e46 m3 suspension

i am thinking about doing suspension work on my e46 m3. i was thinking about putting a set of H&R spring in on the front and rear and leaving on the factory shock absorber. does anyone have any recomendations or ideas of what i should do?? i want something that performs well but will also give the car that low stance.


thanks
Joe

Originally Posted by JOEYE46

i am thinking about doing suspension work on my e46 m3. i was thinking about putting a set of H&R spring in on the front and rear and leaving on the factory shock absorber. does anyone have any recomendations or ideas of what i should do?? i want something that performs well but will also give the car that low stance.


thanks
Joe

I wouldn't consider it without upgrading from OEM shockes at the same time, unless the only reason you're doing it is for the look.

Alex

What's more important to you? ....performance, or "that low stance"

If performance really is a priority you'll need new shocks to go with the springs. A lot of people seem to prefer the Eibach springs to H&R. Of course for a little more you can get coil-overs....

Considering that the stock shocks have half their dampening gone by 10K miles, do the shocks, even before the springs.

Just install a complete Ground Control suspension...you're going to spend $1000 after labor doing spring and/or shocks anyway...do it once the rightway... get the car corner balanced and alinged right, spec out the spring rates and shock valving that is right for your style of driving and leave it alone.

At the minimum I would do Ground Controls kit including Koni SA shocks, coilovers, rear shock mounts, front camber plates, control arm bushings front and rear. You should be able to get there for about $2000 installed.

If you go the other route you'll end up paying labor twice, each suspension install will cost $350-500 after alignment. Condidering the Ground Control is only $2000 done right, why spend the extra parts and labor screwing with just shocks and lowering spirngs, you'll be out half the money compared to "doing it right the first time" anyway. The incremental cost of doing it right is too small to do it any other way.

That and you car will actually handle better than stock, not just look better, you'll get form and function.

You can get some life out of the OEM shocks with the H&R springs. But OEM wasn't designed to damp well at the point where the H&R springs sit. I just upgraded the OEMs to Koni adjustables and I'm pleased with them. All the slop and bloat in the OEM shocks in gone.