[VIZSLA]

Originally Posted by ajsalida

I can't speak for the OP but IMHO the stock Xi suspension is terrible at everything except ground clearance, and even then only standing still. Just all around sucks, in addition to looking bad.

A mild drop with a Koni/Eibach or Bilstein/Eibach transforms the car into something that is vastly more pleasant to drive, and handles bad roads far better. Without losing winter or rough road capability. There is more to a good AWD than ground clearance, as the Audi, STi and Evo crowd know. They aren't jacked up into the air. BMW blew it on this suspension, but the rest of the chassis is brilliant.

If you haven't driven an Xi with a good aftermarket suspension you ought to see if you can. You'll be pleasantly surprised. It is not harsh at all and feels so much better than stock, a little like an M3 or a tighter, slightly lower, 335i sport.

I think that your assessment of the standard set up is rather too harsh.
It's not nearly as sweet as the rear wheel drive version with sport set up but, in my experience, its not far behind the standard version.

The best compromise might be a set of larger performance tires and wheels for the summer and dedicated snows for winter. The biggest bang for your buck when it comes to handling remains wheels and tires.

[ajsalida]

Originally Posted by VIZSLA

I think that your assessment of the standard set up is rather too harsh.
It's not nearly as sweet as the rear wheel drive version with sport set up but, in my experience, its not far behind the standard version.

The best compromise might be a set of larger performance tires and wheels for the summer and dedicated snows for winter. The biggest bang for your buck when it comes to handling remains wheels and tires.

LOL. Like I said, drive one.

[Modded328FTW]

I has h&r springs on stock xi shocks. For looks, it was perfect. However, the ride was bouncier (over deep dips) and hitting potholes and splits in the roads was noticeable (which was bound to happen with this setup).

I opted for kw v1 after about a year driving on the lowering springs stock shock setup and love the ride and the handling. I recommend paring a good shock with lowering springs or coilovers.
Do it right once :-)