V8V Roadster Suspension upgrade options
Discussion
Grant3 said:
A very good post, said very sensible stuff
Its worth bearing in mind Grant, for that fully balanced assessment of the subject, this topic only lives because 8 cylinder and 12 cylinder cars (before a point in time and within a certain cost bracket), didnt have wires coming out the top of the dampers.I'm sure we are all clear in knowing that a manually adjustable dampers or a damper with a wire out the top trumps a fixed rate damper.
Similar to spec within the brake world, where ceramic is better than steels, for an on cost customers with most makers can normally specify and upgrade as they wish. Not with Aston - no damper with wires on cars that were not allowed this tech to start with was / is possible. Clearly a bean counter and marketing stance (V12VS has wires), of that there can be no doubt.
Now we are clear on this damper spec strategy from OEM which was made for corporate reasons and not what makes the best handling car reasons, I'm sure you will agree, it is balanced to assess the cars handling now, within those 'wings clipped' confines?? The best balanced statement to make to inform others should therefore be something like, the OEM suspension is as good as it gets limited by the confines of its technology??
The gap between fixed dampers and electronic or manually adjustable then, is the area discerning folk want to fill and enjoy better handling where previously somebody made the decision they could not.
And the real question you have to ask yourself here Grant, is... Did the ride and handling engineers go back their chief and say, "do you know what boss, we don't need those wire things on the dampers for these cars, we've struggled and juggled and judged the perfect set up without wires, let's celebrate in the cost saving, the bean counters were right all along". Or do you think both they and their chief said to bean counters "FFS, give us wires for these cars too"?? Don't forget that engineers want to make the best car they can regardless of marketing strategy, its their work which will be appraised, both good and bad, by the press.
Great comment as always Mike, but this is lining up as though I'm being negative about BR and your choice of suspension set-up when I'm not, as mentioned I fully respect that there are many happy Astonauts enjoying your excellent skilled work.. Which is good news 
I really do wish you continued success. I have simply recommended an official set-up that I know is very well judged and would be ideal for the OP, that doesn't mean your set-up isn't, it's simply another option, so I'm really not understanding why this thread is moving beyond a few good choices for the OP to select from 
I agree that adaptive (or switchable) suspension is the future, but (as you know) just like other technology... (manual moving to automated manual, evolving to dual clutch, power steering evolving into electronic steering which is now becoming multi-stage weighted).. It is being developed and improved all the time. Look at the ADS system, this has developed from only adjusting in standard, then also in sport ( rather than the previous fixed setting) then it moved from a two stage set-up to a three stage. Why, because all too often engineers selected a sport setting that was too harsh for general B road use, so people were ( in the main) using the standard setting and it depends on how well judged this was. In the case of Prodrive (who used an Eibach set-up) even though they had an excellent engineering department their standard set-up was a lot harsher than the standard car and the sport setting would loose fillings, so despite being adaptive neither worked for me. The three stage option is better as you can have GT, sports car and track car, no doubt the set-up will continue to evolve.
Of course you know all this better than I and your engineering excellence is shining through with the glowing reports that are feeding back
so I'm sure you have judged the two settings well, but just like some people prefer a manual gear change over hi-tech flappy paddles, a good well judged fixed suspension ( like the Sports Pack) is still one of the aftermarket options...along with your excellent options of course 
peace man 
I really do wish you continued success. I have simply recommended an official set-up that I know is very well judged and would be ideal for the OP, that doesn't mean your set-up isn't, it's simply another option, so I'm really not understanding why this thread is moving beyond a few good choices for the OP to select from I agree that adaptive (or switchable) suspension is the future, but (as you know) just like other technology... (manual moving to automated manual, evolving to dual clutch, power steering evolving into electronic steering which is now becoming multi-stage weighted).. It is being developed and improved all the time. Look at the ADS system, this has developed from only adjusting in standard, then also in sport ( rather than the previous fixed setting) then it moved from a two stage set-up to a three stage. Why, because all too often engineers selected a sport setting that was too harsh for general B road use, so people were ( in the main) using the standard setting and it depends on how well judged this was. In the case of Prodrive (who used an Eibach set-up) even though they had an excellent engineering department their standard set-up was a lot harsher than the standard car and the sport setting would loose fillings, so despite being adaptive neither worked for me. The three stage option is better as you can have GT, sports car and track car, no doubt the set-up will continue to evolve.
Of course you know all this better than I and your engineering excellence is shining through with the glowing reports that are feeding back
so I'm sure you have judged the two settings well, but just like some people prefer a manual gear change over hi-tech flappy paddles, a good well judged fixed suspension ( like the Sports Pack) is still one of the aftermarket options...along with your excellent options of course peace man 
Great to see the comments from Grant and Mike - discussing both sides of the argument I have in my mind. I am not sure of others' thoughts and experiences - but the reasons for my asking is below:
What I know I like:
I have been driving MX5s for the past 10yrs or so - most of the time, cars with the harder factory Bilstein suspension. My current MX5 is an RS-Ltd is probably the best handling factory spec MX5. The car is light, the shocks very firm (springs a little too firm - may be too much rebound/bounce which can be a little skittish on very poor roads) very very light wheels all combines to give a huge amount of confidence when blasting down the country lanes. You can really attack the corners knowing how the car remains well planted. What I find when doing the same in the Aston is I can't attack with the same confidence as the back end seems to move around, not sideways - more of a very minor 'soft' up and down bounce effect - thats what I would ldeally like to improve.
Other Suspension Decision recently made:
My MX-5 is going to my 18yr old son (he has been riding with me all over Europe the past 10yrs in my MX5s) and it has come time to replace the suspension on that as well. There are 2 Manually Adjustable options that are popular on the Mazda scene - I have ridden in cars with them and they are great. But I do love the factory Bilstein spec. The Adjustable spec equipped cars typically need suspension replacing at 30k miles. The Bilstein cars, more like 100k miles. There are limitations with the Bilsteins, but I really love them on the MX5 - My son and I have agreed that is the route we will go.
Why the Aston Decision may be different:
Does that mean the same approach applies to the Aston? I do not know - The car is much heavier, as are the wheels. The character is different. Will a fixed set up suit the my use (Mostly bombing down country lanes or cruising into London)? Would an adjustable set up last as long as a fixed set up?
What I know I like:
I have been driving MX5s for the past 10yrs or so - most of the time, cars with the harder factory Bilstein suspension. My current MX5 is an RS-Ltd is probably the best handling factory spec MX5. The car is light, the shocks very firm (springs a little too firm - may be too much rebound/bounce which can be a little skittish on very poor roads) very very light wheels all combines to give a huge amount of confidence when blasting down the country lanes. You can really attack the corners knowing how the car remains well planted. What I find when doing the same in the Aston is I can't attack with the same confidence as the back end seems to move around, not sideways - more of a very minor 'soft' up and down bounce effect - thats what I would ldeally like to improve.
Other Suspension Decision recently made:
My MX-5 is going to my 18yr old son (he has been riding with me all over Europe the past 10yrs in my MX5s) and it has come time to replace the suspension on that as well. There are 2 Manually Adjustable options that are popular on the Mazda scene - I have ridden in cars with them and they are great. But I do love the factory Bilstein spec. The Adjustable spec equipped cars typically need suspension replacing at 30k miles. The Bilstein cars, more like 100k miles. There are limitations with the Bilsteins, but I really love them on the MX5 - My son and I have agreed that is the route we will go.
Why the Aston Decision may be different:
Does that mean the same approach applies to the Aston? I do not know - The car is much heavier, as are the wheels. The character is different. Will a fixed set up suit the my use (Mostly bombing down country lanes or cruising into London)? Would an adjustable set up last as long as a fixed set up?
jazzybee said:
A lot of sensible stuff
Why the Aston Decision may be different:
Does that mean the same approach applies to the Aston? I do not know - The car is much heavier, as are the wheels. The character is different. Will a fixed set up suit the my use (Mostly bombing down country lanes or cruising into London)? Would an adjustable set up last as long as a fixed set up?
The Aston will respond to the same route as the MX5 (maybe better!)Why the Aston Decision may be different:
Does that mean the same approach applies to the Aston? I do not know - The car is much heavier, as are the wheels. The character is different. Will a fixed set up suit the my use (Mostly bombing down country lanes or cruising into London)? Would an adjustable set up last as long as a fixed set up?
I've had 3 way adjustable Nitrons on a previous car and you find yourself fiddle each time you go out and not actually feeling fully satified as you know there more tweaking that could be done but you've had to compromise because our road condition varies so much.
I've settled on the sport pack on the S with the lighter wheels and it does make a difference at a compromise I was happy to make - until I drove Purdey
The BR switchable system allows you two set ups for less of a compromise with out a load of fiddling and tweaking
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