[alohasurftoad]

just to be sure, the "warranty" we are discussing is the BMW original 4yr/50000mile warranty, correct? if so, how much time or mileage do you have left on it? and lastly, how much is the total cost of parts and labor installed at BMW?

[phorge]

Originally Posted by Z K

You can buy msport specific aftermarket shocks from most vendors.

The spring part numbers are totally dependent on your configuration. BMW has many many different springs for the same car depending on what options your car has.

I went through this with Farkle's help last year. I ordered new springs which was pretty pricey. My 328i with automatic transmission and RWD came out to be BMW part # 31336851921 front and 33536851930 rear. #31336851920 front may work depending on what your car is equipped with. I tried these -920 fronts and it was too soft for my car as it was fully loaded.

With msport springs and shocks, it'll get you 80-90% of the handling of the m sport suspension. If you just want the m sport ride height, all you need is the springs.

You're right about the car configuration and springs. The dealership is looking into what the part numbers would be for my car. Will update.

Thanks for sending in the part numbers.

Looking to improve handling. So shocks and springs it will have to be.

[phorge]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

just to be sure, the "warranty" we are discussing is the BMW original 4yr/50000mile warranty, correct? if so, how much time or mileage do you have left on it? and lastly, how much is the total cost of parts and labor installed at BMW?

Mine is a 5 year warranty. Just crossed halfway right now.

Once the dealership confirms the part numbers, they'll raise the quote.

[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by phorge

IBM?

Assuming you meant BMW, suspension warranty is valid if the installation is done with OEM parts at the dealership.

Autocorrect has a mind of its own. BMW it is. Corrected.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by phorge

You're right about the car configuration and springs. The dealership is looking into what the part numbers would be for my car. Will update.

Thanks for sending in the part numbers.

Looking to improve handling. So shocks and springs it will have to be.

From my experience, dealerships only find the springs for your car based on the VIN. I've asked many times to find springs for a M sport model but they kept coming back with exact same springs already on my car.

Thanks to Farkle's help, I was able to use the BMW spring configurator and figure it out.

[phorge]

Originally Posted by Z K

From my experience, dealerships only find the springs for your car based on the VIN. I've asked many times to find springs for a M sport model but they kept coming back with exact same springs already on my car.

Thanks to Farkle's help, I was able to use the BMW spring configurator and figure it out.

Almost same experience here. They only found the front coil spring part number and came up with a blank for the rear coil spring part number. They are currently contacting the head office for more clarity.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by phorge

Almost same experience here. They only found the front coil spring part number and came up with a blank for the rear coil spring part number. They are currently contacting the head office for more clarity.

If your car is equipped as mine was - loaded options, 4 cylinder engine, automatic transmissionm, RWD - you can use the spring part numbers I used.

[phorge]

Originally Posted by Z K

If your car is equipped as mine was - loaded options, 4 cylinder engine, automatic transmissionm, RWD - you can use the spring part numbers I used.

I did suggest the ones you had. But they said they can only provide what the system shows to maintain warranty.

The front spring part number that they found out is 31336851919. Is it possible to find out the rear spring part number from that?

[phorge]

Another question...

Are the wheel alignment specifications different for the standard and M Sport suspensions?

[johnung]

Originally Posted by Z K

From my experience, dealerships only find the springs for your car based on the VIN. I've asked many times to find springs for a M sport model but they kept coming back with exact same springs already on my car.

Thanks to Farkle's help, I was able to use the BMW spring configurator and figure it out.

My shortcut to that issue is to do a quick search of used cars for sale with the feature that I wish, then copy its VIN. Then I run the VIN through Mdecoder to verify that the build line item that I want is there. Then I use the VIN to look up the part number on realoem. Usually takes just a few minutes to find any part number that way.

[phorge]

Originally Posted by johnung

My shortcut to that issue is to do a quick search of used cars for sale with the feature that I wish, then copy its VIN. Then I run the VIN through Mdecoder to verify that the build line item that I want is there. Then I use the VIN to look up the part number on realoem. Usually takes just a few minutes to find any part number that way.

Different markets have different part numbers for the same spring.

The solution above works for a market with both kinds of suspension. In our market the car is only given with the base suspension. Can't take a car from another market and compare in this case.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by phorge

Different markets have different part numbers for the same spring.

The solution above works for a market with both kinds of suspension. In our market the car is only given with the base suspension. Can't take a car from another market and compare in this case.

"Different markets have different part numbers for the same spring."

What are you basing your statement on? What purpose would BMW have to do that? Organizations try to have less part numbers to track, not more.

"In our market" the "car is only given" with the base suspension. Can't take a car from another market and compare in this case.

What market is that?

What does "car is only given" mean? That it is only made with the base suspension? Or that the dealer parts department documentation only shows the stock suspension? Or something else?

[phorge]

Originally Posted by johnung

"Different markets have different part numbers for the same spring."

What are you basing your statement on? What purpose would BMW have to do that? Organizations try to have less part numbers to track, not more.

"In our market" the "car is only given" with the base suspension. Can't take a car from another market and compare in this case.

What market is that?

What does "car is only given" mean? That it is only made with the base suspension? Or that the dealer parts department documentation only shows the stock suspension? Or something else?

So, these were the same things I asked the dealership. But their hands are tied if I have to maintain warranty. Their system has to show the part numbers for this particular car. I can't just put out a set of part numbers and say this will fit.

Part numbers from my area could be found in cars in other markets, but not all of them. There are a host of car and market configurations that change these numbers.

The 3 is only available with the base suspension in my area.

[johnung]

Originally Posted by phorge

So, these were the same things I asked the dealership. But their hands are tied if I have to maintain warranty. Their system has to show the part numbers for this particular car. I can't just put out a set of part numbers and say this will fit.

Part numbers from my area could be found in cars in other markets, but not all of them. There are a host of car and market configurations that change these numbers.

The 3 is only available with the base suspension in my area.

I'd suggest trying a couple other dealers in your area to see if you get a consistent story.

It sounds to me like you wish them to install a BMW part but dealer is claiming that they won't honor warranty because BMW's system is not showing part on your car. But you see it on same car sold in other geographies.

So I would write it up as a warranty issue question with part number details. DealerX is refusing to install and warranty part A, because BMW computer application called B does not recognize it in this market. But you have example C where BMW does have this part on same chassis/model.

Specifically ask BMW to state that this part can be installed on your car VIN# and considered under warranty.

Communicate that to your country's BMW HQ. If they don't satisfy then escalate to Germany

[phorge]

Originally Posted by johnung

I'd suggest trying a couple other dealers in your area to see if you get a consistent story.

It sounds to me like you wish them to install a BMW part but dealer is claiming that they won't honor warranty because BMW's system is not showing part on your car. But you see it on same car sold in other geographies.

So I would write it up as a warranty issue question with part number details. DealerX is refusing to install and warranty part A, because BMW computer application called B does not recognize it in this market. But you have example C where BMW does have this part on same chassis/model.

Specifically ask BMW to state that this part can be installed on your car VIN# and considered under warranty.

Communicate that to your country's BMW HQ. If they don't satisfy then escalate to Germany

No, that's not the case. The dealer is willing to install and has escalated it to find the correct spring part number. They will install and honor warranty as soon as BMW HQ sends them the correct part. It's just that their system did not show it.

The funny thing is that this issue only crops up with coil spring part numbers. No other part has this kind of confusion. Even a tuner here could not find the correct rear springs and suggested contacting BMW.

[Z K]

Originally Posted by phorge

I did suggest the ones you had. But they said they can only provide what the system shows to maintain warranty.

The front spring part number that they found out is 31336851919. Is it possible to find out the rear spring part number from that?

I don't think that is right for your car. That spring is for a car with m adaptive suspension with manual transmission.

This is the description from the BMW parts catalog:

Without awd, with adaptive m suspension, coupe, 428i, 430i, manual trans. Rwd, with adaptive m suspension, 328i & 320i, manul trans. 335i, 335ix. 4 series. With adaptive chassis.

I don't understand the reason behind maintaining the warranty? The suspension is a wear and tear part. You'd need to replace it eventually regardless of warranty. Short of it failing like a blown shock or cracked spring, they won't warranty it anyway.

[phorge]

Originally Posted by Z K

I don't think that is right for your car. That spring is for a car with m adaptive suspension with manual transmission.

This is the description from the BMW parts catalog:

Without awd, with adaptive m suspension, coupe, 428i, 430i, manual trans. Rwd, with adaptive m suspension, 328i & 320i, manul trans. 335i, 335ix. 4 series. With adaptive chassis.

I don't understand the reason behind maintaining the warranty? The suspension is a wear and tear part. You'd need to replace it eventually regardless of warranty. Short of it failing like a blown shock or cracked spring, they won't warranty it anyway.

Spotted that about the part and informed them about it as well. Still waiting on the rear part number.

Warranty is maintained only if the work is done in the dealership. Not for wear and tear, but for failure due to defects in product or fitting. Just like your regular vehicle warranty.

[alohasurftoad]

this is why i am wondering how much the total cost of parts and labor. you're getting a mediocre suspension that will likely last the 2.5 years remaining without any problem.

personally, i would just get a decent aftermarket damper/spring combination or coilover for less money as it is low risk.

i changed out my m-sport to m-performance when it my car was 1.5 years of a 4yr/50K warranty. i didn't even sweat it.

however i respect that you want to do it this way. it just seems like an awful lot of research, waiting, and time wasted for a mediocre suspension that will cost a lot, when bought from and installed at the dealership.

if you were close, i'd just give you my m-sport suspension as it's just sitting in a box collecting dust.

[alohasurftoad]

BMW parts system is F@ck3D up. they often they have different part numbers for the same part if it happens to be on a different body style. for example they might have the same rear spring on a 328i and 428i but since one is an F30 and one is an F32 they might give it a different part number.

but then sometimes the part is truly different part, like x-drive parts. whatever the case, this creates mass confusion, even for themselves, since they can't find the proper spring number.

there should be just one number for a part. even cross shopping for parts with honda/acura or toyota/lexus is not this confusing.

[phorge]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

this is why i am wondering how much the total cost of parts and labor. you're getting a mediocre suspension that will likely last the 2.5 years remaining without any problem.

personally, i would just get a decent aftermarket damper/spring combination or coilover for less money as it is low risk.

i changed out my m-sport to m-performance when it my car was 1.5 years of a 4yr/50K warranty. i didn't even sweat it.

however i respect that you want to do it this way. it just seems like an awful lot of research, waiting, and time wasted for a mediocre suspension that will cost a lot, when bought from and installed at the dealership.

if you were close, i'd just give you my m-sport suspension as it's just sitting in a box collecting dust.

Aye. Will do due process with regard to cost. It will be expensive. Let them get back.

[FaRKle!]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

they often they have different part numbers for the same part if it happens to be on a different body style. for example they might have the same rear spring on a 328i and 428i but since one is an F30 and one is an F32 they might give it a different part number.

I'm quite certain this isn't the case for springs. In fact, the engineering document I saw once called out single PNs for each spring.

[phorge]

Originally Posted by alohasurftoad

BMW parts system is F@ck3D up. they often they have different part numbers for the same part if it happens to be on a different body style. for example they might have the same rear spring on a 328i and 428i but since one is an F30 and one is an F32 they might give it a different part number.

but then sometimes the part is truly different part, like x-drive parts. whatever the case, this creates mass confusion, even for themselves, since they can't find the proper spring number.

there should be just one number for a part. even cross shopping for parts with honda/acura or toyota/lexus is not this confusing.

Tell me about it. Total mismanagement on all levels.