[RagingKileak]

Fair enough Ian, I didn't know that - I was really just trying to make the point though, that the car will be off the road and useless regardless so hopefully you guys knew what I meant!

Anyway, can we just make with the buying now???

Matt

[mob17]

Lol Matt. I'm itching for them too.

I'm just finding out exactly what happens in case of a warranty claim. Like how many days to ship to Germany, how long for them to ship a new ond etc. Once we know i'll get it started!

[mob17]

B14 on Mitsubishi Evo review http://www.lancerregister.com/showthread.php?t=404598

I know our cars will feel different, but just thought i'd post this.

[mob17]

Perhaps i'm being a bit snobby here, but most of the reviews i have read online are from clio, civic, VW, vxr, alphas No E9X's

[RagingKileak]

I've noticed that too, but it's basically the same with all suspension mods.

Probably down to the demographic of owners willing to modify, the value and popularity of the vehicles in question and even the willingness of owners to discuss in a public forum.

Doesn't bother me TBH!

Matt

[mob17]

Yeah i suppose you're right.

By the way, there may potentially be a Group Buy using an official UK dealer of Bilstein. I've asked them to see what they can do considering our current offer.

[RagingKileak]

Good work!

Matt

[lolololol]

Originally Posted by mob17

Matt: No worries, i'm glad we're doing as much research as possible

Alright cheers for the links Ian, i'll send some emails out

I've just heard back from the German retailer:

Don't know what he means by a "rear end" of a translucent DHL. I'll post up what he sends.

Edit: I misunderstood him. See email:

Basically free shipping back to Germany in case if a warranty claim.

What is sketchy in my view - is that I have to prove they were installed properly (define properly) then I have to send a complaint letter etc !!

Personally I don't have time to chase people, fill out forms, phone / email blah blah blah. I would be reticent to buy anything abroad where I may need to return it which involves my car being on or off the road.

This is also influenced by me living only 5 miles from Birds ;-)

Still interested with what you are doing here Mob particularly as we may have a UK seller. I am worried however that the damping maybe to harsh for me where I know the Birds kit is just right.

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by omaragha

What is sketchy in my view - is that I have to prove they were installed properly (define properly) then I have to send a complaint letter etc !!

Personally I don't have time to chase people, fill out forms, phone / email blah blah blah. I would be reticent to buy anything abroad where I may need to return it which involves my car being on or off the road.

This is also influenced by me living only 5 miles from Birds ;-)

Still interested with what you are doing here Mob particularly as we may have a UK seller. I am worried however that the damping maybe to harsh for me where I know the Birds kit is just right.

I'd still love to see a Birds GB price if you wanna organise it Omar?

I'd also be interested in seeing if the KW V3's can be dragged down to a sensible price (near Ohlins levels of flexibility and no reliability problems like the Bilstein) but failing either of those, the B14 will do for me!

Matt

[lolololol]

Ill give Kevin a call mate - just got a day job as well ;-)

[mob17]

Omar: I too am a bit concerned with how much harder the ride will be. But if its hard and planted then i don't think i'd mind too much. It's going to be a quality performance orientated kit, which is what i want really. Given its nearly half the price of the Birds kit, and also it has the ability to change ride height, i think the ride comfort might be a compromise that i could overlook.

Still waiting to hear back about a UK group buy, will keep this thread updated.

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by omaragha

Ill give Kevin a call mate - just got a day job as well ;-)

Bah, crack on!!

Matt

[mob17]

What does everyone think about Weitec Hicon GT coilovers? I remember sitting in a members car (Mr Singh) and they were very compliant.

Seen them for around €854 excl shipping.

Any views?

[Tak1986]

Originally Posted by mob17

What does everyone think about Weitec Hicon GT coilovers? I remember sitting in a members car (Mr Singh) and they were very compliant.

Seen them for around €854 excl shipping.

Any views?

I think the price of b14 is great, if i havent bought the eibach pro street s coilovers, i would be seriously tempted with this deal.

I had the weitec installed on my previous car, they dont come with stainless steel body like the b14 . IIRC, the weitec gt is base on kw v1, very similar product to kw v1 minus stainless steel body, they look almost identical to the ST coilivers where only for sale in the US, and good prices .

I am not good at commenting on the ride between the two, as i only had one of the set and not on a bmw.

[gangzoom]

Keep an eye out in the classifeds, when I was looking for suspension upgrades there happened to be quite a few memebers selling various kits been described...

[RagingKileak]

Originally Posted by mob17

What does everyone think about Weitec Hicon GT coilovers? I remember sitting in a members car (Mr Singh) and they were very compliant.

Seen them for around €854 excl shipping.

Any views?

I don't think I'd go for those mate. I'm interested in the Billy's because they are cheap, but I am not specifically after cheap.

Matt

[mob17]

Originally Posted by RagingKileak

I don't think I'd go for those mate. I'm interested in the Billy's because they are cheap, but I am not specifically after cheap.

Matt

Neither am i.

Are you saying they aren't as good as the B14s? The ride is definitely comfy on the Weitec's whilst giving it a good drop. Weitecs are made by KW... also no reliability issues really read about...

[RagingKileak]

Well, let me put it this way - I wouldn't buy KW V1's (especially not the non-inox line ones which is what these are, basically) so I guess I wouldn't buy these either unless they were stupidly cheap. It's not that I don't rate KW, it's just that if I am going down the KW coilovers road, I will only be going for the V3 inox line.

I look at it like this.... The Bilstein's may turn out to be bad for the reasons we've been discussing, but it still says 'Bilstein' on them and they will sell on a well known auction site as 'nearly new' for circa £5-600 I would imagine.

Can we say the same about Weitec? I doubt it, and yet they cost roughly the same - or actually a bit more. I've never heard of them and KW V1 non-inox line are probably not a million miles off the same price anyway, so I just don't know why anyone would entertain buying these at that kind of money.

Hope that makes sense.

PS KW make inox and non-inox line dampers in (I think) almost every range and the difference is just that the inox line kit won't show surface rust. No performance difference, but it is VERY hard to sell second hand suspension that looks all shitty and rusty.

Matt

[Hotcoupe]

There seems to be a consensus of opinion that the Birds kit has a softer ride than the B14 kit, I'm not disputing it either way, but...............

Where has this notion come from?
Is it based on someone who has driven cars with both kits fitted?

It might be worth mentioning that when my dampers were replaced the replacements had to come from Germany (none in the UK), the chances are that should a problem occur the same may well happen again (parts coming from Germany), so even if the kit came from either the UK or Germany, the car would be off the road for a similar amount of time.

In terms of proving competence of the installer, this was never required when I put my claim in.
I guess a invoice from the installer is all that could be provided by a claimant, after all Bilstein don't have approved installers.

[mob17]

Matt: I understand what you're saying. I guess i'm just a bit concerned about the ride. Is it going to be too hard for a daily driver? But then i think to myself, Bilstein aren't going to make some rock hard coilovers? Surely going to be MORE comfortable than M SPORT?

Hotcoupe: Not sure why i think the B14 is going to be harder. Maybe marketing and I think because of a few random reviews i've read, some say its a bit of a hard ride, but its hard to know for sure how hard these reviews say they are.

Feeling better now! Some 335 owners finally!

http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=861098
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=895764

[mob17]

Got an email back from our German retailer:

Hi,

ok if something is broken in the first half year you will get the damper for free.
If the damper is faulty after the first half year you have to pay the new one. After I get the credit after review from Bilstein you will get your money back.
The shipping is free.

Best regards

I think he means that if we get a faulty damper in the first year, then we simply return it and he sends us a new one for free. If it's in our second year, we return it and pay for a new one, then get our money back after Bilstein reviews it.

I've sent another email to try and clarify the above.

Does this sound ok to you? Never really heard of paying for one then getting our money back. Maybe its a Bilstein thing?

[Rudz]

Originally Posted by mob17

Got an email back from our German retailer:

I think he means that if we get a faulty damper in the first year, then we simply return it and he sends us a new one for free. If it's in our second year, we return it and pay for a new one, then get our money back after Bilstein reviews it.

I've sent another email to try and clarify the above.

Does this sound ok to you? Never really heard of paying for one then getting our money back. Maybe its a Bilstein thing?

Any updates from Bilstein UK Mob?