[Silver Streek]

I already have an LCI E91 which I really like, unfortunately being a diesel and living in London means I have to pay ULEZ.
Luckily a very kind soul is gifting me their E92 325i when they buy a new car. This being ULEZ compliant will save me a small fortune.

Anyway Im trying to asertain what suspension it comes with. I was under the impression it has SE suspension but when I test drove it there was definitely less body roll then my E91 SE (I have since converted it to Eibach pro and Bilstein shocks so doesn't roll now).
I keep reading conflicting info online, some say all E92's have sports suspension others say only the 335 E92's had it as standard. In the US it seems all E92's had sport suspension.

I've tried vin decoders but they seem very lacking in data. When I got my E91 in 2017 I used a vin decoders and it bought up loads of options in the list, the decoders available now show much less options.

Anyone got any experience with what UK/Euro spec E92's were fitted with?

Thanks in advance.

[Malteser_wfj]

M Decoder should work. It gave me all the info for my 2003 E46 and my current 2012 E92.

What bumpers, trim & wheels does it have? As in does it look like the M Sport option was ticked? From the brochure I was able to find (for the 2012 albeit) it was possible to spec the M Sport kit but deselect the sports suspension.

I don't believe that all E92's would have sports suspension as standard.

[Silver Streek]

It's definitely not m-sport spec, it doesn't have m-sport bumpers or trim, or seats etc.
It has m-sport steering wheel but everything else is SE spec eg 17 inch wheels square set up, SE seat but electric adjustable.
If it has SE suspension it corners really well which is what led me to question what it has. Maybe it's because the 2.5 325i engine is lighter that the 3 litre M57 diesel in my E91 is what making it feel like it corners flatter.

Did they do a sport suspension option that not m-sport? Like in my E46 that was a late SE with sport option that was slightly firmer than standard but not as hard as m- sport.

I will try m decoder. Thanks!

[Beemermike]

Unfortunately there is a lot of misinformation out there regarding E92 factory suspension setups and US-EU market options being mixed up within the discussion.

So I'm clarifying that my reply is only regarding UK spec cars.

Firstly, there is a misconception about "Sport" and "M Sport" suspensions and whether they are the same thing. This confusion is caused by the fact that the M Sport package was released a year after the E92 debuted, and prior to this the optional sportier suspension was named "Sport" suspension on the options list. They are one and the same.

All 335i and 335d models, regardless of whether they are SE or M Sport, were fitted with the sportier suspension by default. However, a customer did have the option to have it deleted and come with the basic suspension instead.

All 320, 325 & 330 E92's regardless whether petrol or diesel had the basic suspension fitted from factory unless they were optioned with the M Sport package, or in case of SE models, they had the M Sport suspension optioned (Or Sport suspension if car was produced before 2007)

In a VIN decored, options 226 or 704 indicate the car has Sport or M Sport suspension respectively. If option 225 is present, that means the car was originally fitted with sportier suspension, but was optioned to have it removed.

Hope this clarifies things a little.

[Silver Streek]

Thanks for the clarification Beemermike. Unfortunately when I use the vin decoders none of them show info of what suspension was fitted to my car, there is very little I formation on them for some reason. Some even list it as automatic when it's a manual. I might email BMW and request a build sheet for it.
I have confirmed it's SE suspension, I looked at the part number on one of the front dampers and it still has the original BMW unit that has the part number for an SE.
Depending on how long I keep the car I may replace all springs and dampers for either m-sport or more likely Eabach pro and Bilstein dampers.
I should be getting the car before the end of March. Then I have to decide what to do with my E91 325d, it's an LCI in good condition, it's lovely to drive, certainly a nicer cat than the E92 I am being given, but I have to pay ULEZ whenever I drive it which is costly.
I have thought about transferring the E91 onto my main insurance and getting a limited mileage policy on the E91 so I can use it on the occasional long trips we do.
Anyone have any experience with insuring multiple cars?

[vester86]

Originally Posted by Silver Streek

It's definitely not m-sport spec, it doesn't have m-sport bumpers or trim, or seats etc.
It has m-sport steering wheel but everything else is SE spec eg 17 inch wheels square set up, SE seat but electric adjustable.
If it has SE suspension it corners really well which is what led me to question what it has. Maybe it's because the 2.5 325i engine is lighter that the 3 litre M57 diesel in my E91 is what making it feel like it corners flatter.

Did they do a sport suspension option that not m-sport? Like in my E46 that was a late SE with sport option that was slightly firmer than standard but not as hard as m- sport.

I will try m decoder. Thanks!

Sport interior & Sport exterior are 2 different options. you can have sport interior without sport bumpers.

it is possible that suspension has been overhauled recently, hence why it corners relatively well compared to what you have. could also be the different body shape with a lot less weight in the height & rear vs the coupe shape (rigid!) that the 325i is...

[Silver Streek]

It's the original suspension, date codes on the front dampers are from November 2006 when the car was built. It's done 90k now so due a refresh. I think I will do what I did to my E91 SE and fit Eibach pros with Bilstein dampers. Will certainly improve the drive.
I really notice the slowness of the 325i compared to my 325d though, it really has to be wound up to at least 4k revs before it starts moving. It's got no torque at all lol. Very smooth though!