Hierarchy of Suspensions - Help?

[Herman Chan <hermanc2@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Greetings,

I appeal to you fellow E36 comrades for some input on suspension overhaul.

Car: 92 318is, 66k miles; wearing front x-brace and 225/50-16 tires

Maladies: (recently) poor directional stability, loss of handling precision
          (inherent) moderately excessive body roll and suspension underdamping

Objective: To improve body control, in damping (especially) and roll
(somewhat) without having to make the car appreciably lower or ox-cart
stiff.  Performance, not looks, at minimal cost ;)

I'm planning the replace the front ball joints and control arm bushings to
take care of the first set of problems, and figured it's as good a time as
any to do the springs/shocks too.

After combing 5 yrs worth of digests to gauge suspension mods, I'm more
confused than ever.  I suppose what I'm looking for is a *moderate* level
upgrade, but most of the aftermarket stuff out there is scaring me off with
talk of 1.5" drops and stiff shocks.  My car is a daily driver and would
see only occasional track time if at all.  I don't want to bang speed bumps
or scrape driveways and don't care about the looks.  No European Car-style
cars for me.

I realize that suspension evaluation is probably one of the most personal
and subjective things relating to cars, but I would still appreicate input
to try to form some sort of consensus as to how all the different options
relate to each other on the hierarchy of comfort -> performance.

These are the options I have come up with, along with the impressions that
I have gotten for each one; feel free to express your opinions and real
world experience:

* The ready made 'matched' options:

- - Factory sport suspension parts (~$438 for shocks/~$360 springs with CCA
disc.)

Expensive, yes; overpriced, probably, but should be good quality and the
mildest change.  Unfortunately, the sport suspension option was somewhat of
a rare bird on US spec 318's and thus I have no way to confirm my
suspicions.  I was able to discover that the 325 sport supposedly has +15%
stiffer springs, +25% shocks, and -15mm/-10mm drop front/rear.

- - Dinan Stage 1 (~$900 w/bilstein, ~$1100 with konis)

Again, expensive and overpriced, but it's turnkey and has the least drop
(.75") of any aftermarket option.

- - Sachs Sporting kit ($650)

Only been able to find one person that has actually tried this kit, and he
ditched it 6 mos later.  Supposed to be softer than the usual performance
norm yet still drops the car 30-40mm (1.2-1.6").  However, it is supposedly
well-received in Europe.

- - Takeoff M3 suspension

I've heard of people trying this before but unable to find a set of
suitable front springs for the lighter 318 front end.

- - RD Sport, AC Schnitzer, etc.

Expensive.  Probably too extreme for my taste.


* Mix and match options:

- - Stock springs with Bilstein HD's or Boge turbo-gas

Would they match?  How much stiffer?  Everyone shouts 'springs and shocks
should be a matched set.'

- - H&R or Eibach springs with Bilstein sports

The choice of rabid digesters everywhere.  1.3-1.5" drop.  Probably enough
real world experience to negate the 'matched set' mantra.  I could probably
live with the taller H&R OE sport springs, but alas, no such application
for 318's.

- - Factory sport springs with HD's or Sports or Konis?

Perhaps some of you with the sport package option have replaced only the
shocks?


* Theoretical Stuff

- - Strategic substitutions of M3 upper strut bearing and control arm bushing
to improve front geometry.  Are the M3 parts compatible with the non-M3
parts?  I figure slightly better camber would be nice, and more castor
would definitely help mitigate the wayward nature of regular E36's.


- - Bilstein vs Koni vs Sachs/Boge?
- - Eibach vs H&R?

Opinions?  Not trying to start a holy war.  I'm sure they're all good
quality.  Is the adjustability of the Koni's worth the premium?

Any feedback, postive or negative, would be appreciated.

TIA,
Herman
92 318is
waiting for Santa to deliver new goodies

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