Choosing the right bushes for my 323i

[ubergreg]

A London pothole/speed hump (yes, they now come is pairs) has done in a rear suspension top mount, or possibly a rear bush. Everything went from silent running to vocal clonking after that.

I'm thinking of replacing the bushes -- all of them -- for tighter, more responsive handling. MOT two weeks ago found everything else to be fine, suspension-wise.

My question: Do I stick with OEM bushes, or should I upgrade to Powerflex bushes? Does anyone have experience with this manufacturer, or can they recommend a better alternative?

1998 E36 BMW 323i, 130,000 miles, still makes me grin everytime I mash the throttle.

[Neil_Bolton]

ubergreg said:

A London pothole/speed hump (yes, they now come is pairs) has done in a rear suspension top mount, or possibly a rear bush. Everything went from silent running to vocal clonking after that.

I'm thinking of replacing the bushes -- all of them -- for tighter, more responsive handling. MOT two weeks ago found everything else to be fine, suspension-wise.

My question: Do I stick with OEM bushes, or should I upgrade to Powerflex bushes? Does anyone have experience with this manufacturer, or can they recommend a better alternative?

1998 E36 BMW 323i, 130,000 miles, still makes me grin everytime I mash the throttle.

DO you like your fillings?

If you already have the Sport suspension, then you may find it won't be all that different (however I couldn't actually say for sure) however to go from standard suspension to Powerflex, you'll be banging and crashing through stuff, prematurely exacerbating rattles and squeaks in the cabin etc.

If you do regular track days, do it, it makes a difference (only if you have all the others done, and proper springs and suspension), however on a normal car? Stick with OEM - BMW got the ride and grip right first time, and you may as well keep it that way - it takes a lot to improve on it...

[ubergreg]

Neil_Bolton said:

to go from standard suspension to Powerflex, you'll be banging and crashing through stuff, prematurely exacerbating rattles and squeaks in the cabin etc.

Thanks for the advice N_B -- I do visit the track, but only occasionally, so not worth the daily aggrevation. Reading similar posts on the topic, no one had mentioned that there would be such a dramatic change in ride quality from OEM to Powerflex... I have no fillings, but my balls of steel might start clanging mightily.

Will take your advice, and the advice of my specialist, who found the problem to be a recently-replaced bushing that squeezed itself free (also might explain the car's propensity of late for doing a Beyoncé. You both say go OEM, so that's what I'll do.


Thanks for the feedback -- G