I mostly just lurk on here from time to time and read IND builds, American Muscle section and Off-Topic. I use to have a 95 and 96 Maximas and well time for a change and big step up.

I work for a European repair shop in Knoxville, TN. We recently just got our dealers license back around in February. So the search started for me. I originally wanted a 2007 E90 335i in a 6-spd, but with the rare Lemon (white/black) interior combo. That was like finding a needle in a haystack.

One morning in March my boss told me there was a white on red E92 6spd in Dallas that was just put in the auction that morning. Car was being sold by a Nissan dealer. Being that it was put in the auction that morning there was no pictures, no condition report or anything. I was gonna have to watch it roll up on the block via blurry webcam. Auction listed it with 40,000 miles. I pulled a quick Autocheck on it. It came back with a high score and told me it was originally a California car. Called the dealer and requested the entire build sheet of the car.

It was mostly a 0 option car. No idrive, no heated seats, no autodimming mirror, just sport package and sunroof. It had me intrigued.

So finally around lunch time the car comes rolling up on the auction block. From what I can see since the camera is setup on the ceiling looking down onto the car. It appeared to have a front lip or Mtech package. And it had some black wheels. The auctioneer claimed it was a Mtech equipped car, but the build sheet I had said it wasn't. I was a bit puzzled. And the black wheels I chalked it up to some spray painted factories.

So the bidding begins and it starts right at my limit. One bid. I debate for a minute that it's right at my limit do I want to get into a bidding war? I bid an extra $100 over original bid. Nobody comes back, not even the original bidder. The auctioneer is trying his damnedest to get another bidder going. After what felt like at least a minute he finally dropped the hammer, sold to me. I was excited, but nervous at the same time. Only two bids on the car. What the hell did I just buy?

We set it up for shipment. I get lucky once again. A local trucker that lives about 5 miles from me is in Dallas and heading back to Knox for a few days off. I get it shipped for $350. Most shipments I see are in the $450-500 range from Dallas. Was told it take about a week to get there and would land in Knox on Friday the day before our Cars and Coffee event we hold at the shop.

Well in typical spring fashion in the South. Some nasty storms were rolling through. The car didn't show up Friday. Trucker called saying he was trying to stay behind the storms and that it show up Saturday at 12. Saturday rolls around get another phone call saying his drop-offs in Nashville got delayed and now won't be in Knox till 3. The wait was absolutely killing me. I had our fabricator waiting cause I was going to immediately do a muffler delete when it got to the shop.

Finally 3oclock shows up and the truck turns onto our road. I'm sitting in the office and I see it on the back of the truck. I literally about fainted because of what I was looking at. Picture below is what showed up on the truck.



I was looking at a fully modified 335i that I had no idea I was getting. I yelled it has Volk TE37s!!! So much for that spray painted factory wheel theory. Then I saw the brakes. Not just front Brembo GT kit, but the backs too!

The truck driver tells me that the CB chatter was non stop about the white car on the trailer. Even a BMW dealer in Nashville was ecstatic to see it and thought it was theirs.

I called my boss and said you gotta get here your not gonna believe it. It has Brembos!! Over the phone my boss thought I was just talking it had some Brembo replacement rotors He shows up and is about as much beside himself as I am.

So I look the car over. Here is the list.

- RPi intercooler
- Burger dual cone intakes (it was missing the filters)
- Aftermarket exhaust (found out later from forums its a Britalmann with custom mufflers welded on)
- Vishnu Procede
- Alcantara headliner
- AC Schnitzer Roof spoiler
- Vorsteiner front lip
- Vorsteiner trunk spoiler
- Aluminum Pedal setup
- ZHP knob with short shift kit

So we open the trunk. And there is a box sitting in the trunk. And a set of Macht Schnell downpipes are just sitting there. We put the car up on the lift. And learned what was giving it the low stance. A set of Bilstein PSS9s, along with front and rear H&R sway bars.

Needless to say I was absolutely floored at what showed up. I love this car. Some of the paint work is not very good. I don't know if the dealer did it or if previous owner just cheapened out on paint job. You can see there's white underneath the car.

The car did need a clutch. The car needed its software updated which I did. Unfortunately I took out the Vishnu while doing it. I forgot to turn it off. I removed the Vishnu and installed a JB4 instead. One reason being is our shop is a dealer for the JB, plus I find it easier to use and just as fast as the Vishnu. Also when Autologic is hooked up to the car if JB4 is on it won't allow Autologic to read the car unlike the Vishnu. It also need a driver side taillight.

I have already put 10K on the car. I've only changed a couple things. I added a BMW performance alcantara insert for the steering wheel. And I just removed my blown thrust arms and upgraded to the M3 arms.

I currently run a 50/50 mix of E85 from time to time. Car is a complete animal. Should be in the neighborhood of 420whp/460wtq.

Future plans:

- Vorsteiner front lip is going. I don't like it, looks like a mouth guard. Plan to get a M Aero Lip

- MTech rear and convert back to just dual single tips. IMO quads don't belong on a 335i.

- M3 quarter panels. Fit the 10.5" wide Volks underneath the car and run a proper tire.

- Powder coat the wheels gunmetal/hyper black. I can't stand black wheels. They just fade away in any picture. Just not my thing.

- All M3 control arms installed


Thanks for reading my story.
Cliffs: I bought a 2007 BMW 335i 6spd, no idea what I was getting, stole this modified beast. Lucky mofo

Downpipes in box


6pot Brembos


4pot Brembos


PSS9s


Alcantara Headliner


AC Schnitzer roof spoiler. Black dirt on it


Vorsteiner trunk spoiler


Britalmann exhaust w/custom mufflers


Pedals, ZHP knob, Coral red interior


RPi front mount


Removing black from roundels


The day the car showed up at the shop. It was Alpine White mania.


Here's a video my buddy took the day I got the car. Shifter came off in my hand. Clips were broken Funny listening to this video now, the exhaust is quite tame compared to how the car is now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHSe...e_gdata_player

Cell phone pic




Downpipes in


Quick vid I made the other day with my phone, just messing around.

M3 thrust arm installed


Cell phone pic. Car cleaned up with some Zaino on it.


Mine and my bro's 335i.

 

Pictures by Connor (MiniD)

 

Great read!

 

This car is an animal.

 

WTF!

I can't even buy a loaf of bread without studying it or else I get screwed ... you get a car completely blind and it's goddam Christmas.

Beautiful car!

 

WoWz.... that was lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnng

 

Huge Congrats!
Love to hear a story like that. Enjoy it.

 

Looks awesome. COngrats

 

Amazing! Congrats!!!

 

Can't say I didn't warn ya

Thanks guys. I'm loving it.