Two brothers. Two Boosted BMWs. Two different philosophies, but like any great pairing, they’re better together. Brothers Alec and Brayden have been building two very different cars – with a healthy dose of Sibling Rivalry keeping them building. Alec rocks a E92 BMW 335i, while Brayden cruises a F30 328i M-Sport. Alec tends to focus more on pure performance, whereas Brayden has more of an eye for the aesthetic as well as power. The both of them enjoy going for cruises together and are both really passionate about their cars. The two started bringing their Bimmers to ModBargains about a year ago, when they got in touch with Modification Expert Frank Kim.
Alec started his E92 335i build thinking he’d leave this car alone. “I was going to keep it stock, but you know how it goes. Piece by piece, you start modding the car and it never ends.” Having had a great experience purchasing wheels from us on his E90 (his last car), Alec consulted Modification Expert Frank to see what was available for the car. “I really like how Frank always explains things clearly and suggests options for my car, rather than just push something on me like most salespeople do.”
Alec’s Mineral Gray E92 sits on a set of Forgestar Wheels for BMW – a set of CF5V‘s in Piano Black with red centercaps give the car a little visual punctuation and aggressive edge. To get the E92 suspension where it looked and performed best, it rides on a set of ST Suspensions Coilovers for the perfect balance of ride height and ride quality. While most people are terrified Coilovers will ruin their vehicles’ ride, Alec (and Brayden for that matter) both report that their ride quality is actually better with the coilovers. “Both Brayden and I wanted to do Sport Springs, but after talking to Frank, we went coilovers. 3 Days after we put KW V1 Coilovers on his F30, I got ST coilovers for my car.”
Performance was a big concern – a Cobb AccessPORT V2 for BMW N55 was installed to wake up the turbo six under the hood, complimented by a BMS Performance Intake for N55 Engines. These upgrades alone are good for a healthy chunk of power, but Alec’s future plans for the car include a Wagner Tuning N55 Downpipe to decrease spool-up times and increase throttle response and a Wagner Tuning EVO II Competition Intercooler to both increase overall power and make power delivery more consistent. “I really like the fit and finish on Wagner Tuning parts and they’re actually less expensive than other brands.”, Alec said.
Cosmetic upgrades include plans for an MTech Front Lip Splitter For E92 and a E92 Mtech Rear Diffuser to round out the car, but like any true project, it will never be “finished”. Overall the look is aggressive, yet restrained. We reckon the Front Splitter and Rear Diffuser will only add to the look – and there’ll be even more power under the bonnet to back up that aggressive exterior.
On the other end of the spectrum is Brayden’s brilliant blue F30 BMW 328i M-Sport. Brayden tends to prefer aesthetics over outright performance – and his build reflects that. A visually striking color, the shade of blue BMW picked for the F30 really pops. Like his brother, Brayden’s F30 rides on a set of Forgestar Wheels for BMW, opting for the CF10 Wheels for BMW in Piano Black rather than the CF5V. Given that his 328i M-Sport already wears the BMW F30 M-Sport Front Bumper, BMW Performance Front Lip, BMW Performance F30 Rear Diffuser and BMW Performance F30 Trunk Lip Spoiler, Brayden is going for an M-Sport inspired theme with the car. Brayden is also the first to tell you he’s gotten a lot of ideas based on how Modification Expert Frank has built his own BMW F30. “Frank is really responsive when I ask questions, and since we have the same car, I can call Frank and ask, ‘What would -you- do?’ if I’m not sure about something.”
As we mentioned earlier, Brayden’s decision to put a set of KW Suspension V1 Coilovers for F30 328i led to Alec getting ST coilovers for his E92 three days later. The KW Suspension Coilovers allowed Brayden to get the stance exactly how he wanted it and the V1’s fixed-rate damper actually rides better than the stock suspension did, too. “The car rides better than it did stock. Frank really helped in selecting the coilovers for both cars, recommending that we go with a progressive spring rate for a better ride.”
Brayden’s F30 isn’t entirely aesthetics, either. His F30’s been beefed up slightly with the conservative-but-effective aFe Power Scorcher Module for F30. Good for a 40hp gain and 51tq at the wheels, the Scorcher makes a pretty dramatic difference in the character of the car, making it more fun to drive and Brayden tells us it’s something you really feel on the ol’ “Butt-Dyno”.
Both cars seem a great compliment to one another, and that healthy sibling rivalry will likely see these cars evolve even further – and we can assure you, the ModBargains team is just as excited to see where they take the build next. Check out the rest of the gallery below and be sure to let us know what you thought in the comments.
If you have questions about building your own BMW F30, give Modification Expert Frank a call at 714-582-3330 x8003, or chat online at ModBargains.com.
Should you need something installed, ModBargains can also handle high performance installations like Coilovers, Big Brake Kits, Superchargers/Turbochargers and Exterior Upgrades like Front Splitters, Rear Spoilers and Diffusers at our full-service shop in La Habra, CA, just 20 minutes from World-Famous Disneyland. Our experienced Modification Installation Technicians have the experience to install your part right the first time to ensure you’re thrilled with your new parts. What’s more, our professional installers treat your car with the utmost care because we understand how you feel about your ride. Call 714-582-3330 today to make an appointment.
Story by Nicholas Gregson in Collaboration with Modification Expert Frank Kim
Photography By Doug Johnson, The Driven Lifestyle & Charles Pages, Pages Photography