Comfortable and performing coilovers around $1500?

Best combination of comfort and performance coilovers around $1500?

  • KW v1

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • KW V2

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • KW Street Comfort

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • Fortune Auto 500

    Votes: 4 16.7%
  • Bilstein B16 PSS

    Votes: 6 25.0%
  • YCW Reference

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • H & R Street Performance

    Votes: 1 4.2%
  • RS-R Sports

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Eibach Pro Street

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Solo Werks S1

    Votes: 2 8.3%
  • ST XTA

    Votes: 3 12.5%
  • Ground Control

    Votes: 2 8.3%

  • Total voters
    24

cloud9blue

Sergeant
Oct 17, 2017
255
190
0
Ride
09 E92 335i
I agree. Can't say they are that great. But I won't be doing anything until I find a permanent solution. Whatever it is, it will be stock or stock like height.

If you are looking for a street friendly kit, why not get a set of BMW PS and pair it with M3 control arm kits and rear sub frame bushings. Assuming your chassis is totally stock.

You don't really need the adjustable damper and spring perch for a street car.
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,311
4,342
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
If you are looking for a street friendly kit, why not get a set of BMW PS and pair it with M3 control arm kits and rear sub frame bushings. Assuming your chassis is totally stock.

You don't really need the adjustable damper and spring perch for a street car.

I'm open to options for the most part. I've just got a lot of other priorities with this car before I dive into the suspension much. Wheels and suspension will probably be the last things I ever do to this car, oddly enough. I need to decide if I want to build a wide body for the car first.
 
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Rob09msport

Major
Oct 28, 2017
1,929
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09 335i msport le mans 18 x5
I just ordered gc m3 conversion. Coil overs they recommended 440f 700r which m3 forums rec and high end packages are close to but then alot of people say that is bad balance should I raise back lower front or just leave as manufacturer intended ?
 

zero2sixtyZ

Specialist
Nov 6, 2016
66
52
0
Boston, MA
Ride
E92 335i
I just ordered gc m3 conversion. Coil overs they recommended 440f 700r which m3 forums rec and high end packages are close to but then alot of people say that is bad balance should I raise back lower front or just leave as manufacturer intended ?
That’s about a 8k F/ 12.5k R. Ref my post on an earlier page, but I had those rates with a Fortune Auto setup. Car didn’t sit neutral, as the front was too stiff and pogo effected the rear. I’d drop the front rate.
 

Rob09msport

Major
Oct 28, 2017
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09 335i msport le mans 18 x5
Fortune Auto 500s here. Did the M3 rear lower camber arm swap, so essentially the rear struts are M3 spec. Radial bearing + swift upgrade were the options, and came with standard camber plates in the front. My total was around the $1600 mark if I remember correctly.

Originally, they weren't the greatest setup. I was really disappointed as the car bounced in the rear. I fought with Fortune Auto's tech team, and questioned their default spring rates, 8k/12k. I made a thread on E90p with all the calculations I tried to do on my own and figured out that the front was too stiff, and the rear too soft. Even for switching to shorter travel coilovers, the OEM motion ratio wasn't carried over at all.

Long story short, I went to a 14k swift spring in the rear, and had the struts revalved. Car feels great. A little on the firm side in terms of ride comfort, but I never felt uncomfortable driving through Boston city roads. Handles great, excellent turn-in and confidence.

If you're looking at them I'd probably go with a 6k/14k setup from the beginning.
You have an e90 or e92 ? Just asking cause I know the e90 call for more spring in back then e92 and I was thinking I should be 350 or 400 in front I know most don't understand that bushings effect spring rate as well as bump stops stock actual spring rate may be 140 in front but the car sees way more than that otherwise coil overs 140 in front car would be mess that's why people complain about 4k springs seems like 6 is the magic number for front but gc is rec 8k "440" I'm waiting on call back to discuss further before my kit ships
 
Last edited:

zero2sixtyZ

Specialist
Nov 6, 2016
66
52
0
Boston, MA
Ride
E92 335i
You have an e90 or e92 ? Just asking cause I know the e90 call for more spring in back then e92 and I was thinking I should be 350 or 400 in front I know mist don't understand that bushings effect spring rate as well as bump stops stock actually spring rate may be 140 in front but the car sees way more than that if did coil overs 140 in front car would be mess that's why people complain about 4k springs seems like 6 is the magic number for front but gc is rec 8k "440" I'm waiting on call back to discuss further before my kit ships

E92
 

zero2sixtyZ

Specialist
Nov 6, 2016
66
52
0
Boston, MA
Ride
E92 335i
So even with the new rear mounts you would be happiest going down in front not up in rear right and you think I have to worry about what length they send me or that should be good
I went from 12k rear to 14k rear. Revalved the struts, and the car feels good. Front is a bit stiff still.
What lengths they sending you? Rear spring is at a 9" length.
 
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aus335iguy

Colonel
Nov 18, 2017
2,258
809
0
Down under
Ride
335i DCT 2009
There are a number of options that come up in threads like this consistanty and that’s a good indicator but even if everybody agreed brand x are the best it might be the worst car you’ve ever driven and vice versa. Comfort and handling are subjective measures. Best advice ive ever gotten about suspension is drive as many cars with as many different setups as you can and pick from those. It’s served me well many times.
 

Cornfed54

Specialist
Feb 6, 2018
80
31
0
Ride
E92 335
I am happy with my soloworks for what I paid, I’d compare the handling to my bilstien sport/ hr spring combo I had in my m3, the ride is a bit harsher with the soloworks however.
I’m on stock 18” wheels with Michelin pss tires and I have the height set just under max height, this is about 1/4” lower than the car sat with the OeM sport setup. The ride is acceptable for me, not soft, not harsh, it actually is less harsh over bad bumps than the OE setup which would get upset when going over a series of rough patches in the road. You do get a bit more bounce over expansion joints, large bumps, etc, but I’ve autocrossed the car with the current setup and it actually did a lot better than expected. +1 on proper setup/ alignment afterwards, it’s just as important as the suspension itself IMO.
 

Rob09msport

Major
Oct 28, 2017
1,929
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09 335i msport le mans 18 x5
Could you add ground control as they are the same price as ycw I am waiting to cast my vote between eibach ,kw and gc as soon as i get few days in on my gc setup
 

doublespaces

Administrator
Oct 18, 2016
9,311
4,342
0
AZ
Ride
2009 E93 335i
Could you add ground control as they are the same price as ycw I am waiting to cast my vote between eibach ,kw and gc as soon as i get few days in on my gc setup
I added them, but I'm not familiar with the model so tag me again with that info and I'll add it.
 

Rob09msport

Major
Oct 28, 2017
1,929
664
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Monroe CT
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09 335i msport le mans 18 x5
I stuck with 440f 700r and car feels great they told me to stick with that balance because stock bump stops are actually used as a helper spring and i no longer have stock sub frame bushings. people with stock sub frame bushings have to go stiffer in rear unless still on rft i apreciate all the advice but am wondering if people that had to go up on rear or down on front from my rates have stock bushings or rfts
 

Rob09msport

Major
Oct 28, 2017
1,929
664
0
Monroe CT
Ride
09 335i msport le mans 18 x5
I stuck with 440f 700r and car feels great they told me to stick with that balance because stock bump stops are actually used as a helper spring and i no longer have stock sub frame bushings. people with stock sub frame bushings have to go stiffer in rear unless still on rft i apreciate all the advice but am wondering if people that had to go up on rear or down on front from my rates have stock bushings or rfts
 

Rob09msport

Major
Oct 28, 2017
1,929
664
0
Monroe CT
Ride
09 335i msport le mans 18 x5
I love my setup only thing is my adjusters are as high as i can go. I told gc I wanted mild drop and they sent me 6 inch front and 8 inch back I originally thought was getting 7 inch front 9 inch back but are they any downsides . Like will i bind before i get full travel and i am trying to chase down parking lot creak which i was told having front set as high can go can cause which doesn't make sense to me i would think better to have slight pre load at full sag.