[everything]

My current fun car is a Ferari F8, before that 458, before that GT4 and many before that. I do commute 100 miles round trip, 5 days a week, so last year I set out to buy a commuter car that I can rack up 18k miles a year on. I selected a 2023 330i base. I was very pleased that BMW finally gave the base 330I and attractive front bumper, blackout window trim, dual exhausts. All in all it was a very tidy package in base trim. I selected black with black immitation leather. The only option my car came with was 19inch rims on run-flat tires.

I did my first commute and just couldn't get over how softly sprung the car was. A week later I put on the MMS HAS kit, spacers, and Michelin PS4 tires.

In my experience the MMS kit was a huge waste of time and money. I went through multiple shops that tried communicating with MMS to determine why the kit was noisy. Now forget about the noise for a second, because not all MMS installs will be noisy, more on that later. Noise aside, the ride was brilliant in a very narrow window of conditions, meaning like 30% and horrid on the rest. At times I enjoyed a car that was firmer and responded faster, but most of the time i was crashing and banging around. Still in that 30% window where the kit shined was preferable to stock. However the areas the kit did not perform well, I was experiencing a beating that was made my entire body hurt. At one point, my back hurt so bad that i daily drove the F8 to work for 2 weeks. Also, on the day my back pain peaked, I sucked it up and ordered the Ohlins kit online.

I was not 100 percent thrilled with the first 2 shops that I used. They are highly regarded, even on forums, but I didn't have great results. Not entirely their fault, mostly a poor product from MMS that I selected on my own. However, during the install and reinstallation they did strip some of the hardware (nuts and bolts) that hold the suspension together and they never mentioned it to me. They were more interested in getting my car out of their shop than ordering some cheap hardware and replacing it. This is why I say that MMS is not inherently noisy. I do believe that some installs are not noisy.

Anyway, one of my car enthusiast friends recommended I try European Motor Gruppe in Houston, TX for the install. I am so glad I went there. They actually ordered every single nut and bolt for the suspension before my car came in and said "We can return everything that we do not use, but this way we can replace everything that is worn or damaged". Well after they inspected the entire suspension, they determined that only two bolts needed replacing, but they were creating noise. They also recommended new top hats. After that everything was installed. The Ohlins coilovers are set to all the way soft. The car is very low. There is the tiniest sliver of wheel gap, so let's say virtually no gap. It looks sick.

Performance wise, its amazing. The 3,000.00 kit is worth every penny it costs. I live in downtown Houston in a building that is surrounded by some of the worse roads you have ever seen. Also my daily commute on the tollway is over a terrible stretch of highway that is full of: dips, sudden elevation changes, sharp bumps, etc. The MMS kit could not handle these high speed impacts without significant force hitting the driver seat. The stock suspension would float and move way too much.

The Ohlins kit takes everything that I can possibly throw at it and nothing phases it. In fact it was so good that I went a little nuts looking for the worse stretches of road and drove them as aggressively as possible to see if there was anything they could not do. Even driving the worse roads in Houston, as fast as possible, it is unflappable. It firmer than stock, but never harsh. It quickly soaks up bumps with the lest amount of time and no secondary movements. In fact it feels like the tires maintain maximum traction no matter how uneven the pavement is. Where the car really feels amazing is on turns, high speed bends etc, where you can feel some lateral forces. In short the kit handles everything from railroad tracks, to pot holes, to performance driving on smooth roads with ease, better than OEM, all while having an extremely low ride height.

I also think the base G20 has a lot of potential. I think the balance of the car is good. I would say that if you were only going to do one mod, this is a good one. Driving the car in sport, and sport trans, shifting manual, and ringing out the engine, its a fun little package. Is it M3 fast, no way, but I can floor it often. I would say that a 330i on Ohlins is dynamically superior to most entry level sports cars.

[mike@x-ph.com]

The Ohlins Road and track is the best suspension kit in my opinion as well. If it's within budget, it's my go-to option.

[Turn Signal]

Appreciate the review.

I should've done these from the start. I did H&R springs hoping the ride would be acceptable but it is not. Similar to your experience, noisy and no ability to hand even the smallest road imperfections.
I was hoping there would be some good deals for black Friday for Ohlins but I think the prices actually went up! I thought I saw them selling for 2600 but I can't find anything less than 2890 (retail)

[everything]

Originally Posted by Turn Signal

Appreciate the review.

I should've done these from the start. I did H&R springs hoping the ride would be acceptable but it is not. Similar to your experience, noisy and no ability to hand even the smallest road imperfections.
I was hoping there would be some good deals for black Friday for Ohlins but I think the prices actually went up! I thought I saw them selling for 2600 but I can't find anything less than 2890 (retail)

Here are a couple of things to consider:
Our kit is not always in stock. I spoke to Ohlins in August. The kit was out of stock. They would restock in the end of October, but only 10 units! Some other websites showed the kit, but I didn't want to take any chances with a site holding my money while they tried to fill the order, so I waited for the restock. There are probably still some units left if you hurry.

Also, there is at least one reseller website with an option for Affirm payments, meaning 6-12 monthly payments not on your credit card. If you order from them, the kit will ship directly from Ohlins in 3 days or so. I was skeptical myself, but I have tested this site. It works.

I am not naming the site here, because I am nit sure if that is against the rules or not. I am just mentioning it for anyone that is on a budget.

[yoon_209]

Got ohlins as well on three clicks from softest setting, ride dramatically improved even with the drop

[Chubbiejones]

I’ve had Ohlins installed for quite some time now and I will concur, they are fantastic!

[yoon_209]

Originally Posted by Chubbiejones

I’ve had Ohlins installed for quite some time now and I will concur, they are fantastic!

What setting do you like?

[Chubbiejones]

Originally Posted by yoon_209

What setting do you like?

Front & Rear = 15clicks

[peelerec]

Originally Posted by Chubbiejones

I’ve had Ohlins installed for quite some time now and I will concur, they are fantastic!

Car is looking good, Chubbie. I think you should start a build journal

[Chubbiejones]

Originally Posted by peelerec

Car is looking good, Chubbie. I think you should start a build journal

Always appreciate the kind words! This is a great idea to which I will have to commence/establish

[Z K]

The Ohlins is great, incredible dampening, sucks up bumps like it's nothing, flat cornering performance all without feeling harsh and more comfortable than stock. I had them on a previous car.

Just be aware that they need a rebuild every 20k miles.

[Panscan340]

Originally Posted by Z K

The Ohlins is great, incredible dampening, sucks up bumps like it's nothing, flat cornering performance all without feeling harsh and more comfortable than stock. I had them on a previous car.

Just be aware that they need a rebuild every 20k miles.

What does the rebuild cost/entail?

[Z K]

Here is the current US pricing from their web site. Bmw will be 2 struts and 2 shocks. Current road and track models are DFV.

Also factor in downtime as your car will inoperable while the suspension is out and mailed in for service. Some people opt to buy a new set and rotate out the suspension every 20k miles.

High end suspension requires high end maintenance. Ohlins comes OEM on Lamborghini, Pagani, Ducati and others... these cars are usually not daily driven.

[Chubbiejones]

Originally Posted by Z K

The Ohlins is great, incredible dampening, sucks up bumps like it's nothing, flat cornering performance all without feeling harsh and more comfortable than stock. I had them on a previous car.

Just be aware that they need a rebuild every 20k miles.

Interesting - this is not the same information Ohlins Enginnering provided when I spoke to them prior to purchasing a set of R/T coils.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by Chubbiejones

Interesting - this is not the same information Ohlins Enginnering provided when I spoke to them prior to purchasing a set of R/T coils.

It is pretty common with high end coilovers. Ohlins is the entry level into the world of motorsport coilovers.

You can drop $10k on a set of Motons or JRZ and they'll have a similar rebuild interval. At least Ohlins is relatively inexpensive.

Rebuild mileage depends on usage and the road conditions you drive on. The rougher the roads, the more frequent the rebuild interval is. Also, if used for track, the interval is measured by track hours and much more frequent than road driving.

It's not like at 20k miles the suspension will feel like complete crap. It degrades gradually so it'll still be ok but just not as refined and smooth as before.

From the owner's manual:

[Chubbiejones]

Originally Posted by Z K

It is pretty common with high end coilovers. Ohlins is the entry level into the world of motorsport coilovers.

You can drop $10k on a set of Motons or JRZ and they'll have a similar rebuild interval. At least Ohlins is relatively inexpensive.

Rebuild mileage depends on usage and the road conditions you drive on. The rougher the roads, the more frequent the rebuild interval is. Also, if used for track, the interval is measured by track hours and much more frequent than road driving.

It's not like at 20k miles the suspension will feel like complete crap. It degrades gradually so it'll still be ok but just not as refined and smooth as before.

From the owner's manual:

Fully agree - most who drive an m340i have absolutely no desire to spend more than the price of a set of Ohlins, not to mention, the majority never track their vehicle so there is no benefit in upgrading to Motons or JRZ coils.

I kinda figured maintenance/overhaul would be required regardless what I was advised, and as you stated, it’s all dependent on your driving style and road conditions.

[chrispy28_xd]

FYI I was quoted $1500 to rebuild my ohlins, but that doesn't include labor to put my old suspension back while it's being rebuilt, then more labor to put the rebuilt ohlins back. I'm just going to wait until the shocks start leaking.

[Chubbiejones]

Originally Posted by chrispy28_xd

FYI I was quoted $1500 to rebuild my ohlins, but that doesn't include labor to put my old suspension back while it's being rebuilt, then more labor to put the rebuilt ohlins back. I'm just going to wait until the shocks start leaking.

Dang - you can almost purchase a new set when it’s all said and done.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by chrispy28_xd

FYI I was quoted $1500 to rebuild my ohlins, but that doesn't include labor to put my old suspension back while it's being rebuilt, then more labor to put the rebuilt ohlins back. I'm just going to wait until the shocks start leaking.

Nice running into you at Laguna Seca a few weeks ago!

I ended up selling my Ohlins I had on my previous car after it got to 30k miles. It didn't leak but you notice the dampening is not as smooth and a rougher, bouncier ride.

I am running KW V3 on my M3 track day car. They cost about the same as the Ohlins. Ride is not as refined but the durability is very high. BMW uses KW on their race cars and comes OEM on the GTS. You can definitely tell they're German engineered. I visited their facility at the ring when I went to drive the ring.

KW have a rebuild interval of 60k miles... which I exceeded. They have a lifetime warranty. You send it in and about a 1 month turn around. I ended up buying a new set and sold the (rebuilt) old ones to minimize downtime and install/re-install costs.

[jpowers36]

Do all KW versions have 60k rebuild intervals? That alone makes me want to go with them over the Ohlins.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by jpowers36

Do all KW versions have 60k rebuild intervals? That alone makes me want to go with them over the Ohlins.

The KW V1-V5, DDC, DLC, HLS, Street Comfort etc... all their street series, have 60k rebuild intervals and lifetime warranty for the original purchaser.

The Clubsports do not have lifetime warranty since they are offered for racing use, not street driven. I don't know about rebuild interval for them. You can probably call KW and ask them.

[prostcfc]

I assume the "racing" interval for Ohlins (10-20 hours) includes HPDEs and the like, and this isn't very many track days. Even if it doesn't include them, if you're actually doing track days, sounds like you won't even get 30,000 km out of them.