E39 540i M-sport shock replacement

[adro 1084]

Hi everyone,

I'm toying with the idea of replacing the shocks on my 2000-Msport 540i at the moment it has the factory Sachs shocks in it.

Does anyone have any recommendations/experiences they could share?

I'm not looking for any performance gain or drop. Will be keeping the factory M-sport springs.

Anyone put the Koni Str-t's in the 540 or KYB's? Or should I just spend the money and go OEM Sachs?

Thanks in advance,

Adro.

[Herbmiester 935]

I used Koni strt's on my E 36 and there was a noticeable difference. NZ prices can be a bit high, try the UK.

[adro 1084]

14 minutes ago, Herbmiester said:

I used Koni strt's on my E 36 and there was a noticeable difference. NZ prices can be a bit high, try the UK.

Cool. Was that noticeable difference a positive or negative one?

in case anyones interested so far I have these prices:

From Speed : 1x front Sachs OEM @$427.57 incl gst  and 1x rear $363.43 incl gst

From George Stock : 1x Koni sport front @$620.96 incl GST and 1x rear $424.03 incl GST

FCP sachs OEM works out at $315.67 NZD landed for 1x front shock....but to  avoid gst I would have to ship one at a time.

[Palazzo 479]

Incl gst is still $60 cheaper, just whether or not $60/unit is a comfortable saving for you. 

[Eagle 1680]

SAS suspension in Auckland gave me good deal on Sachs\Boge long ago and Shox.com had good good prices on Koni's last time i looked.

Threw some Meyle ones from FCP in my DD 530i as they were on special ($100 NZD for 1x front), ended up being around $400 shipped and got away with no gst. Don't know how long they would last but performance wise they are better than i expected.

[Herbmiester 935]

Try Demon Tweeks in the UK. There shipping rates are very good compared to what you pay out of the USA. For basic Bilstein b4s (Sachs Equivalent) fronts are NZD 212 and rears are 100 NZD. Shipping will likely be around 120 NZD. 

[Jacko 2158]

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-bilstein-parts/b4-oe-replacement-touring-shocks-struts-kit/22-111081kt/ - $600 USD shipped. 

[Olaf 3343]

The Koni Sports should be ideally suited with your M-Sport springs.  in addition to the Demon Tweaks, you could try ebay.de - you'd be surprised how reasonably priced they are.

The only reason I didn't go Koni Sport for my e60, was my 545i is on standard suspension and the sports are intended for lower springs (which your MSports are).  I didn't want to change springs and have to consider impact on the active anti-roll.  It should be much more straightforward with your e39.

If I can beg a before and after ride with you, I'd be delighted.  

[adro 1084]

Thanks for the replys everyone.

@3pedals good to know re the Bilsteins.

The koni's are significantly more expensive at:

FRONT: 87411372SPORT @ $620.96 gst incl each. Currently nil stock. 9 weeks min; delay from ordering.

REARS: 82401156SPORT @ $424.03 gst incl each. Currently in stock.

But I am a firm believer of do it once do it right.

@Olaf I'll catch up with you on Sunday, if it's dry I'll probably have the E30 but if it's wet I'll bring the 540i.

[turbolizard 38]

Another vote for Koni from me.  I put them in my e34 540, which had factory M-sport springs.  Really nice combo to drive on, including a good comfort factor.

[adro 1084]

Bumping this old thread.

Anyone posted themselves shocks from the states to NZ, and have any issues??

Cheers,

A.

 

[Mikan 173]

I got my rears from fcp, fronts from a polish vendor on ebay through (UK) youshop. Both got tagged by customs. 

I tried to youshop a second (rear) pair over, but they got turned around at the (US) warehouse - despite providing the information sheet they asked for, they just refused to carry them. No problems with nzpost and multiple sets of shock absorbers in the past, it felt like a policy had finally started to be implemented. 

[Young Thrash Driver 1020]

I bought in some with FCPEuro maybe 2 years ago, turned up in the usual ~6 days. No issues.

[Eagle 1680]

Lost count of how many ive ordered over the years, never had an issues. E39 front Meyle struts cost me $80 USD to ship from FCP back in April 2017, the struts themselves cost me $116 USD on special

Good old 80's BMW's with their strut inserts were much cheaper to buy and ship

[hunter 408]

Hi @adro

Did you end up ordering any shocks / kits from overseas?

I'm going to be in need of a front shock set up (right hand) and possibly spring, looking at fcp, they can do  the front end kit to suit M Sport suspension for close to the price of one side, based on what i was quoted today

 

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-shock-absorber-kit-rear-170857kt 

Keen to know  what / if you went for anything

Cheers

[adro 1084]

1 hour ago, hunter said:

Hi @adro

Did you end up ordering any shocks / kits from overseas?

I'm going to be in need of a front shock set up (right hand) and possibly spring, looking at fcp, they can do  the front end kit to suit M Sport suspension for close to the price of one side, based on what i was quoted today

 

https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-shock-absorber-kit-rear-170857kt 

Keen to know  what / if you went for anything

Cheers

Hi @hunter,

random timing, I just installed the left shock this afternoon. I ordered fronts though, I went with Sachs as this is my family mobile so I didn't want to go any firmer than factory. If you decode your vin you will probably find that your car has mtech II suspension which is S705A not S704A....as far as I can tell there is different part numbers for the shocks, but mine being the V8 it gets M5 struts. Also, the USA didn't get the facelift I don't think till 2003, so your 2001 will show up as fitting the S704A instead of S705A. I'm not sure how much it really matters, someone more qualified could chime in here? My shocks have done 218,000 km so I'm loving the smoothness of the replacements.

 

[hunter 408]

29 minutes ago, adro said:

If you decode your vin ...

 

I do have the build sheet for my car, so shows the mtechII but not the associated code for it...where do you decode yours?

[adro 1084]

11 minutes ago, hunter said:

I do have the build sheet for my car, so shows the mtechII but not the associated code for it...where do you decode yours?

Google Bmw vin decoder, I did yours before using the vin off carjam. It says S705A

[hunter 408]

yeah did that, took me a while to find a decent one - see what you mean now. 

found this https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/bmw-strut-and-shock-kit-e39-31312229613kt

I will also be going standard equipment, did the firmer, lower thing in the E46  

@adrodid you end up importing yours? local prices seem quite steep?

 

Edited May 6, 2019 by hunter
question added