Kimchi and Rice - A Build Saga
This thread will be my diary/journal of sorts to document my progress with my M2C. It seems other M2C folks are posting their build threads in this section so I chose to as well, but this can always be moved if need be!.
A little about myself, I am an American currently living in South Korea. It's not really that common given the fact that Korea is so homogeneous and frankly they heavily limit and regulate foreign work visas to very few occupational roles, and not to mention the fact that I moved without knowing how to even say "thank you" or "oh my god, please help me I'm so lost and I REALLY HAVE TO PEE" before I moved here. But here we are!
**edit** I moved back to the US June 2019. Shipped the car with me.
**edit 2** I moved back to Korea in June 2020 and brought the car. Car has traveled more by boat than on the road....
I'm not usually one for naming cars but in this instance I thought it to be appropriate to do so, and I settled on "Kimchi Rice" or in Korean "김치볶음밥" because the car is white and I'm a redneck so it seemed to make sense at the time. By the way, if you haven't eaten kimchi fried rice before you're missing out on one of the most wholesome, belly warming meals in existence.
This car is a lot of firsts for me; it's my first new car (newest otherwise was a 2009), my first BMW, my first car with over 400hp (before this the highest was my 240hp S2000), and frankly I had sworn off anything German after my disastrous high school / college car, which was a 1998 Volkswagen Jetta from the 7th circle of hell. I still have nightmares about the window switches, the never constant idle, and the smell of sweet, burnt coolant will forever be in my nostrils.
This thread will be more of a journal than a "build" in the sense of what we usually see around here. I think a lot of folks do a lot of stuff all at once which is all posted in the first post. I prefer to post as I go along, and document my trial and error process, and I think that's too much for a single post. As such I plan to keep a "table of contents" in the first post and I will update regularly with links for each post. Hopefully that works out.
I'm really looking forward to being a part of this community; my experience thus far has been really positive (even if you guys sometimes argue about the most asinine stuff LOL) and you all are a wealth of knowledge that I am grateful to learn from.
Happy reading!
Current Car Stats:
Gas mileage average (Lifetime): 16.3 mpg
Current Mileage: 38,980
Track Miles: 2,226
Weight Savings:
Wheels: -25.24 lb
Suspension: -5.2 lb
Brakes: -34.97 lb
Exhaust: -38.4 lb
Seat: -42.2 lb
Total: -146.01 lb
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1:
Where should I begin? Oh the beginning of course!
Delivery
Basic Performance shop visit + reflector replacement
Getting through break-in
Dashcam install faaaaaaail
Protect the paint!
Let's go Racing!
Break-in, but not by the book!
Final Race of the Season - A Wet and Dreary Day
Self Car Washes!
Let's Darken Those Windows
First Local M2 Club Meet
January Shop Visit
Impromptu Photoshoot
Washy Washy
Chapter 2:
Ohlins Install plus Painting the Muffler
Group Photos
Volk ZE40+Michelin+Brakes
Millway Camber Plates and EBC YS Pads
Akrapovic Evolution Exhaust Install
Gyeon Quartz Ceramic Coating
Performance Driving School
M Track Day 6 DEC
You wish your carwash was this cool
Maintenance at 25k
2.19 Track Day
Chapter 3:
PUT A WING ON IT Schirmer GT wing install
Korea International Circuit Track Time Nov 2021
Korea International Circuit Jan and Feb and Misc. maintenance
New Recaro!
Korea International Circuit March 2022
Korea International Circuit May 2022
Chapter 4:
Suspension rebuild and square setup
Yongin Speedway Track Day - June 2022
KMP Wheel and CAE Shifter Installation
Scroth 6pt Harness install and Korea International Circuit Jan 2023
Korea International Circuit - Feb 2023
Modifications
Tuning/Coding
Bimmerlink
Bimmercode (various)
Interior:
Recaro RS-GS seat
Blackvue DR550 2 Channel Dashcam (F&R)
KMP F8X Steering wheel
CAE Ultra Short Shifter w/white POM knob
Scroth 6pt Harness
AIM SOLO 2
Exterior:
Gyeon Quartz Mohs Ceramic Coating
IND Front Reflectors, painted
Acexxon Honeycomb rear reflector replacement
SolarGuard Premium 30% front windshield, 30% side/rear ceramic tint
Akrapovic Rear Diffuser, Matte Carbon
Team Schirmer GT Wing
Lightweight Front Lip
Engine:
Eventuri OEM Panel Filter Replacement
Turner Motorsport Oil Cooler Guard
Brakes/Suspension:
Ohlins Road and Track Coilover Suspension, revalved and custom shim stack
H&R Race Springs 12K(f),16K(r)
H&R Helper Springs (f)
Fall Line Rear Adjustable Toe Arms
Rear camber shims
F87 M2 Blue Brake Kit
Millway Camber Plates
Ferodo DS2500 pads (street)
Ferodo DS1.11 pads (track)
Ferodo 5.1 Fluid
Wheels/Tires:
Volk ZE40 19x9+23(f), 19x10+34(r) (street)
Volk ZE40 18x10+25(f,r) (track)
SCC 10mm Spacers (f)
Michelin PS4S 255/35(f), 275/35(r) (street)
Nexen SUR4G 265/35(f,r) (track)
Exhaust:
Akrapovic Evolution Line Exhaust (catback)
Links:
Instagram
Personal blog (mostly travel stuff)
S2000 build thread - Nobody likes the tuna here
Flight stats