[ashirji]

Hello all. I have a 2001 M5 with about 90K on it. I wanted to do a suspension refresh, and plan on doing the tie rods, thrust arms, bushings and center link bushing. I also wanted to replace the stock shocks and struts. I do not wish to track the car but simply to maintain good ride quality. I also have a set of the H&R sport springs installed that I wish to keep in order to eliminate the front fender wheel gap. That does not preclude purchasing coilovers, as I have heard some good things of the BC product. Cost is a concern, as I do not want to end up purchasing something that is only going to benefit me on the track. I would welcome anyone's advice.
Thank you in advance.

 

[Brecus.com]

If you looking to go with a great street set up you could just add Konis to your set up. Konis and H&Rs is essentially the Dinan suspension setup.

M5 (E39) Koni Sport Strut - Brecus Motorsport

The BC coilovers are a great value and if your looking for a softer set up you could go with the street 6k/5k setup.

M5 (E39) BC Racing Coilover Kit - Brecus Motorsport

The main difference between the two is the BC has adjustment knobs for fine tuning your compression/rebound and separately adjustable ride height. The Konis with your H&R will be fixed ride height.

 

[M55555]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; U; Android 2.2; en-us; Sprint APA9292KT Build/FRF91) AppleWebKit/533.1 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/4.0 Mobile Safari/533.1)

Coilovers are just as beneficial for the street as for the track. BC Racing coilovers are a great bang for your buck. If you are happy with your H&R springs, you could just buy a set of Koni yellows. Either option would fit the budget but deliver results. Lots more options but we're talking $1k+.

 

[lugnuts]

wow the BC's are very affordable. how do the street springs compare to the stock BMW springs? are they softer, harder or the same as stock? If I replace mine I want something that will be comfortable on long trips yet still perform very well. if the track springs perform better and still be comfortable on a long trip then I would consider those.

 

[StatusQuo]

Iam just swapping out old for new with PSS9 coilovers,old dampers have 110k on them and were well past their best.

Should have them fitted tommorow and will let you know how firm they are.

 

[ashirji]

Excellent advice. Seems that the cost is about the same between the Koni's and the B&C. My concern with the coilovers is noise- I have a set of KW's on my M Coupe and they are superb from a dynamic standpoint but they squeak and clunk occasionally. While this is fine for a weekend toy, and I accept the compromise for the improvement in handling, I am unwilling to do so on a daily driver like my M5. Can anyone chime in here on the day to day livability of the BC Coilovers?

 

[Beasty5]

I gotta tell ya. The BC racing coilovers are a great product. I've had them on my car now for 4k miles. My beast is my daily driver and I drive over some terrible pavement on my 35 mile daily commute to work and the BC coilovers just holds its composure and do not punish me...and this is with the 8k f and 6k r spring rates..15 clicks from full soft r and 5 clicks from full soft f...lowered 1" all around. I had the fronts at full soft on day one, but kept clicking harder because it felt sooooo good how the car just stays virtually flat through corners(granted I have Dinan rear sways aswell). You have 30 damper adjustment settings so you're bound to find your own personal sweet spot. I am almost certain that with the BC's set at full soft front and rear, the car will ride close to stock but I've not tested it yet. With my current settings, the ride is definitely firm, but definitely not jarring. I like it this way. I've experienced 0 noise, 0 squeaks and 0 issues so far. I love these bad boys!

An additional benefit, thanks to Torquey5's time and effort is that you can run a square setup with the BCs too provided you add a 3mm spacer up front. You can also lower the car to your liking. I've never had a coilover system on any car, and I've neither driven nor rode in one that had a coilover system installed. My stock suspension was also SHOT(not just on thier way out) before I installed the BCs so it is very difficult for me to compare and contrast with other suspension setups. All I know is I love the BC racing coilovers. They're most likely the biggest bang for the buck as far as coilovers go. Get them. You won't look back.

PS: I drove a friends late model Ferrari 360 spider then got in my car and it felt like a sealy posturepedic mattress..

Vic

 

[ablake211]

I did all powerflex bushings up front and BC coilovers and it is a dream to drive.

 

[M55555]

wow the BC's are very affordable. how do the street springs compare to the stock BMW springs? are they softer, harder or the same as stock? If I replace mine I want something that will be comfortable on long trips yet still perform very well. if the track springs perform better and still be comfortable on a long trip then I would consider those.

BC Racing actually allows you to specify your requested spring rates. Torquey5 runs 8k/6k and they are very similar to stock, and he daily drives his car through bay area roads.

Iam just swapping out old for new with PSS9 coilovers,old dampers have 110k on them and were well past their best.

Should have them fitted tommorow and will let you know how firm they are.

You won't regret installing the PSS9s. They have 9 way adjustable dampers so the 'firmness' is in your hands. It comes set at 6 all around, and is very comparable to stock. I have mine set at 3F and 4R at the moment.

Can anyone chime in here on the day to day livability of the BC Coilovers?

Lots of members have used the BC Racing coilovers, and to my knowledge, they all daily drive their car. As Beasty5 and ablake211 already mentioned, there is no abnormal noise or discomfort associated with these coilovers. They are actually a high quality piece. Do a search of members Torquey5 and phan if you want more feedback. They all daily drive their cars.

 

[lugnuts]

ok I'm sold on these. in the spring I think I will be ordering a set.

 

[Kelster]

Ground Control Coil Overs

I recently came to my senses and gave up fixing the JRZ shocks that were part of the Dinan Stage Three suspension. After getting input from a number of knowledgeable folks, I went with a Ground Control Coil-Over Suspension, configured with 430 7" Front & 325 10" Rear. This is my first experience with a coil over suspension and I have to say I'm completely impressed. My S3 is a daily driver in and around NYC where there are some roads that rival those in third world counties.:hihi:

 

[DrFraserCrane]

this thread has only further conflicted me about what suspension I want to do :confused3

subscribed for more input/feedback/anything.

 

[s4kebomb]

this thread has only further conflicted me about what suspension I want to do :confused3

subscribed for more input/feedback/anything.

Any combination of struts and springs will set you back close if not more than $1K.
BC Racing Coilover has been getting good review and priced at $1K.
To me, they are decently priced and it allows me to adjust the ride height the way I like it.
I don't have any review on the suspension yet, I'll report back after I install it next week.

 

[M55555]

this thread has only further conflicted me about what suspension I want to do :confused3

subscribed for more input/feedback/anything.

Lots and lots of information on suspension setups in the archives. Lots of positive reviews when it comes to suspension, except for the H&R coilovers, which stand out in my mind from all the threads I've seen as being negatively reviewed for being too stiff == bouncy.

You can't go wrong with most set ups you choose. Like most mods, it will come down to your particular preference and the depth of your pockets.

 

[DrFraserCrane]

Lots and lots of information on suspension setups in the archives. Lots of positive reviews when it comes to suspension, except for the H&R coilovers, which stand out in my mind from all the threads I've seen as being negatively reviewed for being too stiff == bouncy.

You can't go wrong with most set ups you choose. Like most mods, it will come down to your particular preference and the depth of your pockets.

oh, I've been doing plenty of reading. problem is that most setups get good reviews other than the ones that really suck.

something that I want to buy 1x and be happy. I loved my pss9's on my old mk5 VW, but GC and BC have proved through reviews to be heavy contenders as well.

dont mean to thread jack

 

[M55555]

oh, I've been doing plenty of reading. problem is that most setups get good reviews other than the ones that really suck.

something that I want to buy 1x and be happy. I loved my pss9's on my old mk5 VW, but GC and BC have proved through reviews to be heavy contenders as well.

dont mean to thread jack

Aside from GC and BC, you'll also be very happy if you went with PSS9 (I, amongst others, have positively reviewed them). Dinan Stage 2, although not a coilover, is also well reviewed. You will be happy regardless of which of these you select.

 

[ashirji]

Where is the best place to purchase said BC coilovers?

 

[M55555]

Where is the best place to purchase said BC coilovers?

Forum sponsor Brecus carries them:

M5 (E39) BC Racing Coilover Kit - Brecus Motorsport

 

[taninbim]

One thing I have not seen so far in the threads is how is the durability of the various coilover products versus stock. Will the coilovers last 20k? 50k? 100k?