H & R springs or Coilovers
 

I just recently got a 2008 535xi wagon.. I'm seriously considering lowering it on some stock e60 550 19" wheels . Kind of undeceive about which route to go . I plan on just daily driving my wagon & I still want it to be functional . Not really into the stance look. I plan on using spacers also . Seeing if any members have some feedback on the difference in rides between coilovers & springs . Ideas?

It is all over this forum the lowering spring do not give a very good ride for the x-drive. I have replaced my system with a set of coilovers from JRZ suspension. It was a one-off project and now that they have it perfected, you can contact them for a set. I really like my set up as it has both the compression and rebound adjustment. The rebound adjustment really helps in controlling the body roll.

I know for a fact that if you use Bilsteins and H&R lowering springs, the ride is horrible. Big bumps are like big bangs and transmitted to the whole car, as if the dampers were not working. Just my $0.02.

If you do contact JRZ, can you please do us a favour and post up what their price would be?

The only other coilovers I'm aware of that are meant for our cars are the KW V3's (part #35220074) that retail for $2800.

That would be sick! Was thinking of doing the same, but didn't know if the offset would work on our wagons, as they are AWD compared to the 550 being RWD. Does it work?

The offsets for RWD and AWD are very different.

I have sent an email requesting for their pricing for the coilovers. They have just set up east coast and west coast representatives.

I'll get more information on Monday as it is already evening in the Netherlands.

Just spoke to JRZ and the retail for the E61 is $2,830.00. If you can put together a group buy of 5 ro 10 sets, I am sure we get better pricing.

Just an FYI, you will be dealing directly with JRZ for pricing and payments.

Thanks for this info bro! Will definitely consider these factors.

That group buy would be great !

Yesterday, a friend came over to show us his CLK63 Black Edition. It is equipped with the KW V3 suspension, differently equipped with CLK63 (not Black Edition). We took it for a test drive and here are my observations with the suspension set up in its stock state. He tracks the car and reduces the ride height and increases the compression and rebound.
1. You feel all the bumps in the road. Almost as if, the dampers are in the maximum setting for compression.
2. On hard braking, the front of the car dips quite a bit, and the rear of the car lifts as the car comes to the end of the stop.
3. The car still has a lot of body roll in the curves.

After we came back, he asked us what we thought, so I told him my observations above. I then, asked him to take my E61 with the JRZ suspension. The suspension is set up at about 1/3 from the minimum settings for rebound and compression.

My son went with him, as I did not want to color his observations. They took the same route taken with the CLK. His observations were:
1. It feels like the JRZ takes the bumps and irons it out, and is not jarring at all.
2. The front almost doesn't dip when hard braking and the rear doesn't lift up giving you a much better feel in stopping the car. I have self-leveling rear suspension, so this may add to the rear not lifting, but doesn't account for the almost linear, no front dive from the JRZ
3. Body roll is very controlled as compared with the KW. I have stock sway bars, and if you have seen the size of the rear stabilizer bar of the E61, it is as thin as your pinky finger, whereas the Black Edition CLK is so much bigger both in the front and in the rear.

In short, he is now going to sell off the KW Black suspension system and is getting a JRZ setup. He will be getting before and after pictures on the track with the KW suspension as the before and the JRZ suspension as the after. He said, he couldn't believe the difference in the two systems. Neither did I. All I can say is, I am glad I went with the JRZ system even with the time it took to get it right as this was the first time JRZ did a system for the E61 and they didn't have a test car. I was the test.

I have only been reading great things abot the JRZ Suspension . It seems to have most bme enthusiast sold on the product . Just very pricey , but you always pay for what you get !