Anyone fitted very expensive suspension to an average car?

[SonicHedgeHog]

The new Renaultsport Megane comes with optional Ohlin suspension. They're a popular, but expensive upgrade for TVRs and Lotuses, but I haven't seem them on anything else. Has anyone fitted them to something less exotic like a regular hot hatch or fastish saloon and if so did they make much difference?

[markcurtains]

A fair few people, perhaps some in the Fiat/Italian forum, have fitted Koni srt shocks to Panda 100HPs. Imo, fairly pricey for such a cheap car but the ones I've read who have done, say it is a big improvement. Wish I could afford to do it to mine.

[LuS1fer]

The standard Mustang suspension was soft and designed to squat for traction.
Fitting Tokico D-Spec adjustable suspension totally transformed the car into a very capable handling car.

[DrDoofenshmirtz]

I change the fork oil in the bike every couple of years, and you can feel the difference for the better. So I have no doubt decent suspension would change the characteristics of a car.

But then I know fork oil about suspension.

[2stis]

I have fitted LEDAs all round to my old Phase 1 (1995) Clio. This probably cost me several times what a standard car would be worth but has made a huge improvement and meant that I have gained a whole load of adjustability in ride height, damping and camber over the standard setup. I have also gained the wider front track of the Clio Williams at the same time (although also then needed to swap driveshafts and wishbones to fit)

[camelot1971]

I recently put £1200 worth of Bilstein B6 shocks, Eibach springs and genuine Ford top mounts and drop links all round on a 9 year old Mondeo with 185k on it. Transformed the car and I plan on keeping it another 185k if I can

[AW111]

DrDoofenshmirtz said:

I change the fork oil in the bike every couple of years, and you can feel the difference for the better. So I have no doubt decent suspension would change the characteristics of a car.

But then I know fork oil about suspension.

My car has four coils - does that count?

[Welshbeef]

camelot1971 said:

I recently put £1200 worth of Bilstein B6 shocks, Eibach springs and genuine Ford top mounts and drop links all round on a 9 year old Mondeo with 185k on it. Transformed the car and I plan on keeping it another 185k if I can

That's a big investment - that said I'd wager given the kit you had on was very worn even OEM would have transformed the car.



I hope some day I'll be able to keep a car for such huge miles and age.

[mwstewart]

I've converted my Mk3 Fiesta to independant rear suspension which is comprised of bespoke billet parts and KW V3's:





I've not yet driven it

[Impasse]

mwstewart said:

//Mk3 Fiesta //

I've not yet driven it

Well no. It would be a shame to get all of that grubby.

[vrsmxtb]

I spent nearly a third what I paid for my mx5 on new coilovers, they are very good indeed!

[benjj]

camelot1971 said:

I recently put £1200 worth of Bilstein B6 shocks, Eibach springs and genuine Ford top mounts and drop links all round on a 9 year old Mondeo with 185k on it. Transformed the car and I plan on keeping it another 185k if I can

The Billie B6s are superb dampers. I run specially valved ones on my old Porsche rally car. Head and shoulders above the Koni options.

[CO2000]

Any more pics of the Clio & Fiesta? they both look sweet

[6cylGolf]

£600 Gaz coilovers to mk3 fiesta
My mk1 fiesta has some tasty bilsteins but that was a drop in the ocean to build cost.

They completely transform the car

[shoehorn]

I fitted a turreted four link rear end with watts linkage to my V8 Capri,
The front is custom made shortened 2-1/4" towers and adj 50mm Bilsteins(14" from stub axle to top mount)and gp4 alloy escort hubs on rose jointed fully adjustable compression struts with roller top mounts and a big strut brace(long wings)the body is welded and gussetted.
Both castor and camber are set at the moment to 2.5 deg
It cost around 6k to do back in the nineties but transformed the car,its very firm with 250/190 springs but precise and like no other Capri I have driven the front wheels stay where they are supposed to during cornering and braking and axle tramp is a thing of the past.

[anonymous-user]

That Fiesta is pretty sweet, those AP's are going to be very strong.

Planning to fit a Quaife, B1 kit, M3 bits and bobs to the 130. Most standard suspension will be a bit tired after 50K, so much improvement to be had.

[McSam]

Not very expensive suspension, but these onboards from my E36 track car can show just what a difference it makes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHRaiBCeRRk

From its original factory-option "M-Tech" springs and dampers which had done 177k to HSD Dualtech adjustable coilovers. The first run shown is standard, then skip to about the 6min mark to watch it running on the same circuit (though different layout) with the new stuff. No other changes to the suspension, even the tyres are the same.

[Kev T360]

mwstewart said:

I've converted my Mk3 Fiesta to independant rear suspension which is comprised of bespoke billet parts and KW V3's:

You've done alot more than that to the fiesta, if anything the suspension was one of the smaller jobs!

[anonymous-user]

Kev T360 said:

mwstewart said:

I've converted my Mk3 Fiesta to independant rear suspension which is comprised of bespoke billet parts and KW V3's:

You've done alot more than that to the fiesta, if anything the suspension was one of the smaller jobs!

More info needed

[mwstewart]

yonex said:

More info needed

Project thread here (best started from page 3): http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

It's a bit of a long thread