Coil Spring Replacement Cost

[strugglinauthor]

Hi All,

It's been a while since I posted on here...

My E89 is currently with a main dealer following the Vanos recall. While there, it was identified that the coil springs need replacement. The cost was quoted at circa £900 for the fronts and circa £500 for the rears, with an additional £120 for 4-wheel tracking. Sounds very expensive to me...

I've left messages with a couple of BMW indies to see what they would charge but yet to hear back.

I have a very competent local garage and so if it's not a massively complex job (I'm a self-confessed mechanical idiot), then I'd be tempted to take it there.

Any advice welcome.

Thanks,

 

[pp1600]

Sounds like a great way to get their money for the recall !!!

 

[strugglinauthor]

Sounds like a great way to get their money for the recall !!!

My thoughts exactly!

 

[Chippie]

What reason did they give that all 4 need replacing?
Any garage should be capable of replacing coil springs for a fraction of that price, what’s the mileage? It may be worthwhile doing the shocks/dampers while they are doing the springs.

 

[strugglinauthor]

What reason did they give that all 4 need replacing?
Any garage should be capable of replacing coil springs for a fraction of that price, what’s the mileage? It may be worthwhile doing the shocks/dampers while they are doing the springs.

Thanks for the comments.

Two coils were stated as corroded - i.e. I shouldn't really leave them for much longer. Two were apparently fractured. They did supply a pretty comprehensive video and I can quite believe they need doing - they are almost certainly the originals and the car is fourteen years old. Mileage is around 76,000.

With regards to the shocks they said in the video that they look fine.

 

[enuff_zed]

Shocks won’t be fine. Just because there’s no oil leaks means nothing. I’d put money on them needing doing too if they are originals. Plus new top mounts, bump stops etc.
Take it to any competent local garage for a better quote.

 

[strugglinauthor]

Shocks won’t be fine. Just because there’s no oil leaks means nothing. I’d put money on them needing doing too if they are originals. Plus new top mounts, bump stops etc.
Take it to any competent local garage for a better quote.

Good advice - thanks

 

[Rockhopper]

If they want to fit genuine BMW parts then it could easily end up costing that much. I'm not so familiar with the E89 (does it have adaptive suspension?) but Bilstein B4 shocks and struts are a popular option for the E85 along with Eibach or Suplex springs.

 

[B21]

Absurb pricing set of Supplex springs for an E89 OE compatable probably £200 plus fitting

 

[strugglinauthor]

Absurb pricing set of Supplex springs for an E89 OE compatable probably £200 plus fitting

 

[strugglinauthor]

If they want to fit genuine BMW parts then it could easily end up costing that much. I'm not so familiar with the E89 (does it have adaptive suspension?) but Bilstein B4 shocks and struts are a popular option for the E85 along with Eibach or Suplex springs.

Good point about the adaptive suspension. Although I feel this wouldn't affect the coil springs (maybe it does :-?), I suspect it would affect the shock absorbers, if I decided to do these at the same time. My E89 has a setup for normal, sport and sport + and I can only imagine this is achieved by the shocks...? Assuming it is, then maybe they need to be keyed into the car as every other electrical component seems to require?

If this is the case then perhaps my local garage won't be able to do this after all as they won't have the software. Again, if anyone knows for sure then do shout.

 

[enuff_zed]

Sport settings are still available on non adaptive cars.
If you’re not sure then you need to ask someone to check the shocks

 

[strugglinauthor]

If they want to fit genuine BMW parts then it could easily end up costing that much. I'm not so familiar with the E89 (does it have adaptive suspension?) but Bilstein B4 shocks and struts are a popular option for the E85 along with Eibach or Suplex springs.

Good point about the adaptive suspension. Although I feel this wouldn't affect the coil springs (maybe it does :-?), I suspect it would affect the shock absorbers, if I decided to do these at the same time. My E89 has a setup for normal, sport and sport + and I can only imagine this is achieved by the shocks...? Assuming it is, then maybe they need to be keyed into the car as every other electrical component seems to require?

If this is the case then perhaps my local garage won't be able to do this after all as they won't have the software. Again, if anyone knows for sure then do shout.

Having looked online it appears that some E89s have the same 'Normal/Sport/Sport+' button in the cabin but if they don't have the adaptive suspension then this button only changes the throttle response/traction control. However, for certain models it also changes the suspension. Mine is a 3.0i M Sport and so I'm guessing it does have the adaptive suspension. These struts are pretty expensive on eBay so I can only guess what a set of four OEM shocks might cost...

 

[strugglinauthor]

Sport settings are still available on non adaptive cars.
If you’re not sure then you need to ask someone to check the shocks

Thanks. Confirms what I found online. Think I'll ask someone to pop it up on the ramp and say for sure.

I wonder if there's somewhere online where I can enter my reg or VIN and get confirmation...

 

[B21]

Sport settings are still available on non adaptive cars.
If you’re not sure then you need to ask someone to check the shocks

Thanks. Confirms what I found online. Think I'll ask someone to pop it up on the ramp and say for sure.

I wonder if there's somewhere online where I can enter my reg or VIN and get confirmation...

Vin decoder will reveal all

 

[strugglinauthor]

Sport settings are still available on non adaptive cars.
If you’re not sure then you need to ask someone to check the shocks

Thanks. Confirms what I found online. Think I'll ask someone to pop it up on the ramp and say for sure.

I wonder if there's somewhere online where I can enter my reg or VIN and get confirmation...

Vin decoder will reveal all

Thanks .

Something like this?

https://www.mdecoder.com/

 

[B21]

Sport settings are still available on non adaptive cars.
If you’re not sure then you need to ask someone to check the shocks

Thanks. Confirms what I found online. Think I'll ask someone to pop it up on the ramp and say for sure.

I wonder if there's somewhere online where I can enter my reg or VIN and get confirmation...

Vin decoder will reveal all

If your car has a Vanos recall thrn it doesn’t have adaptive suspension, the price of non sport or sport springs from supplex are the same

If it’s a MSport thrn it’s sports springs otherwise stock springs

 

[strugglinauthor]

Thanks. Confirms what I found online. Think I'll ask someone to pop it up on the ramp and say for sure.

I wonder if there's somewhere online where I can enter my reg or VIN and get confirmation...

Vin decoder will reveal all

If your car has a Vanos recall thrn it doesn’t have adaptive suspension, the price of non sport or sport springs from supplex are the same

If it’s a MSport thrn it’s sports springs otherwise stock springs

Brilliant. Thanks. I was getting no joy from the VIN lookup so that was timely

 

[Chippie]

Sport settings are still available on non adaptive cars.
If you’re not sure then you need to ask someone to check the shocks

Thanks. Confirms what I found online. Think I'll ask someone to pop it up on the ramp and say for sure.

I wonder if there's somewhere online where I can enter my reg or VIN and get confirmation...

If you look through the Front wheel, if you can see a lug on the damper, just above the brake disc, then you have adaptive suspension


You should also be able to see a similar lug on the rear looking underneath the back behind the rear wheel.

 

[strugglinauthor]

Sport settings are still available on non adaptive cars.
If you’re not sure then you need to ask someone to check the shocks

Thanks. Confirms what I found online. Think I'll ask someone to pop it up on the ramp and say for sure.

I wonder if there's somewhere online where I can enter my reg or VIN and get confirmation...

If you look through the Front wheel, if you can see a lug on the damper, just above the brake disc, then you have adaptive suspension
IMG_9139.jpeg

You should also be able to see a similar lug on the rear looking underneath the back behind the rear wheel.

That's very helpful. Thanks. I'll have a look in the morning