Anyone tried the KW coilovers?

Hi all from recent forum member but 40-year wrench. My 2007 X3 Sport Package ride is so kidney-crushing I'm thinking of a downgrade. (And I race sportscars.) Even the -2 winter tires don't help much. The only aftermarket option seems to be KW-suspension.com adjustable coil-overs out of Germany, hours of Googling show nothing else in struts.

Has anyone tried these, or have other ideas?
Thanks,
Gary, Madison WI

gary, if you can find something to alleviate the spine shattering, kidney crushing ride of the X3 you will have found the Holy Grail! I have been looking, Yahooing, Googling, and found nothing. Please post if you find the coil overs help, there has to be something out there.

Well, the KW V2 and V3 are dampening adjustable, so my guess it will make a diference. I always had KW suspension on my old VW and loved them, very high quality. I'm also looking at KW coilovers for my X3 next summer.

But I LOVE my X3 suspension, I wished it had sport suspension with 18''

There are other aftermarket springs available for the X3, I can't recall who makes them... although Eibach seems to ring a bell.

Yep, here they are... http://eibach.com/cgi-bin/htmlos.exe...28019000028918

so the sport package rides too rough...hmm... If only they made a non-sport version of the X3.

Well, they do in far greater numbers than the "sport version" too. However The ride is just as bad and except for the uncomfortable "sport" seats I can't tell the difference between the two.

Originally Posted by UncleJ

Well, they do in far greater numbers than the "sport version" too. However The ride is just as bad and except for the uncomfortable "sport" seats I can't tell the difference between the two.

Drive a Grand Cherokee if you think the X3 ride is rough

Originally Posted by legalfee

Drive a Grand Cherokee if you think the X3 ride is rough

You are just kidding. Right?

I guess it's just a matter of taste or perception. I had a non-sport 06 and I now have a sport 09 with 18" wheels. I don't find either to be stiff, much less "kidney-crushing."

Thanks to all for the comments. I found Eibach and a few other progressive-rate springs but the shocks/struts are the largest influence in transient response. So without swapping them I wouldn't expect much difference. I may have to try the KWs on full soft.

With long legs I love the Sport seats but the Sport suspension deserves all the flak it gets.
Happy Holidays,
Gary

In the interest of balance I`ll chime in -- I believe Legalfee is correct: it depends what you are used to when assessing the X3`s ride. I came from an audi allroad (actually had 2 -2.7T qand 4.2) which had the ride compliance of a hockey puck. The adjustable suspension traded supple road feel for trickery -- which btw is how I would describe all audi`s which is why they came up with their "drive select" software. Again electronic trickery to make up for the fact that they cant get their cars to do what BMW does really well -- dialing in chassis compliance, ride firmness and great handling with just old fashioned shocks, springs, roll bars, etc. So when I test drove a non-sport X3 I was blown away by its excellent ride compliance, its great handling and how comfortable it was. I still am in love with the ride -- everytime I get into it. And not just in comparison to my old allroads. When getting in after having a 3-series loaner, from my brother`s Cayenne, mother`s ML320 -- all of them. The X3 just feels better in the ride quality department. So I truly dont know what all of the ride quality complainers are talking about. Did you test drive an X3 before getting one? I would think its the kind of thing you`d feel right away.

one other thing -- I recently upped the psi in all 4 tires because I was getting the TPWS warning when the temps got cold. That single move changed the ride quality perceptibly -- feel much more of the small imperfections of the road. I will take a few psi out when spring rolls around. So it may be something that the ride gripers may want to consider if they havent already.

cubed, this "ride griper" drove before purchase. The problem, which I admit freely was mine alone, was I didn't drive it on the nasty pavement, potholed streets, and crushed freeway lanes that cause the problem. On smooth asphalt it rides a treat, but stand by when you get to the nasty stuff! At 49K miles I have just replaced my Scorpions with the Michelin Sport A/S (I have the factory 18" option, and "yes" I did try the "stock" 17" but found no difference) which seems to help a little. As I have posted before if the car had not been so reliable it would have been gone long ago. I just hate to dump such a trouble free car for an unknown quantity, even one with a better ride. My wife of course disagrees and hates the car and the awful ride. She prefers her Audi which truth be told rides vastly better than the X3 on the rough stuff.

Uncle I bow to your experience and certainly wouldnt deny what you perceive-- but its funny to me because i do have plenty frost heaves, broken pavement, even some dirt roads with potholes and near ditches -- I just love the way the car rides -- to each his/her own I guess.

Originally Posted by cubed

Uncle I bow to your experience and certainly wouldnt deny what you perceive-- but its funny to me because i do have plenty frost heaves, broken pavement, even some dirt roads with potholes and near ditches -- I just love the way the car rides -- to each his/her own I guess.

I was in NY in 2000, and man, I think it was worst then Montréal for potholes, roads were in VERY bad conditions. I really doubt it changed since.

I use a 2008 X3 with Sport Package on those infamous New York roads. Tires are the stock 18". The ride can be a little choppy or slightly harsh at times, but cannot be described as "bone crushing" in any way. If your perception of the ride is that it is too hard, coilovers are the wrong way to go. Coilovers almost always have stiffer springs and will ride harder than stock. Perhaps the jounce damping can be set softer, but this will not make up for the greater spring constant.