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I have a 2007 WRX and I'm looking to get some new coilovers. I want to get better performance, but dont want the stiffness that comes with that if that is possible? Any suggestions? Looking to spend under $550
Overall Best Coilovers?
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There are none anywhere close to your budget...
The "best" coilover system anywhere close to your budget is a $900 setup from ST (child company of KW), but those don't include upper mounting hardware, so you'd need to factor in another few hundred for tophats, plus alignment, so you're looking at probably $1200 minimum (assuming DIY install, and outsourcing the alignment).
If your budget is $550, you're pretty much limited to factory-replacement hardware. KYB Excel-G struts, reusing OE springs, and new OE tophats plus alignment cost will eat up that entire budget. If you are not DIY install, expect 3-4 hours shop labor on top of that ($300-500).
The "best" coilover system anywhere close to your budget is a $900 setup from ST (child company of KW), but those don't include upper mounting hardware, so you'd need to factor in another few hundred for tophats, plus alignment, so you're looking at probably $1200 minimum (assuming DIY install, and outsourcing the alignment).
If your budget is $550, you're pretty much limited to factory-replacement hardware. KYB Excel-G struts, reusing OE springs, and new OE tophats plus alignment cost will eat up that entire budget. If you are not DIY install, expect 3-4 hours shop labor on top of that ($300-500).
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Feal 441s run about 1500 and I've heard fairly positive reviews on them for a setup that cheap. One of my local shops really pushed towards whiteline or ohlin but suggested if money was that tight and coilovers a must then the feal will be ok.
Outside of that and what was mentioned before your choices are really about 2k and up for something worth having. I've not priced it but you may be able to pickup some various spring and strut combos around that price that will preform well for the street plus not be too bad for a little autocross from time to time.
From my expierence with coilovers, although not in a wrx, cheap ones are brutal, you can never dial in dampening right, they endlessly need to have the height adjustment reset because the lock nuts slip, they will beat you to death, and if you see 10k out of them you are lucky.
I've also seen mention of issues with overall travel issues and lifting of wheels under hard cornering. That's bad news, however I don't know that I'm my little expierence with them it was happening. I was too busy trying to keep my brains from beating off the inside of my skull.
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On the older models (2007), the option of the STs actually isn't horrible from a performance standpoint...XJman said:
I still would recommend a strut/spring setup over coilovers (especially if ride comfort is a concern), but the shop you're referring to sells the setup I'm referring to, so they're not the typical garbage like BC, ISC, Megan Racing, etc.
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I found these Teins https://www.redline360.com/tein-coi...MI7oiv68iV2gIVRFp-Ch20AAHPEAQYASABEgIpL_D_BwE but I see it doest't have the top hats so I would have to purchase those separate. Is that the only other part I have buy in addition to these coilovers?
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I'd not waste money on those but if you insist, in addition to the top hats ask if there are bump stops and ask how the brake lines are secured to the body. PS that same company actually have decent stuff; there's ST at $1K and KW Var1 at $1,5K for example.
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They did but nobody knows what they're talking about because we've been here only a decade or so. What the hell do we know? Get serious bro.
When OP buys rubbish, and assuming the car still turns and stops on its own -- without using trees or anything -- they'll be bouncing around like that time I was up to 100mg of ephedrine a day. They'll never know the handling is awful, not better, and they'll then never replace the "non-rebuildable" (read: EXPENDABLE) coilovers. Same old scene.
The KWs have a TUV, meaning the maker took the trouble to have the parts be SAFE -- but why both when you can buy hogwash for $500?...
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You would be insane to put them on your car.
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If I follow your line of thinking correctly, yes... I agree.
Even the frequent rebuilds of a $500 suspension pale in comparison to all the body work necessary to repair the car after it slams into a barrier.
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"Best" is a pretty subjective term.. best at what? I wouldn't say either are the "best" at what they do, but I like KW v3s for a daily driver, or RCE Tarmac 2s for a little more performance oriented.
Under $550 is barely enough money to get one, let alone all four coilovers. If that's your budget then you should be looking for some used stock struts and springs, not new coilovers.
Under $550 is barely enough money to get one, let alone all four coilovers. If that's your budget then you should be looking for some used stock struts and springs, not new coilovers.
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I often wonder what drives people to think 500 or even 1000 dollar coilovers are great deals. I dont know if I sit in a unique area having going to school for automotive mechanics and having worked around metal fabrication my entire life. But even looking at some of these units they look suspect at best.
I dont claim to be the most knowing out there, but it just seems like a no brainer to me. I currently work for a company that deals in all levels of automotive parts and are most known for our various springs(suspension, valve, hose clamps, transmission), suspension components, and chassis components. We supply everthing from Kia to Bugatti, even aftermarket companies.
I know the down sides to our products and where they may not be the most competently manufactured parts, but even at that you can visibly see and feel the quality difference between garbage and acceptable.
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Very simply: ignorance.
There seems to be a common misunderstanding that stiffer suspension is always better when chasing performance. Most people do not know what compression and rebound are, nevertheless how to read a shock dyno plot. The people who purchase without seeking to understand -- and believe me, that's a large fraction of the "enthusiast" community -- are the target market for companies like BC Racing and Raceland.
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In those 64 ways have they got a few of them with dampening that's suitable for the crazy spring rates some of them have?
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