coilover suggestions needed!!!

[zax]

What WE'RE telling you is if you're going JUST for looks, a lowering spring is 5x cheaper than a decent coilover. Why waste the money?

[BEASTmode632]

And im sayin im not just going for looks

[EJ257]

And im sayin im not just going for looks

If you're looking for performance from a coilover, price starts to become a factor, for most people. You need to be willing to drop $1500+ on the '08+.

For less money, you can have a strut and spring setup that will be leaps and bounds better than any coilover of equivalent cost.

If you adjust ride height with the coilover, you need a brand new alignment. In terms of adjustability, that leaves the average joe only the ability to adjust dampening rate, which is offered on decent struts (e.g., Koni Yellows).

A set of Koni Yellows are in the $700 range. A set of RCE Yellows offer a nice drop, while not putting you out of the "sweet spot" for performance, and are $350; you can probably get them used for $200-250 (they aren't a wear item, so don't hesitate to buy used). MSI makes a great street camber plate for under $300. Reuse your OE tophats in the rear, or pick up new ones (~$100); personally, I'd get new ones while the strut assembly is apart. Give or take, that puts you in the $1200-1300 range. There is no coilover at that price point that will ride/handle better. Other springs, like Epic Engineering don't offer the spring rate that the RCEs do, but will drop the car nicely, and can be had cheap used (a friend got a set of Epic springs on 2011 struts for $150 local sale), so you can save a bit of money. Personally, I'd look at Swift over Epic, but they may not offer enough of a drop for your taste (.8" S / 1" H).

Where coilovers are a worthwhile buy is when the majority of the use will be in motorsports, and you don't mind spending $$ to get good parts, and are going to be corner balancing as well. For a street-driven WRX (even if it sees a little bit of motorsport time), coilovers are a complete waste, and you're better off putting that money elsewhere.

[BEASTmode632]

Ok now im leaning towards strut and spring combo. So konis would be my best bet as far as struts? And could i go with a spting thst has more of a drop that im looking for?

[EJ257]

Ok now im leaning towards strut and spring combo. So konis would be my best bet as far as struts? And could i go with a spting thst has more of a drop that im looking for?

Konis are a fantastic strut. They can handle any spring worth installing.

[BEASTmode632]

I just read about having to cut the stock stuff up. Is that a pretty easy task? Looks pretty easy. Whats a good website to order them from?

[SD_GR]

Check the site vendors. The install is historically just a touch of a science project with the holes you have to make, but once it's done, it's done. Koni are quality parts, I'd trust them in a car that carries my loved ones -- a must for any part worth installing is safety and reliability after all.

[SD_GR]

Oh, and since we're talking... It's your car and it's your tax return money, but it's a really nice car and I'm sure it's very nice money too. It's not me, but if it were me, and I'd spent all that money on a really nice car, I'd want any further money spent on it to improve its dynamics and make it a better car if at all possible.

I feel the best way to do this is to make suspension changes for handling, rather than aesthetics. "Stance" is a fashion; fashion is what goes out of style. Good handling is here to stay.

Going "higher" than you might have originally wanted could (Could! Not imperative; suggestive) yield better handling, safer, more rewarding results.

You can't see the stance when you're using the car; you're in it, after all. Only others can see the stance. Do they matter?

I'm not known for reasonable views and I don't want another "war" here; I'm just suggesting and throwing thoughts out there.

[BEASTmode632]

Suggestions is what i wanted. And now you guys might have changed my mind. If the 1000$ coilovers arent worth it then ill go the cheaper better route. But i want to at least eliminate the huge wheel gap for looks.

[SD_GR]

OK here's what I'd do: set a budget, contact a site vendor and discuss with them earnestly your needs and requirements. Note their offerings and suggestions. Repeat with another vendor etc.

Look into RCE for examples.

[T0rque]

The only cheap coilover to buy is tein. I say that because they are made in Japan and not in Korea/Taiwan. That still doesn't make them good, it just makes them ok. I've had them on a 05 Wrx for about 2 years now with no rebuilds or leaks. The car has about every single piece of white line components on it and handles about the same as a Wrx with Koni struts, tanabe springs and about the same white line components.. So why did I spend the money for coilovers? Yea I was dumb

[BEASTmode632]

The rce is more expencive than just the koni yellow sports right?

[SD_GR]

Look at their spring offerings.

[BEASTmode632]

The only spring they have on the site is the black regular guys. They say its a 3/4 inch drop. Thats crazy for just springs. No way thats right and it says they have a softer spring rate. Would that end up bottoming out alot?

[BEASTmode632]

Is there any spring/strut combo that can get close to a 2/2 inch drop? I want more than just a little over an inch