Discussion
TameRacingDriver said:
I got the exact same sneering comment on the mx5 owners club from someone when I was asking about coilovers.
I think some people just enjoy being dicks
"Ooh, look. This complete stranger has started a thread about how happy they are with their car. Why don't I go in and show them how intelligent I am."I think some people just enjoy being dicks
Some people are very odd.
QuantumTokoloshi said:
Shifter1 said:
I happen to like stiffer tyres on them. I think it does the car well and sharpens it nicely. But by experience a quick way to ruin them is to go for cheap or just any tyre. Very tyre sensitive them little things.
You may have already mentioned it somewhere, but what is your goal with the car? Just having a convertible to drive around, sporting driving, maybe some track days? Given what you have done so far I would think more towards the first option? Great thing about these cars is they can do all the above with no problems.
All of the above, will be looking at a suspension refresh next, coil overs and shock absorbers first, maybe a 10 or 15 mm drop, KW, Tein or BC (wide differences in prices which is likely reflected in performance and longevity) and extra body bracing when funds allow, but always open to suggestions.You may have already mentioned it somewhere, but what is your goal with the car? Just having a convertible to drive around, sporting driving, maybe some track days? Given what you have done so far I would think more towards the first option? Great thing about these cars is they can do all the above with no problems.
I had good experiences with Falkens on my other cars, the previous gen FK451s and their replacements were the only tyres along with F1s, that did not torque steer all over the place, even Michelins Primacy would be all over the road. Getting the XL rating, gives it a stiffer sidewall which may well be a good option, as the stock suspension is on the compliant side of tuning.
Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Monday 17th July 10:30
Shifter1 said:
QuantumTokoloshi said:
Shifter1 said:
I happen to like stiffer tyres on them. I think it does the car well and sharpens it nicely. But by experience a quick way to ruin them is to go for cheap or just any tyre. Very tyre sensitive them little things.
You may have already mentioned it somewhere, but what is your goal with the car? Just having a convertible to drive around, sporting driving, maybe some track days? Given what you have done so far I would think more towards the first option? Great thing about these cars is they can do all the above with no problems.
All of the above, will be looking at a suspension refresh next, coil overs and shock absorbers first, maybe a 10 or 15 mm drop, KW, Tein or BC (wide differences in prices which is likely reflected in performance and longevity) and extra body bracing when funds allow, but always open to suggestions.You may have already mentioned it somewhere, but what is your goal with the car? Just having a convertible to drive around, sporting driving, maybe some track days? Given what you have done so far I would think more towards the first option? Great thing about these cars is they can do all the above with no problems.
I had good experiences with Falkens on my other cars, the previous gen FK451s and their replacements were the only tyres along with F1s, that did not torque steer all over the place, even Michelins Primacy would be all over the road. Getting the XL rating, gives it a stiffer sidewall which may well be a good option, as the stock suspension is on the compliant side of tuning.
Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Monday 17th July 10:30
Happy to try Hankook or Yokohama, 16" are becoming a rarity now, with >19 or 20" the default.
QuantumTokoloshi said:
Shifter1 said:
QuantumTokoloshi said:
Shifter1 said:
I happen to like stiffer tyres on them. I think it does the car well and sharpens it nicely. But by experience a quick way to ruin them is to go for cheap or just any tyre. Very tyre sensitive them little things.
You may have already mentioned it somewhere, but what is your goal with the car? Just having a convertible to drive around, sporting driving, maybe some track days? Given what you have done so far I would think more towards the first option? Great thing about these cars is they can do all the above with no problems.
All of the above, will be looking at a suspension refresh next, coil overs and shock absorbers first, maybe a 10 or 15 mm drop, KW, Tein or BC (wide differences in prices which is likely reflected in performance and longevity) and extra body bracing when funds allow, but always open to suggestions.You may have already mentioned it somewhere, but what is your goal with the car? Just having a convertible to drive around, sporting driving, maybe some track days? Given what you have done so far I would think more towards the first option? Great thing about these cars is they can do all the above with no problems.
I had good experiences with Falkens on my other cars, the previous gen FK451s and their replacements were the only tyres along with F1s, that did not torque steer all over the place, even Michelins Primacy would be all over the road. Getting the XL rating, gives it a stiffer sidewall which may well be a good option, as the stock suspension is on the compliant side of tuning.
Edited by QuantumTokoloshi on Monday 17th July 10:30
Happy to try Hankook or Yokohama, 16" are becoming a rarity now, with >19 or 20" the default.
Since 15" all around is the perfect size for the MR2 roadster, current choice still works fine.
Falken, Hankook and Yokohama offer options in the stock 185/55/15 and 205/50/15 sizes, which again are the best size for the car. But yes, choices are getting tougher for small sport tyres. What makes it worse is that going larger like 17" kind of ruins the car.
Just to back up what others have said, aftermarket coilovers on any road car is a big mistake, if you want to enjoy it on the road that is. More often than not, it makes a car skippy and dangerous more than grippy as they can't deal with the rough road conditions. Motorways and tracks are the only places where coilovers have ever felt like they were doing what they were designed for, everywhere else I spent my time avoiding bumps in the road, cats eyes and grains of sand for fear of breaking my back...
Hateful things on a road car!
Hateful things on a road car!
I recently refreshed the suspension on mine with KYB shocks and Tein springs.
I was previously running standard shocks with TTE springs, but one spring broke, and while I really wanted TTE springs, they're hens teeth, so I gave up trying to find them, and went with the Tein springs.
Still nicely compliant for road use, although I definitely wouldn't want it any stiffer or lower.
Edit: The KYB / Tein combo wasn't my idea, it's a tried and tested setup by many in the owners clubs and seems to be well regarded.
I was previously running standard shocks with TTE springs, but one spring broke, and while I really wanted TTE springs, they're hens teeth, so I gave up trying to find them, and went with the Tein springs.
Still nicely compliant for road use, although I definitely wouldn't want it any stiffer or lower.
Edit: The KYB / Tein combo wasn't my idea, it's a tried and tested setup by many in the owners clubs and seems to be well regarded.
Edited by TheJimi on Tuesday 18th July 14:06
If KYB still offer the AGX adjustable shock, that might be a way forward. You can run them at OEM height or with a small drop, and on full 'soft' they perform very similarly to OEM shocks. Then you can wind up the resistance if you ever decide to go on track. They also offer a lifetime exchange warranty against manufacturing defects.
Some great suggestions, thanks.
One issue I have noticed, and had similar issue with some of my other lower cars, is the incredibly bright headlights of newer cars, especially SUVs and LED lights. As you are sitting almost level with the headlights, your retina gets cooked from the rearview mirror, before you can react to flip the switch. An auto dimming mirror might be a good investment, have fitted them before, but this may be a little more complicated, as it is not a direct part swop.
One issue I have noticed, and had similar issue with some of my other lower cars, is the incredibly bright headlights of newer cars, especially SUVs and LED lights. As you are sitting almost level with the headlights, your retina gets cooked from the rearview mirror, before you can react to flip the switch. An auto dimming mirror might be a good investment, have fitted them before, but this may be a little more complicated, as it is not a direct part swop.
Evil.soup said:
Just to back up what others have said, aftermarket coilovers on any road car is a big mistake, if you want to enjoy it on the road that is. More often than not, it makes a car skippy and dangerous more than grippy as they can't deal with the rough road conditions. Motorways and tracks are the only places where coilovers have ever felt like they were doing what they were designed for, everywhere else I spent my time avoiding bumps in the road, cats eyes and grains of sand for fear of breaking my back...
Hateful things on a road car!
In which case you are fitting the wrong ones.. Hateful things on a road car!
At the end of the day it is a damper and a spring. Buy some spec'd for what you use them for, then enjoy the corner weighting etc. A higher quality damper can do marvellous things.
None of the adjustable coilovers I have fitted on cars have ruined them for the road. In fact they have only improved them.
Evil.soup said:
Just to back up what others have said, aftermarket coilovers on any road car is a big mistake, if you want to enjoy it on the road that is.
Believe this is dependent on spring rate - obviously most people buy height-adjustable coilover dampers to run on circuit, so the springs supplied are generally unsuitable for 'road use'.I bought a used set of Meister R Zeta coilovers off a friend of mine for a Civic I used to have (cheap s
t Taiwanese suspension brand from memory), I was amazed at how well the car behaved over bumpy roads across the North Yorks Moors/Dales. My friend had previously chosen the spring rates based on a drive across to Germany, some TF at the Nurburgring, then the drive home again. Honestly with these springs and dampers fitted the ride was remarakable for what was ostensibly a 'track car', the springs would almost cosset over small bumps/surface imperfections, and when anything bigger came along the dampers saw to it that the car neither crashed/bottomed out or rebounded uncontrollably. For a track day I recall winding the damper adjusters up to full (otherwise left them alone), car behaved nicely with a useful amount of bodyroll for when you wanted to rotate the back end around. Before this 'Road to Damascus' experience I was of the same opinion as yourself, however after my experiences of cheap coilovers with springs chosen by a mate working out of a cow shed, it made me see what decent suspension tuned by someone who knows what they're doing can be capable of.
I have to clarify as I failed to mention, the car I fitted the coilovers to was my WRX, not an MR2.
I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
Evil.soup said:
I have to clarify as I failed to mention, the car I fitted the coilovers to was my WRX, not an MR2.
I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
This is EXACTLY my experience too.I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
I've been out with lots of people who said their coilovers "rode like stock", and in every single case they were much stiffer than I'd be happy with on a bumpy B-road.
Don't own an MR2, but I did an MX5.
Regarding suspension; I wouldn't write coilovers off too soon.
I tried, OE shocks with eibachs, these were too bouncy. Bilstein shocks and eibachs, crashy. Aftermarket Jap spec Cusco things, horrificly hard. Tein Flex maybe? Again, crashy. I was tired of changing the shocks by now so bit the bullet, bought and settled on Meister R CRD. They were absolutely amazing on the road, better then the factory shocks. The only drawback was when pushing on, on a genuinely good bit of road, they started too feel a little soft, which is why I imagine they do a CRD+. Would absolutely go for them again on a road car.
Although just looked and they're a grand now. Wow, was about £500 when I bought them, albeit a decade ago now. Despite that, I think I would.
Regarding suspension; I wouldn't write coilovers off too soon.
I tried, OE shocks with eibachs, these were too bouncy. Bilstein shocks and eibachs, crashy. Aftermarket Jap spec Cusco things, horrificly hard. Tein Flex maybe? Again, crashy. I was tired of changing the shocks by now so bit the bullet, bought and settled on Meister R CRD. They were absolutely amazing on the road, better then the factory shocks. The only drawback was when pushing on, on a genuinely good bit of road, they started too feel a little soft, which is why I imagine they do a CRD+. Would absolutely go for them again on a road car.
Although just looked and they're a grand now. Wow, was about £500 when I bought them, albeit a decade ago now. Despite that, I think I would.
Edited by 3GGy on Tuesday 18th July 20:38
3GGy said:
Don't own an MR2, but I did an MX5.
Regarding suspension; I wouldn't write coilovers off too soon.
I tried, OE shocks with eibachs, these were too bouncy. Bilstein shocks and eibachs, crashy. Aftermarket Jap spec Cusco things, horrificly hard. Tein Flex maybe? Again, crashy. I was tired of changing the shocks by now so bit the bullet, bought and settled on Meister R CRD. They were absolutely amazing on the road, better then the factory shocks. The only drawback was when pushing on, on a genuinely good bit of road, they started too feel a little soft, which is why I imagine they do a CRD+. Would absolutely go for them again on a road car.
Although just looked and they're a grand now. Wow, was about £500 when I bought them, albeit a decade ago now. Despite that, I think I would.
I think you've more or less agreed with the points that others were making in that not all coilovers are equal, with Meister R's being well regarded for exactly the reasons you describe.Regarding suspension; I wouldn't write coilovers off too soon.
I tried, OE shocks with eibachs, these were too bouncy. Bilstein shocks and eibachs, crashy. Aftermarket Jap spec Cusco things, horrificly hard. Tein Flex maybe? Again, crashy. I was tired of changing the shocks by now so bit the bullet, bought and settled on Meister R CRD. They were absolutely amazing on the road, better then the factory shocks. The only drawback was when pushing on, on a genuinely good bit of road, they started too feel a little soft, which is why I imagine they do a CRD+. Would absolutely go for them again on a road car.
Although just looked and they're a grand now. Wow, was about £500 when I bought them, albeit a decade ago now. Despite that, I think I would.
Edited by 3GGy on Tuesday 18th July 20:38
C70R said:
Evil.soup said:
I have to clarify as I failed to mention, the car I fitted the coilovers to was my WRX, not an MR2.
I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
This is EXACTLY my experience too.I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
I've been out with lots of people who said their coilovers "rode like stock", and in every single case they were much stiffer than I'd be happy with on a bumpy B-road.
All the above is down to the damper, not the fact it is an adjustable coilover.
Jhonno said:
C70R said:
Evil.soup said:
I have to clarify as I failed to mention, the car I fitted the coilovers to was my WRX, not an MR2.
I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
This is EXACTLY my experience too.I was very conscious of selecting a more compliant spring rate and spent a lot of time playing with the damper rate and even had the height set to its maximum to allow more travel to absorb bumps in the road.
I did improve the set up and on a well tarmaced road it was blissful, but where things got a little more bumpy they just couldn't absorb the bumps without starting to feel like ut was starting to skip and lose road contact.
They were BC fully adjustable coilovers so not some ebay cheap ones, but to deal with the roads in the UK, I feel you need to spend big money to get a suitable set up. The amount of money you would need to spend doesn't justify spending on an MR2.
I've been out with lots of people who said their coilovers "rode like stock", and in every single case they were much stiffer than I'd be happy with on a bumpy B-road.
All the above is down to the damper, not the fact it is an adjustable coilover.
Plus, I'm pretty confident that the Meister CRDs (which were lauded earlier in this thread) and the BC Racing kit are made in the same factories in Taiwan.
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