"Slamming" the E30 - chav or not?

[Zayyan]

I have a car which is (according to peoples' comments) "bloody nice", "very clean", "not bad for an old car", etc. etc.

Comments like this make me want to keep it original as it's been cared for brilliantly in its life and it'd be a shame to group it with other (badly) modified examples.

But....with a big drop I think it'll look the bollocks. It'd be "pretty much" original BMW in every other way (it has a front lip like the one from a 318is and clear indicators, with front fogs to go in soon) but would a 60/60 drop (on the standard 15" BBS) ruin this original look or enhance it?

Assume practicality doesn't matter (it doesn't) and any loss in handling isn't a problem - I'm just thinking about image here.

Here's a quick Photoshop courtesy of Stevetigger for an idea of what it might look like.

Before


After


Your vote please, and opinions....

[Moofles]

i think it looks good, and in any case it is reversible...

[Hyperion]

dont worry man it will look very cool. i was also too minds about droping my car (40/40), but now that i have done it, i love it. When i get another e30, shes gonna get dropped to.

[less2303]

Doesn't do it for me.

[pacerpete]

Sorry Zayvan, a 60/ 60 drop makes it clear to the world at large that not only are you council but you live on the 19th floor of a tower block ,you have an argos account and your wedding attire (after you and your bird have had 3 illegitimate tykes !) will be bought from JD sports.
Cut 1 coil out of the front springs and be done with it,it will lower your chariot about 1 inch, tighten up the front end and cost nothing in parts and contrary to popular belief is not dangerous or gash !.
If in doubt drive a cab with the council 60 /60 drop that should convince you not to do it !.

[Chris-W]

Personally I'd go for max. 15mm or so à la 318is, but no more.

[elf]

car looks good either way
had a sport 2 years ago dropped 70mm what a nightmare on speed bumps.front valence got smashed exhaust scraped.i didnt lower it.
my car now 35/30.just got 18,s all round makes it look lower.
nice set of alpinas 17 or 18 would look nice.and give illusion of being lower.up to you mate

[panesar_e30]

drop th bitch!

[320Touring]

i voted yes it'd look council!

i'd drop the cab a max of 60/40, but pref just fit it up with mtech susp for a 15mm drop. having been in hammoj28's car several times, I have to say the improvement in handling is immediately noticable, and the car looks awesome.

the only way i'd want to see your cab slammed 60/60 is on stock steelies with a e36 m3 3.0 up front,

proper rat-ride

[Geeman]

My old cab was dropped 60mm... and personally I thought it looked great.

Trouble was that it drove like a go-cart... i.e. no suspension travel.



So, if you ARE going to do it, spend the money on some decent adjustable suspension that will give you some degree of comfort... H&R springs to mind.

Get it...? Springs to mind...? Oh no, sometimes I kill myself!

[320Touring]

hey geeman, i wasnt knocking the drop

just sodding impractical esp as zay travels 4 up a lot

lol at the punnage

another good drop kit would be the spax 28 point adjustble one, reasonablwe at £299ish too compared to the £350 for non adjustable H&R..

[Mahmood]

Hi

I wouldn't go 60/60 personally. But I agree that slammed cars look good. If it's not your everyday car, then you can live with it like me.

I've dropped my cab 60/40 with a H & R Cup Kit and put on 16" Alpinas. It's sits slightly higher at the back but that does have something to do with the arches.

You'll see it at Ace on Monday.

[Cotty]

Drop it, if you dont like it you can put it back to standard.

Note that I said IF YOU DONT LIKE IT sod what other people think its your car do what you want to it.

My tourer is being dropped 60/40 next week

[Ziggy]

I personally don't like cabs looking too low at the back... don't like em looking like 4x4s either though! So I'd go for something slightly more subtle than 60/60... Adjustable springs on the rear are ideal, but not all that common!

[Jhonno]

that spax kit is not height adjustable, only damping

60/40 is lowest imo, but 60/60 would look good if you were goin euro stylee

i think for yours tho 35/35 cup kit would be best

[Geeman]

Zig... you still got those adjustable rears...?

[Motorhole]

Check out some of the euro-look motors on www.e30.de

Some are very low, but are hardly chav. Lacking the 20" chrome rims

[Ziggy]

Zig... you still got those adjustable rears...?

Ooooh yesh Currently about 10mm from their lowest Just got to get matching fronts now! Although I do like the height it's at at the mo, so no real need...

[Geeman]

Ooooh yesh

Was that a deliberate Sean Connery moment, or a slip from the 'a' to the 's'?

[Ziggy]

Ooooh yesh

Was that a deliberate Sean Connery moment, or a slip from the 'a' to the 's'?

Deliberate Connery / Churchill dog moment I'm afriad!

[danny_j]

if people label you a chav for lowering your car 60mm then there not worth talking to...

[d6dph]

Dont do it, just a nice 35mm drop ould look nice, any lower and you will imediately be fitted with 8 "sov's" and a burberry cap.

[hammoj28]

Hmmm, dunno on this one. I think a 60/60 drop is too low at the back personally. I was gonna lower mine 60/40 but have heard of handling problems so just gonna go for 40mm or a 35mm h & r kit. think 35mm is the way to go as its nice and subtle but its your car so completely up to you!

[Demlotcrew]

I have a car which is (according to peoples' comments) "bloody nice", "very clean", "not bad for an old car", etc. etc.

Dont forget Mini Cab!

Andrew

[Rosc0PColtrane]

ultimately it's your choice, do what feels right for you. A 35mm drop all round on mine was just right for me, took out the space around the arches.

As far as being chav or not, depends on the whole package

[Gouki]

do a 60/40, wont look chav at all, look very smart specially with the top down. Avoid a 60mm drop on the rear if you can, because its really low! I;ve had it on mine and trust me its a bitch!

[stevetigger]

Like everybody says, Do it....If you dont like it....Change it back!

Thats what im going to do, Ive got some 60/60 here, E30Adams old ones and im going to fit them, if the car is shit....then I will change back!

[Simon13]

thing is proper cab springs cost alot more than saloon stuff. I would do it

but where can u get 60/40's from? 60mm on the rear is too low imo

Is my alpina and old sport chav then! i think not!

[charlE30]

Don't forget if you do go for a 60mm drop you need matching shocks or it'll be MOT failure time

[Brianmoooore]

Another vote for 35mm.

[oguz327]

I would go 35mm or 40mm, best of both worlds, still practical for speed ramps etc but better handling and looks.
e30s so much better deked , not chav at all.
slam that mo fo

[stevetigger]

Don't forget if you do go for a 60mm drop you need matching shocks or it'll be MOT failure time

And why would that be?

[charlE30]

Don't forget if you do go for a 60mm drop you need matching shocks or it'll be MOT failure time

And why would that be?

A 60mm spring is shorter than a standard (obvisouly) and when the car gets lifted the springs become loose due to the length of the shock thus becoming a hazard. If you have a look at any site selling 60mm springs there will be a note saying you need shorter shocks, 35-40mm are OK with standard. I found this out when I MOT'd my car as the previous owner had fitted springs without matching shocks.

Back to the thread

I was in two minds with regards to wether it's chav or not and I'm still undecided, my red 325 is on a 35mm H&R and my black un was on a 60mm Apex drop (sig pic) At the time of photo I don't think it had settled as it had powerflex bushes fitted at the same time as the suspension and looks the same as the 35mm

[Demlotcrew]

Don't forget if you do go for a 60mm drop you need matching shocks or it'll be MOT failure time

And why would that be?

A 60mm spring is shorter than a standard (obvisouly) and when the car gets lifted the springs become loose due to the length of the shock thus becoming a hazard. If you have a look at any site selling 60mm springs there will be a note saying you need shorter shocks, 35-40mm are OK with standard. I found this out when I MOT'd my car as the previous owner had fitted springs without matching shocks.

Yeah so there Tigger!

Andrew

[gazza]

zay first speed bump you hit and you will regret the whole thing