Rear suspension recommendations

[Smudgemanuk]

I am pretty sure my car has the original dampers on and I can't help but feel they are past their best

I am looking for recommendations for dampers at a mid price point and any other sensible rear end modifications to perk it up but not make it too hard to daily and not any lower
Maybe even changes in spring rate aswell?
Maybe a butt strut or similar?

My dad has bilstein b6's on his e46 which have transformed it but from what I hear it might not be as suited to the z3

Thanks
Chris

 

[AntStark]

Bilstein B12 kit is well regarded on here if you want to go lower ..not quite sure it is mid priced though. Bilstein B4, Monroe or OEM Sachs are more reasonable if you can find some.

 

[Smudgemanuk]

Oo yes I should have clarified I don’t want to go lower. I will ammend.

My budget is around £250 a corner

So yes your other suggestions are definitely ones to consider, thank you

 

[Jimbob_OD]

I had this same discussion recently with a local mechanic who runs an independent German car specialist.

He recommended Sachs, Bilstein or KYB.

Interestingly he advised to avoid Monroes - said he’d seen a couple of their dampers misted with oil within 12 months of fitting recently.

I bought the KYBs as they were on offer but I’m yet to fit them.

 

[Pingu]

Mine are B6. Bought 2014 and still in good condition. I think they are Goldilocks.

 

[Oddly Godly]

If you aren't worried about ride height, changing springs and have original front suspension I would go for the original sachs. Should last another 20 plus years

 

[Mike Fishwick]

I have been running Bilstien dampers for years, with Eibach front springs and standard rears - to give a useful amount of ground clearance when fully loaded. I also have a Strong Strut butt strut and body brace, which reduce understeer, and a Hamann strut brace - which looks nice and makes a tiny improvement initial turn-in. Other mods are Powerflex wishbone and ARB bushes, E46 strut mounts, and hard PVC inserts in the gaps of the rear crossmember bushes (cut from 100 mm B&Q drain pipes)

 

[Sajk]

For my suspension refresh I went with b4s, all new factory bushes except z3m front control arm bushes and poly bushes for the rear beam. I also added the rear sway bar from the z3 coupe which is the largest factory size. Ride is good, road feel is great and handling is good for a z3 with its desire to axel hop on big bumps at the rear mid corner.

For my car and my driving style it's very good. I can use all the power (2.8 tu m54 3.0 intake, cat cams) nearly all the time and it feels like the lively old school roadster it is. The only thing I would change is to try to control the rear axle a bit more over mid corner bumps at speed while on the throttle. But after all the rear end is a 40 year old and change suspension design. I have learned to enjoy the z3 fir what it is in the 27 years it's been in my care.