Coilovers for around 1k
 

I'm about to jump on a set of coilovers. As of now i've narrowed my search down to the BC Racing BR type coilover since is the one i've been able to get the most info on.. I'm looking to see if any of the other brands have a comparable setup for a similar price. how do the entry level coilovers from KW (like the v1)or HKS hipermax or any other compare in price/performance/adjustability to the Entry level BC Racing coilovers (BR Type). i just want to compare apples to apples, i know a hks hipermax III is a better coilover than a BC Racing BR, but thats not my concern, i want to compare entry level X to entry level Y. this is just for a street setup, i don't plan on tracking the car, hence i'm not necessarily trying to get the BEST coilover available. I have ruled out springs completely. Any opinions/ advice is appreciated. looking to spend in the range of the BC Racing BR Type coilover, so around 1000 dollars.

ive been looking at the BR type for a while now also. pretty well priced for the options given. the other colivers would cost much more....

To what end are you trying to get coils? Are you looking for track day adjusting? or are you trying to lower your car?

just trying to lower my car, but i'm pick. i dont want to be stuck with however my car winds up settling after springs are installed. Not going to be messing with the height once its set, probably just the stiffness until i find what i like. I just want to get coils because i know in the long run, springs aren't the way to go. i'd rather spend more money on a full coilover setup, then springs+install, then once my dampers get worn out, new dampers, or eventually coilovers.

i also saw Stance GR+ have a pretty inexpensive coilover as well.

I have Stance GR+ on... I'd recommend them.

how much are you lowered? what are your damper settings? could you pm me what you spent on them?

first thing i would check are spring rates, whether it is a linear rate or progressive, and has damper adjustability.

Honestly unless you are a track nut coils are kind of overkill... seriously - your car will never drive as well as it did stock unless you spend a LOT of time fine tuning it to your driving. How I like to think of these things is:
1. Drive it stock figure out what needs to change
2. Adjust most of your oversteer / understeer tendencies w/ some sways that are ratio'd between the front and back appropriately
3. Once you get used to how 1 and 2 feel - if you still need more very specific fine tuning - go for the coils.

Sounds like you are in it more for the looks - honestly i would save my money and get a pair of really good lowering springs and whatever else you need to fix your alignment etc. Coils will be a pain unless you know exactly what you want and can do it yourself as well...

:iagree: :tup:

thanks for your input. i guess you are right, i am in it for the looks and i'm kind of just trying to think of it from a money perspective too. i'd rather spend the money for installation of a set of coilovers (which will cost me like 300 at least) than spend that on springs, and then have to deal with it all again in a year and a half when my dampers go. i've just noticed this cycle with lot of people. they get springs, they have them installed, run them for a while, don't like the ride or the height etc, then they go and end up getting coilovers. You are definitely right, coilovers, for what they are, are defiinitely overkill for my purposes. But i'm a very 'in for a dime, in for a dollar' type of person. and i could follow that same logic and say 'screw it i need the best coilovers there are' but i wouldn't derrive any additional benefit from that, which is why i've settled on getting an entry level coilover. and based on what i have been reading, the biggest advantage of higher end coilovers is their adjustability. separate compression/rebound settings etc, and you are right, i don't have any idea what i'm doing with suspension, but i just like the idea of being able to dial in my ride height and damper settings (even if i have to pay someone to make hte adjustments) then be stuck with however the springs i turn out. plus, i like the idea that the spring i am using is designed for the damper i am using.

it may be a bit of a stretch, but its kind of like paying to have your car repainted 'blue' but you don't get to pick the shade, and by the time you see what shade of blue it is, you've already paid for the paint job. If you paid a shop to paint your car 'bluie' and you were picturing the 'daytona blue' from the 350z, and you wound up with 'monterey blue' from the 370z, you'd probably be a little frustrated.

sorry for the long post, but in short: i'd rather have to make a bunch of adjustments to my coilovers to get what i want, then be stuck with however the springs wind up turning out. i'm sure that most people that get springs are happy with them, but i see too many threads with people unhappy with the height or the ride quality. If i am unhappy with the ride quality, i want to be able to change it (which i can do with coils), not juts have to convince myself its better than stock and deal with it.

you seem to have a lot of insight in this, so do you have any opinions on coilovers in the price range i'm looking at?

are you planning on installing it yourself? contact lou and amplified motorsports!

no, definitely not installing them myself. whatever i go with i'm gonna with an SPL rear camber kit as well

you're planning on going with the same setup i have pictured...:tup:

you plan on doing this setup too? nice


this is the stance i'm going for.
http://www.the370z.com/brakes-suspen...ed-bc-brs.html

I'm currently playing with my stance a bit... right now i think I'm at almost full low on the rear, I wanna say 26 1/4 to the ground from the fender well. About the same in the front i think, was getting some rub in the front so set the dampening to full firm there, helped a little, but thats on wheel with +15 offset in the front and a stock tire..

That's the nice thing though, is that even if you aren't a "track junkie", coilovers give you the flexibility to change ride heights and dampening settings.. Coils let you get stupid low, or keep it stockish if you'd like..

Nothing wrong with doing it for looks too.. :)

oh and pm sent on pricing

i've heard good things about BC's from both the 370 and 350 communities. might be worth a shot but yea, definitely get a pro shop to install them and set them up properly

Thanks Liquid! i just checked out your photoshoot again, your stance looks really nice.


Yea, definitely taking it to a shop. if i do it wrong, i can't exactly jjust drive over to a shop and say 'hey can you finish installing my suspension?'

Perfect example of what i'm talking about

http://www.the370z.com/brakes-suspen...installed.html
http://www.the370z.com/north-west-re...r-springs.html

As for the debate of springs vs coilovers.... it can go on for ever and it all boils down to budget, and individual expectations, and personal preference.

Jeff, let me know if you need any help, have a any questions, or want to order.
I have been a chassis and suspension specialist for quite a while now, have TONS of Z suspension experience and am a top level vendor for both SPL Parts as well as BC Racing North America. I also not only have a great and close business relationship with both companies, I also am good friends with the owners of both of these companies.

Did you decide what to get?

Not sure I entirely agree with that, the adjustments are pretty quick and easy on the BC so he should have it dialed in to a happy place within a couple of days. Good entry level coilover I say.