what coilovers to get...

[shortybmw]

hey ive just got a 318i , i was just wondering if anyone could point me in the right direction? ive bin told about people getting shorter dampers and chopping the springs but id rather have coilovers
cheers jamie

[Morat]

Not worth it for the road in my opinion. Get some decent shocks and springs instead. Then again if you're just after a slammed skateboard with its sump on the deck, fit what you like.. it will handle like shit anyway.

[shortybmw]

yeah i know what you mean.. can get the stance bang on easy with coilovers tho, dont plan on taking it to the track or anything only a 318i like, do you know any sites?

[MurphyE30]

check out the traders section, RPM do range of Gaz coilovers

[Jhonno]

Gaz GHA's

[shortybmw]

cheers ill have a look

[harry_p]

Gaz are decent value for money, if you get a good set. I've heard a few reliability issues lately though which would put me off.

Anything cheaper than the gaz stuff is a waste of money on an e30, they're not proper coilovers just a bodged up setup to give an amount of height adjustment.

[shortybmw]

yeah i no what you mean , i dont understand why people cheap out on coilovers, you get what you pay for i think..
i get paid on the 15th so ill be ordering these

http://www.corbymotorsport.com/bmw-e30- ... -4514.html

[Jhonno]

yeah i no what you mean , i dont understand why people cheap out on coilovers, you get what you pay for i think..
i get paid on the 15th so ill be ordering these

http://www.corbymotorsport.com/bmw-e30- ... -4514.html

Tbh.. Gaz are cheap coilovers..

However they are a lot better than the ebay shite!

[R4N_S_S]

ive got hottuning coliovers on my e36 - granted its different to the e30 but for the abuse the car gets it works perfectly.

[harry_p]

e36s are completely different as you get a proper coilover bolt on front strut, the cheap e30 kits use an adjustable platform bodged onto the existing front leg with an odd shaped spring.

[shortybmw]

is it alot of messing about fitting coilovers to e30s? ive had vws up until this point just wondering if it any different

[Jhonno]

No, but you need donor legs..

[shortybmw]

what do you mean?

[Jhonno]

You need a spare set of legs to give to Gaz.

[R4N_S_S]

sod bodging it then - i would stick to tried and tested shocks and springs then

[shortybmw]

i dint read that the kit only allows a drop of 65mm might actually have to be shocks and springs :/

[Dezzy]

It's not a bodge really. Gaz weld the insert into your leg. It's a top job. Same as all E30 coilovers iirc.

Is your car a facelift 60mm front and 40mm rear will have it sitting low but drivable IMO. Something like a H&R cup kit is what your after. These include shocks and springs. Some prefer to fit B6 or B8 shocks on the front though.

[shortybmw]

its already got a 60mm 40mm springs on it now
is there any companys where you dont have to your legs in?

[Jozi]

I went with BC racing coilovers, haven't them fitted. A mate drove a sport with them fitted and was impressed how they felt on the road.

[Dezzy]

I went with BC racing coilovers, haven't them fitted. A mate drove a sport with them fitted and was impressed how they felt on the road.

You had to weld them though didn't you?

[aceifty]

ill go for the Gaz GHA's coilovers, iv had them on my cab for about a year and there a lot better that my old setup

fitting is very easy, and the drop is awesome. make sure you get the uprated rear top mounts if using coilovers on the rear.

also if you go for GAZ coilovers then get them from RPM on here.

[Jozi]

I went with BC racing coilovers, haven't them fitted. A mate drove a sport with them fitted and was impressed how they felt on the road.

You had to weld them though didn't you?

Yeah, cut the strut down and leave a 50mm stub. Then the bottom slive of the coilover is pushed on and welded to the strut, the shock and spring are screwed into this as one unit (you lower both spring and shock so don't lose travel).

Most, if not all setups require welding from what I could gather, I'm sure Gaz weld them as well in house?

Just to add: there was a degree of buying local (Ireland) and supporting a site sponsor (different site than the zone) involved in my decision (as well as feedback from friends). As above, buy from RPM if going Gaz as they are zone sponsors

[harry_p]

yes, what gaz (and mst other companies) do is exactly the same as the diy kits, take the standard legs, cut them down and weld on a threaded insert.

in the old days you used to be able to pay a surcharge which was refunded when you sent your old legs back, but as most sets are now done to order you'll have to send a pair of legs in to be modified.

[aceifty]

you can still pay a surcharge with RPM, thats what i done this time last year, but had to wait about 3 weeks before i got received my coilovers.