Convenience vs. Handling

[Onyxblue]

Now it’s the time to put some money in my V. I am thinking about convenience (dimming mirror and/or fog lights) or handling (strut bar + lowering spring). I am more towards handling, but I want to know your opinions.

I have 2 questions:- For lowering fans: isn’t Tanabe’s 1.5” drop too much? How much will further lower the car with 4 people in it crusing at 75mph? Any issues with the warranty?- Any recommendation for a strut bar? DC or eBay?

[bucksnort]

I hope you put quality tires on first.The stock Conti's are crap. Hopefully something like 205/60's. Doing the others first is like putting lipstick on a pig.

[bulld0g]

- For lowering fans: isn’t Tanabe’s 1.5” drop too much? How much will further lower the car with 4 people in it crusing at 75mph? Any issues with the warranty?

I have the Tanabe's and have no issue with it fully loaded with my wife and three daughters and cruising at 75 only warranty issue would be on the suspension side and they would have to prove that the lowering springs caused the issue.......overall I am very happy with them and I have put 20K on them now

[Onyxblue]

I hope you put quality tires on first.The stock Conti's are crap. Hopefully something like 205/60's. Doing the others first is like putting lipstick on a pig.

I agree with you, but my budget is not prepared for wheels yet - this will come when the tires will be worn out. For now, I am pretty happy with the stock tires, especially commuting 80miles/day in the rain (I live in Seattle )

[2dr_sentra]

I put my Rota Circuit 8's with 225/45ZR16 tires on with bf goodwrench KDW's and what a difference it made.

I am thinking about buying the ebay strut bar also. Only cause this is my daily driver and i dont wanna sink alot of money into it with a DC sports strut bar, which is far better than the ebay strut bar BTW. Plus I have heard good things about the ebay strut bar so far.

[manvan]

the stillen bar is on sale, but its still hella expesive, 130 i think, but free shipping, plus its sexy as hell

[Ever Victorious]

Lowering springs will also be stiffer, so additional weight will have less effect on ride height than they would on stock springs.

[Onyxblue]

Thank you all.One more question: Isn't it 1.5" too much? Should I try to find a 1"?

[Ever Victorious]

Thank you all.One more question: Isn't it 1.5" too much? Should I try to find a 1"?

Tanabe and Eibach tend to try to engineer for "just enough". More than 1.5" is probably too much, but 1.5" is probably the sweet spot.

[bucksnort]

I agree with you, but my budget is not prepared for wheels yet - this will come when the tires will be worn out. For now, I am pretty happy with the stock tires, especially commuting 80miles/day in the rain (I live in Seattle )

OOOOOOOOkay. You could put a set of Falken 912's on your ride for $240 that would make the biggest and most noticeable improvement or go with a cheapo strut bar and spend 300-400 for springs with an alignment and still be at square one. You'll be buying new tires soon enough as the Conti's start crapping out a lot sooner than they should. If you go ballin around corners on your way to work in your 13K economy car and Tanabee's make it ride like a 35K S2000 go right ahead. There's truth to the saying" the rubber meets the road". Brakes and tires come first. Everything else is decoration.

[fastlyfe]

i did chepo strut bar and paid 200 for springs installed my self and didnt need an alignment. where do you get this info? springs and strut bar helps alot. wheels are important but you make it seem as if he gets the strut bar and springs he will lose handling.

[bucksnort]

i did chepo strut bar and paid 200 for springs installed my self and didnt need an alignment. where do you get this info? springs and strut bar helps alot. wheels are important but you make it seem as if he gets the strut bar and springs he will lose handling.

I thinkd bulld0g did a narrative pictorial post when he did his. Maybe he'll chime in as to why he had an alignment done. There are tricks when removing the strut and reinstalling it to ensure everything is lined up as it should be. You're changing the geometry to some degree. Your tire will tell you if it isn't lined up right. As for keeping your warranty, if you blow out your OEM cheapo strut don't expect the dealer to volunteer to fix it. Same goes for any front, rear end part including the axles.Personally ,if I was to go to the trouble of stripping the front end I'd install a premium strut to replace the OEM that's going to go that much sooner. Pay me now or pay me later.He won't lose handling, he'll just lose the biggest bang for his buck. There's a reason there's cheap crap on eBay. Search bumble bee cat back cheap and look at how many suckers bought in.Putting different tires on won't void your warranty. Hit a big pothole and see if your OEM strut holds up, somethings gotta give and the rubber will be last. New springs are only part of the whole program

[Onyxblue]

He won't lose handling, he'll just lose the biggest bang for his buck. There's a reason there's cheap crap on eBay. Search bumble bee cat back cheap and look at how many suckers bought in.

I cannot buy lowering springs AND strut bar AND tires & rims at one time, so I start with the basics - handling.I expect the Tanabe strut bar is not "cheap crap", even if comes from ebay. If it is, I can send it back

Putting different tires on won't void your warranty. Hit a big pothole and see if your OEM strut holds up, somethings gotta give and the rubber will be last. New springs are only part of the whole program

You are right. Springs and strut bar, the first step - next time it will be tires&rims (after paying tuition for my daughters)

[fastlyfe]

I must have installed it correctly. No ab normal tire ware. As for shocks u are right to a point. They have to prove the springs caused the damage. At the dealership In Arizona u can get a versa wit stillen package and lowering springs. The call it the sport package
Modified by fastlyfe at 1:05 PM 3/27/2008

[bucksnort]

I cannot buy lowering springs AND strut bar AND tires & rims at one time, so I start with the basics - handling.I expect the Tanabe strut bar is not "cheap crap", even if comes from ebay. If it is, I can send it back :}

Just don't buy this one off of eBay and expect muchhttp://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...ZWDVW

[Onyxblue]

No. I just ordered a Tanabe strut bar from eBay - $120 shipped.

[bucksnort]

No. I just ordered a Tanabe strut bar from eBay - $120 shipped.

That strut bar looks good. When someone says ebay and Versa without a link you don't know what kind of junk they're talking about.

Here's the how to on springs.zerothread?id=310650

If you scribe the location of the strut and return the strut to this location after install you might get away with not getting an alignment. You are changing the geometry of the front end and you can have the mechanic fine tune the geometry of the front end from generic factory specs to something more performance orientated.

[Onyxblue]

That strut bar looks good. When someone says ebay and Versa without a link you don't know what kind of junk they're talking about.

Sorry! Tanabe strut bar topic is @ zerothread/324518