My car is standard US 530XiT, I'm looking to upgrade the suspension to OEM sports. Beside the front struts, springs and rear shocks, is there anything else I will need?

If anyone is upgrading your sports suspension and want to sell yours, please let me know.

thanks

 

not sure you can do that w/ AWD. Usually the true sport suspension that comes on the wagons is only available for Euro models because they're RWD.

Any one else confirm this?

 

The answer is Yes and No.

Yes, you can upgrade the suspension to OEM sports (the Xi, or as it now is called 530i X-drive or 535i X-drive is sold with M-sport package in Europe), but if you're planning to lower the car with the help of the sport suspension my reply will be No. It's physcially possible but will ruin the ride.

 

This is confusing - the sport suspension DOES lower the ride height. So if you get the sport springs and struts/shocks, you can actually install them, but you cannot put the car down from the lift? Otherwise how are you going to NOT lower the ride when going from standard to sport suspension?

And if in fact in Europe the X-drive cars do come with a sport suspension, do they use the same parts (i.e. identical part numbers) as their RWD equivalents for struts, shocks and springs? And are there any additional parts/retrofits required other than the straight swap?

I highly doubt that any of the above is possible. In all the research that I've done regarding lowering an X-drive equipped car, it was clear to me that the KW V3 coilovers is really the ONLY way to lower the car and retain/improve handling and dynamics. If in fact I am wrong in this assumption, I'll be simply ECSTATIC to find out that there are alternatives to KW's, as they are rather costly.

 

The X-drive cars with M-sport package are not lowered in the same way as RWD cars, so you can still see from a distance that they are X-drive cars from their height. I don't know the part number, but they should be the same as for RWD cars as they don't lower the car as much.

 

Also the other issue that you all are forgetting is that ALL USA delivered E61's have Air Springs in the rear for the load level suspension...

So far from what I've seen the KV Coil overs v3's are the only way todo this with out having the dealer to reprogram the rear of the car so it does not sit Ass up in the air.
Though I don't know if the AWD issue has been resolved according to this post

https://5series.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=86111

I'm fixing to "Try" to get my hands on a E61 M5 wagon's anti roll/sway bars both front and rear.... they don't look that much more expensive than the other options , but the US computers may not let me order them.

 

x-Drive models can be equipped with the M-sports package, but in that package there is NOT sports suspension. Atleast it wasn?t possible when I ordered my baby 6/2008. I have all the other M goodies, but only thing missing is the M suspension.
Unfortunately e61 x-Drive cars have the same suspension no matter what options you get

 

Seip??nreik? - you're absolutely right. 704 Sports suspension is NOT part of the M-package if you go for an X-drive.

bigbadbull - air levelling springs are standard in EU too.

 

Some post have indicated that they were not, I guess it just depends on where you are.

Any one know if the E61 M5 has Air suspension in the rear?

 

so basically to lower it, buy KW-V3. for better suspension and better look, costs grip but I'm finding out that's normal for BMW.