Sach front struts..Why does the sport cost less than non-sport?

[teklord69]

From Bavauto:

Sachs Front Gas Shock - for cars with Standard suspension
Part # : 36A 60A $ 199.95

Sachs Front Gas Shock - for cars with Sport suspension
Part # : 36A 61A $ 119.95

From Parts Geek:

Sachs Strut Assembly - Front
Your Price: $187.94
Part Number: W0133-1601552
Notes: w/ Standard Suspension

Sachs Strut Assembly - Front
Your Price: $107.94
Part Number: W0133-1663496
Notes: w/ M Sport Suspension (S704A)


And what is: M Sport Suspension II vs Just the regular M Sport suspension?

[NikosX]

That would have been good to know the other day.

[fudman]

It has been this way for a while and noone knows. And I am personally glad for it. This is why many with the standard suspension upgrade to Bilsteins (given a small cost differential) and many with the sport suspension stay with the Sachs.

[jdjg]

the M II suspension has a thicker sway bar front and rear and I think the springs are little more lower, and thats it....

[Cyrix2k]

I wish mine were that cheap

[NikosX]

I just ordered Bilstein Sports.... FML

[Cyrix2k]

I just ordered Bilstein Sports.... FML

540i/6 = $10 difference between sport & non-sport on bavauto, don't worry about it.

[champaign777]

do yourself a favor
take them from dealer

[bimmerfiver]

Things have always been this way. Nobody knows why the non-sports are bookoo bucks compared to sport version (and NO they ain't interchangeable). What really steams me up is going to Chinese restaurant and I ask for brown rice. They *might* have it and if they do, they want bookoo bucks for it. I mean sh*t...brown rice is non-processed, it's real, raw and without all the chemical stripping and processes in order to make it *white*. Why does brown rice cost more, seriously my Fort Lee Friends, why? I only eat brown rice and this baffles me.

OP, Dire Straits sang this tune:

Baby I see this world has made you sad
Some people can be bad
The things they do, the things they say

But baby I'll wipe away those bitter tears
I'll chase away those restless fears
That turn your blue skies into grey

Why worry? There should be laughter after pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now? Why worry now?

Baby when I get down, I turn to you
And you make sense of what I do
I know it isn't hard to say

But baby just when this world seems mean and cold
Our love comes shining red and gold
And all the rest is by the way

Why worry? There should be laughter after pain
There should be sunshine after rain
These things have always been the same
So why worry now? Why worry now?

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[champaign777]

i will try to translate what bimmerfiver said

AFTER MARKET Sachs != OEM Sachs = CRAP

[bimmerfiver]

i will translate what bimmerfiver said

AFTER MARKET Sachs != OEM Sachs = CRAP

I was deep into the question about five years ago asking myself, others and my boys (whom I trust) at my local dealership, "Are the SACHS struts I can purchase online for $100.00 each the same as, or less than, in terms of quality, as the 'dealership's' SACHS."

And the answer is...they are all the same/identical.

Spending $295.00 each (or whatever the dealer wanted) for a SACHS sport strut would be a waste of about $200.00

I will say that SACHS struts and shocks, when mated with OEM springs (accordingly) aren't bad...but the front struts will not last more than 1.75 to 2.5 years or 25K miles. In fact, my front SACHS sport struts (mated with OEM sport struts) only lasted ~12K miles.

[jdjg]

yesterday, my front passenger bilstein sport strut gone.... after about 2.5 years...

[bimmerfiver]

yesterday, my front passenger bilstein sport strut gone.... after about 2.5 years...

If I lived in Panama with those roads...I would have OEM non-sport springs only. I would see if the *new*, softer Bilstein HD would work with them. If so, I'd install that and call it una dia.

Viva Panama.

[champaign777]

I was deep into the question about five years ago asking myself, others and my boys (whom I trust) at my local dealership, "Are the SACHS struts I can purchase online for $100.00 each the same as, or less than, in terms of quality, as the 'dealership's' SACHS."

And the answer is...they are all the same/identical.

Spending $295.00 each (or whatever the dealer wanted) for a SACHS sport strut would be a waste of about $200.00

I will say that SACHS struts and shocks, when mated with OEM springs (accordingly) aren't bad...but the front struts will not last more than 1.75 to 2.5 years or 25K miles. In fact, my front SACHS sport struts (mated with OEM sport struts) only lasted ~12K miles.

no they are NOT identical
they just look the same
i have OEM SACHS with 90k ! miles ( still going strong ) and i have aftermarket SACHS with 15k miles
I can feel the difference
From day one

[bimmerfiver]

no they are NOT identical
they just look the same
i have OEM SACHS with 90k miles and i have aftermarket with 15k miles
and i can feel the difference
from day one

I hope I am wrong. I am going buy info from my men at the dealership.

*If* indeed you are correct, that dealership SACHS are different/better than aftermarket...I would ask for some proof. I believe you. I just need data and hard proof.

[jdjg]

If I lived in Panama with those roads...I would have OEM non-sport springs only. I would see if the *new*, softer Bilstein HD would work with them. If so, I'd install that and call it una dia.

Viva Panama.

next step, Koni yellows.......

don't want to know anything about Bilstein for this moment, i had a terrible clunck in my front suspension, after I put all new pieces the clunck still there, so now I will try with the konis with OEM sports springs or H&R blue springs or Vortland red springs....

[xisco44]

i just replaced all front suspension component on my hachi roku with 100 bucks :P
control arm with 20+ years and still going strong just need new poly bushing.

enjoy...

[teklord69]

I have a theory why the sport cost less.. The non-sport ones are probably built with sturdier internals with leaner molecular concentration of gas mixture inside the struts versus the sport mode where it is more subject to stiffer damping due to the stiffer springs on the sport models. The sport model are not meant to last very long versus non-sport and this is why they cost more because consumers will have to replace them more frequently. Seriously, I dont know why it would cost more. And why would Sachs make an OEM part different from a replacement part? They should be the same? I could be wrong..

[champaign777]

I hope I am wrong. I am going buy info from my men at the dealership.

*If* indeed you are correct, that dealership SACHS are different/better than aftermarket...I would ask for some proof. I believe you. I just need data and hard proof.

bimmerfiver old thread

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1284628

I don't need proof as i have both
If i will redo my sport suspension then only dealer Sachs or Konis Yellow

[jdjg]

there are some threads on this topic
search

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum....php?t=1284628

[bimmerfiver]

next step, Koni yellows.......

don't want to know anything about Bilstein for this moment, i had a terrible clunck in my front suspension, after I put all new pieces the clunck still there, so now I will try with the konis with OEM sports springs or H&R blue springs or Vortland red springs....

I have a theory. It's just my own brain at this point. It's this: there is a technical difference in HEIGHT between the GENUINE BMW strut mount versus the OEM BMW strut mount (Sachs-Boge).

I offer Exhibit A and please look at the 1st and 3rd strut mount offerings:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/31336752735/

Please NOTE the GENUINE BMW is NOT NOT NOT identical to the SACHS mount.


If you buy an "OEM" mount from any online site, or even a dealer...you may very well get the SACHS which we perceive and believe to be OEM. And it is for all intents and purpose. However, the 'Genuine BMW' mount has a different profile...it's not as tall and the difference is rather noticeable when you have the 'Genuine BMW mount' and the 'OEM SACHS mount' in your hands, in front of you.

I have used both mounts.
I used Bilstein.
I had a clunk as well (though I cannot recall which mount I used).
I cannot recall which set of springs I had mated with which strut mount.
I can say the 'SACHS' mount in the above link was tall enough that when I removed it (and it was 1 week old) the rubber on it's UNDERSIDE was gouged and had a chunk missing (on both the left and right side strut)....which lets me know the spring was digging into it. And no it's not human error because I am Jedi Knight of e39 struts, mounts, washers and bolts.

Bottom line. I *know* there is a difference between the 'Genuine BMW Mount' and the 'OEM SACHS' mount. To what extent this plays a role with clunking and if the type of spring that's being used plays a role, I dunno.

Know your mounts.
I am not from Panama.
But I am Panamanian.

[jdjg]

I have a theory. It's just my own brain at this point. It's this: there is a technical difference in HEIGHT between the GENUINE BMW strut mount versus the OEM BMW strut mount (Sachs-Boge).

I offer Exhibit A and please look at the 1st and 3rd strut mount offerings:

http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/31336752735/

Please NOTE the GENUINE BMW is NOT NOT NOT identical to the SACHS mount.


If you buy an "OEM" mount from any online site, or even a dealer...you may very well get the SACHS which we perceive and believe to be OEM. And it is for all intents and purpose. However, the 'Genuine BMW' mount has a different profile...it's not as tall and the difference is rather noticeable when you have the 'Genuine BMW mount' and the 'OEM SACHS mount' in your hands, in front of you.

I have used both mounts.
I used Bilstein.
I had a clunk as well (though I cannot recall which mount I used).
I cannot recall which set of springs I had mated with which strut mount.
I can say the 'SACHS' mount in the above link was tall enough that when I removed it (and it was 1 week old) the rubber on it's UNDERSIDE was gouged and had a chunk missing (on both the left and right side strut)....which lets me know the spring was digging into it. And no it's not human error because I am Jedi Knight of e39 struts, mounts, washers and bolts.

Bottom line. I *know* there is a difference between the 'Genuine BMW Mount' and the 'OEM SACHS' mount. To what extent this plays a role with clunking and if the type of spring that's being used plays a role, I dunno.

Know your mounts.
I am not from Panama.
But I am Panamanian.

so what are you seing its to put the OEM SACHS mount? if its your advice, well I put the GENUINE BMW (buy in my local BMW dealer, they order the mounts directly from Germany, here in Panama all the replace parts and all the BMW cars need to buying directly from Germany (no matter if the car was made in other country, for example USA, Mexico, etc...)) and i buy the OEM SACHS mounts, from EAC Tuning and Pelican Parts, and guess what, the clunk came over and over and over and over.
Other issue that I notice, when I raise up my car, and put the car again in the floor, the clunk gone for about a week and then came again, over and over, like the Energizer Rabbit.......
So I think, the Bilsteins are the problem......

[jnyost]

Our Sachs struts are the same as what you get from the dealer. They are NOT the cheap Sachs that you can get elsewhere. There are two versions of Sachs struts.

[bimmerfiver]

Our Sachs struts are the same as what you get from the dealer. They are NOT the cheap Sachs that you can get elsewhere. There are two versions of Sachs struts.

I am very intrigued by this. Interesting. I bought Sachs from Bavauto back in 2007 and the struts bit the dust in less than 1 year.

[Cyrix2k]

Our Sachs struts are the same as what you get from the dealer. They are NOT the cheap Sachs that you can get elsewhere. There are two versions of Sachs struts.

I've been saying this for a while. When it comes time to replace my suspension, I may very well go with OE parts. The other option is a set of coilovers, just because I'd like to ride a bit lower.