335i Advice on Tuning and Wheels

[MSQ]

Hello, I am new to the forum. Owned Mercedes most of my adult life, got a 2014 BMW 750i xdrive w/M Package and every option 2 years ago and think the car is great. I am going to sell a 1999 MB C43 AMG that I have owned since new (that car was a tank in terms of reliability and the performance was great in its day) and I just bought a 2011 BMW 335i xdrive as replacement for the 1999 C3 AMG. Got a decent deal on the 2011 335i so I am looking to spend ~$3k to $6k on Tuning and Wheels/Tires. I don't like to waste people's time on the forum therefore I have done some homework on Wheels and Tuning but after doing all the homework I still ended up with a bunch of questions. Any help on these is appreciated:

- Tuning:
* Given I need to but wheels and tires (to replace stock ones) what components would you suggest to boost torque and HP significantly without degrading engine life? My thoughts are below:
* I am considering getting a decent FMIC intercooler, I was considering Cobb Racing FMIC, but I don't know enough about who makes a high quality reasonably priced one that does not require mods to the car.
* Some type of high quality charge pipe
* Some kind of mod to the car like Accessport
* Some kind of high flow air filter
Net: I'd like to increase the HP by 50 - 100 and the torque as much as possible (assuming a good set of rubber on the car) w/out degrading engine life.
* I normally would not think of lowering the car and realize it might help a bit on handling, but I am not going to race the car, so is there any real benefit (beyond cosmetic) to lowering the car?
* Take my thoughts above with a grain of salt as I know nothing about tuning a 335i, so any suggestions are appreciated

- Wheels and tires:
* I saw this on the forum, which is basic but helpful:
http://www.caranddriver.com/features...sted-tech_dept
* I want to have tires/wheels that are all season that I don't have to swap out for winter driving (I live in New England). I like the look of 19" wheels but I wonder if due to the low profile nature of a 19" on a 335i that this would be totally impractical in snow? Maybe there is a set-up with 19" that can be driven in the snow? (my 2014 750i Xdrive with M wheels is great is the snow). If not what 18" ones would you suggest?
* I realize from other homework I have done and the Car and Driver Article above that 19" (or even 18") vs. 17" stock wheels would sacrifice performance, but I am wondering is this simply due to the weight of the wheels or something else (wheel diameter vs. auto transmission)? If it's just the weight, couldn't I buy a super lightweight 18" or 19" wheel that would not lose performance?
* I want a staggered set up like my AMG has, with wider wheels in the rear so any suggestions on set-up/wheel size (given I want to drive in winter but also look great) is appreciated
* I have looked at VMR, Beyern Mesh, Advanti and don't know anything about the quality of those or others....suggestions on wheels/mfgrs is appreciated
* Tires, I definitely want tires that I can use in summer and winter without swapping and I don't need to go with run flats (I'd get a donut wheel for spare and jack for the car if I don't buy run flats), and I would go with a low profile, if practical, that can be used in snow (yea I know low profiles are not good in snow, so if that is a dumb idea i.e. there are no good all season low profiles for this car, please feel free to tell me). I have run flats on my 2014 750i and they are "ok", not bad, not great, in the first six mos of having the car I had to have rim straightened from pot hole.

I guess the short version of the above is "If you were going to spend $3K - $6k on tuning and wheels/tires for a 2011 BMW 335i xdrive, how would you spend it to get the best look/performance?"

[pbonsalb]

The 2011 uses a small single turbo. You can get 50 hp more out of but will probably need a bigger turbo to get 100 hp more. Look at JB4 and Cobb. If all you do is the occasional 5 second pull, you may not need a bigger IC. Water meth injection helps. An illegal exhaust also helps.

Be careful with changing tire sizes on AWD cars. The traction control and AWD use the diameter and front rear difference in diameter. Try to maintain the same difference, or research to make sure the difference you want won't matter.

[MSQ]

The 2011 uses a small single turbo. You can get 50 hp more out of but will probably need a bigger turbo to get 100 hp more. Look at JB4 and Cobb. If all you do is the occasional 5 second pull, you may not need a bigger IC. Water meth injection helps. An illegal exhaust also helps.

Be careful with changing tire sizes on AWD cars. The traction control and AWD use the diameter and front rear difference in diameter. Try to maintain the same difference, or research to make sure the difference you want won't matter.

Thanks, this is helpful. Also, good point on AWD and tire sizes, something I had forgotten about. I'll do some homework on this. On the trying to get between 50-100 extra HP, your point on bigger turbo is helpful. This 2011 335i does not have an oil cooler, and although I do not plan to race/track the car, I am wondering if a bigger turbo without putting an oil cooler in would be asking for trouble? Dinan makes and oil cooler for this car, but the part alone (if the car did not come equipped with a factory oil cooler) is ~$2300 and labor can supposedly run into 8+ hours. Net, I want avoid doing anything that hurts the engines longevity and if I would need an oil cooler to support a bigger turbo (which is an assumption of mine that might be wrong) I would probably not do the bigger turbo.
I believe the AWD had an 18" wheel option (this car has the stock 17's), so assuming I use same diameter front & back I would guess I can at least put 18's on the car?
I did some homework on Cobb & JB4, there seem to be differing opinions. Cobb seems pretty straightforward, but I like the fact that JB4 can be made undetectable to BMW tech if you put the car back to factory (although warranty is expired on this car, so maybe I should not care).

[pbonsalb]

I don't think you need an oil cooler unless you track the car or drive it hard in mountains or canyons. You can buy an upgraded turbo if you decide you need more power than you can get out of your current one. I use the JB4 on my 08 535xit.

Try a good all season tire like the Michelin pilot sport as3. On the 535xit, we use summer wheels and snow wheels but we live in an area that gets snow.

[MSQ]

Thx again for the help. Yea, I live in an area that gets snow (outside of Boston), so maybe I'll have to do two sets of tires. One thing I like about my 750i is same set of tires year around, but they are not low profile, which I want on the 335i. Good to know I shouldn't need to do oil cooler if I do bigger turbo (since I don't live/drive in canyons etc. nor do I race/track my cars). I am doing homework on JB4 vs. Cobb. Have you had any issues w/JB4 (stalling etc.)? Do you have 18 or 19 inch wheels on you 535?

[pbonsalb]

I am in Concord NH and use snow wheels and summer wheels on all my cars. We did have an 08 X5 4.8i and used all seasons on it and it was fine but it was 1200 lbs heavier than the 535xit.

JB4 works great. Never had an issue. The 08 535xit is a sport package wagon for my wife and uses factory 18 x 8.5 with 245/40/18. Those are the summer wheels. I use 17s for snow. I don't like 19s since they ride less smoothly over rough roads and are at greater risk of bending. Even on my 08 M3, I use 18s but wider -- 18x9.5/10.5. Look at Apex -- nice light wheels. I have had them on my 08 M3 for 6 years. I use the ARC8 but they don't come in 19. Maybe the EC7 does.

[MSQ]

Good to know on the JB4. Seems like those who have it and have no issues really like it. On the wheels I will look a Apex 18's and maybe Michelin AS tires and see how that combo might look and handle. Your point about the X5 being heavier is a good one. My stock 750i w/M wheels is fine in snow and it is much heavier than 335i, BUT I have had big bill for straightening of those soft stock M Series rims once already and may have another coming again this winter.