I was looking around for coilovers for my 135i for quite some time and was debating between the ST's and KW V1's since they appeared to suit my needs for lowering the car to exactly where I wanted and providing a slightly stiffer ride with improved handling. Previously having Vogtland coilovers on my Audi A4 and being very satisfied with them, I discovered that there was an option for my 135i. I looked for reviews, but could hardly find anything. That was a little worrisome at first but, after seeing how similar the Vogtlands were to the ST's and KW's in terms of spring rate and structure, I decided to contact them. Although sometimes a little slow to respond, they provided pictures upon request to satisfy my concerns that I would be receiving a quality product that would be right for my car. The coilovers were packaged extremely well within two boxes and they looked beautiful.
Installation was the same as any other coilover system for our cars, however, these did not come with a top hat for the fronts, so the OEM ones had to be removed from the old and bolted to the new. Installation went smoothly and the provided tool made it straightforward to adjust to my likings. I didn't want to slam it and make the ride jarring, so I lowered it approximately 1.75" in the back and 2.25" in the front for a slight rake look. I know the ride will settle a bit, so I will likely end up with something around 2" drop in the back and 2.5" drop in the front. I may have kept it slightly higher if I lived up north where you can find potholes, but the roads here in Florida are very flat. I can always adjust the fronts if I need to by removing the wheel and just turning a knob.
I got into my car with my friend for a test drive (with the stock springs loaded in the trunk). To be honest, the Vogtlands exceeded my expectations. As I turned the steering wheel back and forth quickly, I didn't expect the responsiveness that I felt. They were worlds beyond my experience with the coilovers on my Audi. The ride is definitely stiffer than stock, but still smooth a stock-like in normal driving. Of course, the benefit of reducing wheel gap is always a huge plus too. The only downfall that I see with these coilovers is that they do not have adjustable dampening (but I don't track my car) and they are more prone to corrosion than the KW's because of the material (but I don't have to worry about that in Florida). Overall, the Vogtland system is a great set-up for street use and gives you great adjusting ability. I will let you guys know any updates after putting on some miles. For now, I will be enjoying them every time I get into my car
Here we go...
So old...
So fresh and so clean...
Now to the fronts...
Oops too low...
That's better...
