to lower or not to lower the E39....

[t0nyd4tiger]

ive been debating if i should lower my 2001 E39 or not. if i go and buy some eibachs, will the suspension still be as good as the stock bmw suspension? im guessing no, but i want to hear from people who have done it or know for a fact of what the outcome may be. thanx.
-tony

[silverlea]

E39 are quite low already. Fit yourself a set of front and rear M5 swaybars and go out and enjoy yourself.The handling difference is unreal.

Chers,
Silverlea.

[sp0rky]

theres always room for improvement on everything

[Mr White G]

It depends what your goal is.

If you want it to handle more sharply then slight lowering it might work but you'll sacrifice the comfort.

If you do lower it I wouldn't go more than 20mm

[Stuka]

they are pretty low, but everyone knows which e39's are stock and which have been dropped. The e39's lines complement a nice, low stance, so lowering springs is definitely a good idea. But as stated above, dont go nuts, a 20mm and under drop will suffice. Eibach is a fabulous choice, but also pricey in the same respect. Bavauto springs are what i've looked at, but its always a gamble. Post pics if you get it done!

[t0nyd4tiger]

i just want an overall COMFORTABLE ride. i dont drive aggressively so i dont think i'l need anything with better handeling. so Eibachs are a good buy? i heard i should also buy shocks with them also.

[Slvr e39]

Eibachs are going to be stiff. If you have ever been in an M3, M5, or porsche, you can feel every bump in the road if feels like. So basically, if your not looking for better handeling for your aggressive driving habit it isn't worth it. Unless you like the lowrider look.

[///M Power]

as logn as you dont get Tein coilovers, it cant be that bad. I sit in my friends e46 a lot. It is really fine. But Tein SS coilovers on a rx7. well now that u feel every bump. Hit a pothole and ur ass hurts all night >.<.

[Mr White G]

If you don't want to alter the handling characteristics of your 5 then leave it as it is.

One alternative would be to take 10-15mm off the spring but it isn't too clever and can cause bottoming out (where the suspension travel isn't sufficient to handle the big bumps)

You don't need to replace the entire suspension, just the springs.

http://www.evosport.com/product/suspension/

[t0nyd4tiger]

alright, after reading all the posts, ive come to a very compact question....

i just want springs that are comfy. good suspension is what im looking for. i dont care much for handeling bc i dont drive hard. hopefully that clears things up. now, with me just wanting the 'lowrider' look, what should i get? i jux looked @ the H & R springs that the man posted above and they dont look too bad.

[Mr White G]

Funnily enough I was reading an article in a magazine about this last night:

After a lot of testing with different heights of spring, they found the ideal ride height to be only a 5mm drop from stock!

Blistein, Eibach, Koni are all good.......

.....pneumatic air suspension is another EXPENSIVE option!