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3 Series E46

BMW 3 Series E46 Coilovers

The E46 is the 3 Series BMW built from 1998 to 2006, as a sedan, coupe, convertible and wagon, with the M3 at the top of the range. Racers still write rules around it. All the BMW E46 coilovers we carry are here, with BC Racing first.

Not sure if you need an M3, 330Ci or 325xi coilover kit? Call 1-800-460-9106 and we will help.

Lowered silver BMW E46 M3 coupe on coilovers in a racetrack pit lane on an overcast day

Animated illustration. It shows where coilovers sit on a car, not your exact kit. Depending on the car and the kit, coilovers can lean forward or back or stand straight up, and some cars use a separate spring and shock in the rear. Your ride height depends on the kit and how it is set up.

Three E46 questions to answer first

Answer these in order and only a few kits will be left. Get one wrong and the kit will not bolt in, so take a minute with each one before you order.

Step 1: M3 or not

Every brand here sells M3 kits separately from 3 Series kits. The one exception is the Öhlins DFV kit, made for both. Otherwise a 330Ci kit will not fit an M3.

Step 2: body style

BC Racing makes separate kits for the sedan, coupe and convertible. KW and Solo-Werks cover several bodies with one kit, and Solo-Werks has its own wagon kit.

Step 3: rear-drive or xi

The 325xi and 330xi are all-wheel drive. They take xi kits from KW and Ksport. BC does not make an xi kit.

BC Racing coilovers for the BMW E46

Every BC Racing series for a rear-drive E46

BC Racing makes seven series for the E46: BR, DS, ER, RM, HM, ZR and ZX. All seven are sold for the sedan, the coupe, the convertible, the M3 and the M3 convertible. BC's Extreme Low kit for the coupe and sedan comes in BR and DS. There is no BC kit for the xi cars. Free shipping on BC Racing kits in the continental US.

See all BC Racing coilovers Jump to the M3

How BC's seven series differ

Each entry below is a BC series you can order for a rear-drive E46.

BR and DS

BR is BC's street coilover with a monotube (single-tube) damper. One 30-click knob sets compression and rebound together. DS has the same knob plus a digressive piston for firmer control.

RM is an upside-down (inverted) monotube with one 30-click knob for compression and rebound together, made for MacPherson strut cars.

ER is an upright damper with a separate oil reservoir. Compression and rebound each have their own 30-click knob.

HM is an inverted monotube with a separate oil reservoir, and compression and rebound adjust separately. HM and ZR come with Swift Springs for most cars.

ZR has three separate knobs: 30 clicks for rebound, 15 clicks for low-speed compression and 12 clicks for high-speed compression.

BC calls ZX its "most track-tested" series. On the E46 it is sold for every rear-drive body and the M3.

For Swift Springs on a BR, DS, ER or RM kit, use the Custom Build for BC Coilovers page.

Seven more brands for the E46

Here is what each brand makes for this car. Questions? Call 1-800-460-9106.

Öhlins

Öhlins makes a Road & Track kit for the M3, plus a DFV Dedicated kit made for the rear-drive 3 Series and the M3.

KW covers the rear-drive sedan, coupe, wagon and convertible in one kit. A second kit covers the xi sedan and wagon, and a third the M3 coupe and convertible.

Fortune Auto

Fortune Auto hand-assembles its kits in Powhatan, Virginia, and builds its 3 Series and M3 kits with the rear spring and shock mounted apart.

Ksport

Ksport sells the rear-drive 3 Series and the xi cars with a standard rear or a true rear (spring on the shock), and the M3 with a true rear.

Bilstein

Bilstein makes B14 PSS coilovers, B12 Pro-Kits and B12 Sportline kits, each named by model from the 323i to the 330Ci, plus an M3 B12 Pro-Kit.

Feal

Feal makes one kit for the E46 3 Series and one for the M3.

Solo-Werks

Solo-Werks makes kits for the coupe, sedan and convertible, the wagon, and the M3 coupe.

Commuter, club racer or show car

The commuter

A 325i that still does the daily run needs a modest drop and a ride you can live with. Fixed-height kits and simpler coilovers both work here.

Kits to look at: BC Racing BR or DS, Bilstein B12 or B14 PSS, Ksport, Solo-Werks

The club racer

Track days and open race classes reward separate compression and rebound knobs. Check your class rules first, since spec classes decide which parts you can use.

Kits to look at: BC Racing ER, ZR or ZX, Öhlins, KW, Fortune Auto, Feal

The show car

A low, even stance suits the coupe and the M3. BC's Extreme Low kit is built for the coupe and sedan. Start at standard height if you are unsure.

Kits to look at: BC Racing Extreme Low, BC Racing BR or DS, Ksport true rear

BMW E46 coilover kits by body and drive

Each card links to the kit page, with price, full fit notes and the coilover details.

E46 M3 coilovers, coupe and convertible

Chassis: E46 M3 (KW lists M346)

BC Racing coilover kit for the 2001 to 2006 BMW 3 Series M3 — **BC Racing kit**The BC Racing coilover kit made for the 2001 to 2006 BMW 3 Series M3. Photo: BC Racing.

Spec note: The M3 needs M3 kits. The Öhlins DFV kit is the only kit made for both the M3 and the 3 Series. BC Racing has separate kits for the M3 coupe and the M3 convertible. Bilstein's M3 kit must be used with the factory strut spacers.

E46 3 Series coilovers, rear-drive sedan, coupe and wagon

Chassis: E46 (KW lists 346L, 346C)

BC Racing coilover kit for the 1999 to 2005 BMW 3 Series Sedan — **BC Racing kit**The BC Racing coilover kit made for the 1999 to 2005 BMW 3 Series Sedan. Photo: BC Racing.

Spec note: BC Racing has separate sedan and coupe kits. Bilstein names each model, 323i to 330Ci; some are for cars without self-leveling suspension, as the kit name says. Ksport and Fortune Auto name the rear style.

E46 3 Series convertible coilovers, non-M3

Chassis: E46 convertible

Spec note: These kits are for the regular convertible. For the M3 convertible, see the M3 section above.

E46 325xi and 330xi coilovers, all-wheel drive

Chassis: E46 xi (KW lists 346X)

Spec note: All-wheel drive cars take xi kits only. BC Racing does not make an xi kit for the E46.

E46 kits compared

Car	Years	What to check	BC Racing series
M3	2001 to 2006	Coupe or convertible, for BC	BR, DS, ER, RM, HM, ZR, ZX
Sedan, coupe, wagon	1999 to 2006	Sedan or coupe for BC, model for Bilstein, and rear style	BR, DS, ER, RM, HM, ZR, ZX
Convertible	2000 to 2006	M3 or non-M3	BR, DS, ER, RM, HM, ZR, ZX
xi AWD	1999 to 2006	Rear style, for Ksport	No BC kit

Before you buy: what E46 owners run into

Here is what E46 owners report most often on owner forums, in recalls and in service bulletins, and what each point means for your coilovers.

Rear subframe mounts cracking the floor

E46 sedan, coupe and convertible incl. M3, 1999 to 2006

The trunk floor can crack at the rear subframe mounts. On Grassroots Motorsports, owners say 1999 to 2000 cars are worse and wagons and AWD cars seem largely unaffected; a shop links it to wheel hop. Speed Academy says it starts with worn subframe bushings. Coilovers will not prevent this; cracked floors need welding.

Before you install: Inspect the four subframe mount points from below and in the trunk before buying parts. If cracked, plan reinforcement and new subframe bushings as a separate job.

Torn rear trailing arm bushings (RTABs)

E46, 1999 to 2006

Owners and shops describe a rear that slides around over bumps as worn RTABs let toe change, plus clunks and uneven tire wear. MotoIQ notes a BMW specialist suggests replacing them past about 50,000 miles on hard-driven cars. Worn RTABs let rear toe move under load, which no damper setting can fix.

Before you install: Inspect the RTABs for tears and play during the install, and replace them before the alignment.

Rear shock towers are a weak spot

E46, 1999 to 2006

A BMW specialist calls the rear shock towers a well known weak spot on 3 Series cars through 2005. The thin metal fatigues and cracks, usually after the stock rear mounts fail, and performance suspension adds stress. Stiffer coilovers load the tower more, so deal with a weak or cracked tower first.

Before you install: Check the towers from the trunk side, replace worn rear mounts, and consider bolt-in reinforcement plates (convertibles may need the plate trimmed).

BMW E46 history

From 1998 to the Spec E46 race class

BMW presented the fourth 3 Series, the E46, in the spring of 1998, and built it through 2006. It came as a sedan, coupe, convertible, wagon and Compact hatchback, and the M3 arrived with a 3.2-liter inline six.

These dates matter when you pick a kit.

1998

The E46 is presentedBC's kit names start at 1999 for the sedan and 2000 for the coupe.
2001

The M3 convertibleBMW says the E46 M3 was also sold as a convertible from 2001. BC makes a separate M3 convertible kit.
2006

The last E46sProduction ended in 2006. Several kits, from KW to Fortune Auto, run to that year.
2015

A spec class growsNASA's Spec E46 races grew from almost no cars in 2015 to ten or more in each race in 2016.

Two decades on, the E46 still has a race class of its own. If yours has high mileage, check the bushings and mounts while the new coilover suspension goes in. Answer the three questions above, then pick your kit.

E46 questions

Which E46 coilovers fit my car?

Three questions settle it: whether it is an M3, which body it is, and whether it is rear-drive or xi. The kit page confirms the fit. If you are not sure, call 1-800-460-9106.

Do M3 kits fit a 330Ci?

No. Each brand sells M3 kits separately, except the Öhlins DFV kit, which is made for both. Pick E46 M3 coilovers for an M3 and a 3 Series kit for every other E46.

Which BC Racing series fit my E46?

All seven: BR, DS, ER, RM, HM, ZR and ZX. BC sells them for the sedan, coupe, convertible, M3 and M3 convertible. Its Extreme Low kit comes in BR and DS. BC does not make an xi kit.

I want to race Spec E46. Which kit do I need?

Spec E46 is a NASA class for US-market 330 cars, and it requires one set suspension kit. Read the class rules before you buy, and call us if you want to talk it through.

Is there a kit for my 325xi or 330xi?

Yes. KW makes an xi kit for the sedan and wagon, and Ksport makes xi kits with a standard or true rear.

Should I get a separate rear or a true rear on my E46?

Fortune Auto builds its E46 kits with the rear spring and shock mounted apart. Ksport sells both styles for the 3 Series and a true rear kit for the M3.

What warranty comes with E46 BC Racing coilovers?

BC Racing North America currently lists a two-year limited warranty on full kit orders, subject to its warranty terms. Each of the other brands sets its own warranty terms.