[TommyK]

ok to start off i have had it in for over a week and have put nearly 1000 miles on the car and have put it through its paces.

Mods on the car. AFE intake, Straight pipes. 91 octane (CA) 53k miles

Installation: easy, just take your time. reading the directions prior a couple times helped me out just so i was more familiar with what i should be expecting. i also decided to just unplug the battery since that seemed like the best way.

Initial response after instal:
Right when i started up the car i was looking for differences. starting the engine is normal. its not louder and doesnt rev higher at all. i personally thought i smelled a little bit a exhaust fumes on my first start up but since then i havnt notice any. the first thing was how quickly the car revs, it increases its RPM range a lot more swiftly. the engine feels like its more alert and aggressive. it no longer seems content and boring but now its alive and is ready for the streets. also the cars RPMS seem to decrease quicker too.

Driving (Day 1&2) est. 60miles:
The car throttle response is great. its very snappy. im assuming this was map 3 since i didnt touch anything since instal. the gains on normal driving in D mode are noticable. you can feel the car pulling more and you really have to watch how much gas you are giving the car because it really wants to take off. there were a couple times getting onto the freeway were i ended up going way to fast and having to brake and slow down because of how quickly the car accelerates now.
Gains in HP were somewhat noticeable at low end but its not a night and day difference. what i notice was the throttle response more than anything.

Day 3:
OK day 3 seemed completely different. before i started the car i reset the maps and made sure i was on 3. i took off on my normal weekend drive down to the coast. i put the car in both DS and MS mode. the car is just phenomenal to drive around. it just comes alive so much quicker and really gets you up to speed so much quicker and does it in a way that is so much more forceful too. the horsepower was more noticeable and you could feel it too.

ok the BIGEST difference that i noticed and made me and was when i was in 6th gear going 80MPH at 2900 RPM i had to get infront of somebody and gave the car a little more gas just giving a little bit of gas made me go from 80 to 95 with the same amount of effort that i thought i would need to just get to 85.
once i noticed that i tried it again. i went from 80 in 6th and gave it more gas just trying to compare what i was used to. the difference was UNBELIEVABLE the car accelerates so easily. the car used to feel like it was no mood to go faster than 80or 90, if you gave it more gas in 6th the car wouldn't do anything. it just felt like a 4 cylinder. Now it just kicks in and goes and keeps going. i took it up to 120 and it just felt like it now had the stamina and ability to finally do it. (ya i know, im giving the car lots of personification).

IMHO this is a great investment. it doesn't feel like the car is being abused at all and is very easily able to handle the extra demand. to me i look at is as if the car is like a business that has tons of workers, and now the car has under new management that all the employees like and are able to work harder faster and more *efficiently* w/o over doing it.

i also notice for me. almost 70% of the gains i saw in HP were in higer RPM range, once the car get past 4000 and climbs is just keeping pulling and pulling. this too me is great since i have an intake that will give the low end a boost and now the PBX to boos the high end. even my friend with a 335 was driving a behind me and he said he really had to get on it to keep up w/ me when i was getting on to the freeway going from 2nd at 35mph to 90 in 5th compared to before.
also the gear changed are alot more snappy when you give it gas and i that. its so much more instantaneous.

please people dont hesitate any longer. this mod is a win instead of investing in exterior mods for other to enjoy, invest it back to yourself and give your self a car that is more enjoyable for you to drive and enjoy. you wont be disappointed

BMS Thank you for coming through and making something that actually works and creates noticeable gains for the for the NA engine's and for not ripping us off like the costly ECU flashes do

Thanks and hope this helps

[Chewy734]

Good review!

I was wondering... does your gas mileage improve any? With my LET tune, I could get 3-4 mpg better on the freeway.

[JayReplay]

Great! What is the 1st to 2nd shift like in regular D mode? Does it still shift really early to 2nd?

Mine feels so heavy when accelerating unlike is DS mode.

[rault18]

great review..im on day one 25 miles driven and i love every second of it..cant wait for it to adapt to my driving and completely learn

[TommyK]

Originally Posted by Chewy734

Good review!

I was wondering... does your gas mileage improve any? With my LET tune, I could get 3-4 mpg better on the freeway.

To be honest there is a combination of things happening here from what i've noticed and think is happening. I did see a little bit of a decrease in consumption (better MPG) but i think it because of both A) Since the throttle response is sharper you can ease off the lead foot a bit which leeds to B) you dont have to stop on the gas to get to speed and C) probably the engine is working more efficiently but dont forget i also have and intake so that might have something to do with it.
but i have not extensively tested it in good controlled settings since ive been having too much fun going fast

Originally Posted by J3Yer

Great! What is the 1st to 2nd shift like in regular D mode? Does it still shift really early to 2nd?

Mine feels so heavy when accelerating unlike is DS mode.

I think this is where the ECU comes into play. i Shift in MS mode a lot in the city because i have straight pipes so to keep it more quiet and less drone thats how i drive. i think it has some influence on how the shifts are in drive because in D for me its smooth but climes up to about 3500 before shfiting so to answer your question it takes longer in the sense it hold the gear longer but you get up to speed faster. make sense?
alot of people have compared D mode to be more like DS but thats not a good way of putting it. D still acts like D without the tune it just climbs a bit higher than stock and isnt as smooth like a super luxury car, now its more plugged in and ready. this also might be a difference between a 328 and a 330 or me having an intake too. but DS now is extremely snappy

[Wlew]

in my opinion the shift from 1st to second is quicker, but a lot more powerful, it really gets going. the gear I notice the most gain is 3rd. feels like the car is really pulling hard and most of the hp is being put in, however each gear feels so much more powerful than before. if you haven't gotten one, quit pussy footin and get it, you will not regret it. By far the best mod I have done.

paired with the afe intake you now really hear the air sucking in, its a great sound. I keep it in map 3 at all times, when you go back to map 0 your car feels slow and heavy.

[Wlew]

also, raced my buddy in his 1995 540 Msport with a brand new V8 and a racing dif... he was shocked by how much faster my car was than before. Not only did I launch faster, I keep up with him at all speeds. from a stop, I beat him twice. I was very impressed. its a must buy

[capo1m]

im gunna get this in the next two weeks i want the new one that takes off restrictions even tho mine restricts at 155

[Mike@N54Tuning.com]

Thanks for the VERY thorough review I am glad you're enjoying it.

Mike

[hokie4life03]

Great review... thanks for the write up! This mod is next on my list.

[YianniM3]

Does this work on a 325?

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by nixta325

Does this work on a 325?

Yes. It works on all N52 engines.

[Ron@Modbargains]

Great review, PBX is a great product for sure.

[dt_328xi]

Installed mine last week, and I can't believe the difference it makes

I thought people were exaggerating, but it really does make a huge difference. Now I want to get an aftermarket intake Man, modding is soooo addictive, it just never ends

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by dt_328xi

Installed mine last week, and I can't believe the difference it makes

I thought people were exaggerating, but it really does make a huge difference. Now I want to get an aftermarket intake Man, modding is soooo addictive, it just never ends

Yeah tell me about it. Spent quite a bit and the only thing I came here originally to do was a headlight conversion. Two years from now I'm going to sell my baby and the modding will start all over again.

[TommyK]

Originally Posted by Ron************

Great review, PBX is a great product for sure.

Thanks, it really is a very noticeable improvement over stock.

Originally Posted by hokie4life03

Great review... thanks for the write up! This mod is next on my list.

Im glad it helped you pull the trigger. it really is a mod that people shouldn't think twice about getting.

Originally Posted by Mike@N54Tuning.com

Thanks for the VERY thorough review I am glad you're enjoying it.

Mike

Dont worry about it Mike, you and the rest of the guys deserve all the credit, if i didn't think the results were noticeable i would have said so but this product really made me a believer. Hopefully people can refer to this thread and feel more confident about getting your product.
Cheers

[guerilla twang]

Been waiting for a proper 330i review. This has convinced me. The only thing i'm worried about is warranty stuff, and at most it seems the biggest inconvienience would be taking it off. Can't wait to get this bad boy on.

[FrankiE90]

330 owners should get this, hands down.

[rault18]

Originally Posted by FrankiE90

330 owners should get this, hands down.

+ 100000000000000000000

[ska///235i]

what about a 325xi...should i get this?

[Delta0311]

Originally Posted by ska325xi

what about a 325xi...should i get this?

I'm suprised you haven't got it yet. Of course you should get it.

[youngtechman]

Guys

I scheduled to have it install tomorrow by Mike.
E90 330i

Wish me luck. The only worry i have is what if the PIN get lose after like couple months, since it is not OEM connector.

But may be I am worry little too much.