Thanks for the quick reply. I'm hoping this is not the case but would that mean needing to replace some piece of the front suspension or just some sort of suspension alignment so they are level? Might be a dumb question but I'm not a car guy.

Basically, you need new front shocks/struts, they cannot be adjusted.

Tom

Do those percentages also symbolize that they are worn? If so, would the rear also potentially need replacing?

Aren't the measurements for the suspension test travel distances?

So not necessarily a problem with a shock but maybe the spring, causing the front (right?) suspension to have significantly more travel / less resistance than the others?

(the rear shock is different as explicitly mentioned)

Unlikely to be a spring problem.

Tom

Well sounds like its about to get expensive

I did change the OEM tires with winter rims+tires. But in reading some online, that should have no bearing on this sort of test.

Now the fun begins in figuring out US vs EU part differences and if that is going to matter.

Ask at a garage.

Tom

The first of the three boxes have been ticked. It must be fixed and has to be done within 14 days. (Unless on the top of the form the "Erledigung in Eigenverantwortung" was ticked. Which means it still must be fixed but there is no need for a retest).

Yes, explained on page 2 of the pdf linked:

(point 8) Nachkontrolle innerhalb von 14 Arbeitstagen nötig.

Tom

If you push on the front end of the car does the suspension "bounce" in an uneven way or one side moves and the other doesn't? Might be difficult to do depending on the spring rates.
As long as you don't go to BMW front shocks could be surprisingly cheap or in fact ridiculously expensive depending on options and should easily take less than a couple of hours to fit. Rear "sway bar" bushes are also an easy job.
I can't imagine there being any US/Europe difference but if you want to double check you can look things up on realoem.com. Find the US part number, click on it and see if was used in Europe. (Seems they're all the same)
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/par...871&series=F30

https://www.auto-doc.ch/autoteile/st...ia%5B100%5D=VL

If you want to see how it's all done there's more than likely videos on youtube which will give you an idea of the work and time involved.

Just to give an idea for what to expect when you take it to a garage to get the work done as from what I've read I doubt the OP has any ideas to do it himself.

The problem is that unless you have experiance, tools, a space to work on it, and the parts, it's going to be nearly impossible to DIY it in the allotted 14 days.

Tom

From the JPG It seems your dampers at the front and back are out of spec, both front and rear on the same side of the car???

I have been called in for an MKF, car not been 100%, waiting for inner CV joint rubber, rather than being a no show, I mixed shocks on the car from two sets to test out one that seemed good from a bad set I had where one felt "bouncy and dodgy" when tested by pushing on the car. In the event the car had nice even readings on the suspension test with the mix and match set, and they missed the bad CV joint rubber!!!

Anyway, if you did dismantle the car you would be able to detect the dodgy shock as well as by bouncing the car. German ebay sells regular quality ordinary shocks for not much at all. New rear ones, a 10 min job, have passed MFKs on a Mercedes at 3 and 6 years old despite costing 45 euros a pair! Front ones require a spring compressor. A pair of used struts off ebay might do the job for 100 chuffs and be easy and quick to fit. You probably don't have your own tracking device (I do actually). One trick is to put a magnetic lazer from Lidl on the brake disk, tape and draw a cross on the floor, and make sure it lines up when the replacement strut is fitted. When I do that it is usually tracked up without adjustment.

The tests are not independent. If one of the fronts is bad enough it'll also have an effect when they check the rears. But yes, for the cost you may as well do them all and the car will likely feel very much better to drive.

I watched some videos for this and its definitely not something I am comfortable doing. Would have to rent out garage space and fumble through it, with the risk of either doing something wrong or having to flat bed it to a mechanic if I can't complete the job.

I haven't noticed any abnormal bouncing and its just my luck that I was out of spec by 1%. Feeling like I got Switzerlanded

Anyway, I had the same thought to just replace the the entire suspension on both the front and rear. Aside from the parts, any clue how much this will cost in labor? I've seen some car forums mention front and rear replacement job is between 4-6 hours.

Scheduled to take it to two garages on Monday and I will see what they say. Really hoping there is a cheap fix but not holding my breath. If anyone knows any good mechanics in and around Zurich(or farther), let me know.

If I can't get this done by the 14 day period, would I have to re pay for another exam at a later date? Just trying to figure out if it might be worth waiting out COVID until I can go to DE to get this done there if the quotes I get on Monday are unreasonable.

Not out of spec by 1%, rather past the rather generous wear tolerance of 30% by 3%!

Yes (you also have to pay for the next test in any case), and you'd also have to hand in your plates in 14 days (from the test date) as the car is no longer road legal at that point.

Tom

Where do you get 1% from??

I had thought could a worn anti-roll bar cause an imbalance but I don't think it would. I think some cars have computer controlled dampers and I suppose something could go wrong there.
What to you mean by "entire suspension"? That's probably rather a lot more than you mean. I think you mean rear shocks as well as front ones. If there's nothing special about your particular model then those estimates seem in order. A good mechanic with the tools and parts to hand could probably do it in half that time. If you tell someone to replace "the entire suspension" you're looking at a very large bill indeed.

Don't forget to ask the garage if they will charge you for giving you an estimate.

I don't think any solution will be "a cheap fix".

This is the kind of thing ATU do often so maybe you could call them and ask for a euro quote.

Wear limit is 30% difference, he has 31%, BUT 31% is 3.3% more than 30%, not 1% more.

Tom

Well, after some delay, I finally installed new shock absorbers on the front and rear of the vehicle. Was worried since I put some "performance" aftermarket absorbers from Koni which are bright red thought the mechanics at MFK might give me a hard time and ask for paperwork. Passed with flying colors

I get to the MFK and they literally just visually inspect the car. Flash light the area right above the tires and write on the paper work "Neu!". No test, nothing. Part of me was glad but another part of me was pissed, could have just painted my old shocks a different color

And do you notice any difference while driving?

Slight difference during slow speed city driving, maybe a little more comfortable. Have not had the chance to test anything at high speed yet, which is where most the change should be.