BMW 128i Rehab: What I Spent to Fix It, and What It'll Take to Make It Fast
- Brandon Meadows
- 1 day ago
- 10 min read
Updated: 3 hours ago
Ever see a cheap car on Facebook Marketplace and think, “That would make a perfect inexpensive track car”? Yeah... don't. Take it from someone who’s been there: the words “cheap” and “track car” do not belong in the same sentence.
Let me take you back about two years, to the moment I stumbled across a nugget of an E82 BMW 128i—6-speed manual, factory sport package—for the lowest price I’d ever seen on a running, driving example. Curious? Check out my previous post for the full breakdown of everything wrong with this car when I limped it home that night, hoping it wouldn’t kill me in the process.
I bought it for just a bit over $4,000. I told myself: it’s cheap, it’s got a stout and reliable powertrain (the N52 is practically bulletproof), perfect 50/50 weight distribution, rear-wheel drive, a manual transmission, and a healthy aftermarket—ideal for a budget-friendly track build!
Oh, how naïve I was.
You ever hear the phrase, “There’s nothing more expensive than a cheap German car”? I’d heard it too—but I hadn’t lived it.
Now I have. And I’ve got the receipts to prove it. If you’ve read my previous posts, you already know why this 128i was so cheap—but what you don’t know is just how expensive it became to get it into drivable condition. For reference, I’m not going to list every trim clip, bolt, or cosmetic fix. This is focused on what it took to make the car driveable, enjoyable, and trackable.
Let’s start at the beginning.
Emissions Woes
When I bought the car, it had only one check engine light—for the DMTL pump. Unfortunately, that single light was enough to keep it from passing emissions and becoming road legal. It had previously been in a wreck on the right rear side—exactly where the DMTL pump lives. Since the pump is connected to the charcoal canister, I ordered both:
Bosch DMTL pump: $67
Used OEM charcoal canister: $86
Cooling System Refresh
The OEM water pump technically worked, but the DME had already flagged it, which usually means death is imminent. I figured that if I’m doing the pump and tracking the car, I might as well overhaul the whole cooling system:
OEM Pierburg water pump: $340
OEM thermostat: $141
CSF Racing Radiator (7002): $442
Gates radiator hoses (full set): $172
BMW coolant: $33
Unfortunately, the Gates hoses didn’t fit well—lesson learned. Coming from Hondas, I trusted Gates. Don’t. I later replaced a few with OE-spec Rein hoses:
Rein expansion tank hose: $36
Rein lower radiator hose: $38
Pro tip: Just buy OE-spec hoses from the beginning.
Maintenance Catch-Up
The car had a nasty stutter, a broken fuel gauge, and no known service history. Naturally, I threw the parts cannon at it:
Bosch coil packs & NGK spark plugs: $186
Serpentine belt kit: $90
Cabin air filter: $31
Bosch air filter: $21
Fuel Gauge + Suspension Round 1
Even after an alignment, it still pulled like a shopping cart with a broken wheel. I also wanted to fix the fuel gauge and suspected bad control arms, so I upgraded to 1M/M3-spec parts for better handling:
VDO fuel pump (right) + fuel filter/FPR (left)
Lemforder tie rods (inner/outer)
TRW M3/1M control arms (front & upper rear)
All hardware (OEM)Total: $1,421
Fuel gauge? Fixed. Engine stutter? Gone. Straight-line driving? Still nope. Whirring noise from the accident area made me suspect the rear knuckle. You can find most of the above-listed work in a previous post.
Rear Suspension + Axle Fix
I ordered a used knuckle with control arms, then discovered the axle had been damaged. While I was in there, I replaced the wheel bearing too:
Used right rear knuckle w/ control arms: $269
Cardone axle + Timken wheel bearing & clip: $196
Steering Issues
Still didn’t drive straight. A stethoscope revealed the noise was coming from the steering rack area. Not wanting to risk doing the job twice, I replaced both the shaft and the rack:
CHF 11S fluid: $20
Steering rack hardware + Oetiker tool: $101
New BMW steering shaft: $408
Reman BMW rack & pinion: $526
At long last, after another DIY alignment: it finally drove straight! (Also, a couple wheel bolts were missing, so I replaced all of them.)
Wheel bolts (full set): $40
Airbag & Seatbelt Fixes
The accident had triggered multiple seatbelt-related codes. I replaced components over time:
Front left seatbelt tensioner (OEM): $184
Left front seatbelt: $283
Right front seatbelt: $131
TPMS & CAN Bus Errors
The TPMS module had been submerged in water. After drilling drain holes, I replaced the module and an ABS sensor:
Used TPMS module: $57
Bosch ABS sensor: $42
Honestly? I should’ve just coded it out from the start. Which I eventually did:
Small Wins
Oil filler cap (Febi): $36
Jack pucks (all 5): $26
Preventative Maintenance
No issues yet, but I proactively replaced some probably not needed, but potential failure items:
VANOS solenoids (x2) & bolts: $316
IWIS timing chain tensioner: $80
Fluids & Filters
Drain plugs (oil/trans/diff): $36
Mann oil filter + Febi cap: $45
ATE Typ 200 brake fluid + Redline MTL: $64
Redline differential fluid: $50
Shifter Fix
At one point, the OEM shift knob literally popped off mid-drive. Even when it stayed put, shifting felt like stirring soup with a spaghetti noodle. You can read more about that thrilling experience [here].
Upgrades:
BMW M shift knob – $122
OEM shifter rebuild kit – $80
eBay clutch stop – $22
Tires
The factory run-flats were both ancient and atrocious—harsh, noisy, and about as grippy as a worn-out eraser. I swapped them out for something more civilized and capable for year-round street use:
Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus – $679
Suspension (Mistake #1)
At this point, I started liking the car around town and wasn’t sure about tracking it anymore. I didn’t want to shell out for true coilovers, so I compromised:
Bilstein B12 Cup Kit + all install hardware + spreader tool: $1,449
Shock/strut mounts (OE): $323
Lemforder front endlinks: $55
Undercarriage Covers
All three underbody covers were missing:
Transmission cover: $34
Center rear cover: $47
Front engine splash shield: $98
Splash shield bolts: $15
Miscellaneous
Key fob shell (eBay): $23
The Verdict
After all this work, the car became genuinely enjoyable to drive. I even daily drove it for about a year. But let’s recap:
Purchase price: ~$4,000
Parts + repairs: ~$9,121
Total investment: ~$13,121
This Wasn't the Cheap Ticket to Speed I Thought
This was not the cheap ticket to speed I thought it would be. But it did teach me something: “Cheap German car” is a contradiction in terms.
That said, I’ll give the little E82 some credit. Over the past two years—since investing a small fortune in maintenance and repairs—it’s been an absolute rock in the reliability category.
But we haven’t even started on the go-fast parts…
Making It Quicker
I decided the car needed a bit more power, so I went OEM+ with a DISA 3-stage intake manifold, a Euro OEM airbox, an aftermarket intake elbow, and everything else needed to give the old girl a little extra pep in her step:
Turner Motorsports intake elbow – $59
2008 BMW X5 3.0si DISA 3-stage intake manifold (junkyard) – $33
Euro OEM N52 intake – $193
K&N air filter (for Euro intake) – $87
New OEM DISA valves, intake manifold gasket set, crankcase breather hose, throttle body gasket – $894
Bimmergeeks Expert K+DCAN Cable – $87
Android 13 tablet – $119
Bimmworks tune – $373
Suspension Tweaks
After replacing the OE suspension with a Bilstein setup, the rear still felt a bit floaty. I cheaped out again and went with inserts instead of full bushings:
Whiteline rear subframe inserts – $53
Cooling Prep (for Track Use)
To avoid limp mode at my elevation, I knew I had to keep the oil temps in check. That meant piecing together a 135i oil cooler setup:
135i oil filter housing/hoses/bracket (junkyard) – $23
135i oil cooler & shroud (eBay) – $175
New OEM OFHG, bolts, cooler o-rings, fender duct, pressure switch – $95
135i passenger front fender liner (eBay) – $102
Rein metal “Mickey Mouse” flange, mounting bracket, hardware, grommets, Mann oil filter kit – $81
Bonus mishap: When installing the cooler, I punctured an A/C line. So…
A/C line – $20
Rein A/C o-rings – $8
A/C refill – $136
Oil Control
Running the stock oil pan felt risky for extended lapping, so I picked up a baffle kit and tackled it all while replacing the engine mounts:
Condor Speed Shop N52 oil pan baffle kit – $102
Used OEM oil pan & tow hook (junkyard) – $22
Febi drain plug – $12
Mann oil filter kit, level sensor gasket, OE Corteco engine mounts, full bolt kit, Elring OE pan gasket, assorted hardware – $461
Control arm locking nuts – $16
Castrol Edge Euro 0W-40 – $60
Shout-out to a good friend with a welder who installed the baffle, saving me some labor costs.
Brakes, Wheels & Tires
To handle repeated track abuse, I needed a proper wheel/tire and brake setup:
Centric rotors – $167
Apex ARC-8 17x8.5 ET40 + TPMS sensors – $1574
Falken RT660+ 235/40R17 tires & Hawk ER-1 pads – $1552
ECS Tuning stainless brake lines – $204
Castrol SRF brake fluid – $142
Pro tip: I later used ProTool to code out TPMS, making those expensive sensors a complete waste of money.
Brake Leak Surprise
While swapping pads, I noticed an unexpected bonus—a brake fluid leak at the right rear caliper. Time to consult the sacred scrolls of the internet…
Repairs & Parts:
OE rear brake spring clip – $10
Centric remanufactured right rear caliper (with core return) – $160
Track Prep: Camber Time
To keep the front tires from annihilating themselves on track days, I dialed in a bit more negative camber:
Dinan camber plates – $142
Grand Total (So Far…)
There are still a few minor purchases I’m leaving out, but the list above represents the overwhelming majority of what I’ve spent to get this car where it is today.
To recap:
Purchase price – $4,000
Maintenance & repairs – $9,121
Track reliability upgrades – $7,162 TOTAL SPENT THUS FAR: $20,283
That's correct. Over $20,000 spent on a car that, on the street, isn't much faster than a stock 128i.
And here’s the sad part: despite being a rock-solid mid-pack performer… it’s still not fast. Which leads us to the next question:
How Much More Would It Cost to Make the 128i Truly Fast (within its class) on track?
Lately, I’ve been feeling the familiar tug of doubt with the 128i build. Not because of the work—most of the hard stuff is done—but because of the sheer cost of taking this car from “fun and solid” to actually competitive on track. And by competitive, I mean something that won’t just feel safe and predictable at the limit, but something that lets me confidently chase times and run towards the top of the class it's currently in.
Suspension: Where Confidence Begins—and the Wallet Weeps
Let’s start with suspension. I’m currently on a Bilstein B12 kit—great for the street. It rides almost like OEM Sport suspension, which makes sense because the Eibach springs it includes are in that ballpark.
But on track? There's way too much body roll. That’s fine at 7/10ths, but once I start pushing, the car just doesn't feel buttoned-down. Naturally, that got me looking into coilovers.
If I go further into time attack, I'd like to run 17x9 wheels (currently on 17x8.5). Unfortunately, most coilovers reduce inner clearance on this chassis. Only the pricier, motorsports-grade options (MCS, JRZ, Ground Control, TC Kline) make enough room to actually fit the wider wheels and tires that could make a real difference.
Yes, there are some people who’ve hacked together custom Ohlins setups using spacers and short springs—but no one offers a plug-and-play version. And once you add camber plates and supporting hardware, you're looking at around $4,000 for a set of coilovers that weren't meant to run the shorter springs required to fit 17x9 wheels.
The Options:
TC Kline Single Adjustables – ~$2,500
(Based on old-school Koni dampers, limited damping range. Add $500 if you want dual-adjustable rears.) Realistically, you're going to want the dual-adjustable rears and a set of used M3 rear lower aluminum control arms (spring perches) needed to mount them, which are about $300. At that point, you're in the neighborhood of $3300.
MCS Single Adjustables from Vorshlag – ~$4,700
MCS from BimmerWorld – Quoted me over $6,000
(Yes, considerably more than I paid for the car.)
Everyone who runs MCS raves about them. They’re supposed to ride well even on aggressive spring rates, which is huge if I want the car to still be streetable. But that price tag is a hard pill to swallow.
Sure, I could go with something cheaper—Ohlins, KW, Bilstein, etc.—but most of those limit me to my current 17x8.5 setup. And giving up wheel width means giving up time.
Tires & Wheels: The Grip Tax
Let’s say I make room for 17x9 wheels and wrap them in 255-width tires. That setup alone is going to cost another $2,500 or so once I factor in wheels, tires and mounting. Granted, I can sell my current setup to recoup some of that cash, but it always hurts to have to buy a set of something that you've already purchased. The old adage applies here: buy once, cry once.
Differential: It's Still Open (!)
Believe it or not, the car’s still on an open diff. That makes rotating the car on throttle almost impossible on corner exit. A used 3.73 rear diff (cheap and plentiful on eBay, a good bit more aggressive than my stock 3.23 rear end) plus a proper LSD install would run me somewhere between $2,000 and $4,000, depending on the route I take.
Rear End Squirm: Bushing Time
Under heavy braking, I’ve noticed some rear-end squirm—probably the OEM rubber bushings in the rear subframe flexing. Right now I’ve got cheap inserts in there, but the real fix is aluminum bushings (~$300+), which means dropping the whole subframe and pressing them in.
Fine Tuning: The Cherry on Top
Corner balancing + custom alignment – $600+
It's come to my attention that if I really start picking up speed, it's a good idea to start investing in safety itmes (partial cage, etc.) – TBD, but not cheap
Upgraded brakes – front 335i calipers combined with rear 328i calipers are inexpensive and plentiful, while giving the 128i more braking capacity than it will ever need on track, but it's still another item to add to the list.
Track insurance – More expensive than the event fees themselves
The Damage Report
Here’s the rough breakdown of what’s still left to make this thing really fast:
Upgrade Estimated Cost
Coilovers $2,500 – $6,000
17x9 Wheels + 255 tires $2,500
LSD & rear diff $2,000 – $4,000
Rear subframe bushings $300+
Alignment & corner balance $600+
Total $7,900 – $13,400+
And that’s on top of the $20,000+ I’ve already spent on the car, maintenance/reliability items and go-fast parts that have already been purchased and installed. That's not counting safety items, track insurance, or upgraded brakes.
Final Thoughts
The truth is, I’m not sure I can afford this—or at least, I’m not sure I can justify it. Every dollar I spend chipping away at the 128i’s weaknesses starts to feel like a gamble—especially when each new fix or upgrade reveals another rabbit hole I didn’t consider when I impulsively picked it up off Facebook Marketplace two years ago.
If you’re thinking about getting into this game, here’s my honest advice: unless you genuinely love the build process, you’ll save yourself a mountain of time, money, and frustration by buying a fully built, well-sorted track car from someone who already poured their soul (and savings) into it. I honestly can’t imagine what the costs would look like if I wasn’t doing all the wrenching myself.
I love this car. It’s been an interesting, sometimes rewarding project. But at some point, I have to ask myself: do I really have the stomach—and the wallet—to keep going?