Re: KYB struts - 87 325ic Convertible

[alex.fadeev@xxxxxxxxxxx]

"leo nicholson" <leonicholson@domain.elided> wrote:
> I'll stay away from the KYB struts if they result in a harsh ride. 
> Bilstein are a bit pricey, so I'll check out Boge.

Leo,
FWIW, each and every shock manufacturer has more than one model in their 
lineup. To make things ever more confusing, manufacturers carry multiple 
brands (Boge and Sachs are the same company) and use different model names 
across the world (Europe's Koni 'Street Sport' is US's Koni 'Single 
Adjustable').
So it's a bit ambiguous to just say that KYB is harsher or softer than Bilstein or Boge. 

> Has anyone else had experience with less expensive brands?

The cheapest shock I ever tried were Boge/Sachs on both E30 and E36 cars. 
OE Boges truly on my E30 lasted about 80K miles and were past shot by the 
time I replaced them with Bilstein HDs at 100K miles.
OE E36 M3 Boges were way past shot at 50K miles when I had replaced them 
with Koni SAs.
My wife's E36 Sachs were so dead at 30K miles, we actually got them 
replaced under factory warranty. 

Based on the above, I would advise against Boge/Sachs products. They may 
be soft and cuddly, but unless you can DIY and are willing to swap them 
out every 30-50K miles, they are a waste of money.
The only two other shock manufacturers I had personally tried, Bilstein 
and Koni, were great. Bilstein HDs had clocked 120K miles on my E30 and 
were still as good as new at the time when I had sold the car. I am 
presently were happy with Koni SA quality and adjustability. Both come 
with lifetime warranty. 

YMMV, but as always, you get what you pay for.

alex f

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