[Scottie2hottie]

Originally Posted by ilikebmws

Nope, we followed this write up. Basically you make just enough room to slide the headlight forwards to access the outer DRLs

Thanks bro 🙏🏼🙌🏼

[Kevin_The_Clean1]

danniexi Nice write up the springs. I have the DINAN units + their bump stops & full y agree about the improvement in ride quality. When I thought the opposite might result in a lowering spring.

[danniexi]

OEM Digital Key Retrofit

So ever since I was first ordering the car nearly two years ago (crap has it been that long already?), there were two items from the original build order that was not included with the F97 LCI; the laser lights and digital key. The laser headlights I could live without since the DRL design are exactly the same between the two, but the one thing that upset me was the dreaded 32Z build code… “Deletion of BMW Digital Key”.

It’s a small detail that no one really cares about, but I’ve always been a bit of a gadget nerd and have always wanted Digital Key in my next BMW ever since it was first announced back in 2020. Unfortunately with the chip shortage, BMW had gone nearly ten months building X3Ms without digital key until they started showing up last year.

Luckily, with the help of thestimp and Tim@codemybimmer who have pioneered this entire project (you guys are the best), I was able to retrofit digital key to the car. Obviously, some basic coding was involved, and after installing the necessary NFC pad, cup holders, door handle, and some additional wiring, all that was left was getting the updated VO to BMW servers. Luckily, the most recent remote software upgrade was available so I was able to download/install that and save an extra trip to the dealer.

I did run into an issue with getting the digital key onto my watch (unpairing + pairing did the trick), but other than that, using it has been seamless. It’s already been one week since I haven’t used my keys at all and the experience has been a joy. I unlock the car with my watch and place my phone onto to the charger and I’m ready to go. It’s been 100% reliable when it comes to the NFC reading and I have yet to experience any issues with it.

Most don’t see a need and/or prefer their keyfob, but personally, having one less damn thing in my pocket has been awesome.

And seriously, a huge thanks again to thestimp and Tim@codemybimmer for tackling this project and answering all of my annoying and asinine questions.

[Trailbreaker24]

Originally Posted by danniexi

subscription only. can order on connectedrive store or the app on the car. 1 month free and then $39, $99, and $149 for 12month/36month/lifetime respectively.

i havent added it yet but i’m thinking of just doing the one-time $149 as a peace of mind. i know it doesn’t work like a dash-cam (since it doesn’t have a “parking mode”), but it’s better than nothing.

Is this a US option? I had no idea this was a thing?

[tsivas27]

Car looks awesome! Love the drop.
Very tempted after your writeup.
How much of pain was install of springs/ bump stops? How long timewise?

[danniexi]

Originally Posted by Mirage_77

Is this a US option? I had no idea this was a thing?

It's available in the US, and yes, it's certainly a thing. I think you can add to your vehicle build (not 100% sure), but you can definitely order it through the connected drive store after the fact at any time.

Originally Posted by tsivas27

Car looks awesome! Love the drop.
Very tempted after your writeup.
How much of pain was install of springs/ bump stops? How long timewise?

thanks. pain was around $500 and 2-3 hours or standing/sitting as I went to a shop for the install + alignment.

[zachmc241]

Man I missing out on the digital key in my 22 F97 too.. how much time and money did this cost you? I’ll be reach out to those 2 guys for some help getting mine set up!

Could you share the link to the NFC pad?

Just discovered your build journal, super sweet spec and mods 👌

[danniexi]

Originally Posted by zachmc241

Man I missing out on the digital key in my 22 F97 too.. how much time and money did this cost you? I’ll be reach out to those 2 guys for some help getting mine set up!

Could you share the link to the NFC pad?

Just discovered your build journal, super sweet spec and mods 👌

thanks for the comments.

as for this entire project, it took a while simply because I didn't have any of the required tools to do so; namely I purchased the ProTools app as well as an android tablet for the VO coding. on top of that, I had to wait for an OTA software update which didn't come until a month later. the actual installation of parts took me around an hour or two just to figure this stuff out since it was my first time. also along the way, some of the parts were not compatible. for example, the cupholder I purchased had a three prong connector for the lighter socket while my OEM plug was a two prong. also I reused my OEM door handle and replaced the innards with the updated door handle with the correct NFC sensor (not smart since its screwed + glued on the inside which took a long time to switch out but I didn't want to spend the extra time and money to repaint a new handle).

you can refer to the actual installation instructions from this post. it seemed daunting in the beginning but actually going through the process it was actually very simple.

if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

[zachmc241]

Originally Posted by danniexi

thanks for the comments.

as for this entire project, it took a while simply because I didn't have any of the required tools to do so; namely I purchased the ProTools app as well as an android tablet for the VO coding. on top of that, I had to wait for an OTA software update which didn't come until a month later. the actual installation of parts took me around an hour or two just to figure this stuff out since it was my first time. also along the way, some of the parts were not compatible. for example, the cupholder I purchased had a three prong connector for the lighter socket while my OEM plug was a two prong. also I reused my OEM door handle and replaced the innards with the updated door handle with the correct NFC sensor (not smart since its screwed + glued on the inside which took a long time to switch out but I didn't want to spend the extra time and money to repaint a new handle).

you can refer to the actual installation instructions from this post. it seemed daunting in the beginning but actually going through the process it was actually very simple.

if you have any questions feel free to PM me.

Man thanks so much! I’m going to try it out. Also, If you ever have any aftermarket parts to sell please let me know.

[drmee]

Well Done! Looks amazing.

[danniexi]

Indiv X3M Carbon Fiber Cooling Shroud

So Indiv recently came out with their carbon fiber cooling shroud for the F97/F98 platform and I was able to get my hands on it immediately. I didn’t have much time earlier in the week so I was finally able to get it installed late last night and I am extremely happy with the results.




First and foremost, the quality is none other than perfect. The shroud is manufactured from dry/pre-preg carbon fiber. The weave/finish is immaculate and the lack of weight compared to the stock metal plate is staggering. I assumed that because the metal shroud isn’t that large the difference wouldn’t be noticeable. Sure, it’s not going to make much difference to the vehicle itself, but when holding it in the hand you can appreciated just how light this carbon fiber piece is. Case in point, during the installation process, the weather was extremely windy. I laid both the OEM and indiv CF shroud on top of the styrofoam. Just as I was about to reach down to pick up the CF piece, it almost damn near flew away from the wind. That’s how light it was.




Installation was a breeze and quite frankly nothing to write home about. The CF shroud is perfectly matches that of the OEM metal shroud, so everything lined up perfectly. Again, quality is that of OEM. I get excited about this since it’s rare for third-party manufacturers to get the fitment to be so exact. Indiv got it done right.


BEFORE





DURING (fully exposed without plastic trim)





AFTER









Overall it’s a beautiful piece and makes a great addition to the engine bay. Very happy with this purchase.

Thank you indiv.official!!

[ttx3m]

Looks awesome!

[Kevin_The_Clean1]

Looks nice man & it's a shame that 40% of it's covered up on the two sides. I'm not sure if it's $650 cool. But I still might want one. Simply glad they're finally releasing these.

[Shaun170]

Originally Posted by Kevin_The_Clean1

Looks nice man & it's a shame that 40% of it's covered up on the two sides. I'm not sure if it's $650 cool. But I still might want one. Simply glad they're finally releasing these.

I thought exactly the same. A 1/4 is covered by the plastics both sides. These need to be available in carbon too. Then it would look perfect.
Not cheap though.

[danniexi]

SOOQOO Carbon Fiber Brake Duct Cover from RW Carbon

I ordered these brake duct covers from RW Carbon during the Memorial Day sale. I know these can be purchased anywhere but I didn’t want to wait and the coupon + quick shipping from RW Carbon helped justify the cost.

Not much here to write home about but they fit easily over the OEM brake duct with some VHB 3M tape. I did add a few extra pieces for piece of mind. The only disadvantage that I see with these is that the front passenger side covers the tow hook. I didn’t even think about it until I installed it and it was too late. lol whoops.

Whatever. They look great in my eyes and it’s nice to see the front end stand out in the sea of other brooklyn grey G01s around my area.

Overall happy with this piece. No more gloss black on the front end and full CF’ed out.

[danniexi]

VTT Carbon Fiber Cross Brace

Out of boredom I was scouring the internet (which is all the time) and I came upon these carbon fiber cross braces for the F97/F98 on the VTT website. What the hell. Since when did these exist? I’ve always wanted these braces in carbon fiber to finish up the engine bay yet I hadn’t seen any reputable suppliers/manufacturers making these for our platform. I know of one other company that started making these (Carbahn), but they are in the middle of prototyping so who knows when they’ll hit the market. So instead of waiting, I ordered from VTT immediately and got them installed.

The product is great. They are surprisingly light for what they are (or are the OEM braces unnecessarily heavy?). Construction is great and fitment is spot on. Install took me five minutes in the 100 degree heat so well worth it for a fully completed cf engine bay. Not much else to be done in there other than the whole downstar dress up bolt kits but those have never been my thing. Overall I’m happy with the results!

[Resu]

Looks good! The OE CF strut bar doesn't get the love from buyers it deserves. It's a steal at $500.

[ttx3m]

Your a bad influence lol!

I saw those a little while back. I just don’t have a reason for underhood dress up. Since I never open the hood other than to clean every once in a while.

Did you share where you airbox cover is from? I know they (VTT) were also working on making the carbon cover available too because I asked.

[danniexi]

Originally Posted by ttx3m

Your a bad influence lol!

I saw those a little while back. I just don’t have a reason for underhood dress up. Since I never open the hood other than to clean every once in a while.

Did you share where you airbox cover is from? I know they (VTT) were also working on making the carbon cover available too because I asked.

i know. but after installing the OEM cf strut brace my OCD has been bothering me for years so i needed to get these. i just had no idea they existed until now. oh well. can finally open up the hood with pride. im just debating on the whole dress up bolts.

as for the airbox, it's from Eventuri. it was one of the first mods that ive done when getting the car.

[Jnat]

Originally Posted by danniexi

H&R Sport Springs + Dinan Bumpstops

Got the H&R springs as a gift from my wife but I didn’t have the opportunity to install them until the last week of April. I wanted to wait and see if they would “settle” after a few days-weeks of driving, though I have not noticed any change in terms of ride height. All in all, it’s been a good two months since getting them on and so far I’ve been pleased with the results.

To keep it short, the handling has improved a little bit… nothing mind blowing when it comes to dynamics, but every bit of driving when it comes to turning/stopping feels better and a tiny bit sharper. This IS an SUV so you can’t outrun weight and physics but I’ll take it. I’m sure if you want the best in terms of handling, get KW V3s, but for my use case, these springs will fit me just fine.

If anything, what surprised me the most was how much the ride has improved. I felt the OEM suspension wasn’t uncomfortable, but can get unsettling at specific times. Something with the OEM adaptive shocks that don’t match that well with the OEM spring rate. In comfort mode, the chassis can get bouncy at times (especially in dips) and in Sport and Sport+, the car would crash over bumps more often than not. With the H&R springs, I can feel that the springs/suspension is firmer, yet the ride has become more controllable. Dips don’t toss my kids in the back and bumps are easily more managed with less of that crashing “the strut has exploded” type feeling. Definitely more livable and useable on the street than the OEM setup which is crazy to me, and I always found that the OEM springs were already comfortable enough.


Maybe the Dinan bump stops contributed to the ride as well? I dunno. The bump stops were basically insurance for me. I probably didn’t *need* to use them, but having that extra bit of travel in the strut and not having to ride the OEM bump stops on lowered springs was peace of mind for me and an absolute no brainer. On my older cars, I’ve driven on lowered springs without changing the bump stops and had less than favorable results. Lessen learned and I’m glad these are available for the F97/F98 platform.

I’ve done a poor job showing the differences in terms of ride height, but the changes can easily be seen in person. Both the wife in the passenger seat and my kid in the back say they both feel like they’re sitting lower in the car and noticed the change immediately.


BEFORE:





AFTER:

Great review and based on it and your pictures i am so glad i decided to go this route... with that said, the Dinan supplimentals are on back order until late August so my HR springs are sitting lonely in the garage waiting for their install... great looking vehicle btw...