price Vs performance - coilovers discussion

[ChargeR]

Yup, I have them, like them and that is why I am recommending them or at least sharing my opinion about them. I am not saying they are the "best" and he should definitely get them.

Okay I will concede that point. I still think you should elaborate a little more on the positive qualities of your coilovers and the negatives as well, because from my perspective you don't make a persuasive argument.

If the OP has the money to burn and is after a no compromise solution, I'd completely agree with the suggestions that ChargeR has made as to what compromises are good quality coilover and what to look out for.

However because the OP has mentioned that he's after a street orientated setup to run on (presumably) Sydney roads, I'd take this piece of his advice and ignore the rest. "...just pick one that has good warranty and has a good track record for reliability."



Dampers alone never improve the performance of the car by themselves. The combination of damper + springs (+ alignment) help improve a car's performance. Its fortunate that when you buy Tein SS coilovers, they also provide springs which should help improve performance

If your after an entry level aftermarket coilover setup, I think Tein SS's provide a comfortable street setup, has a good build quality for the price you pay and is reliable. Their springs are matched to the dampers they provide and although the adjustments aren't ideal to everyone, you get a competent setup that will help improve the cars performance.

A damper alone can improve the performance of a car. If you give me the mounts, springs and damper housing off a Tein SS coilover and the expertise of a few Bilstein/Penske/KW/Dynamic/Koni engineers I think I could give you back a better handling, more comfortable, and more compliant car just by changing the damper. The car would also be faster around a circuit. Who cares though. Not anyone here.

Sif ignore the rest of my posts there was some good stuff in there .

im glad that there has been such a well rouded voice or opinions from different perspectives, i appreciate everyones feedback!
at this stage daz and mugsee have somewhat reinstated my confidence in coilovers, although chargeR's remarks are very valid and i 100% agree with purchasing a product with a descent warranty and that can be repaired in this country if something gives.
im interested as to why ChargeR is seemingly against Tein SS's?? is this just because it was named in the "shame list" or some other reason. if so what specific product would you preferrably reccomend.

like i mentioned im just looking for a height adjustable system that gives me a tighter firmer ride without sacrificing too much comfort eg suspension noise, harshness etc, obviously some of these is to be expected.

i consider opionions from someones personal experience to be more valid in terms of specific products, if someone says that they have had tein ss for 2 years and they have done what they had expected then im inclined to beleive them, unless they are just saying so to reassure themselves from an unhappy purchase lol. either way im sure more people would like to have a say on their own purchases and id love to hear them!

at this stage ill probably go looking for best prices on teins and see where that takes me, anyone that knows cheap distributors let me know

I'm not against the SS, and if you read my posts instead of daz's you will notice I never say a bad word against them . I think that daz has just assumed I mean them when I mention lower end coilovers. Lower end is much lower than SS.

You can believe daz the SS are a good reliable coilover and are well constructed and perfect for predominantly street use. I can't in good conscience recommend any other coilovers for such use.

[air23box]

I had Tein SS and they are pretty good for street and occasional track days. the softest setting can make ur ride like a boat but the stiffest setting is certainly better then stock. They will serve you well if you are not a hardcore track racer......consider it is height adjustable and also come with pillow upper mount which can do min camber adjustment. The price you pay and the quality is pretty good in that price range. like other mention b4 unlike BC dampers there are more problem from what I hear from others. But keep an eye in the 2nd hand market and you may find some suprise~! Or you may try ur luck in yahoo auction and see whether there is anything available. Good luck bro....

[3r1k]

There are too many coilovers in the market and it would be hard to discuss each one of them.

I also suspect that most coilover owners would normally defend their own coilover as they actually paid for the product and want to justify the money that they have actually spent.

I think with more reading and researching, OP will be able to come up with his own conclusion

Otherwise, first hand experience will be helpful if someone is willing to let OP to sit in their DC5.

Just my 2 cents...

Good luck

[Didz]

Ok guys,
I thought since this is a coilover discussion thread, i wouldnt make my own!

So ive been looking into coilover choices for my DC5R. I want a setup which will be suitable for track and it will also be a daily driver. I am not necessarily looking into the cheaper end of the scale either. I want quality, reputable brand and some feedback on some of your own coilover choices and comparisons if you have had different setups before!

I am currently lookin into
Toda Fightex DA or EX depending on price and adjustability. Has anyone had these and can they tell me some info about them and how they felt?

Koni Yellow with GC sleeves and Eibach springs

KW Ver 2

Tein Monoflex

Any other suggestions?

Feel free to post dyno charts of the coilovers as well if u have them.

[Type R]

Go for TODA you will not regret.

[Didz]

Go for TODA you will not regret.

Do you have anything constructive to add to that though?
Sorry but it's a bit silly for my to just go and buy the potentially most expensive set just because "i will not regret"

[ChargeR]

You will not regret.

KW Ver 2 with the Eibach GC kit

How are you combining the GC sleeve with a threaded body coilover like the V2s? .

Good choices though, there are shock dynos floating around the internets for certain applications of the Konis and the KWs. The others could be difficult to find though. Just buy one of them and dyno them yourself.

[Didz]

How are you combining the GC sleeve with a threaded body coilover like the V2s? .

Hmm i must have gotten confused. I thought the KW site said they were struts and springs normally but could be fitted with GC sleeves.

[szymonsta]

my 2c u get what you pay for. the OEM does a lot of testing to get optimum characteristics of handling while maintaining reasonable ride, noise, etc. research, design and good quality materials cost $$.
also while i see no problem getting something fairly simple like exhaust 2nd hand, as it is fairly easy to spot problems, 2nd hand suspension i would worry about how much it has been used, leaky dampeners, slightly bent shocks which u will only notice once trying to align, etc. most coilover systems are designed to be replaced sooner than an oem unit.

i agree with chargeR to be careful with excessive lowering using just replacement springs which will also be mismatched to the oem dampeners. for dc2R i found the spoon prog.rate springs to be great however i beleive they arent as great for dc5r for reasons outlined by chargeR? correct me if im wrong?
I had good experience with Zeal coilovers and u can have them serviced at centraxauto. however these are probably a bit expensive for the original poster?

[stevan]

just an update, i ended up getting Bc coils installed last week, not 10o percent happy with them yet, trying to find the right damping combo. also trying to rectify some noise issues im having when i go into corners hard..........its hard to work out what it is because it always sounds different, like a creaking grinding sound when i go into corners hard and like a metal on metal impact noise when going over some uneven surfaces

[Didz]

just an update, i ended up getting Bc coils installed last week, not 10o percent happy with them yet, trying to find the right damping combo. also trying to rectify some noise issues im having when i go into corners hard..........its hard to work out what it is because it always sounds different, like a creaking grinding sound when i go into corners hard and like a metal on metal impact noise when going over some uneven surfaces

What spring rates are they and how much did u pay if u dont mind me asking.
Not sure about the sounds, were the installed correctly?

[stevan]

What spring rates are they and how much did u pay if u dont mind me asking.
Not sure about the sounds, were the installed correctly?

im pretty sure they are 6/8 kg front/rear and they were installed professionally, i paid 1500 from wholesale suspension for them. the guy who installed them told me to run them in for a week and come back, at this stage a week later it hasnt helped too much.

he speculated that it was a bushing problem, that the oem ones had twisted perhaps, though he is certain everything was tight as he didt want to put it together again, quote "it was a bitch to install", lol.

its weird, im getting random noises and theyre all different haha, mainly the creaky/grinding noise when going in hard is very concerning.

[Didz]

im pretty sure they are 6/8 kg front/rear and they were installed professionally, i paid 1500 from wholesale suspension for them. the guy who installed them told me to run them in for a week and come back, at this stage a week later it hasnt helped too much.

he speculated that it was a bushing problem, that the oem ones had twisted perhaps, though he is certain everything was tight as he didt want to put it together again, quote "it was a bitch to install", lol.

its weird, im getting random noises and theyre all different haha, mainly the creaky/grinding noise when going in hard is very concerning.

I would have a look at this thread:
http://forum.clubitr.com.au/showthread.php?t=6171

If those steps dont fix it, i would get it looked at by a different place.

[VTECMACHINE]

No idea if this has been mentioned cos CBF to read thread. But have you looked at HSD coilovers. They are really good!! The drift guys use them too... and they hold up really well. A few friends have them also. They are a really good price, and they are made in Korea.

[Didz]

No idea if this has been mentioned cos CBF to read thread. But have you looked at HSD coilovers. They are really good!! The drift guys use them too... and they hold up really well. A few friends have them also. They are a really good price, and they are made in Korea.

i havent heard much about them at all for DC5r. Do u know any more details as in, who makes them? Are they inhouse or are the dampers provided by someone else eh: showa, fulcrum etc...
What design are they, monotube twin tube, how are they adjustable etc...

I am more reluctant to go with a perceived unknown compared with a proven performer.