How To Improve Your BMW Without Sacrificing Its BMW-ness
Have you ever noticed an older-model BMW, like an E36 or E46, in completely unmolested and unrestored condition casually driven by what some wouldn’t exactly picture as a car enthusiast? I’m always surprised when I find ‘regular’ people driving these niche cars, especially since, in most cases I have encountered, they are the original owners. I remember growing up, one of the first experiences I had with a ‘non-enthusiast’ BMW owner was a friend and neighbor’s father, who drove a late-model E46 330ci that he bought brand new. I recently drove by their house when I was back home in town and happily saw he still had it parked in its usual spot, completely clean, and looking just as good as it did back in the early 2000s when he first brought it home. | | | This type of owner reminds me that a large portion of the community that loves BMWs are not out there on a race track every weekend, or chasing a specific look and feel. They’re perfectly happy with keeping the car as it came from the factory, or possibly adding a few choice OEM+ upgrades, like Bilstein suspension paired with H&R springs and a set of aggressive OEM BMW wheel styles. It’s hard to imagine not spending hours, days, and weeks of my life tweaking, adjusting, upgrading, testing, and tinkering on my E30, yet plenty of BMW owners are content simply maintaining and driving theirs. | | | The casual owner, the one who cares for and loves their BMW just as much as any owner does but chooses to preserve their BMW’s purity, is still an enthusiast, after all. So, while we at Turner Motorsport generally cater to the more motorsport-inspired owners, we can’t neglect to support the preservationist owners, either. This week, we’d like to write specifically to that audience and make suggestions for improving or maintaining your BMW without compromising its BMW-ness. | | | | Engine
If the point is to leave your engine alone to enjoy its factory-given capabilities, then maintaining it properly is critical. For the die-hard purist, trusting anything but Genuine BMW can be difficult. I’ve been asked several times by this type of owner if a certain brand of oil or brake pad is safe. In actuality, Genuine BMW should be considered the minimum spec. It’s a high standard, for sure, but maintaining your engine, especially when it comes to oil, should consider that Genuine BMW products are what BMW uses because it meets their standards. With high-quality aftermarket brands, like LIQUI MOLY and Hengst, those standards and specifications are what they use as a benchmark to exceed. It shouldn’t be considered overkill. Choosing products that outperform the base requirements dictated by BMW is what will allow your engine to maintain the characteristics that engage owners in stock form. | | | | | | 
| | Additionally, using a less restrictive intake air filter, upgraded BavAuto coil packs, fitting an oil catch can, and upgrading to an electric fan in older BMWs can help future-proof your beloved time capsule without interfering in the slightest with how the car feels. The importance of sustaining original feel and performance is key here; we don’t want to make a change that affects how the car behaves. That isn’t to say there can’t be improvements, though. | | | | | | | | | | 
| Suspension
In the case of many modern higher-spec BMWs, Electronic Damping suspension has become more common. These systems allow the suspension to dynamically adjust to road conditions for more comfort as well as respond to the driver’s needs for more or less aggressive handling settings. In those contemporary BMWs, switching out to coilovers for a car that never sees a track would be a downgrade. That’s brought back the popularity of lowering springs, like H&R Sport springs, that allow owners to improve the look of their BMW with a lowered ride height without affecting the handling characteristics or ride quality too much. Naturally, a lower center of gravity will change the handling a bit, but H&R takes into account the factory ride quality and tunes their lowering springs to feel like the factory rates. So, with the electronic damping in place, you can still have a slightly more aggressive stance and better fitment without dramatically changing the car or reducing its convenience as a daily driver. | | | | | | | | | | For BMWs not fitted with electronic dampers, Bilstein shocks and struts have been a go-to performance upgrade for decades. However, if you are not interested in the more performance-oriented Bilstein lineup, KONI offers Special Active dampers that behave more closely to the factory electronic dampers. They aren’t electronically controlled, but these Active shocks and struts will adjust firmness based on the road conditions and driver inputs to create an impressively comfortable and stable ride that feels closely inspired by BMWs original design, just better. | | 
| Wheels
BMW enthusiasts tend to prefer BMW wheels, especially on platforms that never offered a particular wheel. The love affair with Style 5s, M Parallels, and M Systems is quite pervasive. As a company, BMW has always provided enthusiast owners with a wide range of attractive styles supplied by BBS and more recently Enkei. The discerning casual enthusiast finds OEM styles to be the best option, either their factory wheels or a set from another model. But it’s always good to have multiple sets, especially if you’re looking for specific fitment. APEX wheels produce the widest range of BMW-specific fitments and classic styles that complement rather than overpower the general design language of your BMW. Their wheels are ideal for a more sporty owner but work well in even otherwise unmodified applications. | | | | | | Interior
Despite all that I’ve done over the years to my personal E30, one thing I refuse to change is the interior. I love the way it looks, feels, and adds to my driving experience. BMW interiors on the whole are hard to improve and offer inviting, luxurious, and cozy atmospheres. They blend comfort and motorsport-inspiration perfectly. The only suggestion we have is to switch out the factory shift knob with a ZHP version. If you don’t have a ZHP shift knob, you’re missing out. It completes the package and belongs in every BMW, whether stock or completely custom. | | | | | | General Maintenance
Lastly, the final suggestion is more of a straight-forward reminder - your BMW requires regular services beyond the normal oil and filter maintenance. Upkeep on an aging BMW becomes increasingly critical as wearable parts begin to show their age. Our Packaged by Turner Motorsport service kits have everything you need to complete entire service jobs from the convenience of a single package. From suspension and brakes to timing services and VANOS rebuild kits, Packaged by Turner Motorsport has options for you to pick that include your preferred manufacturers like LIQUI MOLY, Meyle HD, Genuine BMW, Hengst, and more. If your goal is to keep your BMW driving like it did on day one, then staying on top of maintenance is your highest priority. | | | | Wrapping Up
There are plenty of BMW owners who choose to maintain the purity of their car, but that doesn’t mean they are exempt from opportunities to have the best possible experience without sacrificing the original feel of their car. This list won’t compromise a BMW purist’s values but will offer a way to maintain the original characteristics as the car ages. So, if you hold the belief that a BMW doesn’t need more power, stiffer suspension, or flashy exterior upgrades, these are the perfect improvements you need that won’t sacrifice BMW purity for performance. | | | | |
