10-04-2017, 09:15 PM
So after blogging for weeks here lamenting the sale of my A4, I've found its replacement.
![[Image: cu-0.jpg]](https://cdn.spincar.com/swipetospin-viewers/bostonvolvo/wbauu3c51ba951042/20170920142517.9VTN1SQO/low-res/closeups/cu-0.jpg)
Its a 2011 E90 Wagon (E91) xDrive (AWD) with 66k miles, 6 speed manual, non-turbo (da fuq?) inline 6. This thing will be one car for two of us for a while and has to handle dog hauling, camping, bike racing, daily driving and ice fishing while not putting me to sleep behind the wheel.
More photos to come, but, space grey exterior/black interior. Has some nice packages, with the upgraded leather, panoramic sunroof, heated seats and most importantly no auto transmission and no nav/iDrive. It did not have the sport package, but on the xDrive cars that just gets you seats, steering wheel, and wheels I think.
I found the car at a dealer in Boston, it was a one-owner trade in. I had them on the horn at 9am sharp and had a deposit on it the day it hit autotrader. Which was fun, because I was off to Chicago for a wedding that day so I'm walking through the airport trying to buy a car. Had it shipped down to me and it arrived Tuesday. The dealer had done a bunch of work on the car getting it ready for sale, new brakes, alignment, filters, oil change, ball joints.
Dropped the car at the indy shop I use in herndon for state inspections, and asked them to look over the car. They noticed the belt tensioner was likely going to shit itself soon so I had that replaced and I've got a few things to rectify, the windshield had been replaced but it wasnt done properly so a new one is going in on Friday. There was some light cosmetic damage on the rear 1/4 panel that didnt show up in the photos and I'm going to go get an estimate on that tomorrow morning. The interior is mint and the car drives really, really well although much more sedate than the APR Stage II+ A4 it replaced. Ok, maybe I'm still lamenting its departure.
I ordered a trailer hitch as soon as the car hit the transport truck, that was waiting for me at home and I got that installed this afternoon so I can transport my own bicycles again.
Once the cosmetics are cleaned up, I've got a few plans for the car. First up is the OE 3-stage intake manifold, the only difference between the 328 motor and the 330 is this thing and 30hp.
![[Image: 444384_x800.jpg]](https://c1552172.ssl.cf0.rackcdn.com/444384_x800.jpg)
I have one here already, because buying parts for a car you dont own yet is totally normal. You need an ECU flash for the manifold to do its thing, so I need to make some arrangements to have all that done at Mach V soon.
I'm looking for the E90/91 sport package seats, steering wheel and some OE 18" wheels so I'll just pick those up as they come available locally. Will likely change out the interior trim from the dark wood that's on there now for silver like i have in my 135. The dark wood is too 'old man wagon' for me. I'd like to put on the BMW performance exhaust & short shifter, but after getting the car cleaned up my budget is empty until the 135 sells.
Past that, I'm not sure what else this car needs. Everything I read said that the xDrive handling was a giant bag of dicks but I dont agree with that. Some FSD's would be nice, I put them on my A4 and was very pleased. I'll wait until Koni does one of their sales and then think about it.
Long down the road, if this thing is paid off and I still have it I want to buy a wrecked RWD 335 and ship the lot down to DJ to swap the turbo drivetrain into it. But thats a pipe dream for now....
Its a 2011 E90 Wagon (E91) xDrive (AWD) with 66k miles, 6 speed manual, non-turbo (da fuq?) inline 6. This thing will be one car for two of us for a while and has to handle dog hauling, camping, bike racing, daily driving and ice fishing while not putting me to sleep behind the wheel.
More photos to come, but, space grey exterior/black interior. Has some nice packages, with the upgraded leather, panoramic sunroof, heated seats and most importantly no auto transmission and no nav/iDrive. It did not have the sport package, but on the xDrive cars that just gets you seats, steering wheel, and wheels I think.
I found the car at a dealer in Boston, it was a one-owner trade in. I had them on the horn at 9am sharp and had a deposit on it the day it hit autotrader. Which was fun, because I was off to Chicago for a wedding that day so I'm walking through the airport trying to buy a car. Had it shipped down to me and it arrived Tuesday. The dealer had done a bunch of work on the car getting it ready for sale, new brakes, alignment, filters, oil change, ball joints.
Dropped the car at the indy shop I use in herndon for state inspections, and asked them to look over the car. They noticed the belt tensioner was likely going to shit itself soon so I had that replaced and I've got a few things to rectify, the windshield had been replaced but it wasnt done properly so a new one is going in on Friday. There was some light cosmetic damage on the rear 1/4 panel that didnt show up in the photos and I'm going to go get an estimate on that tomorrow morning. The interior is mint and the car drives really, really well although much more sedate than the APR Stage II+ A4 it replaced. Ok, maybe I'm still lamenting its departure.
I ordered a trailer hitch as soon as the car hit the transport truck, that was waiting for me at home and I got that installed this afternoon so I can transport my own bicycles again.
Once the cosmetics are cleaned up, I've got a few plans for the car. First up is the OE 3-stage intake manifold, the only difference between the 328 motor and the 330 is this thing and 30hp.
I have one here already, because buying parts for a car you dont own yet is totally normal. You need an ECU flash for the manifold to do its thing, so I need to make some arrangements to have all that done at Mach V soon.
I'm looking for the E90/91 sport package seats, steering wheel and some OE 18" wheels so I'll just pick those up as they come available locally. Will likely change out the interior trim from the dark wood that's on there now for silver like i have in my 135. The dark wood is too 'old man wagon' for me. I'd like to put on the BMW performance exhaust & short shifter, but after getting the car cleaned up my budget is empty until the 135 sells.
Past that, I'm not sure what else this car needs. Everything I read said that the xDrive handling was a giant bag of dicks but I dont agree with that. Some FSD's would be nice, I put them on my A4 and was very pleased. I'll wait until Koni does one of their sales and then think about it.
Long down the road, if this thing is paid off and I still have it I want to buy a wrecked RWD 335 and ship the lot down to DJ to swap the turbo drivetrain into it. But thats a pipe dream for now....