[JingChai]

I have the stock OEM suspension for my 2011 E90 328i. Occasionally I drive on canyon roads but 95% of what I do is just normal driving.

I thought about getting an upgrade that is equal the the M sport suspension in stiffness and ride comfort.

If I don't track my car or do autocross frequently, what's the best approach for suspension upgrade?

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by JingChai

I have the stock OEM suspension for my 2011 E90 328i. Occasionally I drive on canyon roads but 95% of what I do is just normal driving.

I thought about getting an upgrade that is equal the the M sport suspension in stiffness and ride comfort.

If I don't track my car or do autocross frequently, what's the best approach for suspension upgrade?

Bilstein B6 or B8's. For a 328, probably B6 unless you want to lower the car.

If you want to lower the car, and have a suspension equal too or better than the M-sport set up, then get the Bilstein b12 Kit.

BMW B12 Pro Kit - Bilstein 46-180957.

Maybe even get M3 control arms and brand new tie rods

[Nautinto]

To answer your question shortly: It isn't worth the money. The stock suspension, as long as in good condition, is up to it for surprisingly fast and enjoyable driving. If you however want to upgrade anyhow, I would do as previous post recommended.

[asquared]

I daily drive my car and have the H&R Cup kit, going from stock M sport setup. I wouldn't ever go back to stock at this point. I drive pretty spirited so taking turns and cornering has improved heavily versus the softer stock suspension. IMO, definitely worth it. I also have rear subframe bushings and front M3 arms to install soon as well.

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by asquared

I daily drive my car and have the H&R Cup kit, going from stock M sport setup. I wouldn't ever go back to stock at this point. I drive pretty spirited so taking turns and cornering has improved heavily versus the softer stock suspension. IMO, definitely worth it. I also have rear subframe bushings and front M3 arms to install soon as well.

Do the M3 Differential bushings whole you are at it

[asquared]

Originally Posted by mweisdorfer

Do the M3 Differential bushings whole you are at it

It is a substantial upgrade?

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by asquared

It is a substantial upgrade?

Yes. Helps keep the rear end more planted

[Nautinto]

Usually these upgrades are a compromise - What you gain in the handling department, you often loose in comfort or longevity (or all-around user friendliness). Obviously expensive dampers or a high quality coil-over kit can offer both good comfort and handling, but will you frequently drive fast enough to really need it? Probably not. Can you enjoy it anyhow? Probably yes.

Is it worth it for a daily driver? Depends on your wallet. Personally I'm very happy with "upgraded" dampers in an otherwise fresh stock setup. You can throw unlimited money on upgrading a car to something which it isn't, or you can use that money to buy a car which is made for the purpose.

If you wanna make your car faster on canyon roads - Buy sticky tires. That will make the biggest difference.

My 2 cents

[tisdrew]

And on the flip side, you can upgrade your suspension to be less sporty and more comfort-oriented with an air ride system. Nautinto is right, there's a trade off -- sportier means it'll be more bumpy day-to-day. I have KWv3s and while yes the handling is improved, it's my daily so I don't feel they would be worth the price new.

Absolutely it is...especially on an ~8 year old car in your case.

No reason not to upgrade a likely worn out damper set, at the least; especially when the stock pieces were so crummy new, much less, with miles on them.

[JingChai]

My car is only at 70k miles, they feel alright but I'll look into it.

Originally Posted by FCobra94

Absolutely it is...especially on an ~8 year old car in your case.

No reason not to upgrade a likely worn out damper set, at the least; especially when the stock pieces were so crummy new, much less, with miles on them.

[Cabdriver]

It depends on what you're trying to solve. Too many times in the past, ive looked at what i want it to look like and sexy suspension packages as opposed to addressing the shortcomings of the car itself.

Lowered ride height and stiffer dampening/springing arent necessarily solutions but rather broadly correct issues with (for me) hard to live with outcomes.

I have the sport suspension on an e90 335i, and it suffered from terminal understeer with factory hardware. This being the problem, i solved it by removing the alignment pins, installing the e93 m3 front arb, front m3 controls arms and then larger front tires (245/35/18 summer contis) to take advantage of the new attitude and increased negative camber up front (about -1.5 now on both front wheels). The arb itself does make itself known, not harsh just known, kisses expansion joints firmer. The front end sticks for days now and doesnt roll as if it is the queen mary in an atlantic storm.
To increase grip outback i installed 265 contis, the 255 pilots were getting greasy with the increase in hp (fbo).
Finally installed sport appropriate bilstein b4s for a slightly stiffer setup all around (5%-10%?). Overall the car is exceedingly quicker through the twisties, more responsive, balanced and predictable and frankly, after flogging it on back roads, i have not been able to unsettle the car in any way at much higher speeds.
All the while, the ride has become even more supple ( could also be that the old shocks and struts were just way too tired).
I couldnt be happier with the results and dont regret going the route that maintained ride quality while tightening things up and increasing performance.

I recommend you really look at what you want to solve and then spend some time researching solutions. Take some time to reasearch solutions and lessons learned from others and make your decisions based on the issues that need to be fixed. Personally, i like sleepers and my car doesnt announce itself, it just does the job without breaking a sweat.
Modify the car for the outcomes that are desirable to you.

[cvc 22349a]

Great, sensible thread! I tried different suspensions on my car over the years and came back to the oe sport springs and Koni sport dampers with M3 control arms and rsb. Lower, stiffer springs and c/o were too much for my dd.

[hellokitty]

I basically did every suspension upgrade under the sun and i think it's worth it. It's like driving a different (and in many ways, a safer car).

[avocet]

Originally Posted by Nautinto

To answer your question shortly: It isn't worth the money.

lol at this.

It is all dependent on what you want and expect from your car. If you ask me it is absolutely worth it to upgrade the suspension on an e90 daily driver.

For a solid foundation I would(and did) start with bushings... subframe and front control arms and shocks/struts with mounts. That alone will transform your cars handling. I have sport susp, so have moderately lowered spings compared to base, so I am certain I would include springs with these mods.

[hellokitty]

I just did aluminum diff bushings as my almost final suspension mod. Boy oh boy i should have done it so much sooner. I can now floor it and it drives straight like an arrow.

Just ordered the bms lockdown as the cherry on top and I’m done

[cvc 22349a]

Originally Posted by hellokitty

I just did aluminum diff bushings as my almost final suspension mod. Boy oh boy i should have done it so much sooner. I can now floor it and it drives straight like an arrow.

Just ordered the bms lockdown as the cherry on top and I’m done

Do those solid diff bushings bring noise into the cabin?

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by cvc 22349a

Do those solid diff bushings bring noise into the cabin?

I would rate the noise transmitted as 2/10. You can't hear it unless you really listen for it. You can't hear it at all with the radio on.

I would not hesitate to do it all over again. It's one of those upgrades you feel every time you lay on the throttle even 50%. The stock bushings really screw up the suspension geometry if you are tuned.