RiddleMeThis

I'm posting in this thread since I have less than 10 posts and I'm restricted to creating threads only in this forum.

I recently purchased a 2011 R3 with 15,000 miles. I purchased a set of Ohlins Road and Track coilovers and had them installed this weekend, along with a new set of wheels.

I've attached a photo of the original Bilstein suspension - this is what they looked like AFTER I spent 2 hours scrubbing on them. I was planning on putting them up for sale, but I don't understand why the suspension looks the way it does. Some of the black marks are just where the paint has faded away, but there appears to be tape marks underneath a hard black material. This hard black material is also coating part of the springs.

Is this heat tape? Carbon buildup?

I don't want to sell the suspension if it's not in working order - the car drove fine before I replaced it with the Ohlins.

Can someone chime in why these look this way? Is this normal?

Thanks in advance!

ZOOM-I-DO

Did you ask the seller of the car about it? Maybe ask other R3 owners to take a look at their stock suspension.

RiddleMeThis

I purchased the car from a dealer and I've talked with them but didn't get any additional information.

Thanks for the suggestion.

moliver

iTrader: (1)

Looks like undercoat.

9krpmrx8

iTrader: (46)

Yeah my vote is under coat added of some sort. I have an R3 in my driveway and it has not black on the suspension and I have worked on two other R3's and they were clean as well. But in South Texas cars don't get undercoat treatment typically.

RiddleMeThis

moliver - I crawled underneath the car this morning and I agree that it's probably just an undercoating that was applied to the vehicle.

Thanks.

RIWWP

iTrader: (2)

Yeah, my 8 had that, undercoat.

RiddleMeThis

9krpmrx8 - The car was purchased in the Rochester, New York area - I'm pretty sure it is an undercoating that was applied (even though the owner stored the car each winter).

I appreciate your help.

Thanks.

RiddleMeThis

RIWWP - That's good to know - Thanks for commenting.