How to determine my suspension type?

[Archer28]

I am finally doing some work on my 94 325i. I just started replacing the front control arms, solid bushings, linkages- and I see my struts are blown with oil trickling down the sides.
Now I have already looked at the $399 set of e bay adjustable shocks and being a little worried about quality, I have also looked at a more standard set like the ones from Monroe.

The Monroe shocks have several variants and I am wondering how to determine if I need the sport or standard ones. I would like a firmer ride (it has to be firmer than blown shocks anyhow!) but don't know if my springs will work with sport shocks.

Is there a way to tell by the shock itself, or the vin if I have sport or standard?

Thanks!

[95325i]

sport springs ride lower, the sports pack car have thigh supports. You can take the vin number to BMW and they can tell you if the car has sports pack or not.

If you have some photos of the car post them up and many people can tell the difference right away between sports and not sport.

edit: 1994 should have 15inch basket wheels with the sports package.

[wendall@cmwerks]

I believe BMW painted lines on the different springs. I dont know what lines are on what though. I think the regular springs had a green/blue (seafoam or teal) colored set of lines. I think two, maybe three. They are only on one of the coils if I recall correctly.

Sport springs had different color and number I think.

If you haven't looked already, pull up your back seat bottom cushion and see if there is a piece of paper stapled to the underside. This has all of the factory options on it. Also, there is a guy in the E30 section of the forum that can decode the VIN and tell you all of the options your car came with.

[bluptgm3]

www.bmw-z1.com/VIN/VINdecode-e.cgi

and use this
http://www.autohausaz.com/bmw-auto-p...n-numbers.html

or use this

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho....php?p=1231654

[EThirtySicks]

PM this guy your VIN, he sends you a list including all the options of the car etc.



http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum...5#post12628125

[Archer28]

Thanks so much for the replies. I will check under my seat and see if I have a sticker there. I never knew about that.

Here is my car btw, daily driver, nice and dirty!


Interior, again dirty... I did install a radio but thats about it...


Oh and watch those ebay sway bar links, I was installing one today and this is what happened with just a little force...


but with a little mig time... doesn't look pretty, but hopefully it won't break!


Here was the only paper under my seat... no idea what any of it means though....

[dcwright]

The bottom line preceeded by SA: is your list of option codes.

0243 - Passenger air bag
0458 - Electrically adjustable seats
0465 - Trunk pass through
0494 - Heated front seats

Here's the option code list:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1234348

scroll down to my post

[95325i]

Non sport! the seats and the ride height give it away

The sport cars ride a little lower



My old 1995 325i

[dcwright]

The seats are usually a pretty good indicator for sedans and coupes, but BMW offered a "sports package" option for verts that has the standard suspension but gives you the sport seats and 16" wheels that come with the sport suspension.
For verts to have the full package that the hardtops get they have to have both the sports package (seats and wheels) and sport suspension (springs, shocks, and sway bars) options.

[jijacob]

As far as the eBay coilovers go, from what I've read on the VW forums (after a million posts from the same guys saying raceland's got good reviews there) they are crap. A bit bouncy at medium height and intolerable ricer bounce at lower adjustments. I'd recommend saving up for some regular old shock/spring combos (H&R, bilstein, etc) instead of putting uncomfortable cheap coilovers on it.

[95325i]

Originally Posted by dcwright

The seats are usually a pretty good indicator for sedans and coupes, but BMW offered a "sports package" option for verts that has the standard suspension but gives you the sport seats and 16" wheels that come with the sport suspension.
For verts to have the full package that the hardtops get they have to have both the sports package (seats and wheels) and sport suspension (springs, shocks, and sway bars) options.

The vert has a harder riding suspension then then the non-sport coupe and sedan. Personally I am sure the verts ride harder then a sports pack sedan (both of which I have owned). Non-sport verts may have the same suspension as the sports one that has been up for debate for a little now from my understanding.

None the less the OP has a sedan so this is not applying to him/her.