Quote:
Originally Posted by Trier Germany
You should have opted for a nice premium set of coilovers. I can't even imagine how much money you spent for these OEM parts. I'm guessing highway robbery. It's the wider stance and tires you are feeling. First it would be impossible to feel this setup in normal driving. You would have to have a baseline at a local track.
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Trier, the whole point is that I didn't want to opt for a set of aftermarket coilovers -- I wanted an OEM solution that would provide an incremental gain in handling, retain EDC functionality, provide a subtle drop, while not sacrificing everyday ride quality. To that end, a ZCP retrofit was my only option. That all said, I ended up paying just about the same as a set of KW v3s.
And you're right in suggesting that the modest gains in handling are attributable to both the new wheel/tire setup as well as the suspension, but the suspension improvements are definitely noticeable, subtle though they may be. I took her out again last night on Ortega Highway and was very pleased with her new disposition.
Quote:
Originally Posted by McLoven
Can you describe for us what was done? My understanding is that the ZCP option includes different shocks, springs, and wheels (as well as some remapping of EDC). Does your car have EDC? I am just wondering if this upgrade could be achieved for non EDC cars. Also, how much of the improvement you perceive could be attributable to the wider tires? Finally, can you give us an idea of the cost?
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McLoven, my car does have EDC, but I did not flash it with the changes to the Sport EDC that the ZCP option provides. I don't believe there's any way to retrofit the EDC settings. In that regard, my hardware retrofit changes are in line with the 2010 Edition suspension and the JDM M3. As mentioned in the OP, I swapped out all four stock shocks for ZCP shocks, and all four springs for ZCP springs. I also picked up the Style 359M wheels, but I wrapped them in slightly wider rubber, which also adds to the difference in handling. As I mention in the reply to Trier, I paid about the same as a set of KW v3s, though your mileage may vary. I send a bit of business toward the vendor that I purchased some of these parts from, so they cut me a discount.
PNs for anyone interested:
Front Left ZCP strut 31312283917
Front right ZCP strut 31312283918
Rear ZCP struts 33522283920 (x2)
Spring PNs have to be obtained through BMW, since they're matched directly to your VIN.
I edited the OP with some pics.