In pursuit of more remarkable performance, car enthusiasts have upgraded cars such as the BMW E46 M3 with various aftermarket modifications like coilovers. Even if the BMW E46 M3 was widely known to be one of the most fantastic vehicles of all time, it still has room for improvements.
Keeping it street-worthy is easy because it already is. But if you have a specific driving style and you want to incorporate that trend in your car, then you’ll be needing some suspension tuning.
Here’s where coilovers shine. The BMW E46 M3 has unbelievable handling. It’s a track-worthy car that’s capable of roaming the concrete streets with ease and versatility. But if you want customized handling to cater to your demanding activities, you should get your hands on some of the best coilover kits.
These upgrades can lower your car’s ride height while allowing you to adjust its damping settings simultaneously.
If you’re a BMW E46 M3 owner and you’re planning to get a high-quality coilover kit for your ride, then you’re in luck. We’ve gathered the best coilovers we can find for your Bimmer.
These aftermarket products will surely help you bring your car lower to the ground and make it more capable of making sharp turns and, most of all, manage the bumpy roads ahead.
#1 Solo Werks S1 Coilovers
- Manufacturer: Solo Werks
- Type of Construction: Twin-tube
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): N/A
- Compatibility: BMW M3 E46 (2001-2005)
To start off this list of the best coilovers for BMW E46 M3, we have Solo Werks S1 coilovers. If you’re just a casual car enthusiast and you want something close to a starter coilover, then look no further.
The Solo Werks S1 coilovers is reasonably cheap for a coilover kit and covers everything you need, from a fully adjustable height setting to a fixed damping rate. For coilover equipment as cheap as this, you’re guaranteed to get the best value for your money.
Solo Werks S1 Features:
- Housing with gold-zinc plating for heavy-duty corrosion resistance
- Progressive bump stops made of elastomers
- Spring perches with double-lock ring design
- Fuchs™ damper oil
- Specific spring rates depending on the platform
What makes the Solo Werks S1 very interesting is its high capability to withstand corrosion. With gold and zinc plating, the coilover’s housing can resist decay, unlike most coilovers today.
#2 Megan Racing Euro II Series Coilover Kit
- Manufacturer: Megan Racing
- Type of Construction: Monotube
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): 448 | 560
- Compatibility: BMW M3 E46 (2001-2006)
Now, if you’re interested in making your BMW E46 M3 suitable for the track, then you’d need some coilovers that can make it track-worthy. Featuring the Euro II Series, a coilover kit made by the famous Megan Racing is designed to offer a more comfortable ride quality while giving off a sporty vibe and control.
This coilover kit is the luxury version of Megan Racing’s very own Street-Series coilovers.
Megan Racing Euro II Series Features:
- 32 levels of damping adjustment
- Adjustable ride height
- Spring rates made for aggressive driving
- Rubber dust boots
- Aluminum brackets
Megan Racing advises the Euro II Series coilover kit users to use the level 1-8 for track use, 9-16 for aggressive use like driving on a mountain, and 17-32 for the typical street use.
The Megan Racing Euro II Series is a versatile coilover kit fit for car enthusiasts who drives their BMW E46 M3 for various purposes.
#3 BC Racing BR Series Coilovers
- Manufacturer: BC Racing
- Type of Construction: Monotube
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): N/A
- Compatibility: BMW M3 E46 (2001-2006)
Aside from Megan Racing, there’s another brand of coilovers that’s famous in the car tuning scene. BC Racing coilovers are reliable and are usually one of the most sought after coilover kits because it’s a bang-for-the-buck investment.
For a reasonable price, you can have a sporty driving feeling while having the ability to simultaneously adjust both the height and the damper settings.
BC Racing BR Series Features:
- 39 levels of damping force adjustment
- Adjustable camber plates and pillowball mounts are included
- Rebuildable parts
- Patented concave lower locking rings for
The BC Racing BR Series coilover kit is excellent for people who want to make their car suitable for street driving and the occasional weekend track duty. Aside from the benefits, this coilover kit gives to the suspension, it also makes the car look more stylish and aggressive, thanks to its lack of preset ride height.
#4 KW Coilover Kit Variant 1 Inox
- Manufacturer: KW Suspensions
- Type of Construction: Monotube
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): Adjustable
- Compatibility: BMW M3 E46 (2000-2006)
If you want the best BMW E46 M3 coilovers for sale, then you better prepare your wallet because you’re gonna spend more than a thousand bucks for a premium coilover kit.
Variant 1 is KW Suspension’s entry-level coilover kit, making your BMW E46 M3 attractive and more pleasurable to ride. This coilover kit’s struts were engineered to prolong the car’s life while giving off a sporty yet comfortable riding quality.
KW Coilover Kit Variant 1 Inox Features:
- Stainless steel “inox-line” technology
- Quick and easy height adjustment, even after many years of use
- Vehicle-specific damper setup
- Made in Germany
- Impressive strength and durability
The KW Coilover Variant 1 Inox-line is obviously made for car enthusiasts who are very strict in tuning their car’s suspensions. This coilover kit is flexible enough to meet the demands of even the hardest-to-please car tuner alive today.
#5 ST Suspension ST XA Coilover Kit
- Manufacturer: ST Suspensions
- Type of Construction: Monotube
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): Adjustable
- Compatibility: BMW M3 E46 (2001-2006)
In partnership with KW Suspensions, ST Suspensions, the famed manufacturer of sports-level aftermarket suspension products, made the ST XA, a coilover kit that offers the right mix of comfortable ride quality and dynamic ability made for daily driving.
This coilover kit is perfect for drivers who want more than just ride height adjustments when searching for a potential aftermarket addition to their BMW E46 M3.
ST Suspensions ST XA Features:
- External damping adjustment
- Latest damping technology that prolongs your car’s life
- Reduced system friction for efficient damping adjustment
- Adjustable spring plates
- Race spring systems and bumpers with dust protection
- Galvanized coilover struts for optimal corrosion protection
The ST XA coilover kit is an example of a real street-worthy coilover kit looks and performs. All of the features of the ST XA are made with real-world road use in mind.
#6 Megan Racing Spec-RS Series Coilovers
- Manufacturer: Megan Racing
- Type of Construction: Twin-Tube
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): 448 | 672
- Compatibility: BMW M3 E46 (2001-2006)
Here’s another coilover kit from Megan Racing, and this time it’s a Spec-RS Series, designed to lower your BMW E46 M3 to the extreme. With this extreme ride height drop comes the further improved handling capabilities.
The drastic reduction in ride height is complemented with other critical components like separate spring perch adjustment to keep the full suspension stroke while enabling the vehicle to be perfectly balanced while cornering.
Megan Racing Spec-RS Series Coilovers Features:
- 32 levels of damping adjustment
- Ride height adjustment system capable of aggressive drops
- Rubber dust boots to seal out the dust out of the coilovers
- Steel front brackets and aluminum rear brackets for durability
- Aggressive spring rates for aggressive purposes
The Spec-RS Series coilover is clearly an aftermarket modification designed for the most demanding activities you can think of. With this coilover kit on your BMW E46 M3, you can be sure that your car will look assertive and dominant.
With the car’s upgrade in style comes the improvement in handling too.
#7 Fortune Auto 500 Series Generation 6 Coilovers
- Manufacturer: Fortune Auto
- Type of Construction: Monotube
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): 448 | 672
- Compatibility: BMW M3 E46 (2001-2006)
If you’re familiar with the Bimmer aftermarket scene, then you’ve probably heard of Fortune Auto coilovers once or twice before.
Fortune Auto’s coilovers are famous for their knack for making cars like the BMW E46 M3 tolerable on the street, even after the significant reduction in ride height. You’ll feel the coilover’s responsiveness too, whenever you encounter even the slightest of bumps on the road.
Fortune Auto 500 Series Generation 6 Features:
- Revised jetting for more accurate damper control
- Bright dipped anodized aluminum to keep the component resistant to corrosion and oxidation
- Stronger piston shafts
- Digressive piston technology for razor-sharp control
The Fortune Auto 500 Series Generation 6 is lighter than its predecessors. It also has 40% less drag compared to its previous models. With these kinds of technical improvements, the Fortune Auto 500 Series Generation 6 is clearly among the BMW E46 M3’s best street coilovers to have.
The BMW E46 M3 is a dream car for many car enthusiasts. With its pretty impressive handling capabilities even on stock, the E46 M3 captures the heart of many gear heads.
To further improve its handling capabilities, aftermarket coilover kits can be installed on a BMW E46 M3. Whether intended for street or track use, the coilovers above are sure to upgrade a Bimmer’s handling capabilities, especially in the most demanding of activities.