[james]

Hi guys,
thought I was going crazy but I am starting to notice the car seems to sit lower to one side,
the drivers side.
I have check the gap in the wheel arches and it seems to be about 1cm higher up on the passenger side.

Now the car drives perfectly, never pulls one way when accelerating or braking.

I did try jumping up and down on the passenger sill to level the car out but didnt have much impact.

What do you guys think???

 

[comet]

Check your suspension coil springs, this is a common problem with E46s mine was fractured when I bought the car and it suddenly snapped while I was driving and the rear left wheel is about 1cm lower than the right one. It still drives fine however, no problems or nasty sounds. I'm having it fixed this weekend...

 

[james]

OK will get it checked or might have a look myself at the weekend,

its the whole drivers side which is lower which is a bit worrying, not just front or back...

 

[james]

OK well i checked and also got a mechanic today and both our diagnoses are:
nothing wrong with car in general

Looks like the springs on one side have given up / gone soft

all arms and struts and everything are bob on.
Springs arent snapped.
Very minor play in drivers ball joint which he thinks is common on BMs.
He said dont even bother with it for now.


Might get a set of eibachs, they are about 110£ delivered on ebay and I shall fit them
Guessing it will be more or the same for two new standard springs from BMW?

 

[Mr OBD]

What mileage is the car on?

Personally if its anything over 60K or getting close while everthing is off I would recommend changing the dampers at the same time. A great combo with the Eibach springs are Koni Sport and Bilstein dampers

Also keep in mind that top mounts are always good to replace while everthing is off and if the ball joints have play in them - again change them at the same time.

Don't forget to have the tracking and camber re-set after all new parts are fitted

 

[xXNealXx]

Fuel tank is located on the OS, so that may contribute to the lowering. Mine is the same...nothing to worry about :thumbsup.

 

[james]

YOYO

it wasnt just the fuel tank/battery making the car lean.
The driver side springs were very soft.

anyway eibachs on today and seems very level now, no leaning.

Although very shocked to find there is no front anti roll bar!!!!
even though it went straight through MOT just before I bought it.

shouldnt it be handling like poop without one???
and doesnt every car need to have one??


I have ordered one now anyway so will be on soon enough.

 

[xXNealXx]

YOYO



Although very shocked to find there is no front anti roll bar!!!!
even though it went straight through MOT just before I bought it.

shouldnt it be handling like poop without one???
and doesnt every car need to have one??


I have ordered one now anyway so will be on soon enough.

WTF??:jaw-dropping. How did they miss that?...Slack's uncle Jamal didn't do the MOT did he?...:shifty:

 

[RYM]

Fuel tank is located on the OS, so that may contribute to the lowering. Mine is the same...nothing to worry about :thumbsup.

Fuel tank runs across the width of the car, one side to another. Hence the reason for the pump being under the rear seat drivers side and the fuel level float the other side:rofl

This is a design flaw to compensate for the driver. Being German the car was designed to be a left hand drive so made ever so slightly lower on the driver side to make it balanced:thumbsup

BMW dealers will be able to supply you with a rubber that the rear coil spring sits in to rectify the concern.

All BMW's are the same:hihi

It is not a problem with your car, it is a problem with the manufacturer of the car:frown

 

[RYM]

YOYO

it wasnt just the fuel tank/battery making the car lean.
The driver side springs were very soft.

anyway eibachs on today and seems very level now, no leaning.

Although very shocked to find there is no front anti roll bar!!!!
even though it went straight through MOT just before I bought it.

shouldnt it be handling like poop without one???
and doesnt every car need to have one??


I have ordered one now anyway so will be on soon enough.

YOU MUST BE HAVING A PICKLED ONION!!!:yikes

 

[Ronnie]

Reason for rejection 2.4.G.2.

An anti-roll bar not fitted to an axle on which it is standard.

 

[328mark]

YOU MUST BE HAVING A PICKLED ONION!!!:yikes

eh? :confused
is this a west country saying?
what does it mean? lol
i've heard tin bath or giraffe used,but a pickled onion:confused

 

[RYM]

eh? :confused
is this a west country saying?
what does it mean? lol
i've heard tin bath or giraffe used,but a pickled onion:confused

I understand tin bath and giraffe oh and bubble bath, IIRC that's cockney rhyming slang:hihi

Pickled onion also gets used where I am, I don't know why?:rofl

If you've never heard that one before then I guess it sounds rather strange:hihi

Be like someone saying to me "you're having a chilli pepper":confused

:rofl

 

[james]

you crazy people...

anyway I am thinking of reporting MOT station for passing the car.
Not sure how far I can take it, as it has been a couple of months now and they could argue it has been messed with since.


More annoyed that I got the previous owner to MOT it before I bought it, to make sure the car was OK, which was obviously pointless.

 

[steve23002]

you crazy people...

anyway I am thinking of reporting MOT station for passing the car.
Not sure how far I can take it, as it has been a couple of months now and they could argue it has been messed with since.


More annoyed that I got the previous owner to MOT it before I bought it, to make sure the car was OK, which was obviously pointless.

I would speak to VOSA.
I am an MOT tester myself and it really p###es me off when this sort of thing happens. IMO it gives all other testers a bad reputation. :frown
Hope it goes ok :thumbsup

 

[Ronnie]

I would speak to VOSA.
I am an MOT tester myself and it really p###es me off when this sort of thing happens. IMO it gives all other testers a bad reputation. :frown
Hope it goes ok :thumbsup

Seconded :thumbsup