Bought an old BMW M3, filled with regret...
- Thread starter mrk
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I struggle to think of anyone who hasn't had that happen to them. I've had it happen more times than I can count
I'I've had my Z4M just over a year, it's happened twice, and a third time recently was a major hit
I struggle to think of anyone who hasn't had that happen to them. I've had it happen more times than I can count
It was done to my car before I bought it but thankfully it's the plastic trim on the front left which is only noticed when you look closely.
Caporegime
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Got the same on my rear too, and only noticeable when up really close. I only picked it up when I was waxing it.
Just a quickie..
My m3 came 'lowered'...
I've just had the oil service done, and a thorough inspection which went very well, just very minor stuff found (corroded exhaust couplings, minor bushes might need doing before next MOT, etc), but the one thing that I don't like is the suspension, I like the agressive look of it being lowered but
- It's a convertible for some top-down 'fun'.. not a track toy
- Since it's just 'springs' that have been fitted, it's probably going to cause the stock dampers some issues
- The front tyres have signs of rubbing, not a huge thing, but clearly it's not ideal..
I don't actually know how 'low' it has been lowered, since it's still at the garage, I'll get them to measure the current ride height to compare to stock.
So obviously my question is, as much as a like the look, I think it needs to go 'up'.. but do I go stock, or somewhere in the middle?
All the springs are about the same price (£200-£250 for a set)
PI 30F/20R (30mm Front, 20 mm Rear)
Eibach 25F/15R
H&R 28F/18R
OEM 0F/0R
Since it's £70-£90 for a full geo setup, I'm keen to just get the springs sorted sorted now whilst in the garage so I don't have to pay again for a geo setup (currently needs one, the steering wheel is off centre slightly), My initial thought was I would just go stock but not sure if somewhere in the middle would be a good compromise..
Not sure what MRK did to his??
My m3 came 'lowered'...
I've just had the oil service done, and a thorough inspection which went very well, just very minor stuff found (corroded exhaust couplings, minor bushes might need doing before next MOT, etc), but the one thing that I don't like is the suspension, I like the agressive look of it being lowered but
- It's a convertible for some top-down 'fun'.. not a track toy
- Since it's just 'springs' that have been fitted, it's probably going to cause the stock dampers some issues
- The front tyres have signs of rubbing, not a huge thing, but clearly it's not ideal..
I don't actually know how 'low' it has been lowered, since it's still at the garage, I'll get them to measure the current ride height to compare to stock.
So obviously my question is, as much as a like the look, I think it needs to go 'up'.. but do I go stock, or somewhere in the middle?
All the springs are about the same price (£200-£250 for a set)
PI 30F/20R (30mm Front, 20 mm Rear)
Eibach 25F/15R
H&R 28F/18R
OEM 0F/0R
Since it's £70-£90 for a full geo setup, I'm keen to just get the springs sorted sorted now whilst in the garage so I don't have to pay again for a geo setup (currently needs one, the steering wheel is off centre slightly), My initial thought was I would just go stock but not sure if somewhere in the middle would be a good compromise..
Not sure what MRK did to his??
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OEM for comfort and handling.
Eibach for quality and looks.
Your dampers could be ruined though, my M3 had just lowering springs when I got it, was crashy, upon fitting coilovers removing the dampers showed they were pretty knackered.
So if your car has being lowered for some time you might want to consider new dampers, so fingers crossed yours are fine.
Eibach for quality and looks.
Your dampers could be ruined though, my M3 had just lowering springs when I got it, was crashy, upon fitting coilovers removing the dampers showed they were pretty knackered.
So if your car has being lowered for some time you might want to consider new dampers, so fingers crossed yours are fine.
Thanks..
The garage are going to check the condition of the shocks when they remove them, and I'll replace if necessary, but the ride quality so far has been amazingly composed and the opposite of crashy so far, and I know the shocks where replaced sometime in the last 10K miles going by receipts.
On the springs front, I like the sound of the eibach's, only a very mild lowering (20mm front / 10mm rear) for their pro-kit which is only £160 delivered and reportedly much stronger than OEM.. although I could grit my teeth and pay the £435 for OEM springs as I guess only doing <4K miles PA I am sure they'll last long enough before snapping! It's not the money, I just hate poor VFM..
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Mine is all stock. I only had an alignment done. The convertible suspension is slightly lower than the coupe anyway, so I'm always a bit eyebrows raised when I see a convertible on even lower springs.
This is my stock ride height with suspension components in healthy order:
I do want your car's colour though. If wrapping wasn't frowned upon, and if vinyl lasted more than just 3 years before needing re-application, then I'd get a 3M wrap in that colour. There's a local wrap specialist down here who do excellent work and have some really nice colour options to choose from.
I would never live down the h8 though if I did it
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Lol, I always thought your colour combo was quite classy and estoril was a bit chavvy (even if I love it).
On the ride height, I agree, oem does look good!
I just hate that its double the price for oem springs that everyone moans are made of cheese, but so be it! I've just asked Cotswolds for a quote via m3cutters, I think they give a bit of discount. The garage want £530 Inc vat for all 4.
On the ride height, I agree, oem does look good!
I just hate that its double the price for oem springs that everyone moans are made of cheese, but so be it! I've just asked Cotswolds for a quote via m3cutters, I think they give a bit of discount. The garage want £530 Inc vat for all 4.
Seems a bit expensive! I think the Cutters discount is 10%
I haven't yet explored spring costs, but yeah they do crack after a few years and should be replaced in pairs. The old E46 318Ci Sport had a pair replaced at £75~ each, which was rather cheap. That was from my local specialist who bought direct from BMW. I can't imagine the M3 ones being that much more expensive?
I haven't yet explored spring costs, but yeah they do crack after a few years and should be replaced in pairs. The old E46 318Ci Sport had a pair replaced at £75~ each, which was rather cheap. That was from my local specialist who bought direct from BMW. I can't imagine the M3 ones being that much more expensive?
Pro kit is very good, very subtle drop and not to harsh on the dampers, I'd go this way as the stock springs do make the car sit a tad high if looks are important to you and they certainly don't effect the handling that much in a way you need to worry about. Go Pro Kit.
P.S. Just seen that MRK states OEM convertible suspension sits lower stock and from his pictures it looks absolutely spot on, so based on his input and evidence I'd actually buy the OEM springs in stead, it looks great.
Soldato
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10/10 parking Robbie
Snows BMW seem to want £502 inc VAT for a full set of springs before any discount is applied. So I expect the Cotswold quote with 10% (I think) Cutters discount will be quite a bit less
After washing it the scuff isn't "too" bad but it's still visible. Still getting it sorted out though of course
Aye I read it's to do with the extra chassis strengthening and weight for convertibles so spring rates are different than the coupe. BMW have also told me before that the spring part numbers also vary between gearbox options too. So there isn't a blanket coupe or convertible set of springs as they are specific to each vehicle configuration. But yes based on coupe vs convertible with the same configuration, the part numbers are different for the above reasons.
I try
After washing it the scuff isn't "too" bad but it's still visible. Still getting it sorted out though of course
Pro kit is very good, very subtle drop and not to harsh on the dampers, I'd go this way as the stock springs do make the car sit a tad high if looks are important to you and they certainly don't effect the handling that much in a way you need to worry about. Go Pro Kit.
P.S. Just seen that MRK states OEM convertible suspension sits lower stock and from his pictures it looks absolutely spot on, so based on his input and evidence I'd actually buy the OEM springs in stead, it looks great.
Aye I read it's to do with the extra chassis strengthening and weight for convertibles so spring rates are different than the coupe. BMW have also told me before that the spring part numbers also vary between gearbox options too. So there isn't a blanket coupe or convertible set of springs as they are specific to each vehicle configuration. But yes based on coupe vs convertible with the same configuration, the part numbers are different for the above reasons.
I try