[Myn54isSLOW]

I recently started doing some research on some coilovers. My main goal is to lower the car and maintain the stock ride quality as much as possible. It appears that these three are the ones that most people run on their E92's and the ones that fall within my budget. I was just looking for some additional insight on these 3 choices. Which one would you guys recommend? Why? I've attached some pictures of my car down below just to give you guys an idea about where I'm sitting now with my current wheel/tire setup and the horrendous front wheel gap I'm looking to get rid of.

[tlow98]

I’d put ST pretty far above BC in terms of quality. They are also supposed to be very quiet/comfortable as you can use them with the stock strut mounts. The springs are adjustable and similar in spring rate to stock BMW performance units so you know they won’t be too high. They’re also cheaper.

[Vulcan50]

Point of reference:
The B14 are basically a height adjustable spring/shock setup. You do get the Bilstein name as far as quality. FCP has a great price on them right now. I'm installing mine right now. I got them because the were a good price, and I'd what I needed. I don't have the comprehension to adjust dampening rates,and my guess is that outside of guys that seriously track their car, no one needs an adjustable dampening rate.

[Myn54isSLOW]

I heard ST's are basically a galvanized steel version of KW's. However, I heard the ride quality on these is not that great. Could be just a personal preference from the people I heard it from. I'm fairly new to the suspension game... However, would there be a noticeable difference between a set of coilovers that have an adjustable shock height (BC) vs. a coilover that compresses the spring as a way of lowering the car (ST)? The way ST works is basically lowering the car while adjusting the preload on the springs (compressing), therefore compromising the ride quality, correct? I don't really care too much about the performance too much since I won't ever track the car. I just want the car to get rid of the wheel gap and have a fairly comfortable ride.

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by tlow98

I’d put ST pretty far above BC in terms of quality. They are also supposed to be very quiet/comfortable as you can use them with the stock strut mounts. The springs are adjustable and similar in spring rate to stock BMW performance units so you know they won’t be too high. They’re also cheaper.

How would you compare the ST's ride quality to stock?

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by Vulcan50

Point of reference:
The B14 are basically a height adjustable spring/shock setup. You do get the Bilstein name as far as quality. FCP has a great price on them right now. I'm installing mine right now. I got them because the were a good price, and I'd what I needed. I don't have the comprehension to adjust dampening rates,and my guess is that outside of guys that seriously track their car, no one needs an adjustable dampening rate.

I'm with you on that 100%. I'm not going with these coilovers for performance. I just want to get rid of the wheel gap and make the car look a little more aggressive. Don't know why the 335is sit so high in the front compared to the rear. It's killing me. Let me know how the Bilstein's worked out for you please. I'd love to know.

[Vulcan50]

My 335i sat lower in the rear, I just assumed it was age. My feeling is that with a quality suspension (basically anything that's recommended on here), you will have a performance improvement simply because you are on new components. I'm at 150k so I'm hoping for a markable improvement.

[kanovic]

I bought a set of Bilsteins b14 on fcp for $814. For that price I think I blows the other ones out of the water. I had bc racing on my e36m and within a month they were clunking. My choice was between St/Bilstein but for the price point bilstein won out. What I did was ordered a full kit so I have new bump stops,top hats, etc so everything is new. Fcp is selling that for $179 now. So shipped I paid 1050.

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by kanovic

I bought a set of Bilsteins b14 on fcp for $814. For that price I think I blows the other ones out of the water. I had bc racing on my e36m and within a month they were clunking. My choice was between St/Bilstein but for the price point bilstein won out. What I did was ordered a full kit so I have new bump stops,top hats, etc so everything is new. Fcp is selling that for $179 now. So shipped I paid 1050.

Do you have the Part# for the kit? That's probably what I'm gonna do.

[kanovic]

Originally Posted by Myn54isSLOW

Do you have the Part# for the kit? That's probably what I'm gonna do.

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-31306775098kt


If you go to the bottom it lists the part numbers.

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by kanovic

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw...-31306775098kt


If you go to the bottom it lists the part numbers.

That's exactly what I was asking for. Thank you bro.

[kanovic]

Originally Posted by Myn54isSLOW

That's exactly what I was asking for. Thank you bro.

Just make sure it fits your car. Mine is a msport and a e90 so I sent you a link what I bought. Pretty sure for the e92 it will be the same as well but double check. And not a problem man!

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by kanovic

Just make sure it fits your car. Mine is a msport and a e90 so I sent you a link what I bought. Pretty sure for the e92 it will be the same as well but double check. And not a problem man!

Yeah, mine is a 335is e92. It will fit. Thanks

[Vulcan50]

Got mine in on Saturday/Sunday (B14+M3 bits)

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by Vulcan50

Got mine in on Saturday/Sunday (B14+M3 bits)

NICE!!! Is it fully assembled now? Got any pics?

[Vulcan50]

Car is not back together yet. I have a few things to get/do yet. Not the least of which is tires for my new wheels

[Torgus]

Get some Ohlins

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...5#post25439025

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by Torgus

Get some Ohlins

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...5#post25439025

Trying to stay within the $1,000 budget. Ohlins surpass that by a lot! :

[kanovic]

Originally Posted by Torgus

Get some Ohlins

https://www.e90post.com/forums/showt...5#post25439025

Overkill unless you actually track the car. Or just have money to blow lol

[Vulcan50]

Originally Posted by kanovic

Overkill unless you actually track the car. Or just have money to blow lol

This was a great point, one I considered myself before snatching up b14 from fcpeuro.

An additional point in terms of suspension in general, is be honest with your self, how valuable is the adjustable damper rates?

I know for me, I realized that it is over my head setting the rates and since it's only a daily driver, it is super unnecessary.

Companies spend tons of money marketing these minor improvements to their customers as necessary. And charging a premium for them. When in reality 99 out of 100 will never even kind of need them

[Myn54isSLOW]

Originally Posted by Vulcan50

This was a great point, one I considered myself before snatching up b14 from fcpeuro.

An additional point in terms of suspension in general, is be honest with your self, how valuable is the adjustable damper rates?

I know for me, I realized that it is over my head setting the rates and since it's only a daily driver, it is super unnecessary.

Companies spend tons of money marketing these minor improvements to their customers as necessary. And charging a premium for them. When in reality 99 out of 100 will never even kind of need them

I know most manufacturers do a fair amount of testing to come up with a "perfect" static damping setting.

So.... no. Not that important. However, it would be nice to have in case I find that "pre-set" damping setting to be way softer or way stiffer than I expected. But it's not a dealbreaker though.

Another thing I was considering is front shocks with threaded bodies. So instead of lowering and raising the spring perch, the shock height can be adjusted. Do the Bilstein B14 come like that? or are they more like the ST's where you have to compress the spring to lower the car?

[Vulcan50]

If my understanding of what spring perches are is correct, the rear has an adjustable (threaded) perch, the front is a threaded shock tube.