Cheap BMW 3 Series Shock Absorber

Both years sit within the E90-generation 3 Series, which ran from 2005 to 2013 (with a facelift in 2008), so there is a reasonable chance of compatibility within that generation. However, whether a specific damper from a post-facelift 2010 car crosses cleanly to a pre-facelift 2007 car is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration, as suspension components can vary across that 2008 facelift boundary. Always quote your full reg so the breaker can check the exact part numbers.

No — the E90 generation ran from 2005 to 2013 and the F30 generation ran from 2012 to 2018, and these are entirely different platform architectures with different suspension geometry and mounting points. Shock absorbers are not interchangeable between these two generations, so make sure you source the part from the correct generation for your car.

Yes, it can — larger, heavier engines place different demands on the suspension, and BMW did fit different damper specifications to some higher-powered variants within the same generation. You should confirm the exact spec with the breaker against your registration, particularly if your car has a six-cylinder engine rather than a four-cylinder, as the parts may differ even within the same generation.

Trim level alone does not determine which shock absorber you need, so an SE badge versus an M Sport badge is not the deciding factor in the same way that generation or engine size is. That said, M Sport models were commonly fitted with sportier suspension settings, and whether those dampers interchange directly with standard-spec units from the same generation is something you should confirm with the breaker against your registration rather than assume. Expect that a damper pulled from an M Sport car may look identical externally but could have different rate or travel characteristics.

The F30 3 Series ran from 2012 to 2018, with the LCI (facelift) arriving in 2015, so a 2013 car is pre-LCI and a 2016 car is post-LCI. Whether shock absorbers cross that 2015 LCI boundary without issue is not something that can be guaranteed, and you should confirm fitment with the breaker against both registrations before purchasing.

Yes, this matters: shock absorbers are handed, meaning the nearside (NS, passenger side) and offside (OS, driver side) units are specific to their respective corners of the car. Always tell the breaker clearly which side you need, and where possible replace shock absorbers in pairs to maintain balanced handling.