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Adding 60 hp to my 535xi

16K views 96 replies 17 participants last post by  PeterC4 
#1 · (Edited)
I had a Burger Motorsports N55 Stage 1 Tune added to my car today. Mike from N54 Tuning.com did the install for me. A very nice guy. Here are my observations.

1. I watched the install and it took about 20 minutes with a little testing. Very clean, all of the wires look like OEM connections, no splicing or cutting. If you know what you are looking for, its very easy and ultimately its pretty much concealed from view. I have a USB connection to the chip for updates.

2. There are no noticeable effects from the install. There is no real change in idle speed, no sound differences, no warning lights, no differences at very modest driving speeds except for a feeling of more torque, (see 3).

3. There is a very noticeable difference in torque and the responsiveness from even a very modest blip of the throttle. The car pulls noticeably stronger. My car was not plagued with any significant lag, but I can tell you, if this has the same impact on a 2011 car, I would expect that the lag issues would go away.

4. You notice two things at highway speeds. To get decent reaction, you don't have to push the pedal down as far and you can use a higher gear for acceleration without having to really make the car downshift aggressively. It feels very good.

5. I stepped on it once, on the highway, and you feel the difference in acceleration. It is noticeable. I haven't really tested it from a stop, but the car is definitely more responsive.

Well worth it from what I can tell. And in every day driving, you'll step on the gas less to get the same result. I'll see whether it uses more gas, but I suspect it won't. I would say that it feels like the engine handled the adjustments very well and it feels like it was designed to work this way.

Note: The 60 hp is as advertised. I don't know if that is accurate as I have not formerlly tested it. But overall it's a noticable difference.
 
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#50 ·
Peter:

Just wanted to follow up. I know that in several other threads you have noted that your highway response to the throttle has improved. Question:

Did your car seem unwilling to accelerate / downshift at speed before? Is this what you describe as being solved?
How did your car pull away from a stop? Did you have any of the dreaded tip-in lag / lurch? If so, did the JB solve that?

Thanks. Considering JB4 Stage1 especially if it will get rid of this behavior.
 
#51 ·
Considering JB4 Stage1 especially if it will get rid of this behavior.
Needs:

It did/does for me. I also got the "global update" which seemed to work (I had taken the JB4 Stage 1 out before I got it) but I put the JB4 back on too soon after the "global update" to tell if the update fixed the problem on the long term (I like the feel of the car much better with JB4 - not sure how much more power you get, but it just feels more responsive).

Bill
 
#52 ·
Peter:

Just wanted to follow up. I know that in several other threads you have noted that your highway response to the throttle has improved. Question:

Did your car seem unwilling to accelerate / downshift at speed before? Is this what you describe as being solved?
How did your car pull away from a stop? Did you have any of the dreaded tip-in lag / lurch? If so, did the JB solve that?

Thanks. Considering JB4 Stage1 especially if it will get rid of this behavior.
It is absolutely awesome. My car was fine before and I have an update too, but now, it is extremely aggressive. I really did not have an acute lag issue... no. Now... it is a rocket.. an absolute rocket. Go for it.!!!!!:D:D:D:D:D
 
#54 · (Edited)
It is absolutely awesome. My car was fine before ... I really did not have an acute lag issue... no.
So it makes it faster, but does not necesarily address the lag issues. Got it :thumbup:

I plan on the stage 2 some time next year, when I get bored with current power.
 
#55 ·
So it makes it faster, but does not necesarily address the lag issues. Got it :thumbup:

I plan on the stage 2 some time next year, when I get bored with current power.
You will get bored with stock power rather quickly.. So when you are ready to step it up, let me know and i will help you out with the install. :thumbup:
 
#60 ·
I havent' looked but I'm assuming it's pretty easy to remove the airbox.
 
#62 ·
The air box takes about a minute to remove. Definitely makes the install 100x easier with it out of the way.

I've put about a thousand mile with the tune and still no problems at all. The car simply hauls when you want it to. When i have my car in sport mode and stab the throttle there is zero delay and the car just takes off like a bat out of hell.

I was able to get my traction control light to go off with my Xdrive F10 while i was rolling and then floored the gas pedal.

Alan
 
#66 ·
Well, I'm gonna try it. Since it's a piggyback, it's easily sold to someone else at a small loss, unlike a flash tune which is made for one car.

Will get it after the holidays.
 
#70 ·
Well, I'm gonna try it. Since it's a piggyback, it's easily sold to someone else at a small loss, unlike a flash tune which is made for one car.

Will get it after the holidays.
You gonna hold out til Ramble can do the install?
 
#67 ·
Does anyone here still have a notable lag? When I got my update 6 months ago, the lag was pretty much gone. From my understating, the 2011s had it the worst. Miamiboyca, you should hopefully be free of a notable lag. Did you notice it on you ED cannonball run?
 
#68 ·
I still do. It's bad.
 
#75 ·
Awesome!! Thanks for the feedback.

God, I need to get this tune!! I kept saying I would be like RambleJ and do the Stage 1, but the 2 is 2 tempting!!

Are there good down pipe options for the N55 on the F10?? There were not any real options earlier this year. Heck, I haven't even seem a CAI option for us yet :/
 
#76 ·
I will not do stage 2 as the tapping wires thing is hokey and more than I really want to do.
 
#88 ·
Man...my friend if you were still local...I'd install it for you no charge. Well....for a beer or ten. lol... It's prettty simple, not hokey or hard at all I promise. It's worth it for the kick in the pants it gives....our 2011's "need" it...pun intended.
 
#80 ·
I don't have my car coded, so I can't comment on the nav screen. The guy that installed the JB4 doesn't have the proper cable to code yet. He said he should be getting it soon.

There is a downpipe on the BMS website. It's a Dr Euro downpipe... I'm new to the whole thing so I'm not familiar with it.

Here's the link: http://www.burgertuning.com/RSi_Tuning_N55_Performance_Downpipe.html

After a day of driving my MPG is slightly lower, maybe .2 mpg's. But throttle response is much better.

I wish I could have a side by side comparison between stage 1 and 2, the car pulls quite a bit more but its not a huge difference. I bet in a few months I'm going to start looking for more power... Tapping into the wire didn't seem like that big of a deal, I just got a bunch of warranty work done though so I don't have to worry about it for another 15000 miles.
 
#83 · (Edited)
i did this type of tuning on my 996TT, it definitely made a huge difference and as I recall, it was about + 60HP, but that was from a base of 420 HP. There were lots of people that dynoed their tunes so the numbers were largely verified. +60 on the 535 would be a huge increase. Either way, this seems like a pretty inexpensive way to gain additional ttorque and HP.
 
#84 ·
i did this type of tuning on my 996TT, it definitely made a huge difference and as I recall, it was about + 60HP, but that was from a base of 420 HP. There were lots of people that dynoed their tunes so the numbers were largely verified. +60 on the 535 would be a huge increase. Either way, this seems like a pretty inexpensive way to gain additional ttorque and HP.
 
#92 · (Edited)
I think its the build date that determines whether or not the CAN wires are available for access under the plastic battery terminal cover. Mine is an 08/11 build...I have zero issues....but needs and others with the very early 2011builds may not have the can wires in an easy location or at all.

Sent from my Galaxy S3, using Bimmer App
 
#93 ·
I think its the build date that determines whether or not the CAN wires are available for access under the plastic battery terminal cover. Mine is an 08/11 build...I have zero issues....but needs and others with the very early 2011builds may not have the can wires in an easy location of at all.

Sent from my Galaxy S3, using Bimmer App
Did you have Stage 1 or did you go straight to Stage 2?
 
#95 ·
Indeed...S1 first..... Then S2 after 1st service visit. But it's if no consequence if one were to get either first. I uninstalled S1 before service. Then installed S2 after.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Bimmer App
 
#96 ·
Indeed...S1 first..... Then S2 after 1st service visit. But it's if no consequence if one were to get either first. I uninstalled S1 before service. Then installed S2 after.

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Bimmer App
How did you find the difference between the two...moderate or significant? Mind you, at this point I have the JB4 Stage 1, so I'm quite tempted. The way they tap into the few wires has me a little concerned, but I have not heard anyone with issues.
 
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