[Brandon818]

I finally feel that my car is powerful enough, and I want to work on the handling aspect of my e92 335is. I currently have stock suspension, and I dislike the way it handles. Car feels "floaty" and feels like it's catching air around corners and on the freeway if I hit a dip "over 100 mph".

The other day I went for a ride in a s2000 and miata in the canyons and was shocked about how much speed they carry through the corners and how nimble the car feels.I want my car to handle better and I'm not sure which route to go with f. Some things I have written down is Coilovers "not sure what brand yet", Control arms (either m3 or monoball), and Solid subframe bushings. I do quite a lot of canyon driving, and a little bit of drag racing. And I havent started yet, however I would like to start going to track days, to learn my car and improve as a driver.

Could you guys give me any advice, thoughts,opinions, brands, and order of which I should conduct suspension mods? Thanks!

[blau iii]

i have an 08 sedan so take it for what it's worth... first thing I did was M3 front control arms, made a huge difference. Steerling felt (a good kind of) heavy. Did this around 70k miles. Then at 90k, I replaced the shock struts with Bilstein B4s. I have the m-sport suspension so it's already low enough. I also replaced all of the strut/shock mounts and hardware at the same time. The car feels perfectly planted (at speed) but not roughly so. I had an e46 on H&R springs and it was a PITA to drive but handled great. I live in pittsburgh so I have to balance performance and potholes.

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by blau iii

i have an 08 sedan so take it for what it's worth... first thing I did was M3 front control arms, made a huge difference. Steerling felt (a good kind of) heavy. Did this around 70k miles. Then at 90k, I replaced the shock struts with Bilstein B4s. I have the m-sport suspension so it's already low enough. I also replaced all of the strut/shock mounts and hardware at the same time. The car feels perfectly planted (at speed) but not roughly so. I had an e46 on H&R springs and it was a PITA to drive but handled great. I live in pittsburgh so I have to balance performance and potholes.

How did you deal with the chamber of the M3 control arms up front? I am at a similar stage with deciding on the M3 control arms up front when I install M3 sways and bushings. My 2011 e91 will be seeing some track days. Thanks

[blau iii]

it wasnt bad. they got it into spec.

[chris@strutmonkey]

If you are in the canyons and want your car to feel more agile and stable, you need Koni Yellows or Bilstein B8s.

[FlaPatsFan]

Originally Posted by blau iii

it wasnt bad. they got it into spec.

Sry meant camber....damn auto correct.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by Brandon818

I finally feel that my car is powerful enough, and I want to work on the handling aspect of my e92 335is. I currently have stock suspension, and I dislike the way it handles. Car feels "floaty" and feels like it's catching air around corners and on the freeway if I hit a dip "over 100 mph".

The other day I went for a ride in a s2000 and miata in the canyons and was shocked about how much speed they carry through the corners and how nimble the car feels.I want my car to handle better and I'm not sure which route to go with f. Some things I have written down is Coilovers "not sure what brand yet", Control arms (either m3 or monoball), and Solid subframe bushings. I do quite a lot of canyon driving, and a little bit of drag racing. And I havent started yet, however I would like to start going to track days, to learn my car and improve as a driver.

Could you guys give me any advice, thoughts,opinions, brands, and order of which I should conduct suspension mods? Thanks!

Bilstein B8's

M3 control arms - front

New surrounding hardware (strut bearings, upper/ upper & upper/ lower shock mounts, lower shock mounts) etc.

New tie rods

M3 subframe bushings

M3 differential bushings

New sway bar bushings

New swaybar links

You could do more depending on how many miles are on your car, but that's for starters.

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Originally Posted by Brandon818

I finally feel that my car is powerful enough, and I want to work on the handling aspect of my e92 335is. I currently have stock suspension, and I dislike the way it handles. Car feels "floaty" and feels like it's catching air around corners and on the freeway if I hit a dip "over 100 mph".

The other day I went for a ride in a s2000 and miata in the canyons and was shocked about how much speed they carry through the corners and how nimble the car feels.I want my car to handle better and I'm not sure which route to go with f. Some things I have written down is Coilovers "not sure what brand yet", Control arms (either m3 or monoball), and Solid subframe bushings. I do quite a lot of canyon driving, and a little bit of drag racing. And I havent started yet, however I would like to start going to track days, to learn my car and improve as a driver.

Could you guys give me any advice, thoughts,opinions, brands, and order of which I should conduct suspension mods? Thanks!

Going to be hard to feel like an S2k or a Miata, those are light weight cars with great suspension geometry and made to handle!

So would you rather go coilovers? Or Spring Shocks Combos?

Do you have a budget?

[YoungBlood]

ST XTA coilovers are the best mod I’ve done to my 335i hands down. Finally handles decently. A couple low budget items I think were well worth the money and effort are stiffer rear shock mounts ($10) and rear subframe inserts ($50), and rear toe arms. Got rid of the dog walk thing that these cars get from loading up the rear on launches or trail braking. If you’re willing to pull the whole subframe and go full solid mounts, even better. Tires also play a large role, both the compound and size. I run 255 front 285 rear, both an inch taller total than stock, and I’m essentially only lowered 1/4 all around from sport suspension rideheight, with under a finger width of wheel gap (if you care about being low). This ride height and tire size corners, launches, and brakes significantly better than other setups I’ve tried. But seriously, I had all these mods on Eibach springs and b4 struts, and it still did not handle well, coilovers totally transformed the car, and the ride is BETTER than oem, minus rapid undulations, where the stiffer spring rate hurts it a bit

[DM_e92]

Originally Posted by YoungBlood

ST XTA coilovers are the best mod I’ve done to my 335i hands down. Finally handles decently. A couple low budget items I think were well worth the money and effort are stiffer rear shock mounts ($10) and rear subframe inserts ($50), and rear toe arms. Got rid of the dog walk thing that these cars get from loading up the rear on launches or trail braking. If you’re willing to pull the whole subframe and go full solid mounts, even better. Tires also play a large role, both the compound and size. I run 255 front 285 rear, both an inch taller total than stock, and I’m essentially only lowered 1/4 all around from sport suspension rideheight, with under a finger width of wheel gap (if you care about being low). This ride height and tire size corners, launches, and brakes significantly better than other setups I’ve tried. But seriously, I had all these mods on Eibach springs and b4 struts, and it still did not handle well, coilovers totally transformed the car, and the ride is BETTER than oem, minus rapid undulations, where the stiffer spring rate hurts it a bit

This is what i needed to read!!!... I have m3 arms up front, camber and toe arms in back, whiteline subframe bushings, and B4s and Eibach springs!!! I think it may be time for either better shocks or coilovers... just would hate for it to drive super stiff. Anyways appreciate this post!!!

[000ooo000]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

Bilstein B8's

M3 control arms - front

New surrounding hardware (strut bearings, upper/ upper & upper/ lower shock mounts, lower shock mounts) etc.

New tie rods

M3 subframe bushings

M3 differential bushings

New sway bar bushings

New swaybar links

You could do more depending on how many miles are on your car, but that's for starters.

From everything I've read skip the m3 bushings and get some polyflex/strongflex/whiteline or whatever bushings instead. The m3 bushings aren't stiff enough to make it worth your time.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by 000ooo000

From everything I've read skip the m3 bushings and get some polyflex/strongflex/whiteline or whatever bushings instead. The m3 bushings aren't stiff enough to make it worth your time.

If you plan on tracking the car, you are correct. If you plan on using the car as a DD, then I think you are mistaken.

[Dan Bilzerian]

I would go all poly bushings. M3 bushings are still rubber

[Emilime75]

Aren't all of the Bilstein products on a major back order? With no real ETA?

Besides that, the E9x will never feel like an S2k or Miata. Not unless it goes on one serious, race prepped, diet.

[=C=]

Originally Posted by Dan Bilzerian

I would go all poly bushings. M3 bushings are still rubber

Need to re-apply the paste to stop poly bushings from squeaking after a while, which can be a pain to do.

[Dan Bilzerian]

Originally Posted by =C=

Need to re-apply the paste to stop poly bushings from squeaking after a while, which can be a pain to do.

Mo paste mo betta

[whyzee125]

If it were me, my first upgrade would be a nice spring/shock combo. That's going to make a more significant difference than will front control arms, etc. unless your discontent with its handling is coming from a specific area. Then after the biggest change has been made, start looking into the other bits if you find them necessary still. I did like the M3 control arms and noticed a fairly noticeable improvement over stock control arms but it wasn't so night-and-day that I could never go back. Good luck!

[Rx7boost]

Any more reviews on XTA coilovers? How about KW variant 3?

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by Rx7boost

Any more reviews on XTA coilovers? How about KW variant 3?

I think for KW V3 money, I’d go with TC Kline or Ground Control Street / School. Anyone agree / disagree?

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by Dan Bilzerian

I would go all poly bushings. M3 bushings are still rubber

I guess it depends on how the OP intends to use the car. If the OP intends to DD the car 90% or more of the time, m3 parts are very appropriate for the intended use

Keep in mind the e90 M3 posted legendary times on Nuremburg with those same rubber bushings. True, it has 400 plus HP and an LSD.

If the OP intends to track the car a little more than 10% of the time and can deal with the harsher ride while driving it to work and running errands etc., then poly and other harder type bushings would be appropriate.

This is how is was explained to me by both the folks at ECS tuning & FCP Euro prior to me changing up my suspension. Different companies same Advise. Sure they would make more money by selling me poly bushings for example, but they didn't do that. They informed me.

At any rate, that advice worked for me...

Take it for what it's worth.....

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by whyzee125

If it were me, my first upgrade would be a nice spring/shock combo. That's going to make a more significant difference than will front control arms, etc. unless your discontent with its handling is coming from a specific area. Then after the biggest change has been made, start looking into the other bits if you find them necessary still. I did like the M3 control arms and noticed a fairly noticeable improvement over stock control arms but it wasn't so night-and-day that I could never go back. Good luck!

Agree.

[Torgus]

Originally Posted by Jeff@TopGearSolutions

Going to be hard to feel like an S2k or a Miata, those are light weight cars with great suspension geometry and made to handle!

So would you rather go coilovers? Or Spring Shocks Combos?

Do you have a budget?

Until he gives a budget there is really nothing more to post. So many options. My bet is a simple spring and shock combo with some bushings would be plenty.

I would agree with the above some m3 parts are not huge upgrades. Like the subframe bushings or diff for example.