We all know for a fact that the BMW M3 F80 is a tuner-friendly car, so it’s no surprise that many car enthusiasts would go out of their way to modify it. Since the car has massive aftermarket support, finding a suitable component is not that difficult.O
ften, enthusiasts are satisfied with the amount of power the car gives, so they’d rather upgrade its suspension instead. Perhaps the most common suspension upgrade for the BMW M3 F80 are coilovers.
What are coilovers exactly? In a nutshell, it means “coils over struts,” but what it really does is help the car absorb the impact on the road (damping). Coilovers are popular amongst tuners who drive their Bimmers pretty aggressively, whether it’s on track or just on the streets.
Equipping the BMW M3 F80 with a good set of coilovers makes a ton of difference because it makes the car’s handling much better, especially when you encounter sharp corners.
There are a plethora of coilovers out there in the market that you can pick from. But really, do all of them offer the kind of handling improvement you want for your car? We don’t think so.
That’s why we’ve scoured the internet, dived deep into the forums, and looked for reviews to identify what are the best existing BMW M3 F80 coilovers.
Some of them are pretty affordable, while the others would cost you quite some more. But we’re confident that all of them are capable of giving you the type of handling improvement that would fit your driving style.
Check them out below!
#1 Öhlins Road & Track Coilovers
- Manufacturer: Ohlins
- Part Number: BMS MR40
- Spring Rate: 504/1120
- Vehicle Fitment: BMW M3 F80 (2015-2019)
- Why It’s Great: Dual Flow Valve Technology
Let’s say that you’re transforming your car into something track-worthy. If that’s the case, then you’d benefit a lot from the Öhlins Road & Track Coilovers. It’s one of the most favorite coilovers by the M3 F80 community because of how capable the spring rates are for aggressive driving.
These coilovers truly allow its users the authentic racing experience they’ve always wanted without trashing the car’s ride quality that much.
Since the Öhlins Road & Track is a suspension upgrade meant for the tracks, except that it’s got pretty intense features. Öhlins’ Dual Flow Valve technology allows users to rapidly change how stiff the shock absorbers are.
You can turn the golden knob clockwise to set it in race mode when you’re on the race track. This setting puts the coilovers in a position to tolerate both low and high-speed compression/rebound damping.
Such features will drastically improve your car’s response time, bump absorption, and grip.
And since it’s a dual adjustable coilover kit, you can simultaneously adjust both ride height (F/R: 0.4”)and damping (20 levels). The Dual Flow Valve technology imbued within the components allows you to react quickly and help you keep the car in control and in contact with the ground.
However, keep in mind that the Öhlins Road & Track Coilovers’ strength is also its weakness. Since it’s a track-oriented suspension upgrade, you should expect that the ride would be really stiff.
That’s the only unfavorable aspect of this coilover that most users would notice. Luckily, you can easily replace its springs with much softer ones. Other than that, this coilover kit is a banger; there’s no doubt about that.
Öhlins Road & Track Coilovers Features:
- Built with Racing Level Technology in mind
- Dual Flow Valve technology
- Damping is adjustable by 20 levels
- Ride height is adjustable
- Spring rates are customizable
- Rebuildable parts
- Backed by Öhlins 2-Year Warranty
#2 Godspeed Project MAXX Coilover Kit
- Manufacturer: Godspeed Project
- Part Number: MMX3630-A
- Spring Rate (F/R, lb/in): 784/504
- Vehicle Fitment: BMW M3 F80 (2014-2019)
- Why It’s Great: Budget-friendly setup
Upgrading your car’s suspension can be challenging, especially for your wallet. The prices of the coilover kits available for the BMW M3 F80 are indeed steep, but some manufacturers out there specialize in budget-friendly upgrades that might suit your needs.
One of those brands is Godspeed Project, and for your beloved F-chassis Bimmer, they have the MAXX Coilover Kit. It’s a budget-friendly track setup that doesn’t compromise daily drivability.
You can expect pretty much everything you’d need from a track-oriented setup with the MAXX Coilover Kit. It’s got 40 levels of damper setting adjustment, which can be easily reconfigured with the simple twist of a knob.
Each coilover uses a large 52mm shock body made from JIS carbon steel, filled with damper oil that’s viscous enough to see the light of the tracks. High-tensile cold wound springs match these shock absorbers for extra durability.
These coilovers pretty much cover everything you’d need to make your BMW M3 F80 into a budget track car. Keep in mind, however, that the Godspeed Project MAXX Coilover Kit is still a budget setup.
When it comes to suspension upgrades like coilovers, you typically get what you pay for. So set your expectations accordingly if you decide to buy this coilover kit.
Godspeed Project MAXX Coilover Kit Features:
- 40 levels of precise damper setting adjustment
- Utilizes a monotube design with an anodized shock body
- Shock body made from carbon steel
- Shock components made from T7075 aluminum
- Uses shock oil with high viscosity index
- Backed by Godspeed Project 1-Year Warranty
#3 Bilstein B16 DampTronic Coilover Suspension Kit
- Manufacturer: Bilstein
- Part Number: 49-246988
- Spring Rate: N/A
- Vehicle Fitment: BMW M3 F80 (2015-2018)
- Why It’s Great: Dual Purpose Kit
Bilstein is widely known for its struts and shocks, but most people don’t realize they have coilovers. The BMW M3 F80 has the B16 DampTronic Coilover Suspension Kit, an EDC-compatible coilovers built for street and track use.
Many who have had it on the cars have expressed an evident delight because it improved their BMW M3’s suspension and its handling. It’s one of the most popular coilover kits in the community, and we’re pretty sure that you’ll be impressed once you discover what it has to offer.
The B16 DampTronic Coilover Suspension Kit features ride height adjustability and dampers compatible with the car’s electronic damper system. Bilstein made sure to match the monotube dampers of this kit with the spring rates.
It’s got zinc plated threaded body design that allows you to fine-tune your car’s height according to whatever measurement you prefer. These coilovers are made from Germany and feature technology that’s been tried and tested on the Nurburgring.
Once you’ve fitted these coilovers on your car, you’ll soon understand why it’s a tremendous dual-purpose coilover kit. It stays composed whenever you drive in Normal Mode.
Vertical movement is very minimal, and you’ll feel the road more than you’ve ever done before.
It’s not obnoxious nor jarring; the car is just more communicative with these coilovers on.
And as for Sport Plus Mode, you can observe how firm the suspension is. With these coilovers installed on your BMW M3 F80, you’ll see that the rest is much more rigid. Small rocks, tar strips, and any small debris on the road can be felt without any harshness on the ride.
It sure does tell you that your car can now drive more aggressively.
Bilstein B16 DampTronic Coilover Suspension Kit Features:
- EDC compatible
- Retains all factory electronic suspension features
- The zinc-coated threaded body design
- Ride height adjustability (Front: 1.2-1.6”, Rear: 0.2-1.0”)
- Tested on the Nurburgring
- Backed by Bilstein 2-Year Warranty
#4 KW Coilover Kit V3
- Manufacturer: KW Suspension
- Part Number: TMS338389
- Spring Rate: N/A
- Vehicle Fitment: BMW M3 F80 (2015-2018)
- Why It’s Great: Motorsports quality construction
If you’re well versed with aftermarket suspension, then you probably have an idea of who KW Suspension is and what wonders they can do to cars like the BMW M3 F80.
The most popular BMW M3 F80 KW coilovers in the M3 F80 community is the Coilover Kit V3. Many other KW Suspension coilovers are available for the car, but enthusiasts love the V3 because it’s very well-rounded.
The KW Coilover Kit V3 can give you complete control over rebound/compression and ride height adjustability. These coilovers have separate adjustments for the compression (14 levels) and rebound (infinite).
What’s more, each individual coilover is height adjustable; 1.0-1.6” for the front and 1.0” -2.0” to the rear. Spring rates are also much stiffer than the stock to avoid body rolls.
These features will come in handy when you bring your car to the track on weekends or just daily drive it since it doesn’t affect your car’s ride quality that harshly.
Once you’ve got these coilovers installed, you’ll see that the ride quality doesn’t offset much from the stock. The bump stop feels nice during initial travel but will quickly ramp up whenever you compress it, making it act as if it’s a short progressive spring.
The KW Coilover Kit V3 is impressive enough, but it has some imperfections, like the ride may feel like it’s jam-packed at times. It may not absorb sharp mid-corner bumps very well at times, but other than that, it’s a worthy investment.
KW Coilover Kit V3 Features:
- Separate damping adjustment for compression (14 levels) and rebound (infinite)
- Springs are stiffer than stock
- Stainless steel shock bodies with composite spring perch for extra resistance to corrosion
- Ride height can be individually adjusted (1.0-1.6” for the front and 1.0” -2.0” to the rear)
- Rides well for track standards
- Backed by KW Suspensions Lifetime Warranty
#5 BC Racing BR Series Extreme Low Coilover Kit
- Manufacturer: BC Racing
- Part Number: I-68E-BR
- Spring Rate: 336/672
- Vehicle Fitment: BMW M3 F80 (2015-2018)
- Why It’s Great: Massive ride height drop
BC Racing is widely popular for its entry-level coilovers. Their coilovers, notably the BR Series, offer all the essential features a beginner would need to satisfy their mod bug.
Usually, this line of coilovers would only provide a decent drop, but BC Racing actually has something special in store for the BMW M3 F80. Introducing the Extreme Low Coilover Kit, an iteration of the standard BR Series coilover kit, but this time, it can actually slam the car to the ground.
So what’s with these BMW M3 F80 BC Racing coilovers? As the name suggests, the Extreme Low Coilover Kit allows you to significantly lower your car to the ground. Usually, the BR Series would only offer around 2.0-4.0” of drop.
The Extreme Low Coilover Kit stretched that measurement, allowing you to lower your Bimmer up to 5.0”. This will make your car look as if it’s really hugging the ground.
Retaining most of the standard BR Series coilovers features, the Extreme Low Kit has several interesting facets. Such features include 30 simultaneous compression/rebound control levels and shock/strut mounts made from 6061-T6 aluminum for extra strength and weight savings.
These coilovers also use a 53mm shock body for strength, performance, and additional fluid capacity. And to make installation relatively easier, BC Racing made sure that these coilovers use mounts and brackets compatible with most (if not all) stock mounting points.
Another sweet benefit you’d get from these coilovers, aside from what’s mentioned earlier, would be the freedom to choose the spring of your choice. They offer 3 styles of springs: linear, V-barrel, and S-barrel.
Frequently, linear springs are used unless limited by the OE design, which does not permit linear springs.
Since these BMW M3 F80 BC Racing coilovers are entry-level, expect that you can drive them for the daily commute and the occasional track duty.
BC Racing BR Series Extreme Low Coilover Kit Features:
- 30 levels of damping adjustment
- Conservative spring rates
- Extreme low version: allows extra 1.0-1.5” of drop over the standard BR Series drop
- Valved to precisely match the coilover’s spring style and weight
- Shocks are 1.0” shorter than standard BR Series shocks
- Backed by BC Racing 1-Year Warranty