Dumb Poll: Which first? Wheels or Suspension?

[simmode1]

I've actually got Tien S-Tech springs sitting around that I got for free but I really don't feel like spending the time to put them out if they aren't worth it and will be torn off to replace with coils next year anyhow.

This...

And not this...

honestly

coils are a waste unless you are planning on tracking the car.

I took that advice when I first got my s13 and I regret it to this day. Should have gone with coilovers from the start. It is my good fortune now, though, there are many more coilovers developed specifically for street applications available now.

well you could start with koni's and a drop spring, and get G/C sleeves later

Koni's with GC's always sound like a good idea until you total up the price to do it the right and get the benefit that ppl always brag about from it. It's in the $2500 range. If you're not tracking you car much, which would your prefer: Peicing together a Koni/GC setup for $2500 or buying an off the shelf coilover with modest performance for ~$1000?

[hbpignosePA]

?

where are you getting 2500 bro

koni's are like 600

GC sleeves are 450

camber plates are around 400

thats 1450

and with ground control you can order any set of spring rates you could imagine

so where is the other 1000 going enlighten me please?

[simmode1]

Sure thing. I'll hit you with a link when I get home from work. When I saw everything thats really involved in it, I was like

[hbpignosePA]

that probably involves custom valving.

and yes that is a waste

not trying to discredit you i know you COULD spend that much on a custom setup but you wouldnt have to.

[Bumnah]

Price on a Koni/GC setup depends on the types of Konis you buy. Secondly the Koni's are inserts, not replacements. That means you reuse the oem strut housing. People make modified strut housings, that allow for more wheel clearance, and allow you to use higher end Koni shocks with rebound an compression adjustments.

There a few bearings you need to purchase for proper installation. $2500 may be in the high end of the spectrum, but certainly possible. Just depends on what kind of deals you can find.

Koni/GC setup isn't cheap or as easy as an "off the shelf" setup.

What's its matter anyways? You're gonna bolt 'em on to 20 year old bushings anyways....

[simmode1]

From the thread:

Total price? You can shop around for camber plates and maybe get some used ones or a different brand (ebay?).

$1000 for Konis on all 4 corners$750 for housings$400 for GC + eibachs$75 for vorshlag tophats in front$325 for Teins$28 for the torrington bearings ($8x2 + $3x4)random s*** like the brass bearings were only a few bucks

$2478 total the way I did it

You can knock off $200 if you go with 8610's in front instead of 8611. Take off another $47 if you skip the vorshlags and use regular torrington bearings in front. Used camber plates would probably halve what I spent on the new Teins,

Yes, it is a custom setup. But if you're not going this far, then I don't know what the point of a half-assed Koni set up is.

Yes, you could go that basic route for ~$1500 and you'll have a comfy setup with above average performance. Or you could buy pre-assembled coilovers for ~$1000 that perform just fine, but trade ride comfort for the ability to get low.

I think, that if you wanna get low and don't feel the need to have some god-like suspension, then an entry level coilover system is just fine and cheaper either way you look at it.

[asoomal]

I was just about to post that :P

One of the best setups to run.

[sr20power]

I voted for doing both. Although I went with suspension with my car first before getting wheels. It was too long before I got wheels tho.

Looks: SuspensionHandling: tires

Tires are the only part of the car that touch the road, upgrading those will net you the most return on your dollar.

Truth be told, suspension and tires go hand in hand.

I don't agree with this statement at all. Both are looks and handling.

[240lookis]

definitely get coilovers first. i got struts/springs and had them for a month before i sold them. not low enough, no adjustments unless you go expensive, and too soft. once you have coilovers and their adjustability you can get some 17x9s w/ 235/40 or something around there.

[simmode1]

definitely get coilovers first. i got struts/springs and had them for a month before i sold them. not low enough, no adjustments unless you go expensive, and too soft. once you have coilovers and their adjustability you can get some 17x9s w/ 235/40 or something around there.

!

[mattblancarte]

once you have coilovers and their adjustability you can get some 17x9s w/ 235/40 or something around there.

See, you'd think that, but we're talking quite a while down the road. It's going to be all the way until spring until he can even afford less-than-mediocre coils.

More accurately, your advice means get "meh" coils, then roll around on stock wheels for a long time until you can afford wheels...

What adjustability are you talking about for the street that is so important, and why do you want to maximize stiffness for street use?

I can agree that coils can give you all of those options for performance and slam-your-car-so-low-that-it-always-scrapes reasons, but his car will barely be breaking the speed limit any time soon (I should hope), and he's not concerned with track use at all.

If he just put $250 springs on his car, he could be almost 2 inches lower, and still have $750 or so left over for wheels. Sure, he may not be able to fine tune rebound or ride-height... but oh well! He can still be decently low and perhaps have the money to get some wheels and look good (which is his goal here).

We are talking about a pretty low income situation...

Coils just seem like overkill when all he is looking to do is lower his car and roll nicer wheels.

The only way I could see it being worth coils is if the OP REALLY wants to be super slammed to the ground. Then, I agree that coils are the way to go.

[hbpignosePA]

Yes, it is a custom setup. But if you're not going this far, then I don't know what the point of a half-assed Koni set up is.

first off koni's arent a grand

maybe 600 brand new

second; how would getting GC sleeves and camber plates and koni inserts be a half assed setup?

have you ever owned and modified something besides a 240? alot of older vehicles have no "coilovers" and this is how guys get slammed cars; they make their own. its just because the 240 is so overplayed that everyone and their mother makes a similar product. what do you think a coilover is? they are all basically the same concept.

but koni's are one of the best dampeners you can buy. it would still ride better than any "entry" coilover system on the market

those prices are if you order direct from koni to make you a custom valved setup for strict track use, which is not practical.

[240lookis]

i am just talking from personal experience. i was in a very similar situation, looking for the best spring/strut setup, since i didnt want to shell out $800 for coilovers. i tried to find the lowest spring setup out there without cutting them. skunk2 springs go the lowest out of what i found, but when i got them they didnt go very low, and they were still pretty bouncy and there was a lot of tilt going around corners. i ended up getting megan coilovers a bit after and they were a huge improvement and i was happy to be able to slam my car.

it really depends on what the user wants to do with his car, but i would really suggest coilovers.

they are obviously better looks-wise too. pretty much every cool 240 you will see is on coilovers.

oh and you can probably find some used but not abused quality coilovers for about $500.

sorry for the mess.

[mattblancarte]

i am just talking from personal experience. i was in a very similar situation, looking for the best spring/strut setup

I think this may be where the disconnect is. The OP really isn't looking for the best suspension setup, he is going for a pretty cool look for a street car.

I am behind the idea that it's probably better to buy a coilover off the shelf than piece together a spring/strut deal. For the price you can piece together a nice spring/strut, you can snag some decently nice coils.

[PHeller]

If I went with Koni/GC setup I'd do it like this.

Buy the front inserts now. Install them with the Tein's I've got or maybe pick up something with a larger drop.

In the spring, buy the rears.

Next summer or Fall, get the Ground Control setup.

That would allow me to get wheels in the spring as well.

I do want to track/autocross this car , and I've also become more interested in a turbo setup and drifting in the future too...so long as the car doesn't rust away beneath me.

[hbpignosePA]

it be better to get all the dampers at the same time

believe me you will definately regret that

wheels could wait