I have a 2002 330Xi and am looking to replace the shocks and struts. I recently purchased a pair of Sachs shocks from a reputable online vendor. Before installation, I happened to find that the part number of the shock I ordered (556-882), which was referenced by the BMW part number, was different than what Sachs advises needs to go on this car (316-606). I reached out to the vendor to confirm that the part was indeed the correct part and they assured me that it was. After some emails back and forth with the manufacturer, they stated that the extended and compressed lengths as well as stroke of the two shocks differ, but otherwise they are pretty much the same. Here's the details of what they shared: 316-606 556-882 Extended Length 610 mm 595 mm Compressed Length 406 mm 371 mm Body Length 390.5 mm 367 mm Stroke 204 mm 224 mm The manufacturer advised replacing the part with the correct one (316-606). I don't know a lot about how different suspension impacts the car. Does anyone have any insight on how the shock with the 556-882 part number would work with stock springs? I'm also planning on replacing the front struts and looking for a stock ride. According to the online Sachs part catalog, they do not make struts for this specific car as nothing is listed for the front suspension. Does anyone know who the OE manufacturer is for the front struts? Additionally, can are there any recommendations on what might be a good alternative? Thanks in advance!
