Rims first or coilovers first?

[cjd]

Alignment first. Tires second.

You can go a loooong way on that and save up for good coils. Somewhere in there you might be able to add an 8" wheel if that's where you want to end up, but if you're after something wider, you may need coils for clearance.

[Sammakko]

make sure to buy spokes and hubs when you buy rimzzzz

[86Vegas]

Suspension first

[kingkenny]

tires first , coilover and stiffer suspension need more sticky tires to match .

[rlpaul]

I've always been in the Wheels/Tires first group for a few reasons:

1. The stock suspension isn't all that bad, and learning the cars limits on it before upgrading suspension is a good way to go.
2. I like having two sets of wheels for climate reasons. My OEM wheels become my winter wheels.
3. I'm pretty picky about tires. If I'm going to change the tires, might as well change the wheels at the same time.

[fika84]

There's really only one right answer to this... both at the same time.

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by Vracer111

Proper wheels and tires first and don't even bother with coilover suspension until you know that the stock suspension is holding the car back. Lightweight wheels with properly sized track oriented tires (read stock size or SLIGHTLY wider) are extremely capable on track with an otherwise 100% stock car...Plus just lightening the unsprung mass by 4-5lbs a corner with lightweight wheels and proper tires does wonders to improve the ride quality over how it feels stock.

I'd put money towards the brake system (the car's absolutely weakest link) and an oil cooler (second weakest link) before even thinking about changing the stock suspension in any way. Those are much more critical to have done if you are seeing any track use.

Originally Posted by cjd

Alignment first. Tires second.

You can go a loooong way on that and save up for good coils. Somewhere in there you might be able to add an 8" wheel if that's where you want to end up, but if you're after something wider, you may need coils for clearance.

Quoting both of these to reiterate them because they are solid.

The OEM suspension is good, it can go a looong way. If you are serious about tracking then brakes are first, period. Alignment and adding camber on the front wheels via camber/crash bolts will dial out a noticeable amount of understeer and help your tires last longer on track/autoX.

Some people like building what they want to build and thrashing it around with little regard for maximizing peformance, and that's cool. imo if you want to improve your driving skills, take it slow, make each change scientific and understand what the results are so you can apply it to your future endeavors. If you throw everything on at once you can mask what the solution is or bury the problem without truly addressing it, did the new spring rates eliminate the understeer or are the tires covering it? Was it the alignment that helped you rotate on the final corner of the autox or was it the tune giving you the power to slide the back end around and are both just covering for an inefficient line?

Different strokes though.

[Captain Snooze]

Originally Posted by Andrew_FRS_DD

i am planning on tracking

Brakes.