More testing last night and this morning. Drove the family to dinner last night. My wife in less than 2 minutes. This is very bouncy and rough over the bumps. I don't remember it being this rough.

This was on softest setting #1. I dialed it up to #5 this morning. I think it rides better. It is a more harsh ride but it does not dip up and down a bunch with the road. It is a very aggressive ride though.

Much less front to back rock on acceleration or deceleration. Off line traction seems better. It definitely corners flatter and better. There is less traction nanny interrupting my fun.

 

Put a few hundred miles this weekend on the shocks set at #5. I really, really like it. Car is much more stable. A lot more traction coming out of corners. Car really stays flat and grips very well in corners.

It is a bit stiff compared to Sport Suspension on the wife's JCW Clubbie bouncing around on the bumps.

 

This sounds like a path I may end up taking myself. I will be waiting patiently for impressions should you end up doing this

I am still going back and forth between a springs and shocks combo, or full blown coilovers, but these are very tempting at that price. That's a combo for about $600. Not bad at all.

Can anyone compare these with the Koni sports? The fact that they are adjustable is tempting to me. Even if you have to remove them to do it. I'm thinking since the closest track is a few hours away, and I don't have the financial capacity to keep buying brake pads and tires after track days, one of these cheaper spring and shock combos might be a better choice.

Thoughts? Thanks.

 

Still happy with my HD's. I was almost about to put H&R springs on it, but the vibration problem makes it a no-go. The Pss10's will drop it a bit. Don't know if it is in the range where the vibration starts.

Don't go cheap coilovers. Cheap shocks are, well like the OEM ones. Many love Koni's. I prefer Bilsteins. Both quality.

 

What vibration are you talking about? Currently I don't have any except made by the engine that is rpm dependent or the stereo system.

 

The vibration about half of the folks who lower their cars suffer. There are two active threads on the subject.

 

Ordered from Bavauto over the weekend, and they're getting delivered today!!! My friend and I are planning on having a DIY day next week to install some parts (he has a sienna red E46 328Ci). I'll report on the progress...

 

You will like the difference over the stock struts. Are you changing springs too?

 

Yup. Mach V springs! I actually picked them up in person at Mach V's shop since they're about 45min away from me.

 

Sweet!

I have the NM springs, bilsteins and NM rear sway bar. If the Mach V springs are like the NM you will love it!

 

Sooooooo....? How are they? I work an hour and change from Mach V. I just need the good review so I can pull the trigger.

I'm very anxious to know what you think as I remember people saying that these were not meant to be used with lowering springs. This was when they first came out. However, now it seems like everybody is combining them with lowering springs. I just want to make sure this is a good combo.

 

I just put on the JCW sport suspension springs with the Bilstein HDs and it's pretty amazing. It's suprisingly not a rough ride at all.

The springs are a bit stiffer but the HDs make for a smooth ride. Outstanding braking and cornering with little lift on launch.

Keep in mind that the JCW sport suspension springs lower the MINI by about half an inch. Not too extreme a drop but a huge difference in ride and handling.

 

The HD's are not designed for shorter springs. They are direct OEM replacement. They work fine with stock springs. ( I am sure the sport springs as well). It is a matter of they did not change the center of travel. It is not that they will "blow out" due to this as some claim, but that you have reduced your travel. Travel is a good thing. That's what suspensions do.

ANYONE with an MCS. CHANGE YOUR SHOCKS to HD's or maybe FSD's. You can't believe how bad the stock shocks are. You will find you don't have to stop like a buss for railroad tracks, can actually hit a bump in the corner, and a few rattles went away. Ironic Mini claims they "handle like a go-cart". Truth in advertising. They do. Carts have no suspension and can't hit a bump without spinning out either!

Scotta, any hint of the deadly mystery vibration? Looking at the car sitting level, are the half-shafts still sitting with a little bit of angle down?

 

I have had no vibration issues. I will take a look at the half-shafts but With lowering the MINI half an inch I suspect they still have a slight down angle.

The only difference I have discovered with researching out the Bilsteins HDs and Sports is the placement of the bump spot. My thoughts are that the half an inch lowering from the JCW sport suspension springs which are stiffer will probably still not get you more contact with the internal bump stops on the HDs.

 

That's exactly what I thought. It seems a few people are using them with lowering springs anyway. Bavauto says they are specifically designed for use with lowering springs, but I think they made a mistake. They list the "Heavy Duty" shock for sale, but it seems like the description is about "sport" shocks. Check it out.

http://www.bavauto.com/shop.asp

Confusing?

Edit: looks like the link doesn't keep the exact page I was on...

 

Yes, confusion about the Sport and HD. Turner listed the sport, but sells the HD. The sport is designed for a drop, the HD is not. From following these threads, I am not sure the Sport is actually available in NA.

 

I talked to technical support at Bilstein before buying my HDs to be used with Eibach lowering springs. He said that the HD's will work fine with up to 1 1/2 drop, which pretty much covers all brand lowering springs out there. I don't every feel that I bounce off the bump stops like I did on the stock shocks. And I don't think I would want this car any stiffer then it is right now. The ride is a perfect balance of comfort and sport.

 

Which pretty much means everyone should go out and buy a set. You won't be disappointed!

 

Any have Bilstein's on stock S springs? Do the HD's give a smoother ride?

 

I have described this several times before:
It no longer smacks the wheel out of your hands when the front hits a bump.
It no longer bounces in the air when you hit a bump.
It no longer jumps sideways when you hit a bump in the corner.
It no longer does funny things when you jump on it hard.
You no longer need to fear railroad crossings. I don't even slow down.
The body does not seem to shake as much.
In other words, it does the job at hand, that is to keep the tire on the ground. You get a lot more traction from pavement than air.
Overall it is about the same as the V1's were on my RSX.

It IS stiff. It is a sports car, not a town car. If you want a town car, go get Justa springs. You may want to consider FSD's if you want a town car feel. Just what I have been told. Never driven on them. What it is, is controlled. Any softer it would not have the handling. Any stiffer would not handle real roads. Just right. I do not know how they do their valving, but I am a total Bilstein convert now. I have owned many performance shocks; Avo, Koni, Armstrong, Tockio, KYB, and KW. No complaints about any of them, just like the Bilsteins better.
Dumping the run-flats for RE960's made it lots quieter, MUCH faster, and has less "harshness".

 

Thanks. Never drove a Justa, not on the radar with no turbo.

Our S came with Conti runflats, and from what I have read are the best riding runflat out there.

Just wondered, because Bilstein's do all that on my 2500HD crewcab truck. Railroad tracks no longer a big bounce/side ways jossle, and no need to slow down. Most def the first thing to do with a truck, heck I would factory order Bilstiens if that was an option.

Sounds like to me on the MINI the B6 HD Bilstiens will similarly not harshen the normal factory S ride, and make it less harsh in the big bumps.



Looking on the Bilstien site and install instructions, it says they lower the car. Apparently a generic note, not applicable to the MINI.

 

The HD does not lower the car. It is an exact replacement fit.

 

I continue to love the Bilstein HD's on both my mini and my Liberty CRD. The CRD is my wifes daily driver and she couldn't believe the difference in the ride and handling on the CRD after the change.

 

I oto mention that when I spec'd out the JCW sports suspension springs for my MINI I had the MINI part's department select all options on the spring selector screen (i.e. automatic transmission, navigation system, HI/FI system...) These are things my MINI does not have but it gave me stiffer springs by selecting these options. See the screen capture below:

 

Ok, I've had them on for about a month now, and I couldn't be happier about the handling. It's the Bilstein HD shock / Mach V spring combo. I had the stock sport suspension on before which IMO was a very good suspension. This new setup just improves on it by making it more tight and responsive. There's no wallow when braking or making sharp turns. It just handles like I want it to plus the lowering just makes it look more sporty / aggressive. I say pull the trigger on the setup, you won't be dissapointed.