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M2 Technical Topics > N55 Engine / Drivetrain / Exhaust / Bolt-ons / Tuning > First impressions of BM3 Stage 1 (Updated with Stage 2 impressions)

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      01-10-2019, 08:35 PM   #1
ecitizen
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First impressions of BM3 Stage 1 (Updated with Stage 2 impressions)

I flashed my 2018 M2 a few days ago with bm3 stage 1 tune and thought I would share a few thoughts for those considering it. First off, it was straightforward to do the initial flash, although I did get a fuel system error and online recoding didn't work until I changed my wifi to a node closer to the car. I assume you need a strong wifi signal to avoid any errors. Once I did that, worked like a charm.

I have a fabspeed sport cat as the only other mod (which is fantastic and a must IMO) but otherwise stock. Power was only incremental, more of a subtle increase but definitely felt it driving with the paddle shifters and particularly in sport+. Most of the power gains are in the low to mid range so still doesn't solve some of the feeling of maxing out at the top end. However, I'm going to install a Wagner EVO 2 Comp IC with AA charge pipes and move to stage 2 which I suspect will feel perfect for a daily.

Burbles: Significant increase in sport+ but not backfires so I really like it. Stage 1 comes set to "OEM" burble. I did notice that selecting DSC (traction) the burbles mostly went away which is fine so it doesn't burble much in comfort when I don't want it and it's aggressive but not crazy in sport and sport+ mostly on downshifts. I like it! I tried it with burbles set to "OTS" and it was too much for my liking and burbled in all modes.

ASD: Coded ASD off just to try and it was fine but didn't love it. Sounded a bit hollow to me like driving a Subaru or something, not bad, but turned it back on and found that I prefer ASD on.

Cold start: I coded cold start off and this is a BIG win for me. My wife and daughter (room right above garage) much appreciate it as I'm sure do my neighbors.

Cable: Small annoyance having to reach down and find the ODB port so I ordered a short cable extension from amazon that I'll just leave plugged in and it will be easier to plug in my enet cable. Considered wiring to my center console but don't want have to take it out and put it back in every time I go to the dealer and flash back to stock.

Warranty concern: I went back and forth on whether I wanted to do a flash tune because I was concerned about voiding my warranty. The more I thought about it, I realized that I didn't buy an M2 to drive it like a 228, but rather to enjoy the fun with tweaking and pushing it. As a guy who likes cars why would I not just enjoy it now rather than wait a few years because of some outside chance that something goes wrong. Anyway, that was my logic and once I did it, it woke up the car a bit more and I actually enjoy being able to tweak it--sort of an enjoyable hobby outlet. So at this point I don't really care about the warranty risk.

All in all, hats off to PTF for an excellent product that doesn't break the bank. I'll add my thoughts on stage 2 once I get the IC installed next week. I think this is a worthwhile mod, along with a DP and FMIC/CP upgrade, to make this car even more fun than it already is. And the bonus beyond driving it is being able to tinker with it.

Last edited by ecitizen; 02-03-2019 at 09:04 PM..
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      01-10-2019, 09:01 PM   #2
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Thanks so much for the write up. I did a Wagner catted DP already ( wish I did the Fabspeed) and was looking at the same mods going forward. My car is mostly for track, DE and TT, but I also have to limit my whp/weight for classing. The DP really woke up the motor, which now has 425/fp of torque. I put in the Awron gauge, which is very nice, and saw my IAT was way too high which means I was loosing power. The Wagner Comp FMIC looks like a great option, but was debating whether the 2 vs 1 would create more lag. I was researching the Dinan Stage 1 and the Bootmod3 as options and am leaning towards the latter, so your write up was helpful.
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      01-10-2019, 09:28 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twt View Post
Thanks so much for the write up. I did a Wagner catted DP already ( wish I did the Fabspeed) and was looking at the same mods going forward. My car is mostly for track, DE and TT, but I also have to limit my whp/weight for classing. The DP really woke up the motor, which now has 425/fp of torque. I put in the Awron gauge, which is very nice, and saw my IAT was way too high which means I was loosing power. The Wagner Comp FMIC looks like a great option, but was debating whether the 2 vs 1 would create more lag. I was researching the Dinan Stage 1 and the Bootmod3 as options and am leaning towards the latter, so your write up was helpful.
Moving to a Stage 2 tune with the DP, my understanding is lag won't be an issue. Mike at Extreme Powerhouse will hook you up with a good deal and insight--he's great. He recommended the Evo 2 Comp as it's a bit bigger and same style as stock and I'm in a hot climate. I also considered Dinan but realized after talking to them that the Stage 1 tune (which is very expensive alone) would likely not produce much more power than what the sport cat already did. Also, they said if you have a DP or other non Dinan mods it voids their warranty which I thought was lame. In the end, Dinan is piggyback and not as smooth and crazy expensive. Although, I've used them in the past and liked the tune on my 328--YMMV. In the end a flash tune such as bm3 will be smoother and superior to piggyback and you can make changes on your own on the fly. You have to have dealer do software updates for Dinan. Maybe if you want Dinan's stage 4 and big turbo (and have $$$$ laying around), you may consider. The bm3 you tweak and update as maps are updated and for less money you can go right to stage 2 with an IC upgrade. Good luck with your decision--part of the fun!
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      01-11-2019, 02:15 AM   #4
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What octane are you running?
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      01-11-2019, 08:21 AM   #5
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What octane are you running?
Unfortunately, only 91 is available where I live.
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      01-11-2019, 08:36 AM   #6
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Actually, I'm glad to hear that because I have the same issue. I just don't want to invest any money into tuning if I'm going to risk my warranty for very minimal gain. I think if I had access to 93 gas I would have already gone with bm3. For now I'll keep living vicariously through you guys with the cojones to take the plunge
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      01-11-2019, 09:46 AM   #7
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I was wondering the same about the octane because the butt dyno that the OP was describing kind of sounds like the butt dyno of those who have only installed a sportcat (no tune).
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      01-11-2019, 10:49 AM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dabozo View Post
I was wondering the same about the octane because the butt dyno that the OP was describing kind of sounds like the butt dyno of those who have only installed a sportcat (no tune).
I drove the car for a while with just the DP and after the stage 1 tune there was a noticeable increase in power beyond just the DP but I wouldn't call it dramatic. However, my plan was not to be on stage 1 and moving to stage 2 next week after IC install. Hopefully, stage 2 will be significantly more. Maybe if your plan is to just stay at stage 1 it's not worth the warranty risk and you just stick to the DP. However, there is always a risk your dealer hassles you even with a DP and no tune.

In the end, I decided that I bought the car to enjoy now rather than wait for something in the future that I may do after the warranty is up. Didn't make sense for me, at least.
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      01-11-2019, 11:28 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twt View Post
Thanks so much for the write up. I did a Wagner catted DP already ( wish I did the Fabspeed) and was looking at the same mods going forward. My car is mostly for track, DE and TT, but I also have to limit my whp/weight for classing. The DP really woke up the motor, which now has 425/fp of torque. I put in the Awron gauge, which is very nice, and saw my IAT was way too high which means I was loosing power. The Wagner Comp FMIC looks like a great option, but was debating whether the 2 vs 1 would create more lag. I was researching the Dinan Stage 1 and the Bootmod3 as options and am leaning towards the latter, so your write up was helpful.
What's your reasoning on wanting the Fabspeed over Wagner?
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      01-11-2019, 11:36 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ecitizen View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dabozo View Post
I was wondering the same about the octane because the butt dyno that the OP was describing kind of sounds like the butt dyno of those who have only installed a sportcat (no tune).
I drove the car for a while with just the DP and after the stage 1 tune there was a noticeable increase in power beyond just the DP but I wouldn't call it dramatic. However, my plan was not to be on stage 1 and moving to stage 2 next week after IC install. Hopefully, stage 2 will be significantly more. Maybe if your plan is to just stay at stage 1 it's not worth the warranty risk and you just stick to the DP. However, there is always a risk your dealer hassles you even with a DP and no tune.

In the end, I decided that I bought the car to enjoy now rather than wait for something in the future that I may do after the warranty is up. Didn't make sense for me, at least.
Thanks for the feedback. I'm in same boat you are except you are ahead of me....will be installing fabspeed cat soon, along with charge pipe. Will ultimately go stg2 bm3 with a new IC. I have access to 93oct so I'm looking forward to the results!

Also wanted to know why you regret the Wagner... CEL? I was the opposite...I so wanted to do the Wagner to save some $$ but caved in the end lol
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      01-11-2019, 01:22 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dabozo View Post
Thanks for the feedback. I'm in same boat you are except you are ahead of me....will be installing fabspeed cat soon, along with charge pipe. Will ultimately go stg2 bm3 with a new IC. I have access to 93oct so I'm looking forward to the results!

Also wanted to know why you regret the Wagner... CEL? I was the opposite...I so wanted to do the Wagner to save some $$ but caved in the end lol
My DP is Fabspeed and it has been great so far--no issues and no CELs.
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      01-11-2019, 11:24 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ecitizen View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dabozo View Post
Thanks for the feedback. I'm in same boat you are except you are ahead of me....will be installing fabspeed cat soon, along with charge pipe. Will ultimately go stg2 bm3 with a new IC. I have access to 93oct so I'm looking forward to the results!

Also wanted to know why you regret the Wagner... CEL? I was the opposite...I so wanted to do the Wagner to save some $$ but caved in the end lol
My DP is Fabspeed and it has been great so far--no issues and no CELs.
Sorry. It was member Twt that has the Wagner.
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      01-12-2019, 07:05 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy Motoring View Post
What's your reasoning on wanting the Fabspeed over Wagner?
In spite of "new" Wagner pitch from Mike, it throws CEL constantly.
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      01-12-2019, 07:59 AM   #14
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So is there an actual dyno result or even advertised results of doing only BM3 Stage 1 without any other modifications? I have an F80 and the amount of data and tests on the S55 and modifications was extremely extensive. I've been scouring the net to find something relative to a simple BM3 flash but I couldn't find anything that seemed reliable. I know the gains aren't big but coming from an F80 and leaning towards buying an OG M2, I'm interested in potentially getting a little more power.

For my F80, I ultimately bought a Stage 1 BMS but never installed it (I didn't want to risk warranty and I don't like the idea of the less sophisticated BMS).
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      01-12-2019, 08:56 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twt View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Happy Motoring View Post
What's your reasoning on wanting the Fabspeed over Wagner?
In spite of "new" Wagner pitch from Mike, it throws CEL constantly.
That's too bad. I know cel's are more common Wagner vs fabspeed but if it's constant, could it be a install issue or damaged sensors etc?
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      01-12-2019, 09:12 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Twt View Post
In spite of "new" Wagner pitch from Mike, it throws CEL constantly.
It's not a real "fix", but with BM3 you can set it to automatically clear emissions related CELs so that your Wagner DP doesn't harass you anymore.

An important note is if you're in a state that does emissions testing, even the CEL auto-clear is a no go. In my state, they plug into your OBD port and if there's been a recent emissions related CEL (even if the CEL isn't on), you get dinged and have to fix it.
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      01-12-2019, 02:01 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZM2 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twt View Post
In spite of "new" Wagner pitch from Mike, it throws CEL constantly.
It's not a real "fix", but with BM3 you can set it to automatically clear emissions related CELs so that your Wagner DP doesn't harass you anymore.

An important note is if you're in a state that does emissions testing, even the CEL auto-clear is a no go. In my state, they plug into your OBD port and if there's been a recent emissions related CEL (even if the CEL isn't on), you get dinged and have to fix it.
Curious, would deleting any cel history (including and pending codes) using an obd diagnostic tool be ineffective as well? Just thinking about service visits at dealer.
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      01-12-2019, 02:26 PM   #18
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Curious, would deleting any cel history (including and pending codes) using an obd diagnostic tool be ineffective as well? Just thinking about service visits at dealer.
If they dig deep enough, they’ll find it. Wouldn’t worry about it tho.
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      01-12-2019, 02:49 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZM2 View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dabozo View Post
Curious, would deleting any cel history (including and pending codes) using an obd diagnostic tool be ineffective as well? Just thinking about service visits at dealer.
If they dig deep enough, they’ll find it. Wouldn’t worry about it tho.
Yes that's for sure. With actual tunes (bm3) I have no delusions that should something go wrong and you 'de-tune' your car back to stock that they would not find out if they dig enough.
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      01-13-2019, 03:12 AM   #20
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I was about to do a STG1 on my M2 LCI but after reading this thread I’ve some doubts. I’m not yet willing to do a FMIC/DP setup, but i’ve access to 93 (98RON). Would this make a difference compare for the STG1 91 tune?
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      01-13-2019, 06:25 AM   #21
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Quote:
Originally Posted by squixs View Post
I was about to do a STG1 on my M2 LCI but after reading this thread I've some doubts. I'm not yet willing to do a FMIC/DP setup, but i've access to 93 (98RON). Would this make a difference compare for the STG1 91 tune?
I tried asking a similar q above. There doesn't seem to be much data except "butt dyno". The S55/F80 forums had a lot more info available. I'm most surprised that I can't find a few dynos with just a 93 tune. I have read a lot of people saying the N55 is maxed out in terms of just adding boost but in another thread someone noted that that thinking changes with the BM3 so not really sure.
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      01-13-2019, 08:22 AM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dabozo View Post
Curious, would deleting any cel history (including and pending codes) using an obd diagnostic tool be ineffective as well? Just thinking about service visits at dealer.
So I had ER catted DP, ER FMIC and ER CP, but installed a J bend with restrictor for the downstream O2 sensor. I left the bm3 setting for ome and never got a code. Just be sure to put it on the smallest one.
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