[MartinWake]

Hey guys I have a 2011 335i e92 with stock suspension and I will soon be getting 19 inch rims and I also want to lower the car a bit so it has a nice flush track like look so I was gonna go with the H&R sport springs but I see a lot of people complaining about them since the stock struts can go bad so what would be my best option? for the price should I go with coil overs or buy the lowering springs with the correct struts? I will post some pics of the look I want some examples Thanks!

[rick100]

To be 100% honest your best options is coil overs. The main reason is that you are going for a specific look and you want to run 19 inch. Rubbing is going tobe your worst enemy here. To find the right springs/struts to meet your expectations is going to be hard. At leadt with adjustable coilovers you can play around until you get what you want

I had my car lowered as the picture you showed. Almost identical. But what a pain in the butt driving like that. Rubbing on turns. Rubbijg in bumps. Not being able to take too many people. Scare of going over bumps or driveways . It really took the joy out of driving. So i ended up raising it a little bit. Even now i m not 100% satistifed as too many people in the car causes some rubbing but now i have zero rubbing with just me in the car

[MartinWake]

Originally Posted by rick100

To be 100% honest your best options is coil overs. The main reason is that you are going for a specific look and you want to run 19 inch. Rubbing is going tobe your worst enemy here. To find the right springs/struts to meet your expectations is going to be hard. At leadt with adjustable coilovers you can play around until you get what you want

I had my car lowered as the picture you showed. Almost identical. But what a pain in the butt driving like that. Rubbing on turns. Rubbijg in bumps. Not being able to take too many people. Scare of going over bumps or driveways . It really took the joy out of driving. So i ended up raising it a little bit. Even now i m not 100% satistifed as too many people in the car causes some rubbing but now i have zero rubbing with just me in the car

Yeah I understand also other one of my concerns is I have 18 inch rims right now and I really like that meaty tire look from the first pic I could do that by having the same 18 inch rims and meatier tires but what size would the be exactly and do you think it would be less cost efficient if I have 18 inch rims with meaty tires or 19 inch rims with a bit less meaty tires?

[Nickco43]

Cut the springs with an angle grinder.

[MartinWake]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

Cut the springs with an angle grinder.

[rick100]

Originally Posted by MartinWake

Yeah I understand also other one of my concerns is I have 18 inch rims right now and I really like that meaty tire look from the first pic I could do that by having the same 18 inch rims and meatier tires but what size would the be exactly and do you think it would be less cost efficient if I have 18 inch rims with meaty tires or 19 inch rims with a bit less meaty tires?

18 inch for me is perfect because the car looks good and you do not loose the ride comfort and "performance" as you would with 19 inch

Also 19 inch rims with lower profile tires are more expensive and probably more prone to damage , like pot holes , or bent rims

As per sizes , you probably have more room to play if you went with 18 and coil overs . Trying to get the perfect look needs some fine adjustments and that is something lowering springs/struts is not going to give you .

[MartinWake]

Originally Posted by rick100

18 inch for me is perfect because the car looks good and you do not loose the ride comfort and "performance" as you would with 19 inch

Also 19 inch rims with lower profile tires are more expensive and probably more prone to damage , like pot holes , or bent rims

As per sizes , you probably have more room to play if you went with 18 and coil overs . Trying to get the perfect look needs some fine adjustments and that is something lowering springs/struts is not going to give you .

I just think 18 inch rims with slim tires looks too small even if I lower it with 19 inch it fills it in nicely, its true what you are saying tho!

[BM3Rrrr]

What are you trying to achieve here????
You have 18's and like the meaty look, but your buying 19's? but don't like skinny tires?
Why buy 19's then???
You asked in your first post about suspension so I will answer that question.
Buy coilovers and be done with it. Don't cheap out and buy lowering springs and not struts to go with them.

[ryan stewart]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

Cut the springs with an angle grinder.

Or maybe just drive over a speedbump at 80mph, then you dont have to buy/rent/borrow an angle grinder.

[rick100]

Originally Posted by MartinWake

I just think 18 inch rims with slim tires looks too small even if I lower it with 19 inch it fills it in nicely, its true what you are saying tho!

you have to decide whats more important to you looks or functionality

looks only go 19 , functionality 17, somewhere in the middle 18

as per lowering , again coil overs are more expensive for a reason , they offer adjust ability, if you are one that is picky about gaps , rubbing , looks etc which is the vibe you are giving out here , then there is not question coil overs is for you.

You gotta pay to play .

Lowe rings spring/ strut combo is ok too , but again you get what you get , in the long run it is going to be more expensive trying to find the perfect rim/ tire to go with it for achieve the perfect look you are going for

Also keep in mind the pictures you showed are how the car will look without people in it , you have to understand that even though it may not be rubbing there , once you start putting people in the car, stuff in the trunk then the car is going to sit even lowered. It also depends on what type of road you drive, a bumpy road will make rubbing worst , a turn on a incline or uneven road also plays a big factor.

Everyone wants that flush look , but it is very hard to get it , as you need to adjust the camber in order for the top of the tire to be flusher with the fender, otherwise the top is going to be flush and the bottom is going to stick out bad, not only that, bmws have an issue with the fender, I forgot what is call , but lets just say it is less forgiven when it comes time to rubbing. Therefore a lot of guys here to fender rolling. That is another different problem , you have to becarefull on who does the fender rolling and how they do it , I have read some horrors stories of paint cracking out there


I may sound like a grandpa here , but I had to find out that hard way once I lowered my car. I m so glad I went with coilovers though , it took 3 tries to get it right , even some fender rolling, but again it still rubs when my car is fully loaded , but at the same time I do not want to go any higher as i love the look. I m not even that low right now compare to other people so I can only imagine how others are compromising just for looks

Last but not least , once the coilovers or lowering springs are install , the shop is going to inspect the condition of the whole suspension , so be prepared to fork some more money for thing like control arms , etc ,etc ,etc. Some people even recommend replacing other components. I only replaced what required to be replaced and I ve been running fine , but if i replaced the components people recommended here, I would ve been broke

[MartinWake]

Originally Posted by rick100

you have to decide whats more important to you looks or functionality

looks only go 19 , functionality 17, somewhere in the middle 18

as per lowering , again coil overs are more expensive for a reason , they offer adjust ability, if you are one that is picky about gaps , rubbing , looks etc which is the vibe you are giving out here , then there is not question coil overs is for you.

You gotta pay to play .

Lowe rings spring/ strut combo is ok too , but again you get what you get , in the long run it is going to be more expensive trying to find the perfect rim/ tire to go with it for achieve the perfect look you are going for

Also keep in mind the pictures you showed are how the car will look without people in it , you have to understand that even though it may not be rubbing there , once you start putting people in the car, stuff in the trunk then the car is going to sit even lowered. It also depends on what type of road you drive, a bumpy road will make rubbing worst , a turn on a incline or uneven road also plays a big factor.

Everyone wants that flush look , but it is very hard to get it , as you need to adjust the camber in order for the top of the tire to be flusher with the fender, otherwise the top is going to be flush and the bottom is going to stick out bad, not only that, bmws have an issue with the fender, I forgot what is call , but lets just say it is less forgiven when it comes time to rubbing. Therefore a lot of guys here to fender rolling. That is another different problem , you have to becarefull on who does the fender rolling and how they do it , I have read some horrors stories of paint cracking out there


I may sound like a grandpa here , but I had to find out that hard way once I lowered my car. I m so glad I went with coilovers though , it took 3 tries to get it right , even some fender rolling, but again it still rubs when my car is fully loaded , but at the same time I do not want to go any higher as i love the look. I m not even that low right now compare to other people so I can only imagine how others are compromising just for looks

Last but not least , once the coilovers or lowering springs are install , the shop is going to inspect the condition of the whole suspension , so be prepared to fork some more money for thing like control arms , etc ,etc ,etc. Some people even recommend replacing other components. I only replaced what required to be replaced and I ve been running fine , but if i replaced the components people recommended here, I would ve been broke

yup I understand it sounds like a whole mission tbh, the road thing is pretty fine here tho I live in Miami so they are pretty good and the people I have a e92 and dont let more then one person in the car so I dont think it will lower too much more..

[Socket]

I was asking this exact same question two years ago
Ended up going with H&R springs and Koni shocks
The swapped to KW3 coilovers
Should have just gone coilovers from the start
Main benefit is you can raise or lower them to the height you want and back again if you feel like it

[6ixSpd]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

Cut the springs with an angle grinder.

Nah just take them out entirely.

[b92]

Originally Posted by 6ixSpd

Nah just take them out entirely.

That's what I did, no regerts.