BILSTEINS IN THE BIN

A long-term review (4 years / 45,000 mile) of the Bilstein B12 suspension kit for the E36.
UK Pothole repair league table: www.fillthathole.org.uk/leagu...
Thanks for watching!
/ pamogriffiths

[@yojay1]

Well done for calling this out! Bilstein have always had a problem with rusting and poor paint on the B6/12, but failing entirely is unacceptable.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks, the paint/rust is very poor. The metal under the paint is devoid of plating which in this environment is useless.

[@davomyarse]

I’m the ‘friend from Oxford’ with the AP coilovers. Mine have seen some road miles but also track abuse, including surviving a broken suspension arm that nearly saw a wheel come off. They’re only height adjustable but I have found them a good jack of all trades coil over that does everything I need. Unless I was purely track or competing I don’t think I would have a reason for any more. I will say the tyres on the stock e36 15”bottle caps rubbed on the coils but I run staggered style 68s with R888s with no issue. Everyone will tell you what they have is the best though, nice to see a video that doesn’t for once!!!!

[@terrymanoranjan6006]

I’ve got the b6 kit on my 46. I run it on estate rear springs and shocks as it’s a vert and they break rear springs and fail the rear shocks. Been in the car for over 6 years and still perfect. I’m extremely happy with them

[@ryanhansen7]

I literally have that in my cart right now. Springs too. I’m glad I caught this first.

[@S7midnight]

Hey! I bought mine in 2014 and had been using them in my track day E36 for 5years, and now they're in my daily E36 (😃). I'm sure they must have done about 80k miles or so. They're still ok (the same result at MOT throughout the years) As far as the ride quality is concerned in case of my set (B12 + eibach anti rollbars) it all depends on what u expect when you buy them - I don't think they're supposed to work good when commuting in town or sth. To me they worked ok at the track but they worked brilliantly at the speed over 100mph on normal road ☺️. I think that stock shocks work 1000 times better for normal, slow commuting, because these (B12) can even cause serious problems with spine if you try to use them for "normal driving"

[@jimdcars]

Not me watching this AFTER buying the b12 kit… I’m yet to install it and seriously considering sending them back and getting koni

[@Harleyforever20]

I’m looking to trash my oem shocks and struts. Just the other day my best friend called me and asked what he should put on his car. I told him Bilstien B4. I have been looking hard at the KYB for OE replacement. I live in the U.S.A. In the heart of the south. For me it’s going to be a decision between the B4 and the KYB. I appreciate you sharing your experience. I feel your disappointment when you spend allot of money on a product and it doesn’t meet your expectations. The KYB will serve you well.

[@nickg4135]

glad i found this video, was going to pull the trigger on the b12 kit. I'm already having a terrible time with the rubbish suspension i have where the sway bar end link mount snapped and blew one of my tires. might look into some quality stuff like KW next time around

[@tiitsaul9036]

Thanks for the update. I agree with you. My e28 shocks lasted over 30 years (made in West Germany) and only failed due perished dust boots.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Now that's some awesome longevity. Far exceeding what I would consider "quality". Thanks for commenting again 👍

[@iainhay2823]

Nice to see a vid from you even if it is because of a failure. Absolutely stunned to see Northumberland is good at filling holes in that league table, one nearly swallowed my Z3 recently it was that big! Had a bilstein shock top fail on me after about 300miles with some fairly spirited driving round your way, replaced it no problem but took a bit of chasing. Using Kyb on my zed and so far it's been nothing short of excellent.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks Iain, I was surprised at the tables. How far down Poole and Bournemouth are and how most of the top slots are taken by Northern districts. Glad to hear the Kyb shocks are holding up 👍

[@garrydiggins3181]

I’ve just fitted them to my M3 evo about 2 months ago fingers crossed don’t do much more than about 2 or 3000 miles a year though at the most

[@eckd50]

Cheers for putting this video together. I have been thinking about upgrading my rear super cheap rear shocks for a while to match the front bilsteins (which I did notice an improvement with) but couldn't quite bear shelling out £200 on. I'll have a look at some alternatives! Great channel, currently thinking about putting my Gauge S in... 🙂

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Nice one mate. Thanks for the appreciation.

[@jimmyboyd817]

I have a 1996 328 sport coupe and had b4's fitted on the rear and eibach springs. Had to replace both shocks after 15k also had a broken spring in November so roughly 4 years of use.replaced with b4's again and Lesjöfors Swedish springs so bit softer this time and handling isn't as good.Thinking I'll just try these KYB's when I replace the fronts in the summer.

[@razvanyke]

Very nice video, man ! New Sub here. I love the honesty and the way you told the story. Take care !

[@theman383]

I used these KYBs on my 2010 Ford Focus .. the ride was just calm , planted and smooth .. doesn’t regret the purchase !

[@ManSeeksCivic]

That's brilliant, no ones really offered any information about them. I appreciate it 👍

[@jameschapman5748]

Eibach Pro Street S Coilovers have been fantastic, I live in pot hole county, Wiltshire and they are a perfect comprise in my opinion

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Nice feedback. I've not considered these.

[@VeganBytes]

Have B6 shocks on my mx5 2019 from factory. Not even 30k miles and my rear left shock is clunking badly going over uneven road. Will be removing all bilstein dampers gradually and opting for koni. Im a bit strapped for cash right now so x2 rears will get changed first, and probably after a fortnight the fronts will get replaced 👍

[@baileybehzadi2308]

Dang was thinking of getting the B12 kit for my Saab 9-5. Might consider koni reds and maptun springs. Or just getting coilovers. Haven’t had issues on the coil overs on both my Subarus (HKS & Tein)

[@wolfcrossing2734]

I caught your video ("BILSTEINS IN THE BIN", 22 March 2022) just as I was about to pull the trigger for a Bilstein (B12) Kit with Eibach springs. Now, I think I will have to do a bit more due diligence and take another look at some of Bilstein’s competitors. Very much appreciate your efforts and report.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks, I appreciate the interaction. Good luck with your choice, whatever it may be.

[@khestehave]

I feel your pain and I’m sorry you’ve had those experiences with these shocks. However some of the areas you touched upon can be explained. The minimum warranty a product (any product) must have in the EU (you were in the EU at the time of purchase 🙃) is 2 years. Why it is different in the US can have many reasons like legislation and the market situation I.e. competition. The warranty is not determined based on how long they believe the product will last, a company is free to provide a longer warranty if they feel so inclined, but not a shorter one. KYB can be using a longer warranty as a competitive measure to get you to buy their product instead of another. As for the warranty for the replacement shock you got from Bilstein they were not forthcoming with the correct information because when you get a replacement, the 2 year warranty “starts over”. It is not from the initial purchase even though it is a component in a set. If the left front shock goes and is replaced the left front shock has a new 2 year warranty on it. I have had a B12 Sport Line kit on my e46 track day car for 6 years now with no problems and just installed B6’s on my 911 this summer so I hope I won’t run into the problems you have seen so far.

[@csalmon4406]

So... I've had many sets of shocks. Best so far on the front was the std Bilsteins off the avus 328 sport stamped bmw. But that's for the front of a few E36s I've had. But every rear minus koni yellows and MTS tecknik ( not TAs!! ) have pissed oil or failed to return. I've still got AP Gewindefarhenwerk Fronts somewhere.... Buried. Rears binned.

[@redpanda906]

Thanks for the video Pamo. I've got a Bilstein B12 eibach kit on my e90 330d...due to covid I've hardly done any miles since it was fitted but now I'm worried.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Don't be worried, be vigilant and check them.

[@frankm5834]

Bruh. I just had B12 pro kit fitted to my e90 saloon daily driver. Fingers crossed, it turns out okay. Whenever I replace my shocks on all 4 corners, I change everything it works with like top mounts, lower mounts, spring pads (very important), arms too if the bushings are weak etc. Never put new shocks on worn components. Do it nice or do it twice. This is the way with Bimmas. (Man, my Lexus was headache free lol) Another thing to note is, BMW fits different springs for the same model. Each car has springs fitted to it based on options the vehicle is equipped with e.g sunroof, convertible etc…but I’m not 100% certain if aftermarket suspension manufacturers account for this variation in models re optional equipment from factory which increase or decrease the overall weight of the cars. Hence the mixed reviews on them. Not invalidating your experience. Just a thought. Let’s see how my new B12 pro kit set up turns out. *In Terminator’s voice* I’ll be back.

[@flybobbie1449]

I have B6 all round ,std. springs, rears since 2014 front since 2016. Done about 45k now on Z4 E89. Still OK. some edges of tube have rusted, touch of paint keeps them reasonable looking on the edges. I have noticed recently the front left shock seems to have some play at the rod to seal interface. But last time i checked the play had gone?

[@bassiclymike]

Thank you Pamo, very informative and great detail! I watched and listened with great interest as I have Bilsteins on my '98 328i convertible. They've been on for several years and have performed well. I noticed you have the B8 shocks (24-027250), while I am using the B6 shocks (24-027243) with the stock BMW springs. I am preparing to replace the rear shocks only because Northeast US weather has gotten to them and the rod is badly corroded at the top, losing a good portion of its diameter. I don't feel they are safe at this point. The only issues I've had with the rear suspension are an upper shock mount that had the rubber completely disintegrate, and a couple broken springs. Interesting in that the springs had only about 2/3 to 3/4 of a coil break at the lower spring perch each time. I hear that can be an issue with the stock springs. I drive similarly as you describe, no track days, no drifting, just normal and occasionally spirited highway and local road driving. I'll stick with them for now but am interested to hear any more info you may come across. I wonder if it's the shocks or maybe the components in the kit don't play together nicely? On another note, I put KYB Gas-A-Just Monotube shocks on my 2002 Ford Explorer Sport and they are performing nicely.)

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Brilliant, a report from the US and now the second experience with a different spring combination. The thinning of the top is so common and must be a design fault with the rear wheel arch shape - every 36 seems to suffer here. I'm very intruiged by the spring combo as maybe the red eibach springs that came with my shocks are a major contributor here. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@bassiclymike]

@@ManSeeksCivic I finally got around to replacing those Bilsteins on my 328i with another pair of the same. Still had decent compression and rebound but on one shock as I compressed it (rod-end down), a good amount of oil came out at the bottom of the stroke. The other was fine. The rods had corroded down to about 3/4 of their diameter at the top near the mount. The new ones are fine so far, been in a couple of weeks.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Great update info Mike, thanks for sharing 👍

[@_coffeeandcigars]

One of the B8s on the rear leaked after 2-3 years when i noticed it. I thought they were the thing to have and they were expensive. Looking at KW or one of their daughter companys (ST or AP) next time...

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks for sharing your experience 👍

[@spiro4754]

Have the b6 in my volvo v70I. Over 200.000 km . No problems and work like on first day.

[@ghostwrench2292]

I've got Bilstein B8's with H&R springs that I fitted about 9 months ago on my Volvo S40. I, too, did the full kit (new shock/strut mounts/control arms/alignment) and so far, I am very pleased with the set up. I service my car regularly and will keep an eye on everything. Bilstein has lifetime warranty here in USA (and the vendor from which I bought them offers that on everything they sell) but I would still be irritated if I had to replace a damper after only 9k miles and pretty peeved if I had to do it again at 35k miles.

[@MrCaptainCornflake]

I hear what you're saying about being disappointed, especially for the price point of a B12 kit. I've had mixed experiences with Bilstein shocks- a near new B6 set that lasted a couple of months on my E36 and a well used B8 set that survived years of abuse on my E46 touring. I also have a set of front Bilstein M3 coilovers on my E36 track car, which have performed fantastically for years on track, with some occasional road use. These were second hand when I first fitted them and never caused me any issues at all. I've also had very good experience with KYB shocks on numerous cars in the past. The worst (shocking) experience was from a set of AVO adjustable rear shocks on my E36 track car. One pair of shocks lasted just 3 trackdays, with zero road driving and no "offs". These were replaced (begrudgingly) under warranty after a lot of arguing. A few more trackdays and 3-5 months of occasional road use later and one of ther shocks had completely blown its seals to the point it was knocking. AVO point blank refused to warranty this, despite being well within a year of original purchase and under 5,000 miles covered. I would urge anyone to avoid AVO products completely.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Interesting stuff, my fronts seem to be absolutely fine, somehow I'm not surprised as it seems to be the rears that suffer on the 36. As for the avo's - that's very very poor. I'll take heed and steer clear. Thanks for the input 👍

[@Tonigr]

Oh, that is a pitty! My experience with three Bilstein B12 Pro Kits (with black Eibach springs) is absolutely positive. The first kit i installed ever was on my mums 2003 Opel Vectra C GTS 3.2 and the Bilstein/Eibach parts are probably the best thing on the car after 160k-200k kms/100k-125k miles (300k kms/ 187500 miles in total). My mum uses/used this car for everything ... hauling stuff (with scraping hitch), towing, vacations all around europe, going a little bit off road and she moved to germanys east (a lot of bad cobblestone roads), etc.. She just got a Diesel Q3 for daily use recently but the Opel is still needed because of the trailer hitch. The second car i installed a B12 Pro Kit was the 1997 Honda CRX Del Sol EH6 of my girlfriend. That was around 8 years ago, still going strong (car and suspension kit) with the least issues ever - such a reliable little runabout. The third car with that Pro Kit was my unreliable 1995 E36 318ti shitbox (with a lot of M3 components as well). Loved that thing

[@ManSeeksCivic]

This is really interesting. If I can ask, where are you located/what market are you in. This usage is what I was expecting from the Bilsteins - also the use of the black springs 🤔. Could it be that the red option I went for is a major contributing factor!

[@Tonigr]

@@ManSeeksCivic I am located near Cologne, Germany. 88km/55mls away from the Bilstein headquarters. To be fair: my gf is complaining about a slightly clunky noise coming from the rear but I am quite a heavy fella and we can not replicate the noise with me inside the car. Maybe the suspension, maybe some bushings ... still drives great. So the springs are the major difference here. Both are made by Eibach and they have a great reputation in my car-world-bubble. I've seen broken H&R springs a couple of times myself but never Eibachs.

[@peterdiaz33]

@@Tonigr Same here. Bilstein Prokit (coil spring black), no problems. I am delighted.

[@damiantaylor7993]

I know that Bilstien had a real bad batch of shocks, I myself have Bilstien’s B12 kit on my E63, and to be fair they have been spot on and that is in Central Scotland, and as you may know the roads are atrocious up here, and the B12 kit for that was £1350 or there abouts, you may also be able to take the route of taking Bilstien to the small claims court as the product isn’t fit for purpose, this you can be proven because Bilstien has already changed the shocks twice, it’s a route that maybe be open to you

[@neiljackson5137]

I have the B12 sprint setup on my e36 touring and I will 100% be checking my rears this weekend!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I'm sure there are thousands of these units in use and doubtless many will do much more than mine have, but for me-it'll be something else next time.

[@neiljackson5137]

Totally understandable mate. Did you fit new dust boots when you fitted them?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I did, new dust boots, gaskets, bump stops and meyle HD top mounts. The full monty.

[@neiljackson5137]

In that case, I totally agree.. unacceptable

[@KostadinDelizhanski]

for non track use Monroe oeSpectrum m-tech shocks are very budget friendly option... tested for 3 years everyday on mix of coble stone road and nice asphalt also... they still hold up nice... for the price a good option

[@jospoz619]

4 years of heavy rain and bad roads. Track used I think it’s a pretty good life span specially if driven on snow and salty ocean areas. Quality is not there anymore. K3 kw are failing too. I used to be a strong believer of KW. Thanks for you video great info.

[@harryfitchett6004]

I didn't actually know you'd put B12s on your Stroker build, but I put them on my 328i Sport last year. I'm yet to see any issues with them, but at the same time I only do something like 6k miles a year in it so I would hope to not see any problems just yet. I too am based near Oxford and the roads are sort of 50/50; the more main roads are fine, but B roads and other backroads are pretty awful. Also the replacement KYB's you've bought, even if stock, are still very good shocks from what I know and have heard, but I'm sure you'll find out if the opposite is true due to your higher annual mileage.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Thanks for the input Harry, long may yours reign and quick should the road repair be 👍

[@davide3027]

I think that the shock absorbers for BMWs where traction with larger rear tires are weak but also Koni that bilstain the decidedly thin stem does not hold up for a long period.. they should do for BMWs with larger stems I have a Z3 with a 245 in the back. . the Konis even though they didn't leak oil .. the car right side i.e. roadside Italy shock absorber was in resonance .. solution to have a shock absorber made with large rods .. like the front one by craftsmen ..

[@vinceevans3219]

I really rate the kyb ultra sr they are a sports shock I've had them on the 306 for 6 years they are painted a copper colour

[@bumspanka0927]

I have B4s, no problem, but I totally agree with you, your experience was completely unacceptable

[@serbancordis3416]

Do the kybs offer the same ride? I hope the new kyb will be holding well.

[@SlowCarsFastSFV]

Noticed lowering springs. Did you run adjustable end links and revised bump stops in the rear?

[@leoxu1299]

If I wanna raise the car a little, which strut would you recommend?

[@JackTheLad10]

Had Bilstein B14 coilover kit for my vehicle & like yourself expected good things but they deteriorated so fast, ie pitting on the shaft because they didnt come with a dust cover & causing the seals to fail etc, I will not use Bilstein again, Had KW beforehand and they were excellent, build quality, performance, totally knocked the shit out of Bilstein for performance and quality/longevity, I think Bilstein lean on their name as quality but its anything but that.

[@ChrisE1965]

I too live in Durham. I had a e91 320d that I used for work. I fitted a set of B6 shocks to my car with standard springs. I’m in my 50’s and use the car to travel around the area. I loved the firmer feel of the bilstein dampers. After 70k miles and less than 2 years my front dampers failed, knocking. Bilstein replaced them under warranty. 50k miles later the replacement shocks also failed outside of the original warranty period but within a year. I replaced all my dampers with Sachs dampers who supply bmw with OE supply. Do I prefer Bilstein, yes. Am I prepared to put up with repeated failures going forward. NO. I also have a Porsche Boxster that use Bilstein as OE suppliers but later this year I will face replacement of the Porsche dampers. I’m now erring towards Koni. For the record I dive have the Mtec suspension on my E39 540 sport. This was Sachs supplied dampers as they are OEM for BMW. They were great. All of my BMW’s have had standard fit suspension and all have lasted 140k miles ish before needing replacement.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Another similar story, thanks for sharing Chris. Are you Durham UK?

[@ChrisE1965]

@@ManSeeksCivic at the time I was in Darlington. Now live in Stockton on Tees. Think I still have the 2nd set of front dampers that failed kicking around somewhere.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

A local with local experience - that's very interesting. I now have my own shop over near Peterlee, if you ever need anything feel free to get in touch at Rust and Repair. Co UK. Thanks Chris.

[@alexcohcoaching]

Got my B8 this week, installation done by a professional. I have a BMW E63. The manual delivered with the shocks, for the rear, was a little unclear and incomplete, but the shop said there were no issues with installation. 38 km later the right started clunking, then just gave out. 1 km after that, the left gave out. front were fine. contacted Bilstein, they rejected the warranty as they claimed a 2mm spacer was missing that goes above the bumpstop. this was not mentioned anywhere in the manual, be it paper or online. 0 mentions. customer service was arrogant. I am now nearly 2k into this with installation fees, forced to buy another set of rears as planned to take my wife on a driving holiday starting on Monday(cancelled now as I don´t trust these will last). Not sure where this leaves me, I will likely try another install because nothing to lose, but I fully expect these to fail once again very quickly as the amount of reviews I found against the quality are overwhelming. My original Sachs shocks lasted 16 years and 80 000 miles for reference, and they cost a fraction of this shite. Beyond disappointed. should have bought KW.

[@sorekuk]

Great video again Pamo! I am happy I wasn't the only one with such issues before. I ran B12 kit in my E39 Touring for years. Unfortunately I did use the car often on sub-par quality roads. That having said they did lasted 50k miles which is pretty impressive I would say. Having said that they went completely gone so couldn't relay on them anymore. Now I moved to B4 kit because I though they going to be more pleasant to drive. Unfortunately I am a little disapointed by they ride quality. Don't get me wrong, its much better than B12 in terms of comfort, but far off OEM Sachs Msport one that had perfect balance on ride quality. I wanted to go for adaptive KONI but I heard lots of bad opinions about them. Should have experimented instead. As for E36 goes I went with GAZ which are hand made in UK and to be honest I am very happy. With softest setting I feel like on a boat despite me having fully polybushed suspension! On harder ones track days are pleasures. Someone from Bilstein should watch your video!

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Sorek, thank you for your input - it's really valuable and very much appreciated. I like the look of Gaz, they make a lot of stuff which doesn't get the Internet buzz but quietly seems to perform. That speaks to me 👍

[@adonay944]

@@ManSeeksCivic I have GAZ coilovers on my porsche 944 trackcar and love them. The E36 has something alittle more expensive but with more or less the same rebound settings

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Gaz sounds good, 944 track car sounds great. You sir have good taste 👍

[@MDEV-86x86]

Bad opinions about Koni FSD ?...

[@skonasa]

I have 2005 Z4. Planing to change either to Bilstein or Koni. What do you think about Koni.

[@marcingala.]

Can You advise me some coil/spring kit for my 1998 E39 540i M-sport package? I want to replace FACTORY fitted coils just to have a piece of mind for a next years to come. I'm just for something similar or better than OEM version. I was going to buy B12 kit tomorrow when - by coincidance - i found this one... Current shocks still work fine, but i want to upgrade all bushings to poly - so when all suspension is down - why not to do shocks in the same time? Currently i'm thinking about koni str.t kit. All advices are welcome. Cheers.

[@santiagotavara3851]

Hey there!! which ones are the best Choice if I’d like to swap the stocks??

[@simonv2036]

I have just swapped out some blown Bilstein shocks in my USA spec e36 M3 1997. I bought used B12 kit with H&R springs, the rear shocks going in are serviceable (for now), but the older ones coming out are ompletely gone. It appears the oil is gone, the gas charge is still present. Hopefully my (new to me) shocks last but I agree, I think these shocks are poor quality.

[@ollieh5466]

How did the kyb shocks do? Iv got some old bilsteins i was going to get fixed up but might just get those instead

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I'd love to give and opinion, but the car has only done about 50 miles since then. I've had it off the road in my workshop getting some metal work done for too long. This is why my content has basically stopped

[@ollieh5466]

@ManSeeksCivic fair play man thanks for the reply anyway. Hope your shops doing well. Might need some rust work done myself soon my rear quater panels starting to rust on my old audi and your not too far away I'm in lanark. Not in a position to do it yet tho iv spent a fortune on it already 🤣

[@ManSeeksCivic]

I'd be glad to help, you know where to find me 😁

[@MDEV-86x86]

You should considerer Shockworks and Showa brands.

[@toyotabrony]

U probably have a bad shock issues. I’m still gonna go for B6 as my first upgrade.

[@straight6604]

Failed shock would not result in car sitting noticeably lower, even with the gas pressure. Must be something else also wrong. I didn't hear you mention what upper mounts you were using. Was it OE type like Lemforder or Mayle HD? One of my B8s recently blew out after 7 years on my E46. I blame it on a problem caused by the "improved", "stronger" mounts. The rear mount doesn't move straight up and down, but swings in an arc. So the top mount has to pivot. They are rubber with voids to allow movement, and also crack and fail over time. So the aftermarket makes stronger mounts that last longer and don't flex for a "performance upgrade". But now the shock is in bending as it strokes, which causes stress inside. I think the cheaper ones with smaller shafts can flex more and not get as much stress. Things like this don't just break for no reason, and they don't just make them to break. It depends on service conditions. Mounts cost $10 each and if I have to change them in 4 years or so, I'm fine with that.

[@MegaHollywood1971]

Your admission of bad roads / pot holes is your culprit. It's not a Bilstein issue, nor an install issue, it's "where" you drive.

[@darkoz1692]

I'd stick with the original Sachs shocks, on my E46 mine lasted 20 years before they had to be replaced.

[@bmwm3681]

Great…. If only I watched this earlier. Just fitted B6 Bilstein with Eibach springs on my e36 M3…

[@mohamadhamad770]

You aren’t actually supposed to use the b6 with lowering springs. The b6 is only for stock ride height springs. It will probably wear out the shock or strut faster if you use b6 with lowering springs, you need the b8 which is made for lowering springs.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

These B6 shocks are sold in the UK along with 2 different options of eibach springs as a matched kit retailed under the B12 Kit name. This marketing clearly impresses that they are designed to work together.

[@mohamadhamad770]

@@ManSeeksCivic really?! Here in the U.S it’s specifically stated everywhere that sells the B6 it’s only for stock ride height. The B8 is intended for lowering springs. And here in the U.S the B8s are actually part of the B12 kit. Do you think this might be part of the failures you are facing? Because it’s well known that using stock shocks or performance shocks meant for stock ride height with lowering springs will wear them out much faster in any application.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

That's very interesting, the markets are so different and with all I've learned - I'm at a loss to explain the discrepancies. All I'm left with is a lack of confidence in the product.

[@adamsubtract81]

Binsteins

[@nofyfb123]

4 years? You are lucky - both of mine failed within a year of highway driving.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Man that's poor 😟

[@skylerjennings9462]

I have moved away from using bilstein. I used to run B8’s on my e36 paired with the stock m3 springs (US spec). The shocks seemed to hold up to the horrible road conditions I subjected them to but they were just so rough. I wanted to chalk it up as the result of running stiffer performance shocks on trash roads but hitting minor road imperfections at highway speeds unsettled the car and it would enable the abs if I braked. Crossing rail road tracks was horrible. I think bilstein missed the mark on the valving because that isn’t very useful in a competitive setting. I now run stock m3 sach’s with eibach pro kit springs and 24mm front sway bar. Besides the springs dropping the car lower than advertised it does ride better and the compliance is far improved, especially at speed. I’ve heard solowerks coilovers are very nice for the price point.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Great information. Thanks for the input.

[@Sergeidm1]

How Kyb is doing?

[@daysofgrace2934]

Was it the same corner?

[@ManSeeksCivic]

No it was both at different times.

[@stevenlopez9687]

I have the OE struts/shocks on my 2006 Benz, go figure? 197500 miles.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

🤷‍♂️

[@steveworld3457]

Look at it the other way, you’ve 4 shocks on a car and you’ve had three failures but only in 2 locations (one location twice the shock has failed). So why has one location failed twice? I’d want to understand the variable of your car and your usage. Disappointing I agree and I’d question there reluctance to replace the shock that has failed again without taking it from you for further investigation. I run the B12 kit sport line with black springs on my E36 Sport and drive it very hard. No issues for me and transformed the handling as it was an avus spec car but a previous own had fitted B4 shocks which are not correct spec. Are there others reporting failures? If not I’d be inclined not to write off bilstein just yet. As for them offering a different warranty in North America many part suppliers and OEM’s do this in that market. Reasons legal, consumer rights and the typical usage profile is very different to Europe. Enjoy the videos and appreciate your view / experience.

[@stepanovps]

Bilstein was “ok” before BC Raicing hit the market.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

🤔

[@realtruth97]

Lowering springs could mess up the life of the shocks

[@diogo1966]

b8s are meant to go with lowering springs, thats why they made the b12 kit. B8s paired with eibachs

[@adellisdevelopmen6593]

Speaking as a yorkshireman(albeit living just outside Glasgow) I'm with you on longevity yes I like to lower cars for better centre of gravity as well as look and aesthetics Granted most standard shock failures from bmw Ford etc are wear and tear warranty I believe so not covered on an older vehicle but yes for the price of bilstein I'd want a minimum of 5year life However they are a business and I suppose built to fail or else they'd sell a product that would never fail and eventually go bust hahah Oh well good bye bilstein

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Obsolescence is a bitch. You've hit the nail on the head. Thanks 👍

[@canway88]

I had original BMW sachs shocks on my E36 and only replaced them at 120,000 miles! so 35,000 is pathetic

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Original quality 👍

[@CYMRU619]

Disappointing to hear this to be honest, I always thought this kind of kit was a fit and forget affair but seems not! It's not just the shocks failing that would annoy me, but having to wait weeks and then go back underneath the car when you've already done the job once. I have blue label Sachs Boge shocks and black eibach springs (30mm) on my E36 and they've covered around 25,000 miles and 4 track days with no problems. They are about as good as you can get for an OEM+ E36 in my opinion, not the best on track though mind.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

"fit and forget" is right in the money. That's what I'd expected. Sadly it just didn't work out. Thanks for contributing 👍

[@jbornelas56]

You had true

[@kimblewt]

I'm hoping all Bilsteins are not equal quality

[@alexsamson9942]

Here in the US, I have rear B4's and one of them started making an internal clunking sound after less than 1,000kms. Warranty was useless, they told me I should tighten the bolts properly. They know they can get away with that game. I dont have time to argue with them, it costs me money to do that. The mounts are all tightened to specs and I am not a novice mechanic. I replaced the B4's and the noise is gone. To hell with the warranty. Bilsteins are absolute garbage and I will NEVER buy anything bilstein again. Not to mention the morons in their warranty department.

[@mirzha001]

E36s always have destroyed shocks and e46 spring cracking is a 100%

[@Ghost129er]

Okay, absolutely did NOT expect that video, what a ride. Couple of things in order of me watching the video: - Was actually looking forward to getting some, just saw a post on FB about a guy's 328i with these and how it looked level and low, which attracted me to it (as did when your car sat with these). - The stuff looks helluva rusty and stuff, sure it's only natural with the rain you guys get and all the slosh and etc (even salt from deicing maybe..?) but those things look WORN. So much for all that paint and etc on them huh? I guess you guys paid for painted shocks rather than quality it seems... - I highly doubt even any of your modifications would have significantly altered the life of the shocks, and true, not attempting in any way to call you and old man but your driving has always been precise/etc. - I'm really tempted to get a whole set not to prove people wrong (I mean I just want a level E36) but how would you go abouts with keeping the car level? - Speaking of which to do with level, those red things were the springs right, what about those? Another video about 'Springs-BrandName in the Bin'? Cause the whole cherry on top with that set of Billies was that you got matching matching stuff to make the car look so good but such a shame/let down of all that if they're just going to go poof like that.. - How long do you reckon shocks are supposed to last? (OEM/Aftermarket/etc) For me, since I do A LOT of up down cross country for work and stuff here, my budget Aftermarket replacements usually get a life of 3-4 years and I thought that was pushing it. 45,000 miles to little or what you expect? For me I'd consider that a miracle, but then again you're saying there are guys who go 80k miles so yikes. More like some comments/questions from my end but ye, thanks for baring with my short essays as always~ And many thanks for these honest, fact backed videos with solutions rather than just feedback, always love how you give back info/bite the bullet for other E36 owners out there and give us feedback on such things.

[@ManSeeksCivic]

Hi mate, I always put function over form. The b12 kit is designed to be matched springs and shocks to give the best control, longevity and quality. The ride height lowering was consequential. As for longevity, I'd expect more from standard shocks than this, it depends hugely on use - hence my details about my usage but many thousands of miles more would be appropriate, ergo I'm not satisfied.

[@katarinaschick4714]

Bilstein is fine, but the weather in your country sucks. I follow guys from Europe who repair British cars and the condition of the cars is always pathetic, especially the chassis.

[@MDEV-86x86]

You are right. British chassis are rust !.

[@pheonixfps9248]

I've only ever seen issues with incorrect matched spring rates or failed springs with bilsteins, and like you, i'm a professional mechanic. I'm curious, was the shock failure the same corner everytime?

[@MrMpow3r]

I've recently had a similar experience with Bilstein B8's. I've also tried sachs m sport shocks with eibach springs and they were too soft for our pot holed and uneven roads. Was disappointed with the sachs as they are meant to be oem. Would be really interested to know how the kyb shocks have held up?