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gmookher · 01-09-2013, 02:52 PM

fun thread..

the KW3 competition wins at present, I may be one of only two guys running it on this board:

KV3 is a trackable damper with street manners. Most folks pay over $2200 for these, I could have had them figure $500 less, ballpark. Almost got them. They would have cost me less than what I got.

I ended up with:

GC's Koni Race dampers is a streetable race setup putting track manners 1st, streets secondary, but thats what I wanted, this isnt a camry

I didnt want to ever feel like I couldnt pound the snot out of my dampers, so I went with Koni. I've spun out and gone baja at the track countless(yeah that many) times on my M3(not intentionally!), and those shocks feel perfect despite my admitted repeated abuse.

Sure the kw3 product involves paying for some pretty ano bling, but I dont ever buy something cause its prettier. Its not a sweater, its suspension. it doesnt benefit the ano process, powder coat is just fine for my ride

the koni is boring paint meat and potatoes. nothing to brag at car meets and point out
make you look at it and think you spent too much, zero real bling looking at the housings and such

The koni setup actually cost me more than the KW3, but that is the way I went. Internally there ARE differences. Places where a smaller shop like KV3 used the ease of machined aluminum, are places where koni uses a steel, as they have high production volume and can make a steel part instead for same cost
the materials used are comprable, but I wanted a spring wound by someone else than KW

I couldnt see the justification for Ohlins dollars, so I feel I did okay, and wouldnt have regretted going kw3 at all

however, for those of you that dont get the same discounts, if youre looking at $2400 for kw3, I suggest taking a good hard look at the GC KONI offering, ask for the upgraded front dual adjust dampers, you really dont NEED it in the rear.

while I have no experience with Tein, myself, I have used BilsTEIN plenty, and would again, and again. Like koni.
the pricing GC offers, you may be able to afford the coilovers, their camber plates and the strut bar for just a few dollars more ,literally, than the kv3 setup, if rear damper compression adjustability isnt something you need(the mass and load forces on the rear dont vary anywhere as much as the front end)

The dual adjust rears are coming- not sure if they are out yet, but I was sure I didnt need them for my application and track usage.
best to allocate the funds to where they matter
@CSG Mike, what do the tein reservoirs you just tested cost, for comparison

guys who have no intention to track, coilovers are a waste IMHO and overkill
that kit that lets you lower your car and keep oe shocks from Groundcontrol is for you
save you coin and buy a tune and exhaust instead

a quality damper, OE equiv by koni or bilstein is what the street only crowd needs, a stiffer coil
and GC has it for you all

you dont need kw3 for a street car
go with a touring setup instead and drive happy

Pics of my setup coming soon to a thread near you..

01-09-2013, 02:52 PM	#20
gmookher Banned Join Date: Aug 2012 Drives: VortechSC,BorlaEL,Perrin,GCRace Location: HighHeatHighAltitudeAZ,USA Posts: 2,254 Thanks: 458 Thanked 669 Times in 394 Posts Mentioned: 9 Post(s) Tagged: 2 Thread(s)	fun thread.. the KW3 competition wins at present, I may be one of only two guys running it on this board: KV3 is a trackable damper with street manners. Most folks pay over $2200 for these, I could have had them figure $500 less, ballpark. Almost got them. They would have cost me less than what I got. I ended up with: GC's Koni Race dampers is a streetable race setup putting track manners 1st, streets secondary, but thats what I wanted, this isnt a camry I didnt want to ever feel like I couldnt pound the snot out of my dampers, so I went with Koni. I've spun out and gone baja at the track countless(yeah that many) times on my M3(not intentionally!), and those shocks feel perfect despite my admitted repeated abuse. Sure the kw3 product involves paying for some pretty ano bling, but I dont ever buy something cause its prettier. Its not a sweater, its suspension. it doesnt benefit the ano process, powder coat is just fine for my ride the koni is boring paint meat and potatoes. nothing to brag at car meets and point out make you look at it and think you spent too much, zero real bling looking at the housings and such The koni setup actually cost me more than the KW3, but that is the way I went. Internally there ARE differences. Places where a smaller shop like KV3 used the ease of machined aluminum, are places where koni uses a steel, as they have high production volume and can make a steel part instead for same cost the materials used are comprable, but I wanted a spring wound by someone else than KW I couldnt see the justification for Ohlins dollars, so I feel I did okay, and wouldnt have regretted going kw3 at all however, for those of you that dont get the same discounts, if youre looking at $2400 for kw3, I suggest taking a good hard look at the GC KONI offering, ask for the upgraded front dual adjust dampers, you really dont NEED it in the rear. while I have no experience with Tein, myself, I have used BilsTEIN plenty, and would again, and again. Like koni. the pricing GC offers, you may be able to afford the coilovers, their camber plates and the strut bar for just a few dollars more ,literally, than the kv3 setup, if rear damper compression adjustability isnt something you need(the mass and load forces on the rear dont vary anywhere as much as the front end) The dual adjust rears are coming- not sure if they are out yet, but I was sure I didnt need them for my application and track usage. best to allocate the funds to where they matter @CSG Mike, what do the tein reservoirs you just tested cost, for comparison guys who have no intention to track, coilovers are a waste IMHO and overkill that kit that lets you lower your car and keep oe shocks from Groundcontrol is for you save you coin and buy a tune and exhaust instead a quality damper, OE equiv by koni or bilstein is what the street only crowd needs, a stiffer coil and GC has it for you all you dont need kw3 for a street car go with a touring setup instead and drive happy Pics of my setup coming soon to a thread near you.. Last edited by gmookher; 01-09-2013 at 03:11 PM.