rarfinancial

I Just called the BMW dealer to get a price on installing a set of Lowering springs on my 2006 5301 with active steering and sports pakage. Well, I have done this on many, many cars myself. One hour each spring max. Here is the punch line, The Dealer tells me it's 11 hours and that it will cost me $1100.00 plus if I want to do the alignment thats another $380.00. Well, after I pick my jaw off the floor I now have to Make a choice. I need some info from thoughs of you that have lowered their cars. Whats the big deal with the new 530i? I run a car dealership out here in San Diego CA and have never heard of a lowering job costing so much.. By the way I have 245/30-20 front and 285/25-20 rear. How much can I lower without rubbing? spring? shoks? or both?. Want the ride to be a smooth as posible. Thank guy or gals

Rudy

I don't have any real experience with lowering but isn't the concept of "lowering" and the phrase "ride as smooth as possible" a bit of an impossibility and an oxymoron?

Dirty 30

yes, and in addition. It will probably take the dealer 4 hours to do it but the jobs all have their own time scale. IE an oil change might be scheduled to take an hour by BMW's standards but it will probably only take the tech 1/2 hour. And in order to tell you whether or not you will rub, and you lowering the car...offset is key.

ipse dixit

I think those rates are typical for a dealer install on springs/shocks. The dollar figures aren't based on actual labor hours -- but based on predetermined unitary time that the industry has established on what is typically required to do an install on a particular part.

If I were you I'd find a reputable aftermarket shop.

Heck, if you can find a lift, I'd be happy to do the install for you in exchange for a bottle of McCallen and some cubans ...

As to the drop, depending on your offsets, I think you can safely drop about 25mm without worrying too much about rubbing.

My mantra is always ... if you swap out springs, then you should swap out shocks as well. Or just do coilovers.

zag

Suspension retrofit ie. removing and changing shocks and springs plus wheel alignment take at least 4 hours with two chaps helping each other! Pretty tedious job!

Note that shock strut needed to be dismantled to replace spring as well. No short cut!

soc_fans

$1100 of labour is ridiculous to change the springs. I paid 4 hrs labor to change my springs.. Just find a reputable bodyshop near your area.. They should be able to do a good job

buddy

http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=18401

That is about the going rate they were going to charge me around 2000.00 dollars so ia asked the Sa about the back door price they chagrged me either 400 or six hundred including the alignment as i got the tech to do it at the dealership on his own time worked out great for me

Ray Hull

That's not so bad: My local dealer wanted $300 to hardwire my Valentine 1. It's called gouging what the market will bear. Just hope you don't run into warranty troubles later on...

Ray Hull