I have a 2003 530i with winter package and premium package...I want the sports package. Is it too late to get it? Is it even worth at this point and time, or should I just get after market parts? I want the better suspension, springs, and whatever else comes with the sports package...anyone know where I could get without selling my soul? Also...is it me or is it near impossible to find a cold air intake for this car? I'm new to this Club and this is my first BMW (love it) Thanks for the responses in advance.
Sorry to say, but... Sorry to say, but if you wanted the sport package you should look for a car with it. It is going to cost a lot of money to convert a non-sport package car. The key items: suspension: Sure, you can buy all the BMW parts but why not look to upgrade to a mix of BMW and after-market parts? You could spend more or less money this way, but if you spend more you will have taken the suspension up a notch. Seats: Sport seats are incredible. You have the 12-way premium seats. The sports seats don't adjust in as many ways but fit you tighter. Without a source for used parts, this is another very big dollar item. Wheels: Sport package came with 17" standard. This is the easiest thing to change (if they didn't get 17's anyway.) The rest: Shadowline trim (nice), sport steering wheel (nice, but less functional), and a few 'M' badges. IMHO, this is a fool's gambit. You'd be better off going out on the car market and find yourself one with it already (hint: most non-BMW dealers and some owners are clueless about it, look for the shadowline trim. Sport package was the only way to get it unless someone did after the fact (rare.)) Good luck!
Your best bet is to get aftermarket shocks and springs. I would recommend Bav Auto Springs and Bilstein sport shocks. For wheels, get the Style 5's (my personal favorite). IMHO, I feel that the style 5's are better looking than the E39 M5 wheels. The shadowline trim, sport steering wheel and the sport seats will not make the car handle better. My 01 525i looks like a sport package at quick glance because it sits as low as one and has the same wheels as one, however, I have no sport seats, steering wheel and no shadowline trim. So you want a cold air intake eh!? Dinan.com.
Thanks for the info guys It looks like the suspension is the way to go if I want to get close to the sports package huh? How much do you think it would run? And do you think the cold air intake and a new exhaust would be a great addition? And what is shadowline trim....I'm a BMW rookie.
The Bavarian Autosport springs (Bavauto.com) run about $225 for the set. The sport Bilstein shocks for all four would run around $450 at most. You may or may not need a rear camber kit. You would also need a wheel alignment. Give or take $1200+- for parts, labor, etc...I asked Mike Miller (Who is Yoda in terms of BMW) about upgrades for my 01 525i for $3000, and he told me Dinan has a kit where I would get a software download, cold air intake, exhaust and some other little things like badges, etc... for ONLY 15 hp increase at most. You would think for $3000 I would get more ponies out of it, right? But my M54 engine is only 185 HP. I didn't get the car for speed. I got it for cruising. Your 530i has 225HP stock, so if you got the same Dinan kit that I inquired about, you would see close to 245, maybe 250hp. Shadowline trim is trim that goes around the windows on your doors. Non-sport packaged E39's have chrome trim. Sport packaged E39's have black, giving it a more cleaner, aggressive look. The trim, however, will not affect performance.
Thanks for the info. Who would you get to install all these parts, Joe Garage fro mdown the street, The dealership, or somone like Monroe muffler, or Pepboys or something like that....I don't really like Pep Boys...
Of course it does; didn't you know that it's go-fast trim? The suspension is a must if you are a performance oriented driver. Be warned though; if you lower the car, some of that 5-series ride comfort will go along with it. Lowering's a lot more popular with not-as-good-riding models like 3er's. I don't think it's all that worth it if you just use it as a daily driver and never actually get a chance to 'use' the car. $1200 just for the car to look lower and not have a ride that's as good as stock is a bit of a waste, in my opinion. But, if you want to go that route anyway, the Tire Rack will show you compatible units for your vehicle. www.tirerack.com
The stealer will not install customer supplied parts, especially non factory parts. I would get it installed from a indy BMW shop who will install customer supplied parts. It is kind of hard to find an indy BMW shop who you can trust AND have him/her allow you to bring in your parts so he/she can install them so you can save money. Pepboys, I have a major beef with them. Summer 2002 I was driving back from Miami to NY in my 92 535i and I had a rear blow out in VA. I was doing about 80 when it happened. The car didn't lose control and I was able to make it to the shoulder in no problem. The rim WAS NOT BENT-THANK GOD. No damage at all, just maybe a few scratches. Anyway, their was a Pep-boys at the next exit. I go their and I asked for 225/50-15 tires for the rear (I know the stock tires on the E34 535i are 225/60-15, but I found a great deal on low profile 15 inch tires on Ebay earlier in the year. Apparently, these boneheads installed an "S" speed rating, causing the rear tires to "flex", therefore, my car felt like I had rear wheel steering, VERY SCARY! So I go to a sears, get the correct tires and march over to a pepboys nearby and got a refund. Maybe it was my fault that I should have made sure they were a higher speed rated tire, since the guys at the VA store though my 92' 535i was a new BMW model.
