My Car looks and feels awful... help

[SeriouslyPHILM]

Over the past year or so I have been increasingly frustrated with the look of my cheap Alaskan blue cloth interior, the general bog standard look of the car outside. especially the 16" rims and lack of power that my 118d e87 gives off. (This will be booked for a map at some point soon once i've upgraded a few things)

I've struggled to find interior pieces of trim to swap out for a decent price and always seem to be late when people are breaking a car near me. I want to change my wheels, preferring maybe an 18" but I don't know if they would fit? I would also like slightly wider as my current 16" wheels feel like I have no grip whatsoever! (If that even helps)
My brakes have always felt like they aren't going to stop me in time so i'm thinking new brakes as well but once again I wouldn't know where to start.
Clutch has started to slip here and there recently, especially on a cold start first pulling away getting some heavy shudders when pulling it up. Probably need to change that before getting a Stage 1 map I assume.

I've managed to save up just under £2000 for the mechanical issues + Map.

The only other option I feel is to save a little more, sell up and get something with more power. I have even been looking at other cars other than BMW... (I know, Blasphemy!)

Just looking for some opinions on what to do, especially advice on the tyre situation because I am sick of those 16" ers!

[nivens]

I'd save up for a new car, it'll be cheaper unless you're able to do a fair bit of the mechanical work yourself. What tyres are on it, out of curiosity?

[SeriouslyPHILM]

I'd save up for a new car, it'll be cheaper unless you're able to do a fair bit of the mechanical work yourself. What tyres are on it, out of curiosity?

Currently running 195/55/16 Bridgestone runflats all round. Most of the work I can do myself/ have a mechanic friend who sees my car as a bit of a project car so likes working on it with me anyway.

Ill add, its only done 91k miles for a 57 plate. 60k of them done by myself over the past 9 years.

[marco_polo]

Interior swap is straight forward as long as you disconnect the battery first.

18” will bolt on no issues, provided the offsets are ok. Any E81/82/87/88 18’s would be a straight swap.

A 118d is inexpensive to remap, and should give you about 185bhp on an honest dyno.

Most BMW front brakes will bolt straight on, provided you fit callipers, discs and pads. 130i/123d/325i for example.

[MED]

If you're constantly running out of grip, and also cooking the brakes then I'd start to look at a more performance base car to start with.

If that's not an option then switch to non-runflats first of all, they help a fair bit with lateral grip levels, and comfort.
18's will fit, anything from Ex 1er wheel will work to offer more width resulting in more grip.
Remap will help, no doubt.

[waldorf]

Did you try a similar car? Does this perform the same? Could be something wrong with the car, could be your expectations are to high.
Mine has 205 wide tyres and no lack of grip. So yours has crappy chinese tyres, or you drive insane, or the car is not properly aligned.

[Octavius]

You’ve had it nine years. Time to move on. Better spending money on something more up to date or you will be just chasing your tail.

[nivens]

Currently running 195/55/16 Bridgestone runflats all round. Most of the work I can do myself/ have a mechanic friend who sees my car as a bit of a project car so likes working on it with me anyway.

Ill add, its only done 91k miles for a 57 plate. 60k of them done by myself over the past 9 years.

If you really want to keep it I'd get the clutch sorted then change those tyres to something higher performance, going for non run flats like Goodyear Asy 5s is probably the cheapest and most reliable way to do it if you're putting bigger wheels on too. The Bridgestone runflats on mine when I bought it were really awful tyres, particularly in the wet so it could feel like a totally different car after that. Keep any eye on the for sale forum here and you might pick up a set of OEM wheels like the 208m with better tyres to stick straight on.

[Nyxeris]

How much is the car worth? Spending £2k on maintenance might not be a great idea if it's 75% the value of the car (and 50% of the way to some of the 130is that have been up recently!). Especially if it's an N47 at 90k and the chain hasn't been done/isn't included in that £2k.

[SeriouslyPHILM]

Did you try a similar car? Does this perform the same? Could be something wrong with the car, could be your expectations are to high.
Mine has 205 wide tyres and no lack of grip. So yours has crappy chinese tyres, or you drive insane, or the car is not properly aligned.

Im quite a sensible driver. yes occasionally go a bit mad speed wise but never round corners because i feel to scared to take it fast round them

in comparison. i drove my friends seat leon fr 1.8ltr petrol turbo the other day and the difference all round was very noticable. 178bhp so 45 more than mine but it felt like a rocket and was so planted in the corners and the brakes were sh*t hot compared to mine. He has 18"s on

[SeriouslyPHILM]

How much is the car worth? Spending £2k on maintenance might not be a great idea if it's 75% the value of the car (and 50% of the way to some of the 130is that have been up recently!). Especially if it's an N47 at 90k and the chain hasn't been done/isn't included in that £2k.

Thats the problem. not sure if chain has been done as when i got it was when BMW were soing the recalls but i was super green and didnt have a scooby doo!
Ild say as it is currently privately maybe 2.5k pushing 3k. all things i want to do to it are only for me rather than the car. everything works already just not how i want it to after experiencing several other cars including my friends 1.8ltr petrol seat leon fr

[SeriouslyPHILM]

You’ve had it nine years. Time to move on. Better spending money on something more up to date or you will be just chasing your tail.

I feel like this might be the outcome but its cash flow permitting. I want something quicker than what i have got and preferably newer but with the sale of the car +savings can i really pick that sort of car up for about 5k?

[CoupeSilver]

I feel like this might be the outcome but its cash flow permitting. I want something quicker than what i have got and preferably newer but with the sale of the car +savings can i really pick that sort of car up for about 5k?

Well.. if you could stretch or save up a bit more than that .. you could potentially get one up on your mate and get the more powerful version:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 500&page=1

[CoupeSilver]

If you're completely open about make and model then all of these cars are quicker 0-60 than your car and all cost less than £5k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search ... =on&page=1

[bearded_ed]

If it helps.... I got my 130k mile 2008 125i for £4300.

Front end is stone chipped to hell but it certainly goes and stops very nicely!