First things first,

The coop is wandering over Coventry's rough roads like a wandering thing and I'm getting a fair amount of clunking from the nearside front wheel well. The suspension is very crashy making the car pretty unpleasant to use day to day.

I'm assuming that I'll need new wishbones, track rod ends etc.

With the car being on 78k I think the standard suspension is pretty tired and could probably benefit from a full refresh. Having searched the forum there seems to be a fair few options. This will be the first time I've upgraded the suspension on any car so I could do with some advice.

Some background information. I do roughly 5,000 miles per year which consists of around 1,500 motorway miles and the remaining mileage is mainly A/B road blasts.

I drive the car hard when safe to do so. I dont use it as a point and squirt machine so I like a good handler and I'd like to loose the pitching and wallowing that I currently experience under hard acceleration.

Having been baffled by options on more that one occasion can any one shed some light on the best way forward? Should I go for a new standard set up or combine standard shocks with lowering springs? I'd like the car to sit a little bit lower and ideally, I dont want a back breaking ride.

Here's the catch. I'm just finishing university and will be needing my savings for general living, rent etc. What budget set-up meets my specification? I know you get what you pay for but I'd like to put my money towards a good quality product whilst spending as little as possible.

Confused,

Gary

Hi Gary - we defo need a local Cov-meet! - I second the state of the Cov roads! I've got standard shocks with Eibachs springs on. This was more for the asthetics over a performance gain. The 30/35mm drop on Eibachs look spot on IMO. You will feel a stiffened ride though over the standard setup and will swear alot more over the Cov road-holes. However if your shocks have good life in them its not too crashy and it will handle better. Add Bilsteins for the optimum but it'll be at a price. I'm at Stanford Hall for the Auto Italia doo next Sunday - only about 30 mins from Cov if wanna view plus its a top dayout........

hey mate, thanks for the advice. I think i'm after a handling biased set up but the aesthetics are important. The stance needs to be right as you said.

Unfortunately i'll be busy next weekend but i'd like to arrange a meet if there's enough interest. I need to get the dents removed first!

ETA

Do you ever scrape your nose in or around Coventry? How about multi-story car parks?

Yep in Cov now and again....I only ever use the Belgrade Plaza car park. Use the lower ground floor where the Parent and child spaces are (there are some 'normal' spaces too) but its usually empty and very secure plus theres alot more room to avoid those dings
As mentioned Bilsteins with Eibachs are the optimum but with good standards I'm sure you'll be happy. Best £150 I've spent on the car so far...

I might consider that option then. I'll have to check out the shocks properly to see how far gone they are.

I scrape my nose now and again which is the main reason for holding back on lowering the car but it would look so much better.

I've had no issues with scraping the car with the Eibachs on. Then again I've no high kerbs to go over at home but car parks are fine I even managed to get over a field at Hatton Country World yesterday as the car park was full!! The lowered stance looks the dogs doo-dahs - why they never came like that from the factory I'll never know. Once you've done it standard ride height cars just don't look right. I'm going to arrange something around our area over summer - hope to catch up then maybe....

Hi Guys,

I have the same issue. My 16v non turbo rides like a bag of spanners, probably due to the fact that the previous owner cut the standard springs down, rather than investing in some decent lowering springs.

I think im gonna go for a set of standard springs. I have seen some on eBay at £40 a spring (brand new), but i have one question. are the standard coil springs the same size on the front as on the back, or are they a different size / spring rate?

Karl

Alternative autos do a full set of Eibach springs for about £220 delivered (if you're a club member ) or OE fiat ones for about £20 more.
The eibachs and standard shocks are considered a good package. I think the ride and hadling are very good.

I dont think the sizes F/R are the same, and on OE fiat ones, the fronts vary if you have A/C or not.

Just to bring back this thread, I'm going to go ahead with the lowering springs with standard shocks option for now. Does anyone have any photos of their lowered coupes? It'd be nice to see a standard looking coupe, lowered

Is 30/35mm the only option with Eibach's? Does the 35mm refer to the front or the back? For reference I have an air con 20vt.

35mm at the rear, 30mm at the front, makes the car sit level instead of the slightly nose down look a standard car has.

This is my Coupe as I bought it in 2002, Eibach's and std shocks: http://www.garaget.org/?car=1476&image=109081

..but it just got too harsh in the end, had to get Billies.

Hmmm, nice. It looks great at the rear arch. Thanks

Almost standard, except the slightly darker wheels

That's exactly how it should have looked out of the factory, but with better shocks.

What the set-up on that Yellafella? Looks good.

Bilsteins & Pi springs (35mm drop on those I think)

Lower stance is soooo much nicer

This is my Coupe as I bought it in 2002, Eibach's and std shocks: http://www.garaget.org/?car=1476&image=109081

..but it just got too harsh in the end, had to get Billies. [/quote

Per

Looks very nice. What wheels are those, and do you have spacers?

Thank you! They are Liquidmetal Static 18x7.5" and I have 8mm spacers.

Nice. What tire size tires have you fitted on them? Do they rub at all, or is the rolling radius/diameter the same as a stock setup?

It's the usual 225/35-18 that everyone uses, identical with/diameter to the std Plus 225/45-16.

Last question - how far is the car lowered?

Excellent looking coop!

Thanks - it's Eibach springs so I they are 30mm lower all around. I got the last 10mm at the front after I found the Bilsteins were sitting on the std bumpstops! So I cut them a bit (rears too).
The springs are at least 10years old though (and at least 120000km's) so it's possible they are even lower.