Sounds like you had a duff one, shameautobahner wrote: ↑Fri May 11, 2018 10:14 pm I've had 3 e46 M3 and all were far nicer to drive than the Z4M I had for a short time. Handling as you described and I felt completely detached from the road, the opposite to the M3. Sold and looking for another M3
Not joined yet? Register for free and enjoy features such as alerts, private messaging and viewing latest posts and topics.
Z4M - Suspension Help
- TomK
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2363
- Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2013 11:50 pm
- Location: West London
Z4M - Suspension Help
MC[IB], CSL airbox, Schrick 288/280 cams, 4.44FD, UUC SSK, SS race cat back, AP CP9660[F]/5144[R] brakes, Apex ARC-8 with AR-1 or PS5, KW ClubSport 2-way, Turner spherical arms, PMC uniball rtab, VB engine mounts, Rogue pulleys & RSMs, Tillett B6, half cage
-
- Member
- Posts: 456
- Joined: Mon Aug 15, 2016 8:40 am
Z4M - Suspension Help
After reading about your problems with the B12 kit I actually started doubting myself as my car has been sorned since December. I could not believe someone else had such an opposite experience to me.InterlagosZ4MR wrote: ↑Tue May 08, 2018 5:56 pm So I'm at my wits' end with what to do with the suspension on my Z4M... and it's now unloved, forlorn and undriveable.
The car has done 42,000 miles on original suspension and like many others find it too hard, imprecise, floaty and a bit understeery...
On the advice of this and other forums I put on an Bilstein B12 kit on it that has ruined the car. It's too low, but worse, it's trashy to the point where it just feels broken and the smallest pothole makes it feel like theres no suspension. It's impossible to drive fast as the smallest imperfection will unbalance the car and make it unpredictable. The crashyness is awful - and frankly I loathe the car. Yes, it's been back and checked, and yes I've had an alignment done...
All I want is for the Z to be as good as any of my M3s. I never want to do track days - it's simply for fast B and A roads, and is solely a weekend car.
I'm really not sure what to do - I'm not going to persevere with the B12 kit any more and am going to ditch it on eBay to some other poor unsuspecting M owner and put the original suspension back on. Short of selling the car (which I'll probably do as after 4 years I've had enough) - any last resorts as regards suspension fixes...?
With my car now back on the road after it's winter lay off, I'm honestly convinced you've been sold a duff kit or the fitting was incorrect in some way. My car feels great with this kit, the quality of the damping is massively improved. It will thud over potholes but it did this before to a slightly lesser extent.
I hope you've got it sorted and didn't sell it?
Z4MC, Silver/Grey, Imola Red Leather, Sat Nav, Heated Seats, DSP, Intravee, Stubby, ZHP, Gruppe M, CDV, Bilstein B12's, Vibra-Technics engine mounts.
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:09 pm
Z4M - Suspension Help
Yes sorted thanks. Got rid of Eibachs and went back to new OEM springs but with Bilsteins, and geo settings half way between CSL and factory. Much better than before and certainly a million times better than Eibachs that ruined the car (for me!)
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:09 pm
Z4M - Suspension Help
PS the issue was that the Eibachs meant it was on its bump stops all the time and b) far too hard. Spoke to Kevin Bird who recommended current set up - and agreed along with BMW technicians I spoke to that Zs should never be lowered...InterlagosZ4MR wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:57 pm Yes sorted thanks. Got rid of Eibachs and went back to new OEM springs but with Bilsteins, and geo settings half way between CSL and factory. Much better than before and certainly a million times better than Eibachs that ruined the car (for me!)
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1056
- Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:02 am
- Location: Glasgow, UK
Z4M - Suspension Help
I’m glad the change to OEM springs worked out with the Bilstein B6 shocks as that’s the route I’m going to go down shortly, I have no interest in lowering the car at all. Do you have a copy of your geo set up that you could post, I’d be keen to give that a go?
06 Z4MC, Sapphire black, Aero sideskirts, BMW strutbrace, CSL's, Remus back boxes, Intravee and Alpine DAB
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:09 pm
Z4M - Suspension Help
I don’t sadly. I had a long conversation about what I wanted with a technician at my main BMW dealer - more turn in than factory, not as agressive as CSL and he got it spot on.
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1056
- Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 3:02 am
- Location: Glasgow, UK
Z4M - Suspension Help
Thanks anyway, I’ll maybe have to do something similar.InterlagosZ4MR wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 8:45 pmI don’t sadly. I had a long conversation about what I wanted with a technician at my main BMW dealer - more turn in than factory, not as agressive as CSL and he got it spot on.
06 Z4MC, Sapphire black, Aero sideskirts, BMW strutbrace, CSL's, Remus back boxes, Intravee and Alpine DAB
- abar121
- Member
- Posts: 499
- Joined: Tue Apr 26, 2011 9:14 pm
Z4M - Suspension Help
That's great to hear. Yes, spot on advice from Birds as usual.InterlagosZ4MR wrote: ↑Wed Jun 06, 2018 6:11 amPS the issue was that the Eibachs meant it was on its bump stops all the time and b) far too hard. Spoke to Kevin Bird who recommended current set up - and agreed along with BMW technicians I spoke to that Zs should never be lowered...InterlagosZ4MR wrote: ↑Tue Jun 05, 2018 9:57 pm Yes sorted thanks. Got rid of Eibachs and went back to new OEM springs but with Bilsteins, and geo settings half way between CSL and factory. Much better than before and certainly a million times better than Eibachs that ruined the car (for me!)
'07 Z4M Interlagos Blue. All options except extended leather.