[Lorcan]

Originally Posted by Riccardog

Well noted. I suppose I considered suspension sets as mainly for older cars which need a refresh (I've done that on my own cars).

But you're right, its a huge market even on new cars, especially in the performance world. Don't know what I was thinking, apologies!

No problem, it made me laugh!

I built a bike once that was a mish-mash of Kawasaki turbo, Suzuki Hayabusa and even Honda parts and referred to it as the Frankenturbo!

[Riccardog]

Originally Posted by Lorcan

No problem, it made me laugh!

I built a bike once that was a mish-mash of Kawasaki turbo, Suzuki Hayabusa and even Honda parts and referred to it as the Frankenturbo!

Genuinely embarrassed by my numpty comment above! And this is from someone who's ideal would be to have full Ohlins on all his cars.

Factory setups are great and work for most people, but truth is they compromise on cost at the end of the day. If one removes cost as a factor then there is definitely a way of getting both a sportier and more compliant ride at the same time. Its all about the quality of the hardware (and setting it up).

I suppose the bit where he asks about looking up parts individually threw me as mentally I had this image of searching for individual parts to make up a more compliant setup. No idea why I went down that rabbit hole...

PS: The Frankenturbo sounds scary!

[simonb82]

Originally Posted by stuarttunstall

The ride in mine is back breaking... you can feel every ripple in the road on 18" wheel and standard M-Sport suspension... another reason the car is going soon..

If you do want one get one with adaptive, much better ride in al the loan cars I have had ..

Off back to a Skoda Kodiaq vRS soon.. 20 years plus with VW Group, 18 months with BMW and I am off back again, want a car with a working DAB radio that dealers say there is nothing wrong even though it loses signal for 5 mins a time and all DAB stations... .. BMW HQ useless no customer service skills at all.. MUCH better quality of service from Skoda..

How have you found VW group for servicing? I can’t get my head around their standard service plans don’t include half the things they want to service like DSG oil and spark plugs

[Falcoray]

Interesting points there. My problem is I’m an old boy who needs a nice looking car with a comfortable ride I’ve had all sorts of BMW’s since the mid 80’s the firmest being the first of the M3’s and smoothest being a 1999 535 estate. My latest was all that was available with the spec I needed apart from being an M sport. 6 months and 2000 miles on the clock I’m looking to raise and smooth the ride height and comfort. I’ve been recommended to fit Ohlins but there are hundreds of Ohlins, what I need is the OEM number for a 320i se or similar any ideas where I might get that from please.

Originally Posted by simonb82

How have you found VW group for servicing? I can’t get my head around their standard service plans don’t include half the things they want to service like DSG oil and spark plugs

The dealers I used were fantastic, helpful and very reasonable on price compared to BMW..

I just let them do what was needed as and when required.. I was always told that in addition to the service "xyz" was due ..

[Lorcan]

Originally Posted by Riccardog

Factory setups are great and work for most people, but truth is they compromise on cost at the end of the day. If one removes cost as a factor then there is definitely a way of getting both a sportier and more compliant ride at the same time. Its all about the quality of the hardware (and setting it up).

100%

[Riccardog]

Originally Posted by Falcoray

Interesting points there. My problem is I’m an old boy who needs a nice looking car with a comfortable ride I’ve had all sorts of BMW’s since the mid 80’s the firmest being the first of the M3’s and smoothest being a 1999 535 estate. My latest was all that was available with the spec I needed apart from being an M sport. 6 months and 2000 miles on the clock I’m looking to raise and smooth the ride height and comfort. I’ve been recommended to fit Ohlins but there are hundreds of Ohlins, what I need is the OEM number for a 320i se or similar any ideas where I might get that from please.

If you go for Ohlins, which are generally considered amongst the best quality suspensions, realistically this will cost several £k. I'd guesstimate at least £5k once all said and done. Of course, there are other options, such as Bilstein or even factory OE SE spec as you say.

I wouldn't spend my time second guessing parts over the internet as it can get confusing and error prone. This is a specialist job and you're best off to speak to a suspension specialist (maybe Lorcan?). Just make sure you specify you're after comfort as most people changing their suspension are after a sportier drive / feel (ie: normally harder).

From my side I'd recommend Centre Gravity (http://www.centregravity.co.uk) as one of the UK's leading suspension specialists.

[Falcoray]

Originally Posted by Riccardog

If you go for Ohlins, which are generally considered amongst the best quality suspensions, realistically this will cost several £k. I'd guesstimate at least £5k once all said and done. Of course, there are other options, such as Bilstein or even factory OE SE spec as you say.

I wouldn't spend my time second guessing parts over the internet as it can get confusing and error prone. This is a specialist job and you're best off to speak to a suspension specialist (maybe Lorcan?). Just make sure you specify you're after comfort as most people changing their suspension are after a sportier drive / feel (ie: normally harder).

From my side I'd recommend Centre Gravity (http://www.centregravity.co.uk) as one of the UK's leading suspension specialists.

Hi thanks very much for your reply I will check with the company you have suggested and let you know how I get on. Thanks again Ray.

[Riccardog]

Originally Posted by Falcoray

Hi thanks very much for your reply I will check with the company you have suggested and let you know how I get on. Thanks again Ray.

On a related note, before you go changing suspension, what tyres did yours come with? Mine is on Goodyear F1s and some others on here also commented that their ride on these same tyres is reasonable.

Might be worth considering tyres before anything else?

[Falcoray]

I have changed the tyres as that was my first thought, run flats are standard but they do give a rough ride, it only made a little difference still to hard to live with. Another thought I jacked the car up to get a better look at the suspension and the front spring has 4 coils. If I change the springs only for the standard ones, not sport, would I need to change the suspension units?

[Falcoray]

Hi in my original post I was planning on changing my M sport suspension to Ohlins or similar. I have now decided to fit springs only as, on checking the travel of the shock absorbers, I should be able fit longer springs or possibly the standard springs as fitted to the non M sport G21

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by Falcoray

Hi in my original post I was planning on changing my M sport suspension to Ohlins or similar. I have now decided to fit springs only as, on checking the travel of the shock absorbers, I should be able fit longer springs or possibly the standard springs as fitted to the non M sport G21

Keep the following in mind... Particularly the part part I've highlighted in bold print. Dampers could be overpowering the lower spring rate at 20% more than standard suspension.

BMW G20 suspension detail.

The new BMW 3 Series Sedan benefits from lift-related damping both with the standard suspension and the optional M Sport suspension. With kinematics and elastokinematics clearly tuned for dynamic driving, the M Sport suspension features more rigid bearings and additional body struts, firmer springs and anti-roll bars, and an even higher degree of wheel camber. During fast compression and rebound, the damping forces are some 20 percent greater than the values with the standard suspension. This means that the difference between the two suspension options is about twice as great as on the predecessor model. Another element of the M Sport suspension – which now also applies to the all-wheel-drive model variants of the new BMW 3 Series Sedan – is a 10-millimetre lowering of the car’s ride height.

[Falcoray]

Thanks for your reply I think it is far more involved than I thought, looks as though I have bought the wrong car I was hoping it was a case of simply replacing the springs which would improve the comfort of the ride and raise the height by about 2 inches.