Which sub <$1,500 coilover?

[Herndon]

Originally Posted by fooddude

Goal? A low hp (stock power), simple DD car and ability to push it relatively hard whenever I go to track/autox things. Just a fun car..not looking to make it a competitive national champ nor a 1000hp beast. Just a simple, no fuss, reliable car I can learn performance driving from, improve skill and just have fun.

Just an idea but if you're not wanting to push a ton of power and wanting to learn performance driving why not just stick to stock suspension with better tires till you've had enough seat time and learned enough to really get everything you can out of the stock suspension. Then start upgrading suspension, maybe not even coils first. By that time you may be able and want to purchase a more expensive setup

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Herndon

Just an idea but if you're not wanting to push a ton of power and wanting to learn performance driving why not just stick to stock suspension with better tires till you've had enough seat time and learned enough to really get everything you can out of the stock suspension. Then start upgrading suspension, maybe not even coils first. By that time you may be able and want to purchase a more expensive setup

Always a good idea.

Lots of our customers start slow and build their suspension in stages for this reason.

- Andy

[Wonderbar]

Originally Posted by CSG Mike

All Tein coilovers are made in-house. Suspension is literally all they do; they're not a "me too" company.

They just happen to have offerings at a wide range of price points ($1000-$15,000), as do many other dedicated suspension companies.

Alright then. I'll concede to that.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by Racecomp Engineering

Cusco shocks are made by Showa...at least their higher end stuff. Can't say if they make their full line.

Not rebuildable in the USA last time I checked, which is a shame.

- Andy

They're all done in-house now; Cusco USA is in the process of hiring a tech, and purchasing a shock dyno. Their goal is to have full stateside servicing capability by the end of Q3 2014.

But yes, the high end Cusco coilovers are GOOD stuff.

[CSG Mike]

Originally Posted by fooddude

Honestly, I would consider Bilstein first to be a "cheaper brand" over Tein (not saying Bilstein is cheap.. just saying it is more susceptible to low quality designs, as it can be more mass-produceed with cost-cutting manufacturing than Tein) ..since Bilsteins are available at mainstream(ie: tire rack) and/or cheapy retailers and more readily available and designed for consumers (mass made & lower quality) over prosumers/hobbyists (attention to detail, better quality). Just my 2 cents, opinion and philosophy ......but then again, on the flip-side/other-hand, "mass-producition" could also be seen as a good thing; since the company doing the mass producing has a much higher risk of law suits and safety concerns of that mass produced product - forcing them to be even extra sure of the quality control and the design's safety/solidity of the product. I would like to think the latter of Bilstein

You can't ever go wrong with a Bilstein... they're just a highly established brand, similar to Koni.

Just because they're commonly available doesn't mean they're bad. For the type of product they offer, you'll notice they come at a higher price point, and they're doing VERY well...

[ubersoph]

At your price point I'd probably go with one of the following...

RCE 0
Fortune Autos
Feal Suspesnsion

[fooddude]

Thanks for all the positive insight of the Bilsteins. I was just being a bit pessimistic, hehe ....Bilsteins definitely do sound high quality and great... and I'm sure I'd be very excited with RCE Tarmac springs + B8s

Originally Posted by Herndon

Just an idea but if you're not wanting to push a ton of power and wanting to learn performance driving why not just stick to stock suspension with better tires till you've had enough seat time and learned enough to really get everything you can out of the stock suspension. Then start upgrading suspension, maybe not even coils first. By that time you may be able and want to purchase a more expensive setup

Yes, I totally agree with you. -It is always best to make the most of what you got and learn it inside and out and learn its' limits, before you start upgrading ..to really see what one needs and how big a difference a single upgrade makes. Makes you appreciate it much more

But, for me, I really love a tighter, stiffer, more agile and responsive feel off the bat. Yes, the stock suspension is ace. But, I'm over the caddy feel in any car. For me nowadays, I try to get as far away from that cadillac, boat'y, slow suspension feel. In the mid 90s, I had an EG and tried many different lowering spring setups before I finally settled on and was happy with GC sleeves with firm rates and Tanabe adj shocks. Then in the late 90s, I had an S13. Wow, that S13 had the most sloppy and cadillac feeling suspension in the world! Lol. I really hated the stock feel of the S13. I eventually got jdm 4.5kg springs (I forget which exactly; it was an obscure jdm brand, but the stiffest rate lowering spring offered at the time) with Tokico blues and it was a big improvement over the swaying stock suspension. So, that being said and from my past experiences, I myself, def don't want to stick with the stock fr-s suspension because I really enjoy and love a firmer performance focused suspension.

[CreinCrein]

+1 for tein street flex coilovers

[sittinSideways]

Originally Posted by fooddude

Thanks for all the positive insight of the Bilsteins. I was just being a bit pessimistic, hehe ....Bilsteins definitely do sound high quality and great... and I'm sure I'd be very excited with RCE Tarmac springs + B8s



Yes, I totally agree with you. -It is always best to make the most of what you got and learn it inside and out and learn its' limits, before you start upgrading ..to really see what one needs and how big a difference a single upgrade makes. Makes you appreciate it much more

But, for me, I really love a tighter, stiffer, more agile and responsive feel off the bat. Yes, the stock suspension is ace. But, I'm over the caddy feel in any car. For me nowadays, I try to get as far away from that cadillac, boat'y, slow suspension feel. In the mid 90s, I had an EG and tried many different lowering spring setups before I finally settled on and was happy with GC sleeves with firm rates and Tanabe adj shocks. Then in the late 90s, I had an S13. Wow, that S13 had the most sloppy and cadillac feeling suspension in the world! Lol. I really hated the stock feel of the S13. I eventually got jdm 4.5kg springs (I forget which exactly; it was an obscure jdm brand, but the stiffest rate lowering spring offered at the time) with Tokico blues and it was a big improvement over the swaying stock suspension. So, that being said and from my past experiences, I myself, def don't want to stick with the stock fr-s suspension because I really enjoy and love a firmer performance focused suspension.

I've actually found the stock 86 suspension to be rather firm compared to aftermarket solutions such as BC, which I tested when I drove a friend's 86. I was surprised that it was softer, and it actually felt a bit sloppier than stock. It was only after he got some control arms and toe rods and got a suspension tuner to align it that it felt very responsive. Also, there was a review of a HKS coilover equipped BRZ and the reviewer noted it actually felt softer than the stock suspension. I guess my point is you might get the results you want just by getting some toe rods and control arms and getting a suspension tuner to change your alignment specs.

[solidONE]

Originally Posted by fooddude

Yes, of course I understand "you get what you pay for" ...but Tein or Buddy Club isn't exactly considered a super cheap, low quality nor generic brand is it? (I didn't say I wanted one of the other cheap coilover brands I've never heard of - BC Racing, ARK, Fortune, Function and Form, ISC, Megan, Stance, Pedders, etc...just naming the ones that I see online right now that I never really heard of (though, some may be good..I just don't know nor haven't heard/read about any of them yet) ... I never mentioned any of these).

Honestly, I would consider Bilstein first to be a "cheaper brand" over Tein (not saying Bilstein is cheap.. just saying it is more susceptible to low quality designs, as it can be more mass-produceed with cost-cutting manufacturing than Tein) ..since Bilsteins are available at mainstream(ie: tire rack) and/or cheapy retailers and more readily available and designed for consumers (mass made & lower quality) over prosumers/hobbyists (attention to detail, better quality). Just my 2 cents, opinion and philosophy ......but then again, on the flip-side/other-hand, "mass-producition" could also be seen as a good thing; since the company doing the mass producing has a much higher risk of law suits and safety concerns of that mass produced product - forcing them to be even extra sure of the quality control and the design's safety/solidity of the product. I would like to think the latter of Bilstein

You must not have experience with Bilstein dampers. Like Andy and Mike were saying, Bilstein make some really beefy shit that are super consistent. Arguably better than Tein, IMO. If you look at OE high spec models (R package or Sport package) they will more likely than not come equipped with Bilsteins. For good reason. Their motorsport stuff? Even better.

As far as the lower price range coilover setups, those Fortune Auto seems to be well constructed and based in the US. But I have 0 experience with them. They do look real good on paper, the specs. I wish there were more in depth end user reviews on them.

[Carlysh]

So basically can I start with the rce springs for a little stiffness and lowering the car but keeping perfomance with the stock shock will be good?? I want to lower the gap in the car but like the Op is thinking stiff and performance in mind. Thanks for the thread been wondering the same thing

[Racecomp Engineering]

Originally Posted by Carlysh

So basically can I start with the rce springs for a little stiffness and lowering the car but keeping perfomance with the stock shock will be good?? I want to lower the gap in the car but like the Op is thinking stiff and performance in mind. Thanks for the thread been wondering the same thing

Yes, RCE Yellow springs are a good mild upgrade. We designed them to be a function first performance spring...hence the mild drop and solid spring rates. Coilovers are a bigger upgrade at more cost, but just the springs is a good way to go for a mild upgrade.

- Andy

[was385]

Originally Posted by Carlysh

So basically can I start with the rce springs for a little stiffness and lowering the car but keeping perfomance with the stock shock will be good?? I want to lower the gap in the car but like the Op is thinking stiff and performance in mind. Thanks for the thread been wondering the same thing

I've known a number of people who switched out to RCE yellows and everyone has had glowing reviews. Mine are going on in the next week or two. Honestly, I wouldn't know how to set up an adjustable coil to get much (if any) of a performance upgrade over the stock shocks and RCE yellows. I feel like a lot of people like me end up installing coils for the sake of installing coils.


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[Kakawate]

Buddy club racing specs are the way to go for this budget. Awesome ride and adjustability.

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