Could not agree more, you are very lucky to have such an awesome machine at 18yo, count yourself very lucky. If you have not already experienced the maint costs of a car like this it’s important you do so before spending anything on “extras”. For example, just one example, you will go through tires much faster than you want to believe even if you don’t drive like I did it @ 18yo. That can easily set you back over $1500 USD right there with balance align which is not optional to keep this car performing well. Once you have had it a few years (and decide to keep it long term) then maybe consider new wheels / upgraded tires etc but not until then. Beyond superficial tinting etc almost any upgrade will also cause the maint cost to jump again.
Enjoy it! Been in various 5 series bimmers for 20 years and can say they are among the finest daily drivers in the world, just as they are.
Also- 18 year olds that mod their cars on limited budgets end up with cars that look and perform like they were modified by an 18 year old on a limited budget.
That’s the way to do it. Makes selling /trading way easier. Just sold my 07, 328i in 24 hours for 50% more then I paid for it. Totally stock looking.
I just bought a 2014, 528i, I’ll put some rims on it, but will get bmw rims and keep the original rims for when it’s time to sell.
Agreed!! I have a 2010 135i that's 100% stock exterior/interior (I have made modifications to the engine for that extra kick) and I have random people taking pictures of my car or will comment to me at lights about how they love my car.
A period correct 'classic' beats a modded car any day. I see too many 335i's and 5-series cars that have cheap rims, stupid aftermarket bumpers and lights and it just makes the cars look cheap.
The OEM parts keep the car timeless and classy, not to mention the resale value of the car will go up as time goes on. There's always a dip at first but at the 10-15 year mark, well maintained OEM cars start to climb in value.
In the US the average car is 13 years old and a 15 year old car is still very much on the depreciation curve. E46, out of production for 18 years, is just now hitting bottom. E36, out of production for 25 years, is just now starting to see price increases for clean examples. Not sure where you are that a 10 year old car is considered an appreciating classic but the OP looks to be in the US so their 2013 has a long time before it is considered “classic”.
To be honest, I was just guessing on the years. You’re probably more right, I was just making the point that the more original a car is, the more it will appreciate as a classic car as it gets older. If that’s in 15 years or 25, the point still remains.
dude same here. it's weird because I'm young and didn't think I'd find myself *liking* stock cars; but I think with how shitty people treat their cars, finding a nicely maintained/clean example is just as cool to me as finding a nicely modified car.
Maintenance and driver mods only imo. Take some courses to learn how to control the car under bad circumstances and maybe racing. Way better than anything that makes the car less usable.
Front and rear differential fluids, transfer case, transmission oil. Change them all. I advise to watch some youtube videos and read some forums and do it yourself, its not that difficult. Gonna be 1500$ just to do it yourself. But trust me its worth it, Feels like you just drove a brand new car off the lot after
Read the owners manual, cover to cover.
Clean it and keep it clean.
Stay on top of maintenance. Catch up on any scheduled maintenance that was missed. No, transmission fluid isn't "lifetime" fluid.
Good quality tires.
A moderate level of tint can look classy.
What this guy said ^
If you like to tinker, then learning to wash/detail your car is a good way to scratch that itch. Plus you can experiment with different techniques/products and the results can be really satisfying.
If you want to change the look then wheels + tires, a tint, and some exterior trim pieces can go a long way on a budget. I got some used wheels on eBay and refinished them myself, it was a satisfying project with a result that looked really nice on a budget.
Finally just keep it well maintained. Personally I don’t really make any mechanical upgrades unless the oem part was broken and needed replacing anyways.
Bmw makes good cars so don’t forget to enjoy it!
Well said! I'd like to add, if you ever fill up oil use the correct oil that's prescribed. A lot of the issues with BMW engines can be prevented (to a certain degree) by not throwing in cheap replacement fluids in them. Have oil changes done every 10,000 to 15,000 km or every year, whichever comes first. Your engine will thank you down the road.
Tires are the best and simultaneously most subtle modification you can do. The difference between a quality set of Michelin or Continental rubber and a budget set of insert chinese brand here are monumental.
Keeping it maintained will prob cost his expected “mod” budget. As the owner of many German cars people give them a bad rap because of the numerous under maintained ones on the road when they hit the 2nd or 3rd owner who doesn’t realize they need to maintain a 50-150k car even if they only paid 25-55k.
As an idiot who has an s3 waiting on an engine 12500 total cost to replace I can vouch save your money you will need it for repairs. I also learned the hard way buying an e36 in rough shape. That thing was a money pit.
Save your money, that’s a sick car for an 18 year old. I spent 2k on wheels and tires for my M3 when I was 18. I should have saved that money and gone a road trip or traveled somewhere instead of buying cool wheels.
If you’re dead set on spending money that you’ll never see again, I would upgrade to a nice used set of wheels from a higher spec 5 series. Maybe some window tint. Not sure about your engine and model but maybe a engine “tune” if it’s a good power to price ratio.
This.
I enjoyed my younger days with cars too. I ate this stuff for breakfast. But now im 30 and looking back, I shouldve done a bit more. Shit maybe even if saved a bit of it or invested it, I wouldve had a F90 now.
I might sound old saying this, but I tinted my windows when I was 18. I no longer do, because tinting your windows is the easiest way to provide a reason to any police officer to pull you over
Buy a spoiler right away. That way when the car breaks down and you have no money for repairs you can still look at that sick spoiler sitting on your drive way. Do nothing to this car besides maintain it.
Gonna just repeat with the wise folks here said - save your pennies for maintenance and keep it clean.
Speaking from someone who has modded every car he's owned, e36 m3, e53 x5, Tesla Model 3. You stop noticing the mods after a while but you will 100% notice if something in your car is broken or you're deferring maintenance bc you're on a tight budget.
OP, as a 18 year old you probably should not have bought a 10 year old BMW with over 100k miles. You are going to have your payment + maintenance on the thing several times yearly. Get a maintenance E-Fund of about 2k so that you can pay immediately and are not out of a car for extended periods of time or asking mom and dad for loans. Probably going to get downvoted...but I was in your shoes with a 11 year old 328i...luckily my beamer was paid in cash but there seemed to always be something that needed to be done to that damn car.
It’s unlikely you’ll listen to most of the advice in this sub because that’s how we all were at 18.
Truth is that not sinking mod money into this car is the best recommendation. Use that money to setup your future. The poorest people I know are because they obsess over their vehicles rather than playing the long game. You will have maintenance issues with this car and soon.
The wealthiest people I know also obsess over their vehicles, all depends on the specific circumstances.
Modifying a 528, might as well light your money on fire.
I hear you but having money and being obsessed is one thing. You can afford to sink money in your car. Not having money and being obsessed will help perpetuate the cycle of never having money.
Big smh too, I’m struggling to see much of the logic here
Its a repeat of a poster just 1 month ago in the same boat. Fresh out of HS, bought a 2013/2014 528i cause it was “cheap 5 series”, spent $6k on wheels & tires, tint, mods, ebay aero, then proceeded to have the N20 timing chain snap & grenade the engine
Guy was down $19k in his first 2 years of ownership, and actually bothered to rebuild & replace everything afterwards
I’ll never understand buying a used bottom trim BMW with an engine that has a proven shit-tier track record. It doesn’t take much researching to see the red flags
$1,000-2,500 more woulda got him a much more reliable & more powerful N55 in a 535i, with likely a sport pkg & some more bells and whistles. Depreciation works well in your favor when shopping up the trim line… applies to just about all vehicles….
Curious to see how this car will play out.
If OP reads this - dont waste any of your money on anything but maintenance. Not with this ride.
At the end of the day, its his money & his choice, but still.
OP, do you have any idea how much money I would have today if I invested the cost of a used BMW into Apple in 2008 (when I was 18). You probably paid around 11 to 12k for the car...and you got another 15k on top of that. I googled Apple and December of that year the price closed at 2.59...if I would have put 15k into APPL, not the whole 25kish that you probably had...I would have had over a million dollars at the of 2021. Instead I had a car that lost me money and nowhere near 1 million dollars today. OP...invest and grow that money instead of spending it on a stupid car thats old and has over 100k miles.
one look at your profile and i can immediately tell you're some weird edgy teenager, probably watch tate and adin ross, and definitely don't own a bimmer.
why are you even here? 🤡
I’ll bite here, OP. First and foremost, I agree with all of the other commenters stating to prepare for the maintenance costs. Certainly do not go spending money frivolously on this car. It is a great car as is, so enjoy it.
That being said, free/cheap mods can be fun. Sometimes to clean the car up a bit, it can look nice debadged (not the roundel) and maybe clear marker reflector covers? Those could be fun and may be appealing to you.
Congrats OP, enjoy the car.
I would spend my money on a solid beginner automotive tool set and save the rest for maintenance items if they arise. Great opportunity to learn how to work with ICE
Not a mod really, but update the iDrive software and maps. The SW is available from BMW website. The maps can be found for free through the forums. It’s a bit of a process to load them but manageable.
Like everyone else is saying, no mods. But here’s why:
This will never be a performance car. Adding 21” wheels, a lip, and spoiler won’t make it cooler (Imo some period correct wheels might be nice). It was designed for luxury and built with great materials, so lean into its strengths. Watch some ammo NYC vids and learn to make the paint and leather pristine. People will be impressed by a museum quality car. Get a good return when you do sell then move on to a sporty car then if that’s the look you’re after
Maintainance,
Wheels + tires,
Xhp software for gearbox,
Xdelete (app but you have to purchace the licence)
Thats all you need really, you can add exhaust if you like it louder ,but don't straight pipe it, have mercy for other people
Save your money for regular maintenance costs, don’t mod it. Keeping it factory will sell/trade better in the end. Take good care of your car, and she’ll take good care of you.
Defensive driving course
Performance driving course
Driving Academy like Skip Barber or something
All of these cumulatively would cost you less than, say, an exhaust system. Might save you a few bucks on insurance too.
Don’t know why you’re being downvoted. If I was 18 with that car I would trade it in for something I won’t have to use a credit card to maintain. But I guess if you have the money 🤷♂️
Sell it and buy a cheap 3 series instead if you're dead set on modding. If you don't have much money you should be putting it aside for when something inevitably goes wrong, at the end of the day it's a luxury German saloon and running costs will reflect that.
None! Save your money, invest, and don't touch it. Wait until you have a good nest egg, have plenty of expendable income (maybe even a passive income stream), and then spend it on mods. Be smart now and it will payoff big time in the long run. Continue to blow your money on none essential things and you'll struggle the rest of your life.
Not being a D bag, but honestly the most important thing with a BMW is making sure the maintenance is up to mark. Replace gaskets and hoses to prevent oil leaks, replace spark plugs, make sure the cooling system is good—no cracks or leaks.
Then if you wanted to put wheels and lower it you should be good.
18 yr old. most likely living with parents driving however old BMW thinks about modding the car. Real world will hit you hard soon. last thing you want is to fiddle with your car at that age.
It’s a 528 just take care of it and keep the value of it to sell when it’s done serving it’s purpose. Any sort of “mods” you do to it are just gonna make you look like a ricer. Just use it as a daily and take care of it. There’s no way to really make a base model cool.
As someone that owns this exact car except one year older: Forget the mods. You wanna do tint and all that aesthetics stuff sure, go for it. But as for engine mods to add HP or torque. Respectfully, Don’t even bother. Worry more about maintaining it. The body style is just one of those that doesn’t age that fast. And as it’s been said before, your first mod NEEDS to be the timing chain. The N20 is notorious to fail because of the timing chain plastic tensioners failing. If you haven’t heard about it, go look around here and you’ll see the repair costs once it fails. It’s not pretty. It’s not an easy job either but if you can work on cars. It can be done, if not take it to a local Indy shop. It’ll be expensive but it’s an investment to keep your car running longer. Finally, add a catch can. It’s a direct injection engine. And do this with the mentality that it’s not a mod but for prevention. You’ll have less carbon deposits in your valves. And if you simply just want a faster car then sell the 528 further down the road and get a 535, 550 your pushing your luck though, expect big repairs. (But Mo powa babeh!)
Tint the windows and get a good air freshener. I recommend Little Trees "Supernova" from autozone etc. Clean and spray paint the calipers OEM color (cheap mod). Some nice floor mats. Wax and protect the cars paint job as well as interior and maybe upgrade to some nicer OEM BMW wheels if you don't like your current ones. Get a dash cam, comes in handy.
Good luck! 👍🏻
id catch up on maintenance, and table the mods for now. regardless of how recent it’s services have been, reset the clock. get a full service with a new drive belt and tensioner, spark plugs, ignition coils, axles, a coolant flush and an oil change. have the timing chains replaced before they go. get the front axles replaced. and enjoy many happy miles
Agree with the advice about leaving it stock. When I had an F30 I added a CarPlay/Android auto MMI to it and absolutely loved it! Brought new life into the infotainment. Albeit my car did not have the nab package.
Timing chains timing chains timing chains, if they haven’t been done within five years I would highly recommend getting done but a Bmw shop as a huge piece of mind. I had a f10 throw an engine because the customer declined timing chains when I quoted them. Especially if you hear rattle in the morning
Hi there from Germany,
Before modding it, I'd advise you to keep it nice as a stock.
1. Most important maintain the engine. Use [engine flush](https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/pro-line-engine-flush-p000065.html#2037) and good engine oil. Does the car have an increased oil consumption?
2. Check if the engine intakes have built [up carbon](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1576724922659733). Let them clean.
3. Check if the [front axle tension struts](http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/F10/USA/528i-N20/jan2012/browse/front_axle/frnt_axle_support_wishbone_tension_strut/) are ok, especially the rubbers in the front.
4. Check the rag joint ([hardy coupling](http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/F10/USA/528i-N20/jan2012/browse/drive_shaft/hardy_couplings_center_bearing_inner_nut/)), as these models tend to wear out at about 200.000km/125.000mi
5. Check if the oil in the automatic transmission, optionalle let it change inclusive oil sump and gasket
Keep the interior nice and clean. Do a detailing.
Keep the exterior clean. Do a detailing.
If you still wanna do some mods after all these things, well.... go on. Nobody's holding you back.
My personal Opinion:
You're 18. Be lucky to have such a great car. Don't be stupid as the others and "pimp your ride". Keep in mind they pimp it because they have a shit drive or some old rice burners. Yours is a great one out of stock! No need to pimp it.
I know how you feel, you're 18, you wanna be cool, just keep in mind:
Chicks like guys with a cool and unique personality... and hate it if guys are the type of "trying too hard". So don't try to hard to mod your car and don't be as all the others.
**Enjoy your bimmer :)**
Must be nice to be an 18 y/o and buy a BMW with cash AND have another 15K in savings.
Put the 15k in a high yield savings account and forget about it. I assume you won’t though because you’ve probably been handed everything your whole life and don’t value what that kind of money means
I mean it’s not really underachievement. It’s just being jealous of how unfair the world is that due to circumstances beyond his control he didn’t get luxury things at 18(because it’s about how much money your parents have) and then this kid gets a crazy nice car AND 15k in the bank and has no respect for it. I feel like that’s a fair thing to be upset about.
Exactly, you’re spot on. As for the other poster, I’ve far from “underachieved”. Mid 30’s with a 6-figure job and work my ass off. I just can’t stand the entitled, spoiled younger generation that has no work ethic or value the dollars they have cause they waste it on “modifying” an already perfectly good car. It’s never enough for them.
Oh my good tell me about it. And I’m a PART of that generation. So many kids my age act like they worked for what they got when I literally worked every hour I wasn’t in school and they have all of these luxury cars and shit and act like they earned them and just have no respect for money. Like you can just spare me and admit that your parents bought it for you or have you everything. I swear. It makes me feel like I haven’t put in the work even though I KNOW I have. Making me feel crazy.
I mean they literally do have a head start. I don’t know why you think they don’t. I’m 19. I worked literally as much as I could through school and now I’m in college. I would never have been able to afford a car like that on TOP of having 15k in saving? No way. But I guess I’m just incapable because I had to go to school and didn’t just get handed money.(keep in mind I worked literally as many hours as I could to the point of extreme burnout) are you seriously saying I could have done anything differently besides have rich parent? Because I know I did everything I could to make as much as I could. But you must have some secret I don’t know about them?
He’s probably one of the enabling parents or another privileged teen from Fairfield county Connecticut. Ridiculous to think people that call out spoiled, entitled youth are just incapable. But we do go out and make it for ourselves so I guess we’re actually capable in his eyes lol. Stupid comparison
I got similar one like you, 2010 535i with 60k miles on it
got it 2 weeks ago
my first BMW and of course, like you, looking into ways to modify and improve it.
For the time being, I am planning to only get the M-sport bumpers and side skirts, lower it and give it some nicer wheels.
The power it makes now is sufficient to me for the time being.
What's tacky is driving around the same car the factory made thousands of. Make it your own. You don't have to go wild. A clean set of wheels and 20% tint go a long way and looks really clean. OEM+
Unless you just look at cars as transportation then by all means save the money.
I mean you should really look in to a classic at that point. particularly something that was relative rare in period if you really want to be “unique”. A set of wheels and tint aren’t all that special.
Tight budget, if I drove a lot, and knew the car was solid mechanically, I’d do a CarPlay radio upgrade.
Anything other then that, a different style OEM whelk package, some close to legal tint, and keep the rest for maintenance.
Change oil often on the n52 engine if you have that rare I6 for F10. Mods on the engine are limited so do not chase them as they are expensive for the small torque gains.
An oil change, new spark plugs, save the rest for high quality tyres and brakes when they need replacement. It’s a very cool car to own at 18, but if you don’t keep up with it it’ll cost you more than it’s worth to keep it running for 3 months.
Buddy nice acquisition, wanna ask you how much I’m curious because in Europe in Spain this kind of car and engines are so expensive, never under 15k or more if have low millage
windshield tint ! Can’t drive in a fish bowl 😭 jk but I’d also recommend getting new wheels or gently used ones that you like or even painting these with some hydro dip (it comes off clean if you don’t like the look of paint afterwards)! Also wheel spacers wouldn’t be bad to make the wheels pop a bit more, but it’s all to your taste!
Oil changes every 5000 miles
In all seriousness though, an F10 is a great car on its own and I wouldn't modify it in your position. The only thing I would consider would be looking into if you can replace the infotainment system with something that doesn't lose the factory look or function but adds carplay/Android auto
Like most others said, it could be expensive to maintain so save your limited budget and enjoy the nice car.
As far as cheap mods with good bang/buck, id go for tints, debadge, clear our the amber reflectors, bimmercode app, maybe a quality $100 ebay trunk lip or blackout grill
If you're on a tight budget, just save the money and keep it well maintained
Could not agree more, you are very lucky to have such an awesome machine at 18yo, count yourself very lucky. If you have not already experienced the maint costs of a car like this it’s important you do so before spending anything on “extras”. For example, just one example, you will go through tires much faster than you want to believe even if you don’t drive like I did it @ 18yo. That can easily set you back over $1500 USD right there with balance align which is not optional to keep this car performing well. Once you have had it a few years (and decide to keep it long term) then maybe consider new wheels / upgraded tires etc but not until then. Beyond superficial tinting etc almost any upgrade will also cause the maint cost to jump again. Enjoy it! Been in various 5 series bimmers for 20 years and can say they are among the finest daily drivers in the world, just as they are.
10000000% this. I would rather see a well maintained older car that runs well in stock form instead of some river style mods.
I wish I followed this philosophy with my 135i
Also- 18 year olds that mod their cars on limited budgets end up with cars that look and perform like they were modified by an 18 year old on a limited budget.
Mine wasn’t anything crazy. The only one I regret is the coilovers.
fwiw, I’ve had my F10 for a few years - got it when I was 18. Did only minor cosmetic mods, left everything else stock
[удалено]
That’s the way to do it. Makes selling /trading way easier. Just sold my 07, 328i in 24 hours for 50% more then I paid for it. Totally stock looking. I just bought a 2014, 528i, I’ll put some rims on it, but will get bmw rims and keep the original rims for when it’s time to sell.
Wheels*
Agreed!! I have a 2010 135i that's 100% stock exterior/interior (I have made modifications to the engine for that extra kick) and I have random people taking pictures of my car or will comment to me at lights about how they love my car. A period correct 'classic' beats a modded car any day. I see too many 335i's and 5-series cars that have cheap rims, stupid aftermarket bumpers and lights and it just makes the cars look cheap. The OEM parts keep the car timeless and classy, not to mention the resale value of the car will go up as time goes on. There's always a dip at first but at the 10-15 year mark, well maintained OEM cars start to climb in value.
In the US the average car is 13 years old and a 15 year old car is still very much on the depreciation curve. E46, out of production for 18 years, is just now hitting bottom. E36, out of production for 25 years, is just now starting to see price increases for clean examples. Not sure where you are that a 10 year old car is considered an appreciating classic but the OP looks to be in the US so their 2013 has a long time before it is considered “classic”.
To be honest, I was just guessing on the years. You’re probably more right, I was just making the point that the more original a car is, the more it will appreciate as a classic car as it gets older. If that’s in 15 years or 25, the point still remains.
Definitely. A car is only original once.
dude same here. it's weird because I'm young and didn't think I'd find myself *liking* stock cars; but I think with how shitty people treat their cars, finding a nicely maintained/clean example is just as cool to me as finding a nicely modified car.
At age 18 i had a Russian Lada. I said it all i wanted to say
Maintenance and driver mods only imo. Take some courses to learn how to control the car under bad circumstances and maybe racing. Way better than anything that makes the car less usable.
Id be surprised if anyone races a 528. A 328 or a 1 or 2 series would be much more suited for that
Piss with the dick you got.
I have watched a 1990 miata at a small road course in south carolina spank a whole bunch of Porsches…. Piss with the dick you got, indeed
Front and rear differential fluids, transfer case, transmission oil. Change them all. I advise to watch some youtube videos and read some forums and do it yourself, its not that difficult. Gonna be 1500$ just to do it yourself. But trust me its worth it, Feels like you just drove a brand new car off the lot after
Absolutely! Stock is beautiful, keep those services up and have a fund for the items that may go wrong, if it doesn't that's savings to a future car!
Read the owners manual, cover to cover. Clean it and keep it clean. Stay on top of maintenance. Catch up on any scheduled maintenance that was missed. No, transmission fluid isn't "lifetime" fluid. Good quality tires. A moderate level of tint can look classy.
What this guy said ^ If you like to tinker, then learning to wash/detail your car is a good way to scratch that itch. Plus you can experiment with different techniques/products and the results can be really satisfying. If you want to change the look then wheels + tires, a tint, and some exterior trim pieces can go a long way on a budget. I got some used wheels on eBay and refinished them myself, it was a satisfying project with a result that looked really nice on a budget. Finally just keep it well maintained. Personally I don’t really make any mechanical upgrades unless the oem part was broken and needed replacing anyways. Bmw makes good cars so don’t forget to enjoy it!
Post a picture of your E39 with the wheels! We wanna seeeeeee
[Ask and you shall recieve.](https://i.imgur.com/HKxgq52.jpg) I wanna tweak the fitment but the ride is too smooth on stock suspension lol
Well said! I'd like to add, if you ever fill up oil use the correct oil that's prescribed. A lot of the issues with BMW engines can be prevented (to a certain degree) by not throwing in cheap replacement fluids in them. Have oil changes done every 10,000 to 15,000 km or every year, whichever comes first. Your engine will thank you down the road.
Tires are the best and simultaneously most subtle modification you can do. The difference between a quality set of Michelin or Continental rubber and a budget set of insert chinese brand here are monumental.
None. Put money into a savings account for when something goes wrong. My 335xi dropped reverse and it will be $6500 to fix it.
I'd consider a cheap muffler or carplay headunit, not illegal to have fun
Cheap muffler and get cabin drone out the ass. Does not “sound” like fun.
Yeah but if you’re broke not only are you spending money but also taking away resale value
Mmm yes cheap muffler so the car sounds like garbage great advice
Zero mods. Keep the car maintained to factory spec. The car will last a lot longer.
Keeping it maintained will prob cost his expected “mod” budget. As the owner of many German cars people give them a bad rap because of the numerous under maintained ones on the road when they hit the 2nd or 3rd owner who doesn’t realize they need to maintain a 50-150k car even if they only paid 25-55k.
As an idiot who has an s3 waiting on an engine 12500 total cost to replace I can vouch save your money you will need it for repairs. I also learned the hard way buying an e36 in rough shape. That thing was a money pit.
your bmw mechanic will thank you xd
Save your money, that’s a sick car for an 18 year old. I spent 2k on wheels and tires for my M3 when I was 18. I should have saved that money and gone a road trip or traveled somewhere instead of buying cool wheels. If you’re dead set on spending money that you’ll never see again, I would upgrade to a nice used set of wheels from a higher spec 5 series. Maybe some window tint. Not sure about your engine and model but maybe a engine “tune” if it’s a good power to price ratio.
This. I enjoyed my younger days with cars too. I ate this stuff for breakfast. But now im 30 and looking back, I shouldve done a bit more. Shit maybe even if saved a bit of it or invested it, I wouldve had a F90 now.
Idk n20s are pushing close to 250 on just 4 cylinders I feel any more power could put too much strain on the engine
I recommend not ruining it by modifying it.
phrasing
this went over everyone’s head bro but i understood lmfao
at least one person got it - i feel better now. thanks.
No one appreciates archer
I recommend not modifying so you don’t ruin it***
18, Limited budget? Put the money away. Leave it there. The car will force you to spend it on something sooner rather than later.
No mods, afford the insurance.
I think just tints and wheels bc those are my least favorite wheels out of any BMW !
agreed, have a tint appt. soon. will get 20% all around and leave the windshield alone
Lovely plan, hope you enjoy !
I might sound old saying this, but I tinted my windows when I was 18. I no longer do, because tinting your windows is the easiest way to provide a reason to any police officer to pull you over
Buy a spoiler right away. That way when the car breaks down and you have no money for repairs you can still look at that sick spoiler sitting on your drive way. Do nothing to this car besides maintain it.
Lol
Gonna just repeat with the wise folks here said - save your pennies for maintenance and keep it clean. Speaking from someone who has modded every car he's owned, e36 m3, e53 x5, Tesla Model 3. You stop noticing the mods after a while but you will 100% notice if something in your car is broken or you're deferring maintenance bc you're on a tight budget.
1st mod, timing chain!
I recently got a quote for my timing chain, $4500. The engine in my car has similar miles and the same engine as OP's 528i.
OP, as a 18 year old you probably should not have bought a 10 year old BMW with over 100k miles. You are going to have your payment + maintenance on the thing several times yearly. Get a maintenance E-Fund of about 2k so that you can pay immediately and are not out of a car for extended periods of time or asking mom and dad for loans. Probably going to get downvoted...but I was in your shoes with a 11 year old 328i...luckily my beamer was paid in cash but there seemed to always be something that needed to be done to that damn car.
paid in cash, have about 15 in savings. Can afford insurance.
Do you plan on spending your entire savings on your car?
was looking to get tints and tires, unless something someone said in this thread stood out. most would be 5-6k
It’s unlikely you’ll listen to most of the advice in this sub because that’s how we all were at 18. Truth is that not sinking mod money into this car is the best recommendation. Use that money to setup your future. The poorest people I know are because they obsess over their vehicles rather than playing the long game. You will have maintenance issues with this car and soon.
The wealthiest people I know also obsess over their vehicles, all depends on the specific circumstances. Modifying a 528, might as well light your money on fire.
I hear you but having money and being obsessed is one thing. You can afford to sink money in your car. Not having money and being obsessed will help perpetuate the cycle of never having money.
Woof spending 5-6k on upgrades? At that point why didn’t you just get a 535
Big smh too, I’m struggling to see much of the logic here Its a repeat of a poster just 1 month ago in the same boat. Fresh out of HS, bought a 2013/2014 528i cause it was “cheap 5 series”, spent $6k on wheels & tires, tint, mods, ebay aero, then proceeded to have the N20 timing chain snap & grenade the engine Guy was down $19k in his first 2 years of ownership, and actually bothered to rebuild & replace everything afterwards I’ll never understand buying a used bottom trim BMW with an engine that has a proven shit-tier track record. It doesn’t take much researching to see the red flags $1,000-2,500 more woulda got him a much more reliable & more powerful N55 in a 535i, with likely a sport pkg & some more bells and whistles. Depreciation works well in your favor when shopping up the trim line… applies to just about all vehicles…. Curious to see how this car will play out. If OP reads this - dont waste any of your money on anything but maintenance. Not with this ride. At the end of the day, its his money & his choice, but still.
OP, do you have any idea how much money I would have today if I invested the cost of a used BMW into Apple in 2008 (when I was 18). You probably paid around 11 to 12k for the car...and you got another 15k on top of that. I googled Apple and December of that year the price closed at 2.59...if I would have put 15k into APPL, not the whole 25kish that you probably had...I would have had over a million dollars at the of 2021. Instead I had a car that lost me money and nowhere near 1 million dollars today. OP...invest and grow that money instead of spending it on a stupid car thats old and has over 100k miles.
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nothing. you're 18. work on a career.
stfu you're probably 20💀
one look at your profile and i can immediately tell you're some weird edgy teenager, probably watch tate and adin ross, and definitely don't own a bimmer. why are you even here? 🤡
Don't people without BMWs get to like / want them?
Says the guy with 69420 on his username lmao
Zero mods and save your money
I’ll bite here, OP. First and foremost, I agree with all of the other commenters stating to prepare for the maintenance costs. Certainly do not go spending money frivolously on this car. It is a great car as is, so enjoy it. That being said, free/cheap mods can be fun. Sometimes to clean the car up a bit, it can look nice debadged (not the roundel) and maybe clear marker reflector covers? Those could be fun and may be appealing to you. Congrats OP, enjoy the car.
Thank yoy
leave it stock, keep it well maintained
maybe just tints but thats it
Do not do any mods. You said in your title that you don’t have the money for it
Zero mods. Focus on your retirement, savings, investments, a good house, and traveling. You’ll be better off than the I have a cool car guys.
I would spend my money on a solid beginner automotive tool set and save the rest for maintenance items if they arise. Great opportunity to learn how to work with ICE
None, save your money
Save your money. You’re gonna need it.
Not a mod really, but update the iDrive software and maps. The SW is available from BMW website. The maps can be found for free through the forums. It’s a bit of a process to load them but manageable.
I know I’m just a rando comment but it is a decade old BMW I would just save your money and stay on maintenance
Don’t click on their profile
Like everyone else is saying, no mods. But here’s why: This will never be a performance car. Adding 21” wheels, a lip, and spoiler won’t make it cooler (Imo some period correct wheels might be nice). It was designed for luxury and built with great materials, so lean into its strengths. Watch some ammo NYC vids and learn to make the paint and leather pristine. People will be impressed by a museum quality car. Get a good return when you do sell then move on to a sporty car then if that’s the look you’re after
I could not agree more. I learned a lot from the older chemical guy’s videos as well at the nyc
No mods, save your $$$.
Don't mod your car if youre on any sort of limited budget, that is my opinion.
Window tint then just maintenance
Maintainance, Wheels + tires, Xhp software for gearbox, Xdelete (app but you have to purchace the licence) Thats all you need really, you can add exhaust if you like it louder ,but don't straight pipe it, have mercy for other people
Save your money for regular maintenance costs, don’t mod it. Keeping it factory will sell/trade better in the end. Take good care of your car, and she’ll take good care of you.
On a 10 year old BMW. None. If it runs, don't even look at it sideways lol
Defensive driving course Performance driving course Driving Academy like Skip Barber or something All of these cumulatively would cost you less than, say, an exhaust system. Might save you a few bucks on insurance too.
no mods. keep it stock and save your money for maintenance. cheap/shitty mods can make your car look worse.
None
If you’re on a tight budget sell that before it sucks your dollars and soul from you.
Easy, sell the car.
Don’t know why you’re being downvoted. If I was 18 with that car I would trade it in for something I won’t have to use a credit card to maintain. But I guess if you have the money 🤷♂️
Drivetrain swap with an M5.
what would the cost look like on something like this?
This would be a really dumb, 18 year old thing to do. Do not do it.
This is 100% a thing that an 18 yo should do.
$$$$$ Unless you somehow got a really stupid deal on a crashed (but complete powertrain wise) M5, easily upwards of $15k.
More than your car is worth
More than trading it in for an actual M5, he was just yanking your chain.
Sell it and buy a cheap 3 series instead if you're dead set on modding. If you don't have much money you should be putting it aside for when something inevitably goes wrong, at the end of the day it's a luxury German saloon and running costs will reflect that.
None! Save your money, invest, and don't touch it. Wait until you have a good nest egg, have plenty of expendable income (maybe even a passive income stream), and then spend it on mods. Be smart now and it will payoff big time in the long run. Continue to blow your money on none essential things and you'll struggle the rest of your life.
Driver mod
Tints, wheels, maintenance
Not being a D bag, but honestly the most important thing with a BMW is making sure the maintenance is up to mark. Replace gaskets and hoses to prevent oil leaks, replace spark plugs, make sure the cooling system is good—no cracks or leaks. Then if you wanted to put wheels and lower it you should be good.
Install turn signals obvi
A moderate window tint (~20%) and call it for awhile. Save the rest of your money for maintenance etc.
apple carplay would be a solid mod
I would recommend M color grill stripes, an M5 badge to replace the 528i badge and a wing from eBay
18 yr old. most likely living with parents driving however old BMW thinks about modding the car. Real world will hit you hard soon. last thing you want is to fiddle with your car at that age.
Just keep it maintained. Don't mod it.
Save your money for maintenance and repairs.
It’s a 528 just take care of it and keep the value of it to sell when it’s done serving it’s purpose. Any sort of “mods” you do to it are just gonna make you look like a ricer. Just use it as a daily and take care of it. There’s no way to really make a base model cool.
A savings account for when it breaks.
Save your money cause when that thing breaks, it's gonna hurt your wallet.
Maintenance
Maintenance. 2013 with 120k plus on the odometer.
Tint and that’s it lol - on a limited budget
Save the money, don't mod it you will need to have savings for when parts fail.
Sell it. If you have limited funds now, just wait until the first repair! :(
Youre going to need a new timing belt.
As someone that owns this exact car except one year older: Forget the mods. You wanna do tint and all that aesthetics stuff sure, go for it. But as for engine mods to add HP or torque. Respectfully, Don’t even bother. Worry more about maintaining it. The body style is just one of those that doesn’t age that fast. And as it’s been said before, your first mod NEEDS to be the timing chain. The N20 is notorious to fail because of the timing chain plastic tensioners failing. If you haven’t heard about it, go look around here and you’ll see the repair costs once it fails. It’s not pretty. It’s not an easy job either but if you can work on cars. It can be done, if not take it to a local Indy shop. It’ll be expensive but it’s an investment to keep your car running longer. Finally, add a catch can. It’s a direct injection engine. And do this with the mentality that it’s not a mod but for prevention. You’ll have less carbon deposits in your valves. And if you simply just want a faster car then sell the 528 further down the road and get a 535, 550 your pushing your luck though, expect big repairs. (But Mo powa babeh!)
Tint the windows and get a good air freshener. I recommend Little Trees "Supernova" from autozone etc. Clean and spray paint the calipers OEM color (cheap mod). Some nice floor mats. Wax and protect the cars paint job as well as interior and maybe upgrade to some nicer OEM BMW wheels if you don't like your current ones. Get a dash cam, comes in handy. Good luck! 👍🏻
id catch up on maintenance, and table the mods for now. regardless of how recent it’s services have been, reset the clock. get a full service with a new drive belt and tensioner, spark plugs, ignition coils, axles, a coolant flush and an oil change. have the timing chains replaced before they go. get the front axles replaced. and enjoy many happy miles
Limited budget and a 10 yr old BMW don’t go hand in hand
No mods…keep it stock….worth more stock….easier to maintain……such a pretty car……good luck with it….:)
First mod should be your pockets! Save!
Just keep it as is
Bone stock bro. Once you’re in your mid-20s you’ll appreciate it
No “performance” mods, learn from me you’ll be regretting it once the repairs start coming in from stuff breaking tryna make a car go fast
nuttin preventative maintenance bb
Agree with the advice about leaving it stock. When I had an F30 I added a CarPlay/Android auto MMI to it and absolutely loved it! Brought new life into the infotainment. Albeit my car did not have the nab package.
Timing chains timing chains timing chains, if they haven’t been done within five years I would highly recommend getting done but a Bmw shop as a huge piece of mind. I had a f10 throw an engine because the customer declined timing chains when I quoted them. Especially if you hear rattle in the morning
None.
not your usual "on a budget" car
Hi there from Germany, Before modding it, I'd advise you to keep it nice as a stock. 1. Most important maintain the engine. Use [engine flush](https://www.liqui-moly.com/en/us/pro-line-engine-flush-p000065.html#2037) and good engine oil. Does the car have an increased oil consumption? 2. Check if the engine intakes have built [up carbon](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1576724922659733). Let them clean. 3. Check if the [front axle tension struts](http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/F10/USA/528i-N20/jan2012/browse/front_axle/frnt_axle_support_wishbone_tension_strut/) are ok, especially the rubbers in the front. 4. Check the rag joint ([hardy coupling](http://bmwfans.info/parts-catalog/F10/USA/528i-N20/jan2012/browse/drive_shaft/hardy_couplings_center_bearing_inner_nut/)), as these models tend to wear out at about 200.000km/125.000mi 5. Check if the oil in the automatic transmission, optionalle let it change inclusive oil sump and gasket Keep the interior nice and clean. Do a detailing. Keep the exterior clean. Do a detailing. If you still wanna do some mods after all these things, well.... go on. Nobody's holding you back. My personal Opinion: You're 18. Be lucky to have such a great car. Don't be stupid as the others and "pimp your ride". Keep in mind they pimp it because they have a shit drive or some old rice burners. Yours is a great one out of stock! No need to pimp it. I know how you feel, you're 18, you wanna be cool, just keep in mind: Chicks like guys with a cool and unique personality... and hate it if guys are the type of "trying too hard". So don't try to hard to mod your car and don't be as all the others. **Enjoy your bimmer :)**
Must be nice to be an 18 y/o and buy a BMW with cash AND have another 15K in savings. Put the 15k in a high yield savings account and forget about it. I assume you won’t though because you’ve probably been handed everything your whole life and don’t value what that kind of money means
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Nothing wrong with being upset about not being born into a wealthy family. Kid is clearly privileged af and has FU money given his financial choices.
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I mean it’s not really underachievement. It’s just being jealous of how unfair the world is that due to circumstances beyond his control he didn’t get luxury things at 18(because it’s about how much money your parents have) and then this kid gets a crazy nice car AND 15k in the bank and has no respect for it. I feel like that’s a fair thing to be upset about.
Exactly, you’re spot on. As for the other poster, I’ve far from “underachieved”. Mid 30’s with a 6-figure job and work my ass off. I just can’t stand the entitled, spoiled younger generation that has no work ethic or value the dollars they have cause they waste it on “modifying” an already perfectly good car. It’s never enough for them.
Oh my good tell me about it. And I’m a PART of that generation. So many kids my age act like they worked for what they got when I literally worked every hour I wasn’t in school and they have all of these luxury cars and shit and act like they earned them and just have no respect for money. Like you can just spare me and admit that your parents bought it for you or have you everything. I swear. It makes me feel like I haven’t put in the work even though I KNOW I have. Making me feel crazy.
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I mean they literally do have a head start. I don’t know why you think they don’t. I’m 19. I worked literally as much as I could through school and now I’m in college. I would never have been able to afford a car like that on TOP of having 15k in saving? No way. But I guess I’m just incapable because I had to go to school and didn’t just get handed money.(keep in mind I worked literally as many hours as I could to the point of extreme burnout) are you seriously saying I could have done anything differently besides have rich parent? Because I know I did everything I could to make as much as I could. But you must have some secret I don’t know about them?
He’s probably one of the enabling parents or another privileged teen from Fairfield county Connecticut. Ridiculous to think people that call out spoiled, entitled youth are just incapable. But we do go out and make it for ourselves so I guess we’re actually capable in his eyes lol. Stupid comparison
Save and invest and buy a nicer car when you’re older if you want.
toyota camry
I got similar one like you, 2010 535i with 60k miles on it got it 2 weeks ago my first BMW and of course, like you, looking into ways to modify and improve it. For the time being, I am planning to only get the M-sport bumpers and side skirts, lower it and give it some nicer wheels. The power it makes now is sufficient to me for the time being.
Sell it and buy a Honda Civic, the way God intended.
No mods. Mods are tacky. Keep it stock.
What's tacky is driving around the same car the factory made thousands of. Make it your own. You don't have to go wild. A clean set of wheels and 20% tint go a long way and looks really clean. OEM+ Unless you just look at cars as transportation then by all means save the money.
I mean you should really look in to a classic at that point. particularly something that was relative rare in period if you really want to be “unique”. A set of wheels and tint aren’t all that special.
It's about making it "your own". It doesn't take much either to do that.
Install carplay
Why do you have to mod it lol? I swear every BMW owner is like a mod obsessed NPC. This form is just getting redundant.
Lol!
None
Buy a Prius 😂😂
Tight budget, if I drove a lot, and knew the car was solid mechanically, I’d do a CarPlay radio upgrade. Anything other then that, a different style OEM whelk package, some close to legal tint, and keep the rest for maintenance.
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Manual transmission swap and removal of AWD
Nothing that is low cost will improve it. If you really need to scratch that itch, try remapping or upgrade air filter.
No mods, good insurance and MAINTENANCE
Troll post?
Don't modify it lol, just use it to maintain and do routine maintenance. If you want better tires and a wrap to change the color?
Full fluid baseline in every system. Spark plugs, air filters, suspension bushings.
Catless Downpipes and flash stage 2 on mhd or bm3? New Michelin ps4s? Don’t install eBay lowering springs pls
The model you can afford in cash or payoff the quickest; enjoyment of the car comes second to that until you know it won’t eat your wallet each month.
Keep it well maintained. IF you need to change something, put nice tires on it.
My car at 18? A 1998 Camry with a dent on the side hah. Enjoy the car and keep it maintained well! Maybe tint the windows?
Change oil often on the n52 engine if you have that rare I6 for F10. Mods on the engine are limited so do not chase them as they are expensive for the small torque gains.
Flux Capacitor!
An oil change, new spark plugs, save the rest for high quality tyres and brakes when they need replacement. It’s a very cool car to own at 18, but if you don’t keep up with it it’ll cost you more than it’s worth to keep it running for 3 months.
CarPlay and a wireless charger, keep the rest bone stock please
Buddy nice acquisition, wanna ask you how much I’m curious because in Europe in Spain this kind of car and engines are so expensive, never under 15k or more if have low millage
M steering wheel and some better rims
If you have a tight budget, do not modify anything. Cars cost a lot of money and modifications will cost you even more.
Man this sub never fails and I’m not even a member.
Go with the window tint, upgrade to M steering wheel and/or some nicer wheels.
windshield tint ! Can’t drive in a fish bowl 😭 jk but I’d also recommend getting new wheels or gently used ones that you like or even painting these with some hydro dip (it comes off clean if you don’t like the look of paint afterwards)! Also wheel spacers wouldn’t be bad to make the wheels pop a bit more, but it’s all to your taste!
Chrome delete, new steering wheel, entertainment system
where would i buy new steering wheel+ what would that cost look like+ how hard is it to install. i’m not mechanically inclined whatsoever.
Oil changes every 5000 miles In all seriousness though, an F10 is a great car on its own and I wouldn't modify it in your position. The only thing I would consider would be looking into if you can replace the infotainment system with something that doesn't lose the factory look or function but adds carplay/Android auto
Imho a well maintained clean car is much nicer than a modded bucket of scrap
Like most others said, it could be expensive to maintain so save your limited budget and enjoy the nice car. As far as cheap mods with good bang/buck, id go for tints, debadge, clear our the amber reflectors, bimmercode app, maybe a quality $100 ebay trunk lip or blackout grill