KW V3 vs. Stock Suspension Refresh for Street Driving

[stephen]

My buddies got a small BMW shop and we recently removed the stock suspension from an E92 M3 (with lowering springs).
It felt like blasphemy to put the cheap ass BCs on that vehicle as it drove so great beforehand and just looking over/handling the BCs they felt so cheap, I wanted to call the customer and tell him to go a different direction. I have yet to drive it with the BCs as there is other work to be done but, who knows maybe it'll be fantastic, but I doubt it beat the OEM setup with lowering springs. He also lost the EDC found on the stock suspension..

That’s nothing, we had a customer with a non-M E46 call in asking for an alignment and corner balance… on maxpeedingrods coilovers.

[r4dr]

Yes those are the ohlins people are using. They are designed to be used to the stock top hat so no camber plate included. You will need to buy a camber plate separately for camber adjustment. I think the turner street plates are recommended most because they utilize the OEM bush.

Plus the Turner street plates are easy to adapt to 2.5" springs to convert the R&Ts to flat ride.

[Thoglan]

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ohlins-p...BoCrqEQAvD_BwE

Are these the Ohlins you guys are running? GC camber plates on these? I see no plates are included unless one buys the uber expensive track versions.

I was looking at those or TCk DA coilovers, I still need to do a lot of reading. I personally want something I can adjust for height, camber as well as rebound. Sounds like anything is an improvement over BCs, can't wait to see what the car feels like with a proper suspension that is properly setup.

Yes those are the ohlins people are using. They are designed to be used to the stock top hat so no camber plate included. You will need to buy a camber plate separately for camber adjustment. I think the turner street plates are recommended most because they utilize the OEM bush.

[Cubieman]

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-ohlins-parts/2000-2006-bmw-m3-e46/bmsmi30~ohl/?gclid=CjwKCAjwsJ6TBhAIEiwAfl4TWBqPzFkTz1z--EsS0fhCkNN3bV3suVUuSwrezpGbMqUu_WsDFgxxGBoCrqEQAvD_BwE

Are these the Ohlins you guys are running? GC camber plates on these? I see no plates are included unless one buys the uber expensive track versions.

I was looking at those or TCk DA coilovers, I still need to do a lot of reading. I personally want something I can adjust for height, camber as well as rebound. Sounds like anything is an improvement over BCs, can't wait to see what the car feels like with a proper suspension that is properly setup.

[repoman89]

I feel like Ohlins are the way to go for E46s for an out of the box setup. I have driven BCs and stock with lowering springs. The stock setup felt okay but quite uncertain under load and mid corner. The BCs were laughably bad honestly, I was glad to get out of the car. Neither hold a candle to my out of the box ohlins setup so far. I haven't even messed with the spring rates to make them flat ride, since as they stand they are quite pitchy according to the FCM spreadsheet. But the quality of the damping just feels so much more sophisticated.

Would be curious what the opinion of someone who has tried both KWV3s and Ohlins back to back think.

Haven't tried the V3s but my car came with V2s, which I know are supposed to be a not as nice damper. I put Ohlins on last year and despite having almost twice the spring rate, the ride quality is far far better -- even my wife noticed. They're firm but not harsh or crashy even over crappy New England pavement on 19" wheels. Damping set to 10 clicks out of 20 front and rear and haven't touched it since. I enjoy them on track too but as a relative beginner I'm not as qualified to give an opinion there.

[Thoglan]

I feel like Ohlins are the way to go for E46s for an out of the box setup. I have driven BCs and stock with lowering springs. The stock setup felt okay but quite uncertain under load and mid corner. The BCs were laughably bad honestly, I was glad to get out of the car. Neither hold a candle to my out of the box ohlins setup so far. I haven't even messed with the spring rates to make them flat ride, since as they stand they are quite pitchy according to the FCM spreadsheet. But the quality of the damping just feels so much more sophisticated.

Would be curious what the opinion of someone who has tried both KWV3s and Ohlins back to back think.

[Nate047]

Even medium to low grade dampers can usually be made to feel tolerable, but there's a lot to be said for off the shelf setups for street cars. I like tinkering as much as the next guy, but I don't always want to. For example I have KW Clubsports on my E36, and I have Eibach springs with Bilstein dampers on my E46. Both have their time and place, and TBH the simpler setup is better in a lot of ways for a "set it and forget it" daily. Main drawbacks are no height adjustment or camber plates. Bottom line is it really just depends on what you are using the car for, and how much time you want to spend tinkering.

[Cubieman]

I know is likely blasphemy on here, but I have a set of Fortune Auto 500's on my E36 M3 and I think they're a good setup for the street, but they came with the vehicle. I can't say I would have chosen them to purchase, but I can say I prefer them to the V3's that I have on the e46 at the price point (or at least what it used to be)

The BCs on my M3 feel alright to me, maybe a bit stiff but I have zero frame of reference as I've never driven nor rode in another E46 M3..

[fattycharged]

I know is likely blasphemy on here, but I have a set of Fortune Auto 500's on my E36 M3 and I think they're a good setup for the street, but they came with the vehicle. I can't say I would have chosen them to purchase, but I can say I prefer them to the V3's that I have on the e46 at the price point (or at least what it used to be)

[Cubieman]

My buddies got a small BMW shop and we recently removed the stock suspension from an E92 M3 (with lowering springs).
It felt like blasphemy to put the cheap ass BCs on that vehicle as it drove so great beforehand and just looking over/handling the BCs they felt so cheap, I wanted to call the customer and tell him to go a different direction. I have yet to drive it with the BCs as there is other work to be done but, who knows maybe it'll be fantastic, but I doubt it beat the OEM setup with lowering springs. He also lost the EDC found on the stock suspension..

[02_lsb]

I am currently looking to ditch the BCs my car came with and possibly go to a stock + setup, however I must say part of my enjoyment of the M3 is the aesthetics and I do like how it sits fairly low.

Been looking at the TC Kline DA coils, a bit more than the V3s, but if I'm going to change the coils out I want to notice a distinct difference which may not be that much to ask for given my current setup.

Need to find out ride height with the TC Kline DA's, as it is not listed how much potential drop there is. It would be easy for me to slap some KW v3's on but I really want a nice set of coils, w/o going too crazy.

Call TCK. And you’ll love the suspension once it’s on the car. In my opinion, BC is the stancenation crowd coilover of choice.

[Cubieman]

I am currently looking to ditch the BCs my car came with and possibly go to a stock + setup, however I must say part of my enjoyment of the M3 is the aesthetics and I do like how it sits fairly low.

Been looking at the TC Kline DA coils, a bit more than the V3s, but if I'm going to change the coils out I want to notice a distinct difference which may not be that much to ask for given my current setup.

Need to find out ride height with the TC Kline DA's, as it is not listed how much potential drop there is. It would be easy for me to slap some KW v3's on but I really want a nice set of coils, w/o going too crazy.

[02_lsb]

I went stock->ST->TCKDA. TCK was also highly recommended by Coyne (Kassel) Performance. Not a cheap setup, however it is excellent for street use. Guys at TCK know this platform really well, so you can call and get advice for spring and rebound adjustment recommendations. Mine are currently set at/about stock height. However, if you want to go low, KW is the game as tbone pointed out.

[SeanE46]

I’ve had the v3s on my old E46 M3 and my old E92 M3. I have ohlins R/T on my E90 M3. And I like them much better.

[S54B32]

Correct, stock (or stock replacement dampers like bilstein b4 or koni yellows) are better than KW3 (or st or kwv1 or v2) except in instagram likes or at more extreme limits.

Hardly disagree. A professional done and correct alignment setup on V3´s or even V2 (like ST XA) far superior a new stock setup imo, even in street use. Expect the M3 is only for country roads and groceries.