[paulthejones]

Hey Friends, it’s time to refresh the suspension on my 328 xdrive. I’m wondering what your setups are? I’m thinking about either Koni Special Active on stock springs or Bilstein B14pss coilovers. How are you surviving our terrible roads?

[rayrobot]

Barely surviving these terrible roads lol. I'm on BC Coils and just drive more carefully.

[Frack]

Originally Posted by paulthejones

Hey Friends, it’s time to refresh the suspension on my 328 xdrive. I’m wondering what your setups are? I’m thinking about either Koni Special Active on stock springs or Bilstein B14pss coilovers. How are you surviving our terrible roads?

I just bubbled 18" tires front and back on stock setup so choose wisely
My other car bilstein B8 with H&R street, by far favorite setup for upstate parkways, for BQE aand Belt... just get a jeep or a hummer

[paulthejones]

damn.... I was wondering if this was going to be the consensus about our roads... the upstate parkways are amazing. The BQE and Manhattan highways kill me...

[MrSteak]

E92 with Bilstein B4's replacing my stock.

Queens/Brooklyn/Manhattan/Long Island have eaten 3 rims, and countless tires. Thanks cuomo. If I lived somewhere with actually maintained roads, I'd consider 19's, or coilovers for my 18's. But in NYC, I'm playing it safe. Even considering going down to 17" wheels for a little extra sidewall.

[whyzee125]

I'd either go with stock springs and Koni Yellows or those Bilstein coilovers. Koni Special Actives sound nice in theory but almost nobody is actually happy with them.

[mike5124]

I'm from the NJ/NYC area and I'm happy with my setup! Koni Special Actives with Sport Springs and M3 arms, they ride great for a daily driver while still being sportier than stock. They absorb bumps and imperfections really well!

[matteblue3er]

If you don't actually track the car, don't get coilovers. They are overly stiff for your purpose.

Get a set of bilsteins or konis paired to appropriate springs.

More rubber will also help with ride quality. I run 17" arc-8s and not only is the ride much better but tires are much cheaper

[paulthejones]

I was thinking Koni Yellow's with Eibach springs. Lowers the car about 1 inch. Still on the 17inch stock rims. Was thinking of getting some Apex wheels in the spring. My buddy who's drives a v8 mustang thinks I could go 18's but I'm a little hesitant with our roads. Was thinking 17's possibly....

[E90joee]

Originally Posted by paulthejones

I was thinking Koni Yellow's with Eibach springs. Lowers the car about 1 inch. Still on the 17inch stock rims. Was thinking of getting some Apex wheels in the spring. My buddy who's drives a v8 mustang thinks I could go 18's but I'm a little hesitant with our roads. Was thinking 17's possibly....

Im on kw v1, i had bilstein and hr lowering springs for years and it was a bit harsh and can feel the potholes. With the kw its not as bad but i like it better especially with the ability to raise and lower at your preferred height. As for wheels, always had 18s i have bent and cracked wheels before but it was honestly not even potholes faults it was all GCP or highway road issues.

[mrjimyjohn]

Originally Posted by MrSteak

E92 with Bilstein B4's replacing my stock.

Queens/Brooklyn/Manhattan/Long Island have eaten 3 rims, and countless tires. Thanks cuomo. If I lived somewhere with actually maintained roads, I'd consider 19's, or coilovers for my 18's. But in NYC, I'm playing it safe. Even considering going down to 17" wheels for a little extra sidewall.

Are you running oem tire spec on the 18s?

I’m on 225/45/18 winters which is oversize. Hesitant to go with a shorter sidewall when I buy summer tires given the hits ive taken on these

[MrSteak]

Originally Posted by mrjimyjohn

Are you running oem tire spec on the 18s?

I’m on 225/45/18 winters which is oversize. Hesitant to go with a shorter sidewall when I buy summer tires given the hits ive taken on these

Yes. 225/40-18 in front and 255/35-18 in the rear.

And I run my tires according to the tire manufacturer's PSI, not BMW's. But bad NY roads, and potholes don't care. I check the forum and online constantly for spare 189 wheels, or a staggered set of 17's to test out a thicker sidewall. Shits rough here.

[Peter Morrin]

I am not sure if our roads are as bad as NYC, but I just got back from a ski trip into the Laurnetians north of Montreal including some travel on frozen, pot-holed gravel roads. I have ST X non-adjustable coilovers with progressive springs, 225/40-18 snows on Type 162 rims. The car had about 600 lbs of people and gear. The ride was acceptable but much harsher than with just myself (180 ls) and no gear. I would not go with any stiffer springs for a DD with our conditions and I will be going to 17" rims which have a 45 sidewall. I will stick with the ST X springs until I finish other suspension/bushing modifications.

[bluelightM]

Fortune autos. Just be careful with the amount of tire you have with the pot holes.

[rightaway]

Originally Posted by mike5124

I'm from the NJ/NYC area and I'm happy with my setup! Koni Special Actives with Sport Springs and M3 arms, they ride great for a daily driver while still being sportier than stock. They absorb bumps and imperfections really well!

Do the m3 arms bolt right up? What is the difference?

[mike5124]

Originally Posted by rightaway

Do the m3 arms bolt right up? What is the difference?

Yes, the front m3 arms bolt right up for RWD E9x, they added camber and rubber/spherical bushings compared to stock hydraulic ones. The price is also similar to OEM arms. You definitely need an alignment after installation. Overall better tire wear and handling. There's definitely more information in other threads and on youtube.

[rightaway]

Are the after market m3 arms as good as the factory? And which control arms? There are several front upper, lower, forward and rearward.

[mike5124]

Originally Posted by rightaway

Are the after market m3 arms as good as the factory? And which control arms? There are several front upper, lower, forward and rearward.

There's only two arms upfront for each corner, the lower control arms and the tension strut arms (also known as upper forward in some sites, the one that has a weird shape). They also sell m3 arms for the rear, which can add better stability and strength over stock e9x but do not affect geometry. It's only the front arms that affect the alignment.

I'm not familiar with any aftermarket m3 arms, the ones I referenced are the same arms they put on the factory e9x m3s.

Here's a video of the front m3 arms that are sold by FCP Euro, highly recommend them for BMW/OE parts in general:

[rightaway]

When you installed them, did you notice a difference? Did you align it back to m3 or non m3 specs?

[StradaRedlands]

I'm Left Coast, but I'm getting ready to pull the trigger on some M3 arms, so good hearing real world feedback!!! FCP has one backordered, so I'm just kind of waiting for that. Price difference between the two seem to make it a bit of a no-brainer decision.

As for the OP question, I have Koni actives on stock sport springs. They're fine. Nothing earth shattering, but just so much better than the blown out dampers I had. They are supposed to split the difference between the B4 and B8 dampers... I can't say if they do or not, but they are fine for my occasionally terrible road surfaces in a daily driver.

[rightaway]

If fcp is on back order, it’s there any other company that offers the kit?

[mike5124]

Originally Posted by rightaway

When you installed them, did you notice a difference? Did you align it back to m3 or non m3 specs?

My opinion might be controversial but I told them to align to non m3 spec, camber is not adjustable in the front, so m3 specs would make no difference in regards to that, m3 specs would only change front toe slightly (less toe-in according to NewTIS iirc).

M3 spec would slightly change camber in rear and less toe-in. But since my rear is completely stock I left it as is. I don't think it's very important for a DD but when summer rolls around I'll consider telling my tech to align it to m3 spec for fun lol.