Coilover Decision

[Mck444]

Hi guys, just got a F82 M4.

I've been looking all over the forums but still can't decide on which coilovers to go with. I've been looking at reviews all the way from 2015 to now, with some manufacturers revising their setups in that time. Can someone provide me with some information or personal experience with these setups? I will probably never track this car, just drive spiritedly. Looking for a decent drop in height, relative comfort and sportier feel. I currently have the adaptive suspension and PSS tires, think that Sport+ mode is a little bit too stiff for daily on the streets. My build date is 2014-11-05, so I assume I will have to look for the 3 Bolt instead of 5 bolts?

Options:

1. Bilstein B16 Damptronic-Main reasons is that I don't have to deal with canceling edc and I get to change the stiffness with one button. Wondering how the comfort of these compare in the different modes.
2.Ohlins R&T- These are the best performing ones in this price range but I heard the rear springs are way too stiff and need to be changed in addition to the drop only being 0.4'
3. KW V3- Better drop than the Ohlins but hear this one is stiffer than the other two options.
4.AST 5100- Good drop in height and comfort/sportiness, but need to be rebuilt which is something I don't want to deal with.
5. KW Street Comfort- Not sure if they even offer these for the M4.

[ntg44]

Based on what you're looking for, I strongly advise against B16D. It's brutal on the street.

KW V3 seems to review well. I can't speak for the other kits, but if you're concerned about EDC retention, M Performance HAS is the way to go. Especially since you're staying on the street. Don't overpay for something you may end up hating anyways. M Performance HAS on the street is about as good as it gets compared to stock.

[Nyc911]

You should consider the KW DDC coilover kit. It’s a bit more than the ones you listed but you keep EDC it’s firmer but the damping is still great. I find I can drive in sport mode now in NYC as my default setting. Sport+ works well for me for the occasional track days and comfort is great when the family is in the car.

It completely changed the feel of the car it’s no longer harsh street driving and feels much more planted over rough roads at speed.

[dpgfunk]

KW DDC all the way. I ran Bilstein Damptronics for over a year and they are way too stiff in all modes.

[WordOnRoad]

KW HAS is a great option for everything you want; decent drop and stiffens things up just enough that you don't sacrifice comfort.

Plenty of guys get on the track with the HAS kit as well, so don't feel limited there.

[Theruleslawyer]

For the ohlins They have had a few revisions and the most recent is only a few months old. IIRC. I think they have resolved the spring rates. If you want one call these guys up- They do custom rates and valving. I'm sure they can answer your questions about height too.
https://3dmmotorsport.com/collections/bmw-m3-m4-f8x

I know a lot of people complain about premature shock wear and harshness with just springs or a HAS kit. You can get shorter non adjustable shocks too if you don't care about adjust-ability. It'll probably resolve a lot of the spring kit issues. Still you'll lose EDC if that is important to you.

[N44RP]

I’ve done as much reading as I could on this. $3000ish is a lot of money to me so I lived with the previous owners lowering springs for a year - I despised the ride.

I was leaning towards ohlins since there had been so many positive things said (read: had been).
That was because they did a fantastic job on fhe E9X. I haven’t read the same at all regarding the F8X.
There’s a local set for cheap but it’s just not worth me living with disappointing ride quality (I just do street) so tckline is ordered as that’s where my research led me.

[krudmunk]

Sounds like KW HAS would better suit your needs. Cheaper option too.

Also, with coilovers, you have to count in EDC delete kits.

[RElias21]

I've been on MP-HAS for the last two years, and they're just not working for me. I feel like they're degrading the OE dampers, and I'm not even slammed. I also have CS EDC coded. I've already had one rear shock blow and replaced.

I've been studying better handling setups that retain EDC. Like you, I am looking for a setup that will handle imperfect street roads the best. While I plan to track the vehicle, the vast majority of my driving will be spirited on imperfect roads. Lowering spring alone will help mostly with stance and slight handling improvements. I believe our platform transforms into much more enjoyable with a more comprehensive setup.

I've come down to essentially two setups:

(1) KW DDC - these appear to be exactly what we need, the only issue being a high price tag;
(2) Evolve's new damptronic shock absorbers with a lowering spring setup. These are very new and I am yet to see reviews. But, my understanding is that these were specifically designed to widen the range between Comfort to Sport+, to make them great both on poor UK roads as well as on track.

New for new, I believe option 2 with lowering springs is a bit more cost effective, but need to see reviews first.

[Theruleslawyer]

Originally Posted by krudmunk

Sounds like KW HAS would better suit your needs. Cheaper option too.

Also, with coilovers, you have to count in EDC delete kits.

You can code out edc cheaper.

[krudmunk]

Originally Posted by Theruleslawyer

You can code out edc cheaper.

I prefer hard wiring delete kit.

If somehow OP goes to the dealer and the stealership flash the car with new firmware or whatever. That EDC delete software can be reverted. Since OP is 2014 production date, most likely not, since he has no warranty.

Also, you don't really save much with EDC codeout vs delete kits. In the end, it comes out the same. If you factor in cost of coding and de-coding.

[krudmunk]

Originally Posted by RElias21

I've been on MP-HAS for the last two years, and they're just not working for me. I feel like they're degrading the OE dampers, and I'm not even slammed. I also have CS EDC coded. I've already had one rear shock blow and replaced.

I've been studying better handling setups that retain EDC. Like you, I am looking for a setup that will handle imperfect street roads the best. While I plan to track the vehicle, the vast majority of my driving will be spirited on imperfect roads. Lowering spring alone will help mostly with stance and slight handling improvements. I believe our platform transforms into much more enjoyable with a more comprehensive setup.

I've come down to essentially two setups:

(1) KW DDC - these appear to be exactly what we need, the only issue being a high price tag;
(2) Evolve's new damptronic shock absorbers with a lowering spring setup. These are very new and I am yet to see reviews. But, my understanding is that these were specifically designed to widen the range between Comfort to Sport+, to make them great both on poor UK roads as well as on track.

New for new, I believe option 2 with lowering springs is a bit more cost effective, but need to see reviews first.

MP HAS and KW HAS are just lowering springs that you can adjust height. Handling will be rougher and both will reduce life of your shocks compared to a coilover system.

I have used KW v3 with EDC delete kit for 100k+ miles on both F80 and F82. Super reliable. Not a single issue. Ride quality is on the comfortable side and have 2 way adjustments available, compression and rebound. You can dial it in for daily driving and be stiff if you'd like.

KW DDC is over priced. I pretty much have the KW v3 dialed in for a setting I like and it stays that way. I prefer this option. Pretty sure EDC contributes to degrading your shocks faster. I think you should look into not retaining EDC features.

[Mck444]

Originally Posted by ntg44

Based on what you're looking for, I strongly advise against B16D. It's brutal on the street.

KW V3 seems to review well. I can't speak for the other kits, but if you're concerned about EDC retention, M Performance HAS is the way to go. Especially since you're staying on the street. Don't overpay for something you may end up hating anyways. M Performance HAS on the street is about as good as it gets compared to stock.

Friend works at a local performance shop and can get those 4 at a discount, which is why those were my options. They don't carry the HAS kit and I'm not sure whether I'd like to deal with the extra stress on the shocks. I think I'm deciding on KW V3 vs Ohlins. Anyone have experience with the Ohlins compared to the V3? I rode in an M4 w/ V3 tuned very stiff and I thought that car handled on rails but was too uncomfortable. In addition to this, going to get car coded for Euro MDM and no active sound so just going to code out EDC at the same time too.

[Mck444]

Originally Posted by Theruleslawyer

For the ohlins They have had a few revisions and the most recent is only a few months old. IIRC. I think they have resolved the spring rates. If you want one call these guys up- They do custom rates and valving. I'm sure they can answer your questions about height too.
https://3dmmotorsport.com/collections/bmw-m3-m4-f8x

I know a lot of people complain about premature shock wear and harshness with just springs or a HAS kit. You can get shorter non adjustable shocks too if you don't care about adjust-ability. It'll probably resolve a lot of the spring kit issues. Still you'll lose EDC if that is important to you.

Do you know if they will sell a new set of springs and re valve the dampers on a pre-existing stock set? I don't see anywhere that sells springs separately for the Ohlins and I'm pretty sure the shocks have to be revalved for the new spring rate.

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by Mck444

Do you know if they will sell a new set of springs and re valve the dampers on a pre-existing stock set? I don't see anywhere that sells springs separately for the Ohlins and I'm pretty sure the shocks have to be revalved for the new spring rate.

3DM will do everything to get your particular setup configured and valved correctly.

[Mck444]

Originally Posted by hellokitty

3DM will do everything to get your particular setup configured and valved correctly.

I see that you also have the B16D on your car, any comparison vs. the non damptronic B16? Any particular reason why you chose that one over the non damptronic one?

[hellokitty]

Originally Posted by Mck444

I see that you also have the B16D on your car, any comparison vs. the non damptronic B16? Any particular reason why you chose that one over the non damptronic one?

For a street car, you want DDC so you can set it to comfort mode when driving over rough roads. I don't believe there is any difference between the DDC vs. non-DDC.

In terms of comfort, you need to code CS EDC for the B16 to be "comfortable." On stock EDC or ZCP EDC settings, they ride too harsh, but CS EDC smooths everything out to make the B16 tolerable for street use.

[Wanted_M]

Originally Posted by Theruleslawyer

You can code out edc cheaper.

Yup cost me <$100 bucks, I'll leave it at that as I don't want to post the exact $ cost. EDC delete kits run between $5-600 on top of coil over kit.

[b_w.]

Tractiv gets good reviews on edc compatible coilovers