E46 Fanatics Forum banner

Front Struts for e46 Questions

4K views 27 replies 12 participants last post by  FCPEuro 
#1 ·
My 99' 323i e46 sedan will need front Struts soon. What do experts on this site recommend? I am not taking the car to the track or anything like that... I just want to restore the ride like when it was 100k mile ago... I am also in school right now so, budget is also a concerns of mine.

Would you recommend struts that are sold on Fleasbay? Some do have lifetime warranty on them...

Please let me know what would you buy and keep budget in mind as well.

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
yes. since its not a component related to the reliability of your engine running nor its an electrical sensor that is super sensitive and requires OEM parts, I'd go with anything, really. remember, you get what you pay for. so if you spend less now, expect early replacement, unlike oem which can hold up to 100,000 miles.
 
#5 ·
I just want to restore the ride like when it was 100k mile ago...
Just an FYI - replacing front struts alone will not meet your expectations.

I understand that you are on a budget but to make the ride feel like it did when it was brand new would require replacing struts, shocks, springs, mounts, bushings, etc...

Struts, shocks, & springs on all four corners will go a long way though. I wouldn't do fronts only - my concern would be potential handling problems (more so in emergency maneuvering situations than typical daily driving).
 
#7 ·
For the OEM style ride the best is sachs. Its the direct OE replacement. The PO installed these on my car but they do wear out quickly. Look into bilsteins. I have rear shocks by them and drove a friends e46 with bilstein all around and it drives amazing

[bimmerapp]
 
#8 ·
I replaced my rears with Sachs too. They go out quick? Really? Are you lowered? Mine feel good still, I think. I haven't done the front yet
 
#9 ·
The fronts are original struts as far as I can tell. The rear are KYB's as far as I know, KBYs were not the oem stock rear shocks. However, one of the rear springs cracked/broke at the bottom of the coil... So, I will be doing all 4 corners.. I have about 174K on the car at the moment and I don't want to spend a whole lot... This is my daily driver for roughly about 10 miles a day and I'm not hard on my car at all...

Thanks everyone for your input!!
 
#13 ·
You can get Monroe strut and shocks at AdvanceAutoParts. They have a lifetime warranty and are offering a rebate right now until April 30,2013.

If you are doing shocks, and struts, then replace mounts as well.

If you are a student on a budget, you can get all 4 corners for about $200 with discounts and rebates.
 
#14 ·
I've used Monroe before on my other cars and I was very surprised how well they performed... Tell will tell as I only have them in for 10K miles on a standard sedan. As one member "Stiggles" point it out, the Meyle front strut for $81.99 isn't too bad if you're doing just the strut. You're are right though, I will need to do the coil springs and the strut mounts along with a new struts.

As for the wheel alignment, I did purchased a "lifetime" alignment from Firestone a year ago.. So I am covered there..

If I go with the Monroes, can I use a different brand for the strut mount or I have to use the same brand? Where would you recommend for me to buy the coil spring for the fronts?

Thank you!
 
#15 ·
Yeah they were replaced at 88k and I have 160k on the clock now and the car is loose and jumping all over the road

[bimmerapp]
 
#17 ·
I have sachs front with bilstein rears. Rears have new oem springs. Fronts are springs from 88k along with the sachs shocks. I just prefer the tighter steering response but its a personal thing

[bimmerapp]
 
#20 ·
Ok, I just pulled the trigger by buying all new Coil Springs (Lesjofors) for all 4 corners. I will do some more research on the Struts & Shocks to buy next. I might go with BMWCaptain's recommendation on Monroe.

What would you guys recommend for Strut/Shock mounts?

Thanks guys!!
 
#23 · (Edited)
There are a ton or strut and shock replacements options available for E46's. Personally, if you haven't heard of the brand before and it's incredibly cheap and plus offers a lifetime warranty I would tend to stay away from that product. I think it's one of those situations where if the price is too good to be true the best approach would be to stay away. I think this is especially true with a component that supports the weight of your vehicle. With budget in mind Sachs replacement components are reasonably priced and are OE for the car so you end up getting the same part for less money. Two alternatives to Sachs are Bilstein Tourings and KYB's.

Now, I personally have no experience with Monroe shocks but I do know some people who have run them and have been pretty pleased with them so they may not be a bad alternative to the three that I mentioned above.
 
#25 · (Edited)
No problem. That's actually a good question, I totally forgot about Meyle as a possibility. We have quite a few customers using them in NYC and they hold up pretty well from my understanding. I believe the Meyle shock bodies are made out of steel as opposed to aluminum and that they are heavier. I don't think this makes them any more durable than the above mentioned brands, rather makes them cheaper to produce hence the price difference.

My opinion on the Meyle shocks and struts is they are good/adequate for a daily driven car. I wouldn't put them in the same league as Sachs or Bilstein but I think are probably comparable to Monroe or Monroe equivalent. I think that Meyle product for this application falls into two categories for most customers:

1) Someone who has a higher mileage car and doesn't want to spend a ton of money on replacement shocks and struts.

2) Someone who lives in an area with poor road conditions and doesn't want to spend a ton of money on replacement parts as they need to change parts more often.

If I was to rank all the above mentioned brands I think they would fall into place like this:
Best: Sachs and Bilstein
Better: KYB
Good: Meyle and Monroe
 
#28 ·
No problem. :D

Is there a way to find out if my 99' 323i equipped with a sport suspension or standard with just the VIN #? I can't afford to remove the struts and then order the struts and I'm out of a car for at least a week or so...

Thank you.
I should be able to determine equipment with the last 7 of your VIN. If you would like, PM me the digits and I will look into it for you.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top