Yes, you can do those mods (I won't, at least not to a new car with new parts under warranty) but if you're optioning up the N20 model you get within about 2k of the 35 so to me, as they sit, I like the 28i and yes it has potential to be more than it is, but for a little more I WANT the 35i for its right out of the box goodness. If agility and razor sharp response is what you're after, the X1 isn't quite the ticket although I suppose it could be but then ultimately it comes back to lack of a manual, uh oh here it comes...
It wasn't long ago you could order an X5 with a manual and now they don't even offer it on the X1?? It no longer saves you any $ on the 1 or 3 and yet the autos get more sophisticated and now at no cost- ie heavy cost to us manual faithful now subsidizing the non-drivers, I mean non-manual drivers of course
I thought this brand would continue to foster 3 pedal cars but instead it seems like they're trying to make a case to just do away with them, which is a damn shame.