RE: Rear shocks?

["Foster, Lawrence" <Lawrence.Foster@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I'd never been too impressed with Boge/Sachs shock quality until I went to
replace the OEM Boge/Sachs high pressure mono-tube shocks on my Jeep Grand
Cherokee at 90K miles.  After five BMWs with Boges, I figured that they had to
be shot.  Imagine my surprise that even after 90K miles they were stiffer than
the Bilsteins that I put on. No leaks either.

As a side note, I found it pretty interesting to be paying $50 a shock for
Jeep Bilsteins when a comparable BMW Bilstein sells for up to twice that.

Lawrence Foster
'88 E-28 M5



>
> Date: Wed, 20 Feb 2002 12:56:40 -0600
> From: alex.fadeev@domain.elided
> Subject: Re: Rear shocks? 92 325i
>
> Doug,
> Bilstein is still what is used to be. Which is to say one of the best
> shocks you can buy for your car. The other solid choice are
> Koni shocks,
> but they since they some in either single or double adjustable variety
> those are typically a bit more expensive.
> Wanna bet that your reputed independent shops sells Boges and
> not Bilsteins
> and that has something to do with their recommendation?
> In my admittedly limited experience with OE Boges (sample
> size of three
> BMWs), you get what you pay for: they do not last. Two sets
> of my Boges had
> failed within 40K miles on my two E36 cars and were past gone
> by the time I
> got my E30 with 89K miles on them.
> That E30 got Bilstein HDs soon afterwards and now has 203K
> miles, 110K of
> those on the Bilstein HDs. I was replacing rear shock mounts
> on that car
> the other weekend and the shocks are as strong as new. And
> yes, they do
> come with a lifetime warranty but I would overestimate its importance
> unless you will be swapping the suspension yourself. If you
> are not a DIY
> suspension guy, most of your cost would be in the labor and
> time involved
> it taking the shocks out, keeping the car on the blocks until
> free lifetime
> replacements arrive and putting the replacement shocks back on.
> As far as recommendations go, the best one I can give you is to join a
> local BMW club and seek out and drive local cars with
> modified suspension.
> Pick the one you like best and do the same thing to your car.
> Either that,
> or play it safe and go with Bilstein HDs and stock springs.
>
> YMMV,
> alex f

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