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RE: <E28> 535iS Front Struts

>From: "Moazzam A. Mekan" <mmekan@domain.elided>
>          It is that time to change the struts (shocks) on my '87 535is. I
>          understand that the OEM was BOGE but I've heard great reviews
>          about Bilsteins. I have the following questions: (a) Are Bilstein
>          worth the money -- there are nearly twice as expensive as BOGEs;
>          and (b) if the answer is YES, then what kind of Bilsteins --
>          Soft, Sport, Hard, etc.

If you think Bilsteins are expensive, price the factory replacement shocks
for the 535iS from BMW which are Bilsteins specially valved for the M-tech
suspension which is what makes the "is" an "is".  The only reasonable
excuse for suggesting anything other than Bilsteins for a BMW used on the
street, IMO, is to save money.  I've never found anything better.  The
sport setting aftermarket Bilstein is the closest to what came in your car,
although the M-tech version is quite different, even when new it seemed to
behave differently just fooling around with it out of the car.  The
Bilsteins had to be strapped down to keep them from expanding and the
factory shocks were hard as hell to install because you had to pull the rod
*up* to get enough length to connect it to the upper bearing.  Can't say
how they perform differently cause since BMW was paying for mine under
warranty, I chose their shocks and haven't used the Bilstein aftermarkets
as a direct comparison.  I'm sure someone can make that comparison for you.

- -Phil Marx  BMWCCA #6021