Quote:
Originally Posted by sys64738
Hi all,
Spent a lot of time going through this forum before I pulled the trigger on a new 2020 X3M Base - Donington Grey, 21" OEM wheels w/Conti's, Adelaide Gray int. This is my first BMW (and thus my first M car). I am coming out of a 2018 Audi SQ5 (with air suspension). This is my DD. I know an M car is not supposed to feel soft, but coming off a smooth as silk air suspension, I do want to smooth the ride out a bit in my X3M, esp. over big bumps in the road. So, on to the questions:
1. Springs. I've read a lot about the MSS Urban springs. This seems the best first step. I've read the various threads and watched the YT video. Has anyone else with a X3M Base (non-comp) installed the MSS Urbans? If so, did you keep it at stock height or lower? I've seen a lot of folks lower to 1", has anyone done something a little less, like 1/2"?
2. Tires. I have the Conti's. In my neck of the woods we get sub freezing temps, snow, and the occasional ice storm. I've done winter's before on my Audi and disliked having to do the swap, so I prefer all season tires. Yes, I know they aren't as good in the summer as summers, or as good in the winter as winters. But, they are a good middle ground IMHO. I've seen a few folks say they have swapped in AS tires on their X3/4Ms, but haven't heard much feedback. So, for those that have done this, what sizes, tires, etc did you go with? I've been thinking about two options --
Tires: Scorpion Zero All Season Plus - https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...RatingsReviews
Sizes: 265/40/21s on the front and rear, (square) -or- 265/40/21s on the front, 295/35/21s on the rear
Since I am not a "tire guy", are there any gotchas to consider with either size option? Would spacers be "required" with either option?
Also, I noticed that, at least on my X3M with stock wheels/tires, the speedo was already reading 2mph high consistently (at highway speeds) so it would be nice to "correct" this back to actual values as well.
Thanks for any insight you guys can provide. |
MSS upgrade is by far the best improvement for softening up your daily ride. Ride height is personal so you may have to do some testing to find the best comfort/aesthetic combo for you.
As far as tires, just depends what you want to do with your M car. Unless you're tracking your SAV you won't be able to discern any performance difference on the street with the Michelin AS tires vs the 4S. Maybe in those rare moments when you're going 10/10 in tight turns. However, you will notice a more comfortable ride and don't have to be concerned when colder temps hit. I stuck with stock size. I figured BMW invests millions into R&D and the sizes are selected for a reason.
Just my two cents.