Help me unpimp ze ride. 2010 BMW 135i. I'm old, it's too low and the ride sucks.

Anybody competent with the E82 BMW chassis?

I bought my 2010 135i equipped with Eibach springs & non-adjustable Bilsteins. I don't know the model #'s on the springs or dampers, but I can get that info if needed.

I drive this car 90% highway on E36 M3 Michigan roads. It's not my track car. Here's my current issue: The front end is too low, feels like it bottoms, and the car kind of "bucks" over dips and road joints. If my 8 year old rides in the back more than 45 minutes, he gets a headache and car sick. I'm sick of it. It's not just low profile summer tires, as it exhibits similar behavior even on my winter setup with substantial sidewall. I've driven lowered cars for my ~20 years of driving, and always preferred a more taught "feel the road" setup, but something on this just isn't matched up right.

So, what should I do?

Keep the Bilsteins and try a different coil? Go to another matched setup entirely? Spend more than I want to for some fully adjustable coilover setup (seems silly for a street car).

The front end has a few clunks, so I plan on upgrading the control arms while I'm doing maintenance to the full E92 M3 control arm setup (something like this M3 upgrade kit )

I don't particularly want to go all the way back to stock, as the car also has substantial mods that make it a riot on street (Dinan stage 2 software, exhaust, intercooler, Hawk pads, etc.), and I wouldn't mind a "sport" suspension that allows the car to be a bit lower and more planted than stock, but with something closer to factory ride quality.

Any help is appreciated.

First criteria is Michigan roads?

This is what I'd do.

I'm not much help on the BMW front otherwise.

Would it be expensive to put it back to stock? It sounds like to me that is really where you are headed anyway. Put the stuff that is in the car up for sale on eBay. and I bet you would get a good bit of the cost back on putting the car back to stock.

The usual suspect springs are too soft for the amount they lower. BMW-fit Bilsteins are way too stiff, or something. They just aren't great. So it does bottom and kick. I'd recommend stock springs and konis or a reputable coilover.

My E36 rides better on 500lb springs with Koni Yellows (Ground Control setup) than it did on stock springs with Bilstein HDs. Although you're right that $1,700 for 1-series fitment GC's is expensive.

If the Bilsteins are valved stiff for those cars, they'd work ok with stiff springs. Just not with soft ones.

If you do not want to compromise in comfort and have all the performance (aesthetics to boot) have you considered going air? Added expense but I can't think of anything that will offer you better ride quality while maintaining the performance. I would recommend airlift. And this is from an ex track junkie. They just make so much sense, especially in a DD. I have been converted. Modern air suspension is the DCT of automatic transmissions.

I'd go looking for some stock take-offs. If you really are allergic to stock, see if there are any M versions you can pick up.

Not a Bilstein fan myself overall, so I'd be more willing to go Koni. Maybe in conjunction with stock springs. But if this BMW is anything like mine, adjustment is basically impossible so you'd have to get it right the first time.

Air suspension suffers from the unfortunate combo of either low and soft or stiff and tall.

First of all, I love that body style, but a) I've heard to many horror stories about 135i reliability, and b) I'd hurt myself with more than the number of ponies in the Miata... (I'm still jonesing for a 128i six speed...).

Speaking of Miatas, the "higher end" Miata coil set ups are north of $1000, and I think it's between $1200 and $1600 - is $1700 for a good set up on that car too much? All said and done, probably not, me thinks...

I'd go that route and be done with it.

Koni's with stock springs or with a set of H&R OE springs that lower the car maybe 1/2".

SO..... Don't wanna do a thread hijack....but: Keith: I think you have talked about owning a Cadillac, a Range Rover, a V8 MGBGT, a VW/Subie van, and now a BMW? What other cool cars you got? And YES, I am envious.

Rog

I bought a set of Eibachs and stock struts from Ebay to fix the crashed SRT4 I own. I couldn't stand to drive it. 4 stock springs and it is transformed into a fine driving machine.

Some stuff is better stock, and I bet stock springs on those Bilsteins would be wonderful.

What about 1M or M3 suspension to go with those control arms?

I have the sport springs and Konis yellows on the same car and love it. Since you don't care about adjustability you could even go with the non-adjustable konis.

boulder_dweeb wrote: SO..... Don't wanna do a thread hijack....but: Keith: I think you have talked about owning a Cadillac, a Range Rover, a V8 MGBGT, a VW/Subie van, and now a BMW? What other cool cars you got? And YES, I am envious. Rog

Land Rover, not Range Rover And both the Lotus Seven replica and the Caddy have recently been sold.

Here's most (but not all) the fun stuff: Slowcarfast.com

I had the same experience with my e36 when I lived in NY. I found a local guy with a sport package springs and installed them over the Bilsteins then sold the Eibach springs. It helped a lot.

Unfortunately, I had Bilstein Sports on that car so the valving and ride was still a bit too rough. Eventually sold the car.

You can probably get some OE shocks if you think the valving will bother you or do like Keith said and swap with someone

I think I bought and sold the parts on bimmerforums but that was 15+ years ago.

We have a 2011 135i and I think the BMW performance suspension is the way I'm going. It should give a decent ride and slightly better handling than the standard set-up. I'm not sure if you can buy just the springs, as the whole set-up is $1,200!

Mine is also from Michigan (now Oregon), and even though it wasn't driven in the winter, all of the rims are bent - those roads are the worst.

I have a 128i with that I upgraded to the "sport" suspension with Konis (basically a 135i stock setup). Rides very well. Not too much drop either and much better control than the stock128i suspension. I also upgraded the front sway bar to a 1M convertible bar. Much better turn in, and an easy addition.

Long story short, I had to buy two different set of used springs to find the right match. I have a set of 135i front springs I could sell you cheap (the rears I have are for the 335i... to tall for the 135i. The 135i springs I bought first were too tall for the 128i's lower weight). I think the Bilsteins with the stock springs might be perfect for what you want. Lots of owners were selling their stock springs on 1addicts.com. You might check there too for complete spring sets.

Also, that clunking could just be your swaybar links. Might want to check those out. Goood luck! That a good looking car.

I made this mistake with my E90 335xi sedan

In the old days, I was an E30 guy and loved the H&R Sport + Bilstein Sport combo. The stock suspension on the AWD models is awful: tall, stiff, and huge rebound. Literally bounces over bumps and potholes makes your spine rattle. So, I put H&R springs and Koni SA dampers on my car.

It rides better than the horrible stock setup. But the ride height is now too low and the springs are too soft. I'm no longer bouncing down the road like when it was stock. But the suspension often bottoms-out and the front valence scrapes. Not great for a NYC daily driver.

Looks like the ideal setup for a modern BMW is Koni SA dampers with springs that are about 1" taller and substantially stiffer than H&R. Not sure what those might be. Sounds like stock Sport springs might be the way to go.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

In reply to Keith Tanner: thanks for your B/GT site....another tale of no money ,but good intentions await my '73 B/GT w/od. Thou I was going old school with the 215ci olds (cuz I have two of them), this 'LS' path makes me go hmmm....

I also have Eibach Pro Kit springs and Bilsteins B8's on my 2010 135i and its very harsh for a daily driver. It's possible the front is dropped too much without enough spring rate to keep it off the bumpstops. My car is roughly 1" lower then stock and the B8's have internal bumpstops. I haven't decided if I'm going to try stiffer springs or go back to stock.

Incase you are looking at other springs the common rates for the E82/135i are:

BMW M sport (stock 135i) = F 120/R 350 lbs/in.
Eibach Pro Kit F 148/R 456
Eibach Pro Street 134 - 271 lb/in (Progressive) R 456 lb/in (Linear) Dinan = F 144/R 490
Cobb = F 148/R 457
BMW performance = F 160/R 420
Swift Spec-R springs = F 201/R 503

Let us know if you decide to take a crack at correcting the ride, and what you end up with. Your thread suits my interests

PseudoSport wrote: I also have Eibach Pro Kit springs and Bilsteins B8's on my 2010 135i and its very harsh for a daily driver. It's possible the front is dropped too much without enough spring rate to keep it off the bumpstops. My car is roughly 1" lower then stock and the B8's have internal bumpstops. I haven't decided if I'm going to try stiffer springs or go back to stock. Incase you are looking at other springs the common rates for the E82/135i are: BMW M sport (stock 135i) = F 120/R 350 lbs/in. Eibach Pro Kit F 148/R 456 Eibach Pro Street 134 - 271 lb/in (Progressive) R 456 lb/in (Linear) Dinan = F 144/R 490 Cobb = F 148/R 457 BMW performance = F 160/R 420 Swift Spec-R springs = F 201/R 503

Do you have ride heights for those springs as well?

A very common reason for poor ride on a lowered car is insufficient spring rate for the ride height.

I was going to suggest HR OE Sport springs as previously mentioned. No idea on shocks. A move back to a light 17" with a compliant tire is still something I'd suggest; I don't think snow tires are really made to be compliant. I don't know what wheels you're using but if you didn't use something focused on lightness (and I wouldn't have...) there's probably improvement available there as well.

17's on some all season's would be the ticket here I think.