Of all the BMW models that hit the shores of the USA these days, one classically European style of vehicle is still a rarity over stateside. Yep, we’re talking Touring – we have to admit that was kind of have a soft spot for these Longroof cruisers, and this one in particular is a great example of what you can do with the new F31 3-Series Touring chassis. Here’s the story of one owner’s build, and how his tastes influenced the car you see today.
Of course, most of us have to build with the concerns of our families and significant others in mind as well if we’re not building an outright trackday toy. When the F31 debuted, this couple saw it and immediately knew their A4 Avant would soon be going the way of the dinosaur. And like many of us, before the car ever left the showroom, the wheels were already turning as to how to tailor the F31 into something unique.
“I think all cars can look amazing in the right set-up and in the eye of their owners…. It’s a canvas that allows you as it’s owner to, customize and bring out the full potential of the car in your eyes and to your own taste.”
“I’ve always loved the lines of European cars from as young as I could remember switching interests back and forth between different generations of BMW, Audi, and VW primarily. I always look at a car as a blank canvas, and try to envision what the car could look like if it had better wheels or a better stance. Growing up I spent a lot of time in Orange County in Southern California, since all of my extended family is there so I got the car bug very young. I never really gravitated to the JDM cars, as I did the Euro side of customizing and styling.” The owner tells us, and the influence of car culture on the styling of his build is definitely noticeable.
“Seeing it (the F31) sit there in the show floor, ideas started running in my mind: what tunes and performance goodies are out there for the F31 to squeeze a little more power out of the engine, does H&R make a spring set for it, what other goodies were out there, and lastly when could I call up Mod Bargains to hook me up with parts.”
Giving this 2014 BMW 328xi M-Sport Touring Wagon an aggressive stance is a set of H&R Sport Springs for F31 3-Series Touring, complimented by a set of Forgestar CF10 Matte Black Wheels for BMW in 19×9 ET35 up front and 19×10 ET43 in the rear, wrapped in Continental DWS 245/35-19’s in the front and 275/30-19’s, rocking the staggered all-seasons for a great look regardless of whether you’re driving on snow or pavement.
Taking the aggressive look a step further, the BMW Performance M-Sport Big Brake Kit for BMW F30/F31 (in blue) gives the car the stopping power befitting the car, and the M-Sport Style Side Skirts help lend to giving this F31 a sportier look.
A pair of Gloss Black BMW Performance Kidney Grilles for F30 up front help enhance the sporty aesthetic by ditching the chrome Kidneys, and a No-Holes license plate holder for BMW relocates the front plate in a handsome way that doesn’t obstruct airflow while also still legally displaying your front plate.
In addition to the cosmetic modifications, a few performance modifications were in order as well. We didn’t have to look further than aFe Power to pull a big chunk of power out of the Turbo 4 under the hood of this M-Sport.
With an aFe Power Momentum Stage II Intake for N20 for F30/F31 and aFe Power Scorcher Module for N20 BMW F30, which are available as a package with the aFe N20 Intake + aFe N20 Scorcher Module, which combined yield a massive +43whp and +54wtq gain, significantly enhancing the output of this F31.
“The overall goal of the build was to make it ours, subtle touches, and performance improvements to unlock the potential from the F31. It’s our family car at the end of the day and yes we use it to get groceries but, you have to love the growl of the MPE and the subtle looks you get as you load a trunk full of groceries or plants from the neighborhood plant nursery. My wife finds it hilarious that complete strangers will come up and ask about the wagon, shocked that BMW still makes one and that they would have never guessed one could look like our F31 has turned out to look like.”
The focus of attention of this build and intent behind it offers a level of clarity that we all wish we could have with our own builds – this F31 does everything that it’s asked to do and do it well. While this couple knew what they wanted, it wasn’t without a little help from the Mod Experts that this build was able to materialize.
“Alan Wei, Senior Mod Expert at ModBargains, was great to work with as he assisted me in making the vision I had for my 2014 328xi M-sport wagon come to reality so quickly. He helped me with figuring out the perfect offset for my Forgestar wheels to fit right to the fenders to be as flush as possible. Alan and I had to work through an incorrect set of sensors for my wheels, but one call to Alan about the issue and before I knew it another set of sensors were underway to me without charge. Modbargains and Alan additionally took care of any mounting charges for the error…a true professional in every word.”
We’re thrilled to have been a part of this build and love the way this longroof came out. Check out the full mod list for the F31:
2014 BMW F31 328xi M-Sport Wagon
Mod List:
OEM M Sport Big Brake Kit – blue
OEM M Sport Performance Exhaust
OEM M Sport Gloss Black kidney grill
aFe scorcher module
aFe momentum stage II intake
Painted Front Reflectors
Lamin-X yellow wrapped fog lights
Lamin-X smoke tint wrapped rear reflectors
Forgestar CF10 Matte Black Wheels for BMW
Continental DWS 245/35/19 & 275/30/19
H&R Sport Springs for F31 3-Series Touring
Future mods:
Carbon Fiber Front Lip
Carbon Fiber Mirror Covers
Interested in modding your BMW? Talk to the Mod Experts – call us at 714-582-3330 (x8006 to speak with Alan directly) or email us any time at sales@modbargains.com – our friendly and knowledgeable Mod Experts have the experience to recommend the parts that best suit your taste, budget and goals and can offer guidance if you’re not sure about a particular mod. Thanks for reading, we’ll see you next time.
Story by Nicholas Gregson in collaboration with Senior Modification Expert Alan Wei