Suspension for a road car

[Lefty]

Ok, bear with me. I put this in GG on purpose.

I need to buy suspension for a car, it’s fairly light (1300kg), powerful (500-ish bhp) and 100% a road car. Little, twisty, bumpy badly-surfaced roads mostly, occasionally wide, fast smooth ones.

Looking at, say, Nitron. I can get 1-way adjustable coilovers for £2k or 3-way with more valves obviously and larger bodies for £4k. Presumably better “quality” damping.

So…is it worth it? In my head a car lives and dies by the quality of its suspension - and how it’s been set up. I’ve driven plenty of cars ruined by crap coilovers and far too high spring rates.

I’ve driven a mk2 escort on Billies that seemed great until I drove one on £8k of Reigers that were night and day different, unbelievable.

Does going for 3-way dampers just give me more to fiddle with and make it harder to set up?

To be clear, no track days (probably) and even if I do it’s for fun, not chasing tenths here and there.

I want something with awesome composure, great body control on a range of surfaces and I’m happy to spend money…but not waste it.

I do have a tame ex racing engineer mate I would trust to set them up.

Your thoughts gentlemen, please.

[smokey mow]

Expensive dampers are only worth it if you re getting the dampers valved and set up for the actual vehicle and it s use, weight and geometry.

In general terms, yes spending more money will to a point get you something that works better than a cheeper alternative but only so far.

It s no different to spending money on engine upgrades and then not getting it mapped.

[Lefty]

Thanks, that all makes sense.

I’m very aware of the concept of diminishing returns and whilst I’m happy to spend money where it counts I also don’t want to waste it, being a grippy Scot.

What would piss me off more is spending £2k on suspension, pissfarting about with it for a year then spending £4k on the “better” ones.