Anyone used new Lemforder AND Meyle control arms + bushes?

mrk

mrk

mrk

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I have searched around and seen various postings about them and while some say the Meyle bushings and arms offer better steering feedback and firmer ride, others say they are too harsh and bring in extra noise because of their added stiffness.

I need new arms and bushes on the front as there's some play in the joints and the steering is quite vague at speed now compared to how I remember it 3 years ago.

The price difference is quite vast as well. I can get the OEM Lemforder complete kit for £336 inc VAT (from Cotswold BMW with BMWland discount) while the Meyle ones are £240 (from C3BMW).

So, anyone have experience with a fresh set of both?

Alternatively I imagine it wouldn't be a problem to just buy the Meyle control arms kit only and Lemforder bushings for perhaps the best of both worlds?
 
There's definitely play on the current bushes but it's a bit harder to tell on the arm, I just had a quick look at powerflex ones:

http://www.powerflex.co.uk/products/E46+3+Series+(1999+-+2006)-303/1.html

There's a post on e46fanatics where one guy fitted them and gave positive feedback on them. Pretty much all I want is to restore the original steering feel without sacrificing ride quality :)

Edit*
Reading other replies above :)

Edit2*
Seems that Cotswold parts are not Lemforder, they replied to my question on the brand as I thought they would be Lemforder but they said they're just "Genuine BMW"?

C3 sell Lemforder units but at £388 inc VAT.

naefeart: It's for e46 coupe with M-Tech suspension.
 
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Firing off emails cheers!

Ideally if my arms are fine (the ball joints on them) then it makes sense just to get new bushes and those Powerflex ones look good. If the joints are worn then that arm has to go as the Lemforder ones have fixed joints whereas Meyle ones are replaceable and have 4 years warranty reading around. Not that the warranty period bothers me of course :p

Edit*
£43.20 for Powerflex bushings, no cariers though so I'd have to have my existing carriers with them inside.

I really need to raise the car up and get the ball joints looked at now!

rare: I thought that might have been the case hehe.


Edit**
I've just read various posts about the Powerflex on Pistonheads and some other places. Seems there's a split between people who noticed a difference in "character" in the car's handling and those that felt no or minimal difference. I don't want to change the original characteristics of my car because IMO it's one of the things about it that I like so much, how predictable it is when cornering and the feeling of breakaway.

I do not want that adjusted at all so in light of that I will replace the bushes with OEM ones in the next few weeks and if need be then the arms as well. As one guy who had both said, the OEM ones are designed for road use so should have some flex to give feedback of the conditions of the road, being stiffer would be great on a track but maybe not so good for on the road because you'd lose that breakaway feeling -I think I'd notice this and it would bug me.

Lemforder it is :p
 
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Bushes fitted today, got local specialist to do it for £50, he showed me the old bushings and you could push the rubber through the casing and some of the rubber had melted, or appeared to, onto the wishbone end.

I got the bushes from All German Carparts for £62 + £10 for next day delivery.

Handling is much sharper, road noise is a bit lower as well.

Check your bushes! :p
 
Indeed!

For the lols I phoned up Snows yesterday to get a quote for the same job and they said because my car was 6+ years old it would have the expected discount on parts and labour.

Labour was £60+VAT an hour, the parts themselves were ~£119+VAT.

By comparison my usual indy in Havant quoted £70+VAT for the same bushes and for fitting was £50+VAT. Obvious point is obvious but it's always worth shopping round for quotes and finding local places that do it cheaper :p

I'll be going to him for future parts replacements from now on :)
 
Almost exactly an hour.
I bought the Lemforder ones as Jason at All German Car Parts recommended against Powerflex ones due to the added vibrations causing other components to wear faster.

I wanted to retain the original characteristics of the e46 Sport suspension as well which I feel is an excellent balance of comfort and sportyness.

Edit*
The Powerflex ones are poly yeah.
 
KDS alignment will be charged at a rate of eleventy thousand £ at a dealer :p Get a local Protyre to do the 4 wheel alignment on its own, they charge about £40 last time I had mine done there.

They have the right equipment to do it properly too :)
 
Aye a lot of local outfits will charge less if you pay by cash, worth keeping note and always asking for a cash price :)

The bodyshop I use, for example, will either split the VAT for large jobs whether it's cash or card or not charge the VAT if it's a small job.
 
For this job I used a local, almost exactly a 3 minute walk down the road. I've never used them before but the guy has a tidy e46 M3 that I always look at when driving past so thought I'd drop in and ask.

Good thing I did :p

They can source genuine parts as well but their prices were still slightly higher than what I could source the parts for so I just supplied and he fitted.
 
Meyle/Powerflex bushes are tougher than the OEM ones so should offer sharper handling but at the expense of comfort and will bring in some noise into the cabin because of that.

It's a bit half half though, you will find people who say it ruined the ride, some who say it improved the ride etc etc.

I opted against non OEM ones in the end because of the increased wear from vibrations on other components in the suspension setup.

The OEM bushes are good for 60k anyway so is really only a one time replacement in your ownership even though they cost a bit more than aftermarket bushes.


Think of it this way, BMW have spent millions researching on how much flex the OEM bushes should have for optimum comfort and handling and how much stress they put on other components.
 
My Lemforder bushes are running nicely but I suspect there's some play in the top mount bushes as I can feel a difference, a gradual difference mind, over the last few months. MOT in 2 months so will get my garage to check them out during that.

Also my right side faintly vibrates when braking at speed so I suspect that's due to the brake rotor alignment or possibly pad. No vibration when driving normally at speed though.
 
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