Lowering springs or Coil overs

[Southernboy]

Any opinions on lowering springs vs Coilovers and what are the implications???

[M@r]{]

Also interested in this

[Southernboy]

I have just spoken to Eibach, and I think it'll be springs for me. The alternative is fitting 19" wheels, and I've just fitted the e3 90 wheels (they can be seen on the recently posted wheels for BMW thread) Plus new tyres, so....seems that lowering the car 30mm is going to be the route. And springs from Eibach seem the best value/quality option. ?? any opinions ???

[M@r]{]

After some research I fitted Eibach springs to my Z4M Coupe, realyy pleased with them. The ride was harder but not excessively. The drop was just right, subtle enough that it didn't look lowered, but enough to give it that nice stance. So assuming the same for the Z3 I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

Can I ask what you meant about the 19's?

[Southernboy]

What I meant was that as an alternative to lowering the car, one fills up the arches with a larger wheel, which looks better as a "fit" but still allows clearance for "those" roads and speed bumps etc...

[Captain]

Even with larger wheels you will still have a gap between arch and tyre, 30mm drop is fine, it will give the car a nicer stance.

[Southernboy]

My thinking exactly...

[M@r]{]

19's will help visually, as you are substituting tyre for rim in the arch, but the physical gap will be the same.

[Southernboy]

Good argument for Eibach springs...thanks!!

[walrus5668]

i recently fitted Apex springs to my 2.8 z3. I kept the standard shocks. They gave me a 30mm drop and i was apprehensive that the ride would be to harsh. I shouldnt have worried.. they are great..theyve improved the car no end and although of course the car is a little harder its a very nice ride quality... a happy medium i think. They cos me around £100 off ebay and i couldnt be happier.

BEFORE




AFTER

[Brian H]

i recently fitted Apex springs to my 2.8 z3. I kept the standard shocks. They gave me a 30mm drop and i was apprehensive that the ride would be to harsh........

AFTER

The rear of the car looks to have dropped more than 30mm looking at the pic above, almost close to bottoming out?

[Southernboy]

Did you replace the pads when you did the springs???

[walrus5668]

the original spring pads were put back in. I compared the tops of the old springs to the top of the new and they looked the same. The pads fit just as nicely on the new springs as they did with the old. Ive not experienced any scraping or bottoming out at the front or rear. The ride is firm but forgiving. I use the car for autotest and autosolo motorsport events as well as on a daily basis with no issues. If anything was going to bottom the car out or make it scrape then these motorsport events would. They involve hard acceleration followed by hard braking while changing direction from lock to lock. Also many 360's are required with extreme manoeuvring through sometimes tight tests. The surface is at times very uneven and i have no troubles. These springs have transformed the handling of the car on a budget and i would recommend them to anyone on a budget. I had my reservations when i got them before i got them fitted and had considered spending a lot more money on coiliovers. For what i use the car for im more than happy with the way the car has turned out. As with all bmw's with this sort of back axle the camber has changed as the geometry of the suspension has changed with smaller springs but although i know i will probably get uneven tyre wear it gives me better stability on hard cornering !!

[huntert]

Convinced me to buy some

[Southernboy]

My Eibachs are in my boot...waiting on new pads all round / top and bottom...Local dealers had to order in from Germany....2 weeks freighting time...Yes I do think 30mm is about the right look with 18" rims...

[Southernboy]

Looking at the before and after...I would say it has dropped more than 30mm..might be the photograph...the rear specifically looks as if it's a tad low for 30mm...