E46 Mixing Shocks (front-rear)

[ShakenNstirred]

i wouldn't mix dampers from different manufacturers
the damping rates etc will more than likely be different
stick with the same make of shock all round

 

[Gaygle]

Ok, thanks for everyone's input.

Decided to get the Sachs ones but i literally can't find anywhere which sells them in the UK :/

 

[[TW]Fox]

Your car is a 2002 isnt it? Are you absolutely sure Sachs Super Touring is the OEM fit on your car and not Sachs Advantage?

 

[Gaygle]

Your car is a 2002 isnt it? Are you absolutely sure Sachs Super Touring is the OEM fit on your car and not Sachs Advantage?

Did literally 3 hours of research this afternoon that involved me crawling under the car in the pouring rain to check the serial numbers on the shock absorbers.

Turns out on the E46, Sach's Advantage stopped being used on the M-Tech II suspension after 09(?)/2001 and were replaced with Sach's Super Touring (of which there were 3 sub-types) with M-Tech springs for the rest of the E46 lifetime.

In the US they have 3 different suspension types - Standard, Sport and M-Tech.

If i understood it correctly:

Standard used standard springs and Sach's Super Tourings.

Sport (ZSP - this wasn't brought to the UK) used standard springs and Sachs Advantage.

M-Tech (or ZHP in the US) used M-tech springs and Sachs Super Tourings (after 2001).

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=375239&d=1284228518

This is the Sach's catalogue and the number on my rear shocks where 556 882, which is listed as "MT" (M-tech II).

More good info in this first post:

http://forum.e46fanatics.com/showthread.php?t=398977

So confused but i think i got it? :/

Where did you get your shocks from Fox?

EDIT: Also, the E46 M3 apparently uses Sach's Super Touring as standard.