Coilover recommendations?

[jesseicp]

I started a thread a week or so ago asking for some general information regarding lowering/coilovers that got no replys. I've read up a bit about suspensions and the differences between coilovers vs. springs/shocks and realize that I may have came off rather ignorant in the first thread.

I'm here now just looking for a few recommendations. I've decided to go ahead and order up the coilovers, but before I just go make a $1k purchase of the least expensive coilovers I can find, I thought I'd check in and see if anyone could steer me away from any brand/specific models that you've had bad experiences or read about in the past or point me towards an experience with a good set. Since I won't be tracking this car, I'm really not sure I gain a ton by not just buying the most inexpensive, but at the same time the standard "you get what you pay for" generally applies to everything, so any recommendations will be appreciated.

I did a quick search for past threads on this topic, but wasn't coming up with much without digging. If you have a link to any threads already extensively covering this topic, I'd be thankful for that too. My car is a 2003 Z4 2.5i, btw.

Thanks!

 

[GuidoK]

If you go for cheap coilovers I'd choose a brand that is a subbrand of a well respected supplier.
Like AP and Weitec are sub brands of KW.

That way you probably wont get complete rubbish or a coilover set that has the complete wrong valving parameters (way to harsh, or not balanced between front and rear (front soft rear hard etc)).

Leading brands with proven heritage like KW, H&R and Bilstein won't let their good name go to waste by an advertised subbrand I think.

 

[jesseicp]

If you go for cheap coilovers I'd choose a brand....waste by an advertised subbrand I think.

Thanks for the advice! I wound up going with the H&R's after reading your recommendation and finally finding a few more threads discussing coilover installation. It seems that most of the lower cost names that I came across were universally agreed upon to be lower quality as well. People talked of poor ride quality and failures such as leaks. I read very little negative feedback about the H&R's and they are only a few hundred dollars more. I'll have to check back in next month after I install them and let you know how they feel. I'm going out of town for a few weeks, so I won't even get to be here when they arrive. ( I guess I'll have something to be excited about when I get back.

Any chance you know of anything that I should consider replacing while installing them? Strut mounts, sway bar end links, etc..? I'd like to try and order everything that I need so I'm ready to go when I get back. I live in BFE, so purchase at a premium in exchange for not having to wait for something like this to be delivered isn't even an option for me.

Thanks again!

 

[GuidoK]

Strut mounts, sway bar end links, etc..?

Yes, be sure that the sway bar end links are short enough.
With my kw set the stock end links were about 1cm too long. If you install the front struts, and the suspension is in full droop (both wheels completely down, like on a car lift), the swaybar must not touch the lower control arm (the sway bar is pushed down by the sway bar end link, which is pushed down by the coilover strut).
In my case that might have something to do with that I use a M3 front swaybar, but a lot of coilovers have this problem. That has to do with lowering the ride height to the max. The swaybar lug on the coilover strut is positioned as low as possible so the screw thread can be as low as possible (thus low ride height).
Some coilover sets come with extra short end links for that reason.

If your sway bar touches your control arm (in full droop) you can get very dangerous situations (a pothole or speedbump can completely ruin your tyre, rim, or coilover strut).

Also with installing a coilover set it's the right time to upgrade your rear shock mounts (from rogue engineering or another supplier).
For the e85 (both roadster and coupe) you don't need their special e46 cabrio cut version of the upper reinforcement plate. The normal one fits.
If you go for another brand than rogue engineering you can get reinforcement plates from bmw. They are a stock part and used in the rear suspension of the z3.