Early post here:
http://f10.m5post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=656996
Gave up on waiting for BMW (which now claims "clunk sound" is a constructive specialty of M5) and installed H&R springs ($350) yesterday at the service. The car is about 1" (25 mm) lower now.
Advantages:
- Clunk sound is gone
- Comfort is the same
Disadvantages:
- Suspension warranty void. BMW Service put this as a precondition before agreeing to install the springs. It took them a full work day with 2 technicians to install the springs and cost about $550. Knowing that this work requires rear seats, speakers etc to be taken out prior to installation I didn't want to take the car to unauthorized and questionable services that I don't trust.
- Looks worse. As a result of lowering, the previously proportional fender gap is now disproportional. The space gap on left and right of tires looks like rice "low rider" with tiny wheels.
- Low clearance. Middle bottom of my car scratches/grinds the ground each time I enter and exit garage in a diagonal slope.
In an effort to fix BMW's factory defect I now feel like I'm screwing myself and the car even more, only because BMW has its head up their butt about this problem. I'm be OK to take it back to BMW service and having to pay another $550 to put the old springs back, but I don't know if they would return suspension warranty or not as it's been 48 hours with me driving the car like this. What do you guys think and recommend?
