M animation
Instrument Cluster M Performance Logo

I am planning another ZF gearbox service, Carbon Doctor walnut blast intake clean and XHP in June. Also considering getting the front bumper and bonnet a fresh coat of paint at BMW and doing a PPF film on it. I cannot deal with the stone chips anymore. I should have done the wrap when BMW resprayed the front bumper due to the clear coat lifting last year and regret not doing it now. Still pondering the red interior...but will only do that if I know I can sell the current interior to off set some of the cost. And then definitely doing the upgrade on the iDrive screen soon. Car runs well, pulls well and still enjoying it thoroughly. I am doing oil services every 10 000km and of course the major service every 3rd one. The air and cabin filters I change myself and also not only at every major service. For major services I get BMW to change the fuel filter along with the oil and oil filter. I have a little pile of stock OEM parts now - stock twin pipe exhaust, stock exhaust tips, stock grey mirror caps, stock door projector lights, stock carpets and stock brake calipers.

 

[Venter_N55]

clean looking car dude





+

 

[Salt]

clean looking car dude





+

Thanks appreciate!

 

[Salt]

A few pics of the car with the current rims on

 

[Gordvisr]

Looking good Salt

 

[///M Individual]

Looks stunning bud!

 

[modocrat]

Pepper looking good, Salt.