e46 Suspension Overhaul

[clabcon]

Car = 2001 e46 330Ci
Miles = 80,000 (mostly city)
Problem = Does not handle as well it it could, suspension is tired and could do with replacment. I want to make it handle better than a stock M3.
Use = Fast road, unlikely to ever be tracked (Auto box)

Budget ~£2k for the parts listed below, which I will fit myself:

eibach pro street S coilovers £811.41 MSW

eibach thicker ARBs £302.94 dcperformance
SF095-2569K Front ARB PolyBush 27mm £35.10 MSW (or use Eibach supplied bush?)
SF095-2419KSS Rear ARB Links £23.76 MSW

MSport II (ZHP) control arms 31122282121 & 31122282122 £165 each
SF095-2530K Front Lower Arm Inner Rear £79.92 MSW

new OEM tie rods £90 each

Rogue Engineering rear shock mounts £94.50 CA Automotive

SF095-2422CKSS Rear Control Arm Upper 2deg Camber adjust £112.59 MSW
SF095-2421KSS Rear Control Arm Lower £80.46 MSW

4 Wheel Alignment £80

If anyone has any suggestions of obvious things I've missed, manufacturer alternatives and/or cheaper part suppliers then please post your recommendations!

Thanks in advance

[mike325112]

Your going to spend £2k on suspension parts!! Thats gotta be nearly half the value of the car. Are you bonkers... Why not spend the cash on an actual M3? Then it will go as well as handle like one...

[blondini]

Can't see Rear Trailing Arm Bushes on the list?

[clabcon]

mike325112 said:

Your going to spend £2k on suspension parts!! Thats gotta be nearly half the value of the car. Are you bonkers... Why not spend the cash on an actual M3? Then it will go as well as handle like one...

Had the car since new and plan to keep it another 5-6 years at least. An M3 with 80k miles will still be riding on a suspension thats seen better days!

[Matbmx1]

Contact c3 bmw i got the mtec suspension arms for £260 all in (they said £300+ on phone but i found them advertising them on ebay for £260 and they did them for that price)

Thatll save you £80 or so??

[E30M3SE]

clabcon said:

Car = 2001 e46 330Ci
Miles = 80,000 (mostly city)
Problem = Does not handle as well it it could, suspension is tired and could do with replacment. I want to make it handle better than a stock M3.
Use = Fast road, unlikely to ever be tracked (Auto box)

Budget ~£2k for the parts listed below, which I will fit myself:

Given the large number of components that differ on the stock M3, quicker rack, stiffer subframe to name but two, do you think this is actually achievable?


Edit'd for spelling.

Edited by E30M3SE on Thursday 4th August 17:57

[baz1985]

Alternative would be: Blistein PSS10/KW V3 with H&R Anti-Roll Bars.

[paulmon]

Matbmx1 said:

Contact c3 bmw i got the mtec suspension arms for £260 all in (they said £300+ on phone but i found them advertising them on ebay for £260 and they did them for that price)

Thatll save you £80 or so??

I got these today and they also come with the lollipops attached. They are FEBI/Blistein parts which by all accounts are as good as OEM.

[Neil_Sc]

paulmon said:

I got these today and they also come with the lollipops attached. They are FEBI/Blistein parts which by all accounts are as good as OEM.

My previous experience has found Febi bilstein not to be that great. I believe OEM suspension arms are Lemforder, and much superior in quality.

[anonymous-user]

E30M3SE said:

clabcon said:

Car = 2001 e46 330Ci
Miles = 80,000 (mostly city)
Problem = Does not handle as well it it could, suspension is tired and could do with replacment. I want to make it handle better than a stock M3.
Use = Fast road, unlikely to ever be tracked (Auto box)

Budget ~£2k for the parts listed below, which I will fit myself:

Given the large number of components that differ on the stock M3, quicker rack, stiffer subframe to name but two, do you think this is actually achievable?


Edit'd for spelling.

Edited by E30M3SE on Thursday 4th August 17:57

To properly experience the handling of an M3 you need to track it, you'll never reach it's limits and be able to push it on the road (unless you have a death wish). You stated that you won't be tracking your e46 so it sounds like a total waste of money to me. You'd be better off selling the car and buying something that handles better.

[PJ S]

As much as you're obviously attached to the car, and plan to hang on to it, I can't help myself from saying....
"For God's sake man, catch a bloody grip of yourself!"

For road use only, it's absolutely pointless throwing anywhere even near that sort of money at the car's suspension components.
Change bushes, sure, and buy a salvaged Sport's suspension, and you may even need the rear subframe strengthening.
That'd be the best use of any money you have - spend the rest on good tyres, and more petrol, if it's burning a hole in your pocket.

[bikealarmblair]

If you buy HSD's from driftworks not only are they a bit cheaper but they include adjustable front top mounts, adjustable front rose jointed tie rods & updated rear top mounts.

I've got them on my 5.7 V8 E46 are they are very good indeed

[clabcon]

bikealarmblair said:

If you buy HSD's from driftworks not only are they a bit cheaper but they include adjustable front top mounts, adjustable front rose jointed tie rods & updated rear top mounts.

I've got them on my 5.7 V8 E46 are they are very good indeed

HSDs?

[Frances The Mute]

clabcon said:

bikealarmblair said:

If you buy HSD's from driftworks not only are they a bit cheaper but they include adjustable front top mounts, adjustable front rose jointed tie rods & updated rear top mounts.

I've got them on my 5.7 V8 E46 are they are very good indeed

HSDs?

Hilariously ste dampers...

To be fair, a fried has them on his E46 M3 and rates them quite highly.

[clabcon]

Frances The Mute said:

Hilariously ste dampers...

To be fair, a fried has them on his E46 M3 and rates them quite highly.

IIRC, Eibach Pro Street S are a clone of K&W Variant 1 with Eibach Springs (the best IMHO) and are ~£150 cheaper than the equivilent K&W Inox stainless steel Inox range. Sure, they don't have dampening and rebound adjustment that K&W's flagship V3 does, but I don't need this level of tuning for a (fast) road application.

[bikealarmblair]

Have a look on m3 cutters most people rate these