RECENT experiences with Gaz Golds anyone ...?
Discussion
Ok - I've got a leaky rear shock, and it's an original so due for replacement anyway. Time to replace the set. As the car is only used on the road I really don't want to spend a grand+ on Nitrons and so I'm looking at GGs.
Now there is a massive thread on here with a number of poor experiences in the past, but most of these seem to be attributed to a 'bad batch' back in 2007.
I'd be very grateful if anyone who has bought these in the past year or so would get in touch and share their experiences. PM if nescessary to avoid breaking any site rules ..
Many thanks.
Now there is a massive thread on here with a number of poor experiences in the past, but most of these seem to be attributed to a 'bad batch' back in 2007.
I'd be very grateful if anyone who has bought these in the past year or so would get in touch and share their experiences. PM if nescessary to avoid breaking any site rules ..
Many thanks.
Yep, GGP's on the Chimaera and they really are a step up. Made me quicker across country than any BHP upgrade.
However, got Nitorn's on the Cerbera and they are a different league. I don't track it either, but the whole experience is just better, so if you can go for the Nitron's I'd suggest you do - failing that the GGP's are a good second.
However, got Nitorn's on the Cerbera and they are a different league. I don't track it either, but the whole experience is just better, so if you can go for the Nitron's I'd suggest you do - failing that the GGP's are a good second.
Naybr said:
As the car is only used on the road I really don't want to spend a grand+
I still don't understand this sort of reasoning. It's massively more difficult to make a spring/damper combination that will give you something close to optimal under the wildly varying and largely uncontrolled conditions of road driving than for a track where you have more or less the same conditions lap after lap, can drive into the pitlane and make some adjustments for the given set of conditions etc.If I had £300 to spend on a TVR, I'd have a proper geo set up.
If I had a grand to spend on a TVR, I'd buy the best suspension I could afford and have it set up properly
If I had three grand to spend, I'd buy the best suspension I could afford and have it set up properly (Gaz Golds or similar would fit that bill nicely).
If I had five grand to spend, I'd go for the £3K suspension and geo set up, and spend the rest on upgrading the brakes.
If I had more than five grand to spend, I might do something about engine performance...
Given the specific blend of strenghts and weaknesses of the breed, suspension is where it's at for return on investment, and the law of diminishing returns doesn't really start to kick in until you get at the very highest Ohlins/Intrax etc level...
Interesting point! The reasoning goes like this:
It's a medium condition Chim. I use it on nice summer days for a blast round the B roads and the occasional weekend away. It's probably worth about £7k in the current market. I also have other expensive hobbies, and so I want to make a small improvement whilst doing a nescessary repair.
If I really HAVE to spend a grand on Nitrons (because everyone here told me GGP's are rubbish or something) then I will; but that would mean sacrificing something else I want too! If it was my main hobby then the spending priorities would be different.
From the replies I have so far, it sounds like this isn't the case and that they are a definate improvement on elderly Bilsteins. I'm really just trying to establish if the reported problems with breakages and leaks are history now.
It's a medium condition Chim. I use it on nice summer days for a blast round the B roads and the occasional weekend away. It's probably worth about £7k in the current market. I also have other expensive hobbies, and so I want to make a small improvement whilst doing a nescessary repair.
If I really HAVE to spend a grand on Nitrons (because everyone here told me GGP's are rubbish or something) then I will; but that would mean sacrificing something else I want too! If it was my main hobby then the spending priorities would be different.
From the replies I have so far, it sounds like this isn't the case and that they are a definate improvement on elderly Bilsteins. I'm really just trying to establish if the reported problems with breakages and leaks are history now.
I believe a mod was done to reduce/prevent them breaking, the leaks and squeeks are not affected by the mod so I leave you to draw your own conclusions, by the way I have Nitrons on my Cerb and cross country they are simply fab, I kept the original spring ratings but did renew the springs as well.
As for the poster who commented about track use being easier to spec than road use that may or may not be the case but with the OE shocks the car was a real handful on the track now completely planted and so controlable when you do want to showboat a bit, great fun. On the road with the sort of loads you could generate on the road the OE items were OK but not a patch on what it is now.
As for the poster who commented about track use being easier to spec than road use that may or may not be the case but with the OE shocks the car was a real handful on the track now completely planted and so controlable when you do want to showboat a bit, great fun. On the road with the sort of loads you could generate on the road the OE items were OK but not a patch on what it is now.
Pursyluv said:
Invest in the best you can afford; unless you're a driving God, B road blasts always benefit from a good geo set up; also i was told to consider Protechs over Gaz
I would second that.Especially after my experiences with G**
I am sure my Protechs are no match for a set of nitrons, and if anyone can make them that good without replacing 50% of the components, I want to talk to you!
But certainly as a preference to, I would say ask more about them.
Goaty Bill said:
I would second that.
Especially after my experiences with G**
I am sure my Protechs are no match for a set of nitrons, and if anyone can make them that good without replacing 50% of the components, I want to talk to you!
But certainly as a preference to, I would say ask more about them.
Ahh - so was your experience with "G**" a recent one - or does it date back to the 'problem batch'? Would appreciate a PM if you can't/don't want to say on here.Especially after my experiences with G**
I am sure my Protechs are no match for a set of nitrons, and if anyone can make them that good without replacing 50% of the components, I want to talk to you!
But certainly as a preference to, I would say ask more about them.
I've been very happy with my GGP's.
Please note the Gaz Gold Pros are a completely different product to the old problematic Gaz Golds.
I had a tour of the Gaz factory & watched the final assembly & testing of my Gaz Gold Pros before they were fitted, I was also given a full breakdown of the differences between the old Gaz Golds & the new Gaz Gold Pros.
Trust me they are very different.
Every problematic element had been comprehensively re-engineered and no attempt was made to gloss over the issues with the old design.
The only criticism I have is that Gaz should have completely re-branded the new design.
Sticking with the "Gaz Gold" name and just adding the word "Professional" at the end confuses people.
Personally I would have completely re-branded the new design to disassociate it from the problematic model.
That aside, I've put over 6,000 miles on my Gaz Gold Pros so far with absolutely no leaks or squeaks, just fantastic handling.
However if your objective is to realise the true handling potential it's important to remember there are many more components involved than just the dampers and springs.
My total suspension budget was £1000.ish, so I had a choice.
Fit Nitrons and say that's that, or fit Gaz Gold Pros & have enough left in the pot to address the other critical areas too.
Choosing the Gaz Gold Pros left with enough funds also address the following:
1) Fit new wishbone bushes (metalastic with later type thrust washers)
2) Fit poly bushes to the front & rear anti roll bars
3) Fit a full set of Leven rose jointed drop links
4) Commission a full geo at Wheels in Motion on their Hunter Hawkeye laser rig
Looking at the state of the bushes & drop links that came off my car I'm glad I did it this way.
To my mind fitting the Gaz Gold Pros and getting everything else spot is way better than fitting Nitrons and not being able to replace all the other worn components.
Gaz Gold Pros + New bushes + Leven drop links + Full geometry set up equals a very fine handling TVR for £1000.00
Nitrons + New bushes + Leven drop links + Full geometry set probably equals an even better handling TVR, but the bill could be as much as £1700.00
My advice is be realistic about your budget and remember there's a lot more to suspension than just new dampers and springs.
If you follow what I did you will be not be disappointed, my car was completely transformed.
Please note the Gaz Gold Pros are a completely different product to the old problematic Gaz Golds.
I had a tour of the Gaz factory & watched the final assembly & testing of my Gaz Gold Pros before they were fitted, I was also given a full breakdown of the differences between the old Gaz Golds & the new Gaz Gold Pros.
Trust me they are very different.
Every problematic element had been comprehensively re-engineered and no attempt was made to gloss over the issues with the old design.
The only criticism I have is that Gaz should have completely re-branded the new design.
Sticking with the "Gaz Gold" name and just adding the word "Professional" at the end confuses people.
Personally I would have completely re-branded the new design to disassociate it from the problematic model.
That aside, I've put over 6,000 miles on my Gaz Gold Pros so far with absolutely no leaks or squeaks, just fantastic handling.
However if your objective is to realise the true handling potential it's important to remember there are many more components involved than just the dampers and springs.
My total suspension budget was £1000.ish, so I had a choice.
Fit Nitrons and say that's that, or fit Gaz Gold Pros & have enough left in the pot to address the other critical areas too.
Choosing the Gaz Gold Pros left with enough funds also address the following:
1) Fit new wishbone bushes (metalastic with later type thrust washers)
2) Fit poly bushes to the front & rear anti roll bars
3) Fit a full set of Leven rose jointed drop links
4) Commission a full geo at Wheels in Motion on their Hunter Hawkeye laser rig
Looking at the state of the bushes & drop links that came off my car I'm glad I did it this way.
To my mind fitting the Gaz Gold Pros and getting everything else spot is way better than fitting Nitrons and not being able to replace all the other worn components.
Gaz Gold Pros + New bushes + Leven drop links + Full geometry set up equals a very fine handling TVR for £1000.00
Nitrons + New bushes + Leven drop links + Full geometry set probably equals an even better handling TVR, but the bill could be as much as £1700.00
My advice is be realistic about your budget and remember there's a lot more to suspension than just new dampers and springs.
If you follow what I did you will be not be disappointed, my car was completely transformed.
Edited by Chimpabollics on Thursday 1st December 19:40
Well many thanks for the posts and PMs guys. Opinions vary from "absolutely brilliant" to "absolutely awful" ...
Thanks too for the other advice, but I replaced wishbones, bushes, thrust washers and fitted SH droplinks last year. The guys that fitted them also set up the tracking and camber - although I expect it could be done still more precisely by a specialist - and that made a big difference too.
So, it's still a toss-up between GGP and Protech. Are Racing Red's still available? I think I heard they wern't making them any more.
Thanks too for the other advice, but I replaced wishbones, bushes, thrust washers and fitted SH droplinks last year. The guys that fitted them also set up the tracking and camber - although I expect it could be done still more precisely by a specialist - and that made a big difference too.
So, it's still a toss-up between GGP and Protech. Are Racing Red's still available? I think I heard they wern't making them any more.
Ohh err - now that is a tempting third option. I'm sure I read somewhere (on here?) that they weren't available any more. I wonder why? Is this promotion just a way of using up the old stock?
I know they are made by Nitron,and that should count for something, but I suppose the inevitable question has to be 'are they any good?' Again, I'd really appreciate hearing about any actual experiences of them.
I know they are made by Nitron,and that should count for something, but I suppose the inevitable question has to be 'are they any good?' Again, I'd really appreciate hearing about any actual experiences of them.
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