EDC ride quality

[jhu321]

Preface - 2016 f83 m4 with 80k miles.

My m4 has always rode very harsh with no real difference in edc modes. I bought it this way last sept and never really thought much of it since it’s an m car and compared to my friends e46 m3 it was about the same.

I just recently had a chance to pickup a e93 m3 with edc as well and well. The ride quality is night and day difference with the m4. There’s actual discernible difference in the modes.

Here’s the thing. M4 isn’t throwing any codes or giving any issues. So. Is it just the f83 is tuned stiffer than the e93 or is there something wrong with my m4?

Hopefully there are a few owners who have driven both can tell me if I should be looking at replacing my struts on my m4.

[BigFatRaccoon]

With the cabriolet being ~500 lbs heavier and 80k miles, I'd bet there is some parts that need to be refreshed in your suspension.

My 2015 F80 rides fine at 55k miles. I rented a 2018 M4 a couple months ago and the first thing I noticed (after the weight increase) was just how stiff the whole chassis is. Going in and out of driveways/shopping centers at a 35-45 degree angle to avoid scraping, the whole car felt stiff and even made some creaking sounds vs the F80 being dead silent and having more "compliance" in the suspension for the same type of driveway. This is just my experience, I'm sure others can chime in.

[M3SQRD]

What’s the mileage on the e93 M3 compared to the f83 M4? 80k miles on the f83 original EDC dampers is a lot of mileage. Also, EDC damping forces are increased over time to account for loss of performance by limiting the max amperage output (0 A is max damping). The e9x M EDC has the same amperage reduction with time. When installing new EDC dampers, it’s important to reset the EDC mileage/time compensation program.

One other thing to note is EDC is tuned to damp out suspension disturbances more quickly than a passive suspension. Owning an e46 M3, two e92 M3s and a f82, I can unequivocally state EDC suspensions are far more harsh riding than an e46 M3, e92 M3 and f82 passive suspensions. If you want a more compliant and less harsh EDC ride quality then your two options are the TracTive Touring and Nitron elec-Tron Roadsport (and potentially the JRZ Pro-Active if a street friendly option is released) EDC plug-n-play semi-active suspension setups. I’d recommend staying away from Bilstein B16 Damptronic and KW DDC EDC plug-n-play setups if your goal is improved street ride quality. However, if you want to eliminate EDC, there are multiple high-end independently rebound and compression adjustable passive suspension setups that will have excellent street manners yet perform amazingly well, and outperform EDC, on track but they do come at a higher cost.

[jhu321]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

What’s the mileage on the e93 M3 compared to the f83 M4? 80k miles on the f83 original EDC dampers is a lot of mileage. Also, EDC damping forces are increased over time to account for loss of performance by limiting the max amperage output (0 A is max damping). The e9x M EDC has the same amperage reduction with time. When installing new EDC dampers, it’s important to reset the EDC mileage/time compensation program.

One other thing to note is EDC is tuned to damp out suspension disturbances more quickly than a passive suspension. Owning an e46 M3, two e92 M3s and a f82, I can unequivocally state EDC suspensions are far more harsh riding than an e46 M3, e92 M3 and f82 passive suspensions. If you want a more compliant and less harsh EDC ride quality then your two options are the TracTive Touring and Nitron elec-Tron Roadsport (and potentially the JRZ Pro-Active if a street friendly option is released) EDC plug-n-play semi-active suspension setups. I’d recommend staying away from Bilstein B16 Damptronic and KW DDC EDC plug-n-play setups if your goal is improved street ride quality. However, if you want to eliminate EDC, there are multiple high-end independently rebound and compression adjustable passive suspension setups that will have excellent street manners yet perform amazingly well, and outperform EDC, on track but they do come at a higher cost.

M3 is 68k miles so kinda around the same age. I’m not necessarily looking for a smoother ride as I own a bunch of cars I don’t really need it to be soft or anything. I’m just trying to figure out if my m4 isn’t working as designed and if I should be refreshing it or diagnosing it further. I came across a thread where someone suggested that bad contact could cause the dampers to not work as well but not be bad enough to throw a code. But I don’t know what “good” is since I have no baseline so I don’t know what I’m looking for if anything.

It’s just really surprising how soft the m3 comfort mode is compared to m4’s.

I did accidentally knock loose my m3’a front right strut connection when working on it and it went into super harsh mode but ironically that felt like the m4 which begs the question if the m4 is like at end of life of the edc and it’s just stuck on full harsh but since the circuit is complete, it’s not throwing codes.

[jaylazy2020]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

What’s the mileage on the e93 M3 compared to the f83 M4? 80k miles on the f83 original EDC dampers is a lot of mileage. Also, EDC damping forces are increased over time to account for loss of performance by limiting the max amperage output (0 A is max damping). The e9x M EDC has the same amperage reduction with time. When installing new EDC dampers, it’s important to reset the EDC mileage/time compensation program.

One other thing to note is EDC is tuned to damp out suspension disturbances more quickly than a passive suspension. Owning an e46 M3, two e92 M3s and a f82, I can unequivocally state EDC suspensions are far more harsh riding than an e46 M3, e92 M3 and f82 passive suspensions. If you want a more compliant and less harsh EDC ride quality then your two options are the TracTive Touring and Nitron elec-Tron Roadsport (and potentially the JRZ Pro-Active if a street friendly option is released) EDC plug-n-play semi-active suspension setups. I’d recommend staying away from Bilstein B16 Damptronic and KW DDC EDC plug-n-play setups if your goal is improved street ride quality. However, if you want to eliminate EDC, there are multiple high-end independently rebound and compression adjustable passive suspension setups that will have excellent street manners yet perform amazingly well, and outperform EDC, on track but they do come at a higher cost.

Once again thanks for the superb overview.

I’ve found the ride on my F82 to be crashy lately. It got better when I fitted the 763m with the 19 fronts but then may have gotten worse when I fitted the heavier 2NH big brake kit

Anyhow I read with interest about the Nitron road sport kit. It’s £4.5k fitted which isn’t bad value.

All I want it for is fast road driving and decent confort as a daily.

Does anyone have it and can it come with a nose lift(I might try my fourth carbon front splitter if so!)

[dpgfunk]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

I’d recommend staying away from Bilstein B16 Damptronic and KW DDC EDC plug-n-play setups if your goal is improved street ride quality.

I have to disagree as KW DDC significantly improved my street ride quality over stock.

Agree with avoiding B16 damptronic.

I have run both of them for several years.

[jhu321]

Originally Posted by dpgfunk

I have to disagree as KW DDC significantly improved my street ride quality over stock.

Agree with avoiding B16 damptronic.

I have run both of them for several years.

what about the B6 ones that FCP / ECS is pushing are those any good? they're significantly cheaper than OE

[dpgfunk]

Originally Posted by jhu321

what about the B6 ones that FCP / ECS is pushing are those any good? they're significantly cheaper than OE

If replacing OE I would look into Evolve version of the Bilstein B6 damper. They’re custom valved and supposed to be more road compliant.

[jhu321]

Originally Posted by dpgfunk

If replacing OE I would look into Evolve version of the Bilstein B6 damper. They’re custom valved and supposed to be more road compliant.

2600 vs 2200, is it worht the 400 dollar difference? also i don't see wires coming out of the pictures of the rear. are the EDC only in the fronts for the M4?

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by dpgfunk

I have to disagree as KW DDC significantly improved my street ride quality over stock.

Agree with avoiding B16 damptronic.

I have run both of them for several years.

That may be true but IMO there’s a huge difference in street ride quality and harshness with the TracTive Touring and Nitron elec-Tron Roadsport EDC options.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by jaylazy2020

Once again thanks for the superb overview.

I’ve found the ride on my F82 to be crashy lately. It got better when I fitted the 763m with the 19 fronts but then may have gotten worse when I fitted the heavier 2NH big brake kit

Anyhow I read with interest about the Nitron road sport kit. It’s £4.5k fitted which isn’t bad value.

All I want it for is fast road driving and decent confort as a daily.

Does anyone have it and can it come with a nose lift(I might try my fourth carbon front splitter if so!)

The Roadsport has a shorter height adjustable threaded section than the R1 and R3 so it’s had to whether the FAL will fit. I’d recommend contacting Nitron to confirm if it does/doesn’t fit on the Roadsport.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by jhu321

2600 vs 2200, is it worht the 400 dollar difference? also i don't see wires coming out of the pictures of the rear. are the EDC only in the fronts for the M4?

Evolve/Bilstein B6 Damptronic front struts and rear shocks are EDC compatible.

[NSX2M4]

I would check your tire choices and tread first and foremost.
The F series M3 was a couple pounds heavier than the M4, so I don't understand these comments about the weight difference. But the Vert is heavy AF and I have no comment for that, other than tire choice and I would try the CS damper coding second.

Suspension wise, assuming the tires check out, I would choose OEM over aftermarket in a heartbeat. Unless you constantly want to chase what the car feels like normally in the factory settings. The owner prior to you probably had it slammed and lowered which shortened the damper life.

[dpgfunk]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

That may be true but IMO there’s a huge difference in street ride quality and harshness with the TracTive Touring and Nitron elec-Tron Roadsport EDC options.

Sure. I’m only speaking on my first hand experience with KW DDC and Bilstein damptronic. I didn’t mention the others, so go ahead and have your way with those.