To go coilovers or not? Help needed!

[bluesmoke]

Hi guys,

I am looking to refresh my shocks as soon as I can raise the money to buy replacements. But I'm genuinely stuck between going for coilovers, which would probably be used at under £500 (but would want very low mileage) or brand new Yellow Billies, which I could pair with my Eibach springs.

What are people's experiences/opinions? I like the way my car rides on the Eibachs and black Billies, but I want better cornering ability. Even with my current setup, which also includes TRD ARBs and polybushes, I couldn't stay anywhere near a couple of MK3's earlier this summer on a spirited drive.

I sort of fancy coilovers, but I am really concerned about it being too hard. It's my daily driver, but also doubles as my fun car at weekends. I do drive it anytime my GF and I go anywhere that's far away. I'm not sure whether I should let these factors steer my decision. I had a Rev 2 Turbo a couple of years ago on Tein coilovers, although I don't know the exact model. On pot holed roads it was pretty tough to live with.

Thanks guys.

[djpkins]

Mk3's!!! made of cheese...I have D2's on mine, they're...not all that really, to get the amount of stability etc I desire , I have to run them flat out...which is very uncomfortable for most of the time, the collars seized on to the shafts a long time ago which means they have to come of and be split to lower the ride height, Tein have a nice thick thread on the shaft that avoids this...but the nuts can disintergrate after a while, or maybe that was just mine...the only issues I had with my old black Bilstein's was the top mounts went and i would've chosen adjustable inserts like the TRD ones that were on here for sale...you gotta spend a lot on coilovers to get a good set.

[bluesmoke]

Well that's why with coilovers I'd sooner buy a low mileage second hand set, as I'd get more for my money.

[jasongtr]

i have a set of cuscos for sale in the mk2 section, they have the adjustable front top plates, collars are not siezed, they are damper adjustable, they are firm but thats what you get with coilovers as you know.

I have them up for £500 at the moment, make me an offer on them if you are interested

[nickg07]

When you start factoring in the price of new spring cups. new top mounts etc it gets expensive for just a sprint/shocker combo.. if ou can get a set of coilover with this as adjustable and already in the deal, well it might be worth going that route..

[bluesmoke]

Yeah that might be the way to go, but I'm still unsure. Am I better off buying some new coilovers at the £600 mark or some used ones between £400 - £600?

What are the Cuscos like as far as harshness goes Jason, and how many miles have they done?

I'm concerned that this being my daily car may result int he coilovers wearing out quite fast. Yellow billies should be a great handling/comfort compromise, and I may sell the Eibach springs and fit Teins based on some of the stuff I have read, if I go that route.

I am really worried about coilovers being too hard and me ending up resenting the car. That's the major fear I have.

[alanmr2turbo]

if new ones are £600 and used ones £400 then go for new. You could fit the so called low mileage ones and the seals could go on you a few weeks later. At least new ones will come with at least a 1yr guarantee

Its a no brainer

[.jambo.]

Im in the same boat the now handling was ok on stock tubby power but now running a little more you notice the weakness in the stock setup.

Was looking at the hsd stuff http://www.hsdcoilovers.com/

they look nice come with top mounts etc included think u can get them for about 700ish.

seem to get good reviews to

[bluesmoke]

if new ones are £600 and used ones £400 then go for new. You could fit the so called low mileage ones and the seals could go on you a few weeks later. At least new ones will come with at least a 1yr guarantee

Its a no brainer

If going Billies I will go brand new, deffo. Coilovers it depends on brand new price. Are BC's any good? A lot of the others are way more than £600.

I already have Tein Pillowball front top mounts and Toms rear top mounts, so they're already covered if I get coilovers without any.

[xanthus400]

im on cusco coilovers same as jason is selling. They are hard and uncomfortable on potholed roads but thats the roads fault not mine Excellent cornering ability noticed it as soon as i had mine fitted. No roll at all! I personally love them and dont think id go back to stock. I cant compare them to billies as i dont know what they are like. I went stock to coilovers. At the end of the day its personal preference mate

[djpkins]

Second hand suspension is just asking for trouble mate...unless you gonna have them serviced at Ohlins...I bought second hand Tein which needed new o-rings and obv oil on the fronts, coilovers are not designed to take the sort of abuse that todays pothole ridden roads throw at you...if I'd still got a years guarantee on these D2's...I would lob them back at the shop, get another set , and sell them to cut my losses... unless you can find credible research pertaining to the coilovers that you may be interested in...I would seriously consider stock suspension...what do Rogue use on their track cars?

[ashley]

what do Rogue use on their track cars?

Yellow Billies on the Championship cars, and BC Coilovers on the Super GT cars

From my humble opinion- if you want a comfortable daily drive then don't use either, stay stock but refresh the bushes and upgrade the ARB's to improve handling.

I've got yellow billies on my stripped NA and it is a bit too firm for the UK b roads if I'm honest, it skips a bit on mid corner bumps, and my other half doesn't enjoy the ride at low speeds. Having said that- it is proper fun to drive on the roads, but not what you would describe as a comfortable daily drive

On my turbo I've got BC coilovers, and I've struggled to get them setup right- at lower rates the cars bumps around over bumps, and at higher rates it crashes over bumps instead...but then I've been playing with different spring rates as well- increasing the spring rates has actually got them a lot closer to where I want them (at the front anyway, not driven it with the stiffer rear springs yet). Again- I will get it to a point where it will be proper fun to blast on the UK roads, but not a 'comfortable' daily drive

Depends what you want the car for, I want something that will grip like s**t to a stick round the corners on a track and is good for a blast on the UK roads, but I'm prepared to sacrifice some b-road handling, & comfort in general to achieve this...if you're happy with that then I'd suggest Yellow Billies as your first choice, if you can't get on with them then try coilovers

[bluesmoke]

I've decided on coilovers. My commute is only 6 miles each way so hardly a killer. I want something that I can take up the Yorkshire Dales on a weekend that will blow me away. That's how I've had cars in the past.

Choice now is between FK Silverlines, Tein Superstreets and BC coilovers.

Everything else has already been replaced on my car. Ball joints, top mounts (Tein up front, Tom's at rear), polybushes, inner track rods, outer track rods, the lot. Shocks are the last part to replace.

[ashley]

You may want to factor in what top mounts the various coilovers fit with, from memory you get top mounts with a lot of the coilover sets...

[djpkins]

I like the thick thread on Teins...stops 'em from seizing solid like...ahem...D2's...

[T.F.S.]

I like the thick thread on Teins...stops 'em from seizing solid like...ahem...D2's...

have you tried using an anti seize compound like copperslip?

[SteveH]

I am also curious about BC coilovers. I have my MR2 as a daily driver on black billies with Apex springs and it is too hard for me. Literally no comfort at all. Before this I had an (older) MX5 on D2 coilovers and it was VERY low (which I like) but also the comfiest of the last 7 cars I have owned.

Did I hear somewhere that BC is just rebranded D2?

ps. Don't mean to hijack!

[djpkins]

I like the thick thread on Teins...stops 'em from seizing solid like...ahem...D2's...

have you tried using an anti seize compound like copperslip?

Yeah man... it protected the outside and the exposed thread but the thread inside the collars has welded itself together...I fkd my knuckles good and propper trying to wind them loose...lol...I'm a car killer mate,

[Mr2_NA]

+ 1 for cusco being hard

+ 1 for tein being just right

but my car was split tein on front and cusco rear. Never felt so confident in the cars ability before but you'll still need decent tyres.

[Rob]

I got some 1 year old Tein Super Streets 6 months ago for £550 instead of over £900 new and so far *touch wood* they seem to be good. They can soak up pot holes reasonably well for what they are.

I had GAB coilovers before and the Tein are noticeably more comfortable but with a little trade off over handling.

HSD and BC's are well regarded for MR2's as well and cheaper to buy a new set if you wait for a group buy......