Guaging interest on California Custom 2in drop springs for G50

Post by **elwesso** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 7:20 am

Seems theres a revived interest in these springs.....

Im not going to bother unless I have 5 people.....

Anyone want a set? Pricing will be in the ballpark of $250 shipped...

Post by **qsiguy** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 7:40 am

Put me on the list

Post by **CrimsonQ** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 7:48 am

Just got my tax return, so count me in this time

Post by **bmwkiller** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 8:58 am

Do you have these on your car? I'm asking 'cause I'm curious about the 2" drop combined with the 18" wheels I just picked up. My offset is going from 45 to 35, so I'm already getting closer to the fender, and I don't really want to run a super low profile tire. As for interest, yea, I'm interested. For me, I was thinking about a Feb. time frame when I started looking. I've got other projects sucking up my money right now. Is this something you'd be doing immediately?

Post by **Q45tech** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:39 am

Each inch of drop increases camber by 0.7 degrees minimum and the bump steer from lowering the rack/tie rod angles gets pretty bad even with 1".

Post by **elwesso** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:43 am

I can do it whenever... I dont care... I already have these springs on my car, so whenever members are ready..... Might be better to wait until spring when people are going to be more interested.....

wait till spring for springs..... easy to remember...

Tech.. I havent noticed excessive bump steer, it is a little worse compared to my stock Q with 15s, but still its never unsafe or anything..... SPL sells the adjustable tie rod ends.

Post by **Jeff Williams** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:49 am

Q45tech wrote:Each inch of drop increases camber by 0.7 degrees minimum and the bump steer from lowering the rack/tie rod angles gets pretty bad even with 1".

Even with 12 years of sag, the negative camber is rough on my 17" and 18" tires. With another .7 degrees of negative camber, I will definitely need adjustable links.

Why don't you get a group buy together on a WES super handling kit (springs, subframe bushings, adjustable links, struts, sway bar bushings, rear sway bar, and a front strut brace)?

By the way, the 245/45/18 Continental SportContact tires have been a blast to drive! Smooth ride, great handling, and so far, QUIET!

Post by **elwesso** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 11:51 am

So you like those continentals??? I have never been to impressed with the reviews on them..... Theyre cheap all over ebay so maybe I'll get some....

Wont be doing a GB on all that stuff, as no one will buy it as for everything that I got bought new would be well over $1000, maybe even approaching 2000.

Post by **heywier427** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:10 pm

Wes could you post a good pic of how the drop looks from your car. i want to go low but dont really want to spend 1300. for the jic magic coilovers. i was recently in an accident that broke the tokiko struts in the front and thats how low i want it. as of now the eibach springs are sitting on the lower bolts that hold the strut in place. crappy way to check ride height but thats life!

Post by **redmanfx** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:27 pm

These springs make my Q look very sexy and I highly recommend them!! They look soooo good.... They are much stiffer then OEM, but not to stiff. The Cali custom springs combined with the sub frame bushings and collars, which I am so very pleased, is one of the best things you can do for your Q at a very reasonable price that you can actually see and be instantly impressed with!!! No joke.

red

Post by **elwesso** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:31 pm

I agree with redman too...... they are golden, you will love them..... the car is not harsh at all, still rides like a luxury car should....... I would not make the ride any stiffer or softer than it is, under any conditions..... This car is perfectly safe at 140MPH.

Post by **heywier427** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 2:58 pm

thanks for the pics. tho im going to pass. i did make my own set of adjustables that i will install when my ft end goes back on. and from there i will save for the magics. wes check the parts forum.

Post by **gniknave** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 8:25 am

I just installed mine yesterday. My main thing before installing them was that I hated how it handled around turns. There was too much body roll for my liking, almost to the point where I'd slide a bit in my seat.

Now with the springs (and new Tokico's), there is next to no body roll. These are progressive springs, so they're designed to give you a stock like ride on the straight away while stiffening to provide better handling on turns. After driving it I feel they do the job they're expected to do with perfection.

The before/after height difference is very noticeable. However I measured a 1.8" drop in the front and 1.5" in back. I guess they just need to "settle in" a bit and that might go down to specs.

My car now rides a lot like a 95-01 7 Series... Firm, but not harsh. The only thing I'm having to get used to is the front being a little more harsh. But this is because before I had OE shocks on front and Tokico blues on back. Now I'm running Blues all around.

I have some before pics, and I just need to take the after pics. I'll post them later today.

Here's a pic of the Cal Custom front spring (red) next to a stock Q45 front spring:

Post by **elwesso** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 8:41 am

I thought you had eibachs before evan......? I didnt notice the front being harsher than eibachs.

Post by **gniknave** » Sun Jan 08, 2006 11:19 am

elwesso wrote:I thought you had eibachs before evan......? I didnt notice the front being harsher than eibachs.

I was attempting to install Z32 eibachs, but there were way too many complications with that and I opted out of that idea. It was worth being patient and getting the Cal Customs instead.

Post by **bmwkiller** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 4:59 pm

qsiguy wrote:Put me on the list

CrimsonQ wrote:Just got my tax return, so count me in this time

OK, I'm in too. I had an unexpected savings on another project. How often does that happen? So that's three of us. C'mon, gotta be a couple more of you out there.

Post by **banshee08** » Tue Jan 10, 2006 5:23 pm

Count me in. I hope there is one more out there.

Post by **Q45Racing** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 4:28 am

HEY WES COUNT ME IN TOO, MY MINIVAN FLYWHEEL BROKE LAST TIME AND COST ME OVER $500 TO FIX SO IT CAUGHT ME AT A BAD TIME, BUT I'M STILL INTERESTED IN GETTING THE SPRINGS, INCOME TAX CHECK SHOULD BE HERE IN A FEW WEEKS.

Post by **bmwkiller** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:06 am

I just had a chat with a guy named Simon at Trader's Trucks. http://www.traderstrucks.com/ They are the distributor of California Custom springs, and the owners of the California Custom brand name. According to Simon, they were doing a whole lot of Q45's back in the day and had someone make a bunch of springs for them to sell under their private label (California Custom). This was before he was with the company, so he doesn't know exactly who made them. Anyway, he says he only has 24 sets of springs left in stock, and when they're gone there will be no more! He also told me that he has in the past been approached by someone to buy his entire stock. Though that deal doesn't seem to be going anywhere currently, you never know what might happen. He seems anxious to clear out this old stock and is willing to offer a number of price breaks. One set, $200 plus shipping. Five sets, $150 (each) plus shipping. He'll ship direct to each buyer, and give further price breaks for larger orders. So....wanna bet we get more than 5 people now?Hurry.

Post by **bmwkiller** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:30 am

One more thing I forgot....I asked him what else he had in the way of Q45 stock, and he told me he just has the springs and "a few body kit pieces". He's going to check his inventory and e'mail me with a list of everything he's got. Just in case anybodys interested, once I get it I'll let you all know.

Post by **qsiguy** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:46 am

$150 sounds really nice

Post by **elwesso** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:43 am

bmwkiller wrote:I just had a chat with a guy named Simon at Trader's Trucks. http://www.traderstrucks.com/ They are the distributor of California Custom springs, and the owners of the California Custom brand name. According to Simon, they were doing a whole lot of Q45's back in the day and had someone make a bunch of springs for them to sell under their private label (California Custom). This was before he was with the company, so he doesn't know exactly who made them. Anyway, he says he only has 24 sets of springs left in stock, and when they're gone there will be no more! He also told me that he has in the past been approached by someone to buy his entire stock. Though that deal doesn't seem to be going anywhere currently, you never know what might happen. He seems anxious to clear out this old stock and is willing to offer a number of price breaks. One set, $200 plus shipping. Five sets, $150 (each) plus shipping. He'll ship direct to each buyer, and give further price breaks for larger orders. So....wanna bet we get more than 5 people now?Hurry.

Thats interesting..... Simon NEVER told me hed do 150, he said that I had to buy at least 10 sets...... for $200, PLUS shipping! if he said he'll do 150 + S/H then we will be golden... and then the price would go down to about 200 shipped

Post by **SDQ45** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:17 pm

Im in...

Let me know what to do.

Also, where can I get some sub frame bushings?

Thanks

Post by **bmwkiller** » Wed Jan 11, 2006 5:32 pm

elwesso wrote:Simon NEVER told me hed do 150, he said that I had to buy at least 10 sets.... if he said he'll do 150 + S/H then we will be golden...

He told me he did a group purchace for "some club a while ago". I'm guessing that was the last NICO group buy. I got the impression he hasn't sold any since. It sounded to me like he finally got tired of the stuff sitting around and taking up space. This is a deal too good to pass up.

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 7:41 am

agreed... if hes ready to dumpm them ill likely buy a few sets in addition to the ones that he has.

Post by **RobertsnewQ** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:33 am

He WAS selling them for $169 on ebay last year.

Post by **elwesso** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 1:17 pm

but it was also with about $25 shipping... So its not that much different.

Post by **erbe** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 1:24 pm

I'm in

Post by **tkd_q45** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 4:00 pm

Wes - looks like your Q sits either level or slightly low in back. Is this so? Seems to be missing the normal rake Qs have.

Post by **elwesso** » Fri Jan 13, 2006 8:04 am

it sits pretty level..... as opposed to the arse sticking up