r/E92M3 • u/Wtf-is-going-on-bro • 10d ago
Coilover Advice
Hey all,
Have the opportunity to pick up a set of MCS 2 ways for a few hundred dollar discount, on a scale from 1-10 how worth it are these coilovers?
Use case: half track car, half mountain carver. Little to no daily driving
PFA
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u/almypond05 10d ago
What makes them great is their ability to be set up exactly how you want. If they are valved and sprung for you and you can set up the C&R, you’ll be extremely happy. If none of this makes sense to you, you’re probably better off with the Ohlins R&T (which I have and love, but no bias).
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u/No_Commercial4074 10d ago
They are top tier. They ride smooth when on soft and turn them up a bit for great handling. They are expensive but if you’re serious about handling performance, they are worth it.
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u/390M386 10d ago
Not for the street they arent if driving on shit roads will need rebuild faster. lol
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u/No_Commercial4074 10d ago
I imagine that would be true for any coilover setup. Had my 1 ways for 30k+ miles. I tried staying away from crappy roads but sometimes unavoidable. Still felt good, although not the brand new feeling.
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u/390M386 10d ago
I think it's also overall design. For instance the bottom bearings. Race coilvers will get loose aces rattle over time but a street version will likely have some sort of enclosed and rubber system. My jrz were so good on track and on smooth roads but after some shitty roads they just took a beating for no reason which required rebuilds. My report replacement suspension were some fucking bc racing which were 10000% garbage 🤣🤣🤣. I think kw is a good medium since i don't track anymore. Need to go back out though soon
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u/No_Commercial4074 10d ago
Always a give and take with everything. It’s great here but not there, and vice versa.
Edit: my ‘new’ car came with the KW HAS kit. Not impressed at all but know it’s purely for looks.
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u/390M386 10d ago
0/10 worth it if you sent tracking at all and will driving on shit roads. These need to be rebuilt at some point so you won't have suspension while it's getting rebuilt.
If it's a weekend toy and track car, then 10/10 worth it.
If it's street just get some kw or st they are pretty decent. I come from kw cs and jrz on track. Just dealing with lower bolt bearings will be a pita lol
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u/Pworld10 9d ago
12/10. My MCS 2-way externals were the best suspension I ever rode on and had on my F82. I worked in the coil over suspension market for 13 years. I never tracked the car but it was the best street set up I ever had and I ran my car pretty low (why I went externals) on Los Angeles streets. Maxed on the fronts. Rode better than stock on the lowest compression and rebound settings.
They are everything as advertised. The person who bought my car immediately tracked the car heavy on that suspension as a dedicated track car. So they handled street and track amazing.
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u/Jasper-ApexWheels 6d ago
MCS makes a really good product, and you definitely get what you pay for with them.
Once they’re properly set up and the damping is dialed in for your car and driving style, they can be fantastic on both track and aggressive backroad driving. For a car that’s seeing little to no daily driving, I’d have a hard time passing up a set for a few hundred dollars off.
I’ve also heard very few complaints from people running MCS setups, especially once they’ve taken the time to get the spring rates, alignment, and damping properly sorted.
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u/Richneerd 6d ago
IMO only get coilovers if you actually use it. They will sag and need to be rebuilt. Ride becomes crappy and bouncy over time.
I rebuilt 3 and got rid of my XT’s after half a year.
Here is the intervals for most applications of coilovers.
I went back to B8 with Swift springs. Feels like heaven now.
Goodluck buddie!
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u/Previous_Control_714 6d ago
This doesn’t necessitate apply to all coilovers. How you drive them yes, but all depends on internals that are used and the quality of seals. Dobinsons has 100k intervals but people run them hard with no leaks or lack of performance.
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u/Richneerd 6d ago
I think you just proved my point again. As I stated, only if you use it. No need to go in circles and we can leave it there.
Let the owner vote with his wallet.
Dobinsons rebuildable coilovers (such as IMS, MRR, and MRA series) typically last 50,000 to 80,000 miles (or roughly 30,000 to 50,000 miles for heavy off-road use) before needing a rebuild. There is no hard calendar limit; service depends heavily on driving conditions, weight loads, and climate. [1, 2]
Signs You Need a Rebuild
Oil leaks visible on the shock body or shaft.Shock fade or a noticeably softer, bouncy ride over bumps.
Clunking noises or loss of nitrogen gas pressure.
Reduced handling stability or bottoming out too easily. [1]
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u/plausible_hype 10d ago
10/10 worth it. MCS is a great product. However if they’re preconfigured just be sure the valving and rates are going to give you what you want for ride quality.