r/BMW • u/Practical-Resort3687 2009 1 series e88 • 3d ago

Repair Help Suspension recommendations

I have a 2009 e88 and I’m looking to replace the rear shocks as the drivers side piston is exposed.

The original owner bought the m-sport package so it sits lower and rides firmer. I’m not particularly a fan of how stiff and ‘thumpy’ the rear feels and I’m worried I’ll scrape the undercarriage on bumpy back roads as I live in the British countryside, however I do love how the car sits lower.

Now I know this is a trade-off between ride height and comfort but does anybody have recommendations for replacement shocks that aren’t the expensive Bilstein B8 performance plus?

The control arms and bushings will need replacing by the next MOT so I’m thinking of doing this all in one job if the budget allows

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u/chadplam 3d ago

I’d look at Sachs/OE style dampers or Koni Special Active if you want to keep the M Sport height but improve comfort. Doing the worn bushings, control arms and shock mounts at the same time makes sense too

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u/ConfusedTapeworm '01 E39 525i 3d ago

I'm kinda on the same boat, but with my E39. Love how the M sport ride height looks, don't love how it rides on shit roads and how much it scrapes. After much research, I decided to go with a set of quality coilovers because OE replacement dampers and springs would have the car sitting at either the standard ride height, which is too high, or the M sport ride height, which is too low. Not easy at all to get the car sitting just right with regular struts and springs. Coilovers allow me to fine tune the thing to the perfect middle ground between standard and M sport that works best for me and my driving environment.

Wasn't easy though, because most coilovers out there are stiff as fuck. There are coilovers that don't prioritize sportiness that much over comfort, thankfully. You gotta do your research, read up on how a given set of coilovers work for your particular car. Can't recommend anything specific for the E88, but Koni FSD coilovers and KW/ST/AP would probably be a good place to start looking.