Which would you buy? (suspension)
Which would you buy? (suspension)
Scenario is, one shock has gone, so you need to buy 2 new front shocks and may need springs to (havnt checked yet). You would like to lower the car in the future, but hadnt intended to do it straight away.
Would you buy 2 new shocks and springs if required? Cost for shocks would be circa £200.
OR
Would you buy cheap coilovers? For example the hottuning coilovers which can be bought for £180 inc postage on ebay direct. These are height adjustable and have a 3 year warranty.
As I see it, the pros of OE shocks is they are a known quality, con is I will probably want to change them in the not so distant future, meaning greater cost.
Cheap coilovers pro is I get to lower it now, and I get 4 new shocks and springs not just 2 new shocks, but that they are not the best way of doing it, quality may be questionable and I may end up wanting to chage them in the not so distant future, meaning cost difference is then negligible.
Would you buy 2 new shocks and springs if required? Cost for shocks would be circa £200.
OR
Would you buy cheap coilovers? For example the hottuning coilovers which can be bought for £180 inc postage on ebay direct. These are height adjustable and have a 3 year warranty.
As I see it, the pros of OE shocks is they are a known quality, con is I will probably want to change them in the not so distant future, meaning greater cost.
Cheap coilovers pro is I get to lower it now, and I get 4 new shocks and springs not just 2 new shocks, but that they are not the best way of doing it, quality may be questionable and I may end up wanting to chage them in the not so distant future, meaning cost difference is then negligible.
I have coil covers on mine at the moment but i am changing the rear to lowered springs and bilstein gp7 shocks, going to run it like that and see which is best. Think its a case of playing around with what budget you have and what you want from the car. If i am not happy with the look of the car when the springs have settled then i will revert back to the coil springs but keep the Bilsteins on. So i may have a full set of 30mm lowered springs going for sale, Fronts unused Rears used for around 100miles, but not definate at the moment.
bill
bill
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Z3 3.0 Sports Sold
Z4 3.0si Ruby Black with Champagne Leather and Piano Black Dash
Z3 3.0 Sports Sold
Z4 3.0si Ruby Black with Champagne Leather and Piano Black Dash
I think you get what you pay for, some of the lower priced suspension gives a hard ride .
I and a few others on here have gone for the Eibach lowering springs (30mm) and spax shocks. the springs are progressive so not to harsh and firm up nicely when pushed.
not cheap about £500 for the set up but worth every penny and genuine quality. you wouldn't regret it.
I and a few others on here have gone for the Eibach lowering springs (30mm) and spax shocks. the springs are progressive so not to harsh and firm up nicely when pushed.
not cheap about £500 for the set up but worth every penny and genuine quality. you wouldn't regret it.
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+1Canman wrote:I think you get what you pay for, some of the lower priced suspension gives a hard ride .
I and a few others on here have gone for the Eibach lowering springs (30mm) and spax shocks. the springs are progressive so not to harsh and firm up nicely when pushed.
not cheap about £500 for the set up but worth every penny and genuine quality. you wouldn't regret it.
Current...1998 ///M Coupe
Previously...1997 Z3 2.8
Previously...1997 Z3 2.8
Point is the job needs doing now, I have a fixed amount of money to do a job that needs doing now, and two ways about doing it. I have read a lot of reviews on the hottuning suspension, and the only negatives I have found is the ride is quite firm, and if you lower too much you get rubbing, which is imo going to be the same with any kit that you lower too much. As for the firm ride, we have just come out of a clio197cup which was VERY firm, so dont think that will be an issue.
If anyone cares to point me in the direction of real life experiences of the kit being poor I'll take it on board, but it seems to me that people dismiss it because its cheap, but I am happy to be proven wrong.
EDIT: Sorry if the above seems a bit agressive, is not intended that way. Just I am trying to make a decision based on peoples actual experiences rather than assumptions. I have hand experience of some other cheap coilovers on other cars, and found them to be no worse than the standard equipment.
If anyone cares to point me in the direction of real life experiences of the kit being poor I'll take it on board, but it seems to me that people dismiss it because its cheap, but I am happy to be proven wrong.
EDIT: Sorry if the above seems a bit agressive, is not intended that way. Just I am trying to make a decision based on peoples actual experiences rather than assumptions. I have hand experience of some other cheap coilovers on other cars, and found them to be no worse than the standard equipment.
I have real life experience of the Hottuning versions, fitted them to a 328 sport, the ride was harsh but like you i had low RS turbos in the past so want overly fussed. I was annoyed that they banged and squeeked after 3 days. After 250 miles both shocks had failed, needless to say I took them off and tried to contact the ebay seller who supplied them....still not had a penny back and that was a while ago now.
Its your decision mate.
Its your decision mate.
I fitted the JOM kit back in October and am having to replace one of the rear shocks as it is banging like mad. Decided to fit Bilsteins but not cheap at £160 each.
bill
bill
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Z3 3.0 Sports Sold
Z4 3.0si Ruby Black with Champagne Leather and Piano Black Dash
Z3 3.0 Sports Sold
Z4 3.0si Ruby Black with Champagne Leather and Piano Black Dash
Coil overs are mostly just a cheap way of avoiding having to get bespoke springs made. There are lots of 2 1/4" ID springs in a variety of rates. Trouble is they when used as a replacement for front struts they have to be short to miss the tyre, and therefore they are usually far too hard, the spring rate being a function of wire diameter x length. I have seen some that are actually coilbound (ie infinite spring rate) at only 50mm of bump travel. Some kits use a longer spring and off set the bottom bracket so that the spring clears the tyre, but this means the thrust axis is no longer through the scrub axis centre. In my opinion they are best avoided, unless they have been properly engineered by a company like Bilstein or Ohlins, and even then they are probably only ideally suited to circuit use. As for hottuning and similar far eastern importers, they should stick to selling non-performance or non-safety critical aesthetic parts.
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- Joined: Wed 12 Mar, 2008 14:33
- Posts: 1967
- Location: UK
Just to let you know, my full OEM suspension will be up for sale shortly (02 plate with 49k on the clock Z3M S54) - The S54 roadster came with slightly harder suspension from the coupe I believe?
I also have a set of just spare front shocks from an s50 z3M. If you decide to replace with OEM drop me a PM as i'll let them go for a good price (assuming M suspension fits a normal Z3?)
I also have a set of just spare front shocks from an s50 z3M. If you decide to replace with OEM drop me a PM as i'll let them go for a good price (assuming M suspension fits a normal Z3?)
Progress Thread:http://www.zroadster.net/forum/viewtopi ... 32&t=36117
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