Shock Absorbers Sachs or Bilstein?

mistryn · 06-16-2013, 04:44 AM

Been looking into replacing the suspension on my car now as I feel its got to the age/milege that it needs to be looked at some point.

Looking on ECP they seem to stock Sachs and Bilstein, which one to go for?
Also the sachs the price vary by few quid between the left and right on the front?

Do the springs also need replacing or can I use the old ones?

I want to keep to OE suspension as dont want to go down route of lowering it etc?

Revlis · 06-16-2013, 04:56 AM

Man I know I don't spend a lot of time in the UK but are Sock absorbers anything like my shirt or sock garters?

FWIW, I find the Men's "Gold Toe" sport socks to be pretty cushy, long wearing also.

mistryn · 06-16-2013, 05:06 AM

sorry spelling error

parapaul · 06-16-2013, 02:18 PM

The Bilsteins will be B4, no idea about the Sachs. If they're the same price, or close, get the Bilsteins. I've never heard a bad word about them.

m1bjr · 06-16-2013, 03:21 PM

Sachs make a huge amount of oem damper and clutch stuff, my S2000 has sachs.
They did a lot for BMW too - E46 range I'm fairly sure would have been Sachs.
Don't know about the E9x - seems to be genrally accepted a lot was Bilstein anyhow, but unconfirmed.

bmwak · 06-16-2013, 05:42 PM

Either is fine. Genuine BMW Shocks are either Sachs or Bilstein too. I've personally seen genuine BMW shocks with the respective brands logos too. Sachs are mainly on pre-facelift models and E46s as already mentioned

Terryk · 06-16-2013, 07:27 PM

KYB is the biggest manufacturer globbaly for oem absorbers (dampers) with second the sachs maker. sachs is the main one for german cars.
most of the e46 e9x have as an oem suspension a sachs advantage damper (the m-sport edition has the sachs performance damper). you can also have a look at manufacturer's site. sachs also provides clutches for our cars.
suspension's springs do not need a replacement, at least not with the same frequency as the dampers.
what is the age and the mileage of your bimmer?

mistryn · 06-17-2013, 05:32 AM

Thanks guys will probably go with bilsteins 08 on 115k

06-16-2013, 04:44 AM	#1
mistryn Colonel 154 Rep 2,045 Posts Drives: BMW 335D Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mids iTrader: (8)	Shock Absorbers Sachs or Bilstein? Been looking into replacing the suspension on my car now as I feel its got to the age/milege that it needs to be looked at some point. Looking on ECP they seem to stock Sachs and Bilstein, which one to go for? Also the sachs the price vary by few quid between the left and right on the front? Do the springs also need replacing or can I use the old ones? I want to keep to OE suspension as dont want to go down route of lowering it etc? Last edited by mistryn; 06-16-2013 at 05:07 AM.. Reason: spelling error
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06-16-2013, 04:56 AM	#2
Revlis Now With 33% MORE Sarcasm Free! 162 Rep 3,462 Posts Drives: M4 i3 X3 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Phoenix AZ iTrader: (0)	Man I know I don't spend a lot of time in the UK but are Sock absorbers anything like my shirt or sock garters? FWIW, I find the Men's "Gold Toe" sport socks to be pretty cushy, long wearing also. __________________ A BMW is Just a Car, it doesn't make you smart, handsome, clever, better, cool, or wealthy.
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06-16-2013, 05:06 AM	#3
mistryn Colonel 154 Rep 2,045 Posts Drives: BMW 335D Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mids iTrader: (8)	sorry spelling error
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06-16-2013, 02:18 PM	#4
parapaul Colonel 122 Rep 2,216 Posts Drives: E91 330d M Sport Join Date: May 2010 Location: Stoke on Trent iTrader: (1) Garage List 2007 E91 330D MSport [0.00]	The Bilsteins will be B4, no idea about the Sachs. If they're the same price, or close, get the Bilsteins. I've never heard a bad word about them. __________________ Just how many Yorkshire sheep can you fit inside one exhaust?
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06-16-2013, 03:21 PM	#5
m1bjr LSD - No, you're not seeing things 72 Rep 3,302 Posts Drives: Baby F36 Gran Coupe Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Plymouth UK iTrader: (4)	Sachs make a huge amount of oem damper and clutch stuff, my S2000 has sachs. They did a lot for BMW too - E46 range I'm fairly sure would have been Sachs. Don't know about the E9x - seems to be genrally accepted a lot was Bilstein anyhow, but unconfirmed. __________________
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06-16-2013, 05:42 PM	#6
bmwak Major 109 Rep 1,235 Posts Drives: 440i M-Sport Gran Coupe Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: London iTrader: (4)	Either is fine. Genuine BMW Shocks are either Sachs or Bilstein too. I've personally seen genuine BMW shocks with the respective brands logos too. Sachs are mainly on pre-facelift models and E46s as already mentioned
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06-16-2013, 07:27 PM	#7
Terryk Second Lieutenant 30 Rep 231 Posts Drives: F30 mineral grey N47 ed Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Hertfordshire, UK iTrader: (0)	KYB is the biggest manufacturer globbaly for oem absorbers (dampers) with second the sachs maker. sachs is the main one for german cars. most of the e46 e9x have as an oem suspension a sachs advantage damper (the m-sport edition has the sachs performance damper). you can also have a look at manufacturer's site. sachs also provides clutches for our cars. suspension's springs do not need a replacement, at least not with the same frequency as the dampers. what is the age and the mileage of your bimmer? __________________ F30 mineral grey N47 ed
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06-17-2013, 05:32 AM	#8
mistryn Colonel 154 Rep 2,045 Posts Drives: BMW 335D Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Mids iTrader: (8)	Thanks guys will probably go with bilsteins 08 on 115k
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