[LotusBMW]

Been thinking about this a little more. For me, having control over the height adjustment is important. Wheel choices will vary over the time I own the car and also I just don't trust that E91s are exactly the same as any other E9X (in the rear). My fear is I get something from the US and it's non adjustable and it's too high or low and I'll hate it.

The other element I'd like to challenge is the idea that BC are cheap and therefore bad. The only specific information I can find on the internet relating to this product is over-ridingly positive. If anyone can point me to anything concrete suggesting the quality is poor (either in build or the driving experience), then please do so. I've spoken with 2 knowledgeable and helpful local suppliers of this product and I do not get the impression they're cheap and nasty. They have adjustable camber tops as standard and with the V1s you can get rubber tops in place of the pillowballs for durability and comfort if you don't want camber adjustment. Likewise from TMS are the H&R kits that bad? Aren't H&R a decent name in suspension? No doubt more expensive options are likely to be better but does that make the lower priced ones bad?

As stated previously when you consider the delivered price of the suspension, the BC coils (not ER) are no more than the spring and damper kits so are not expensive.

Now the one thing I can't account for is what they are like to drive on, and that's a hard one as each (unknown) guy on the internet has their own opinion which might be 'right' but what's right for one is not necessarily right for another.

I'd be most interested in hearing from people who have BC's installed and ideally if they ran something else and how it compares.

p.s. I got a pretty ordinary respsponse from ESCTuning. A 1 line email and a hyperlink to products with virtually no description and no images...

Thanks for your input.

[DR-JEKL]

There are numerous BC coilovers on this forum, and the only dirt that I've been able to dig up on them is a clicking noise during parking (which I believe is a simple fix but the remedy alludes me atm whilst typing!)

I ended up buying a set of the BC BR's, alas 18 months later and I still haven't fitted them (I have a full M3 driveline to install with them that I've been putting off for ages now due to time/$ constraints)

[Kiwi Peter]

I recon i have fitted every known brand to the 135/335, i can have what i want.
My car has BC ER shocks fitted its your call how many $$$$$$$$$$ do you want to spend ? etc etc

[LotusBMW]

Originally Posted by DR-JEKL

There are numerous BC coilovers on this forum, and the only dirt that I've been able to dig up on them is a clicking noise during parking (which I believe is a simple fix but the remedy alludes me atm whilst typing!)

I ended up buying a set of the BC BR's, alas 18 months later and I still haven't fitted them (I have a full M3 driveline to install with them that I've been putting off for ages now due to time/$ constraints)

Open to a low ball?

[donR]

Originally Posted by Peter@Advan

...My car has BC ER shocks fitted ..

Hi Peter, what's the difference between BC ER and BC BR Type in terms of road use? Personally I like the idea that you can get the ride height right but once the damper settings are done I can't see myself adjusting them again for street use.

[DR-JEKL]

Originally Posted by LotusBMW

Open to a low ball?

My BC's wont fit your ride mate, as I have a M3 driveline they're for an M3! (M3's have a unique setup)

[Kiwi Peter]

Originally Posted by liteonled

Hi Peter, what's the difference between BC ER and BC BR Type in terms of road use? Personally I like the idea that you can get the ride height right but once the damper settings are done I can't see myself adjusting them again for street use.

The big difference is that the ER shocks are double adjustable, so you can control the rebound to solve the bounce issue that comes with most coil over performance shocks. in short it makes for better ride quality and superior handling.
If you can afford the extra $500.00 get the ER system

[LotusBMW]

OK, could someone clarify for me definitively (please only post if you really actually know) if the suspension for E91s is the same as any other E9X car. By this I mean are the coilovers / spring dampener units physically the same.

I heard somewhere that the rear is possibly longer in the wagon? I'm a little unsure of the source of that. I've also heard the factory wagons have a stiffer rear spring rate due to load carrying capacity which gives them a poor ride. This I'm surer of.

Many thanks.

[kRaZeD]

If the rear is longer as you suspect, then putting the E90 suspension into the E91 *should* just make the arse end lower.

If you are worried about that just put heavier spring in the rear.

[LotusBMW]

Originally Posted by kRaZeD

If the rear is longer as you suspect, then putting the E90 suspension into the E91 *should* just make the arse end lower.

If you are worried about that just put heavier spring in the rear.

What a load of rubbish. Please do not post in this thread again.

[DR-JEKL]

Maybe post a request in the suspension section of e90post, as i dont think there are any E91 owners here other then you two guys?

[Scotty89]

Put your VIN digits into realOEM.com, and check the spring part number, then search for an e90 and check the part number.

If they match, you know they're the same item.

[kRaZeD]

Originally Posted by LotusBMW

What a load of rubbish. Please do not post in this thread again.

Please, by all means clarify. I said *should* not will as I wasn't sure. I'm quite happy to he corrected, but not without clarification.

[LotusBMW]

Originally Posted by Scotty89

Put your VIN digits into realOEM.com, and check the spring part number, then search for an e90 and check the part number.

If they match, you know they're the same item.

Great idea. I've got mine alright but I need a VIN for a sedan or coupe for an Australian delivered MY08-ish, M Sport, Steptronic. Used to be able to get them from Carsales, but I can't seem to find any today. Must have changed recently.

Anyone want to volunteer a VIN for me? PM if you'd rather not broadcast it.

With my VIN the rear dampener has these comments against it:

For vehicles with 'poor road' package (Strayan roads?), usable load increase (shit in the boot?), roof attachment (shit on the roof rails) with special signal system (wut?), and finally M Sport Suspension

So, it would appear that even though externally the damper units *may* appear to be the same (I'm not even sure if they are yet), they have certainly got some wagon specific stuff regarding load. I'd imagine the same would be true for the springs too.

Just need a VIN guys. Many thanks.

[JJH]

Although ideal, you don't need a full VIN to do a search. Just use the "Select another car" option and pick the necessary options in the drop down menu for series/body/region/model/production year-month and you are good to go.

[LotusBMW]

Originally Posted by JJH_335

Although ideal, you don't need a full VIN to do a search. Just use the "Select another car" option and pick the necessary options in the drop down menu for series/body/region/model/production year-month and you are good to go.

Yes and no. There is no option to select M Sport and given that they clearly make adjustments to suspension settings based on assumptions on road conditions, getting a country specific VIN I think is the only definitive way to bottom this out. Why not volunteer yours?

[JJH]

Originally Posted by LotusBMW

Why not volunteer yours?

Different year, non-M and manual counts mine out as a match

[LotusBMW]

Originally Posted by JJH_335

Different year, non-M and manual counts mine out as a match

You're no fun

As it turns out I got a VIN from a mate in the car trade and it's the same result as doing the generic search you suggested. So the springs do not have part numbers so can't really tell. They do have a code '223204' but that doesn't look like a part number, which look more like the following:

• E91 rear damper 33526772926
• E92 rear damper 33526780081

So, they are different, but I'm not sure if that relates to the physical size / shape, or just the internal valving. I'm getting my car back from the workshop today so I'll see if they can confirm this based on a visual inspection.

[DR-JEKL]

FYI springs do have part numbers on them

[LotusBMW]

Originally Posted by DR-JEKL

FYI springs do have part numbers on them

There you go Doc! Just did a search on the E91 OEM damper part number and it's the same as the E91 328i (Wagon) of which there are plenty in the US. So any aftermarket kit for a E91 328i (Wagon) should be suitable for my car.

I found this kit https://www.ecstuning.com/Checkout/?...tent=link2cart and it is common between the E91 328i (Wagon) and E90 335i (Sedan). So it sounds like I'm on the right track. Only thing that troubles me is you'd expect a wagon to have more weight in the rear and therefore stiffer springs and dampening to suit, but the same kit applies to both cars...

[kRaZeD]

So turns out my load of rubbish wasn't that far off the mark after all...

[LotusBMW]

Originally Posted by kRaZeD

So turns out my load of rubbish wasn't that far off the mark after all...

Spring rate and ride height are totally different, unrelated things.