What Are The Best Coilovers In Your Opinion?

[Twiney 0]

Just would like to hear whats good and whats bad?

Also where to buy from. Would like as new as possible because I don't want seized or beat up ones.

Thanks:)

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Moved to the correct section.

 

For which car?

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

And Budget, Good coilovers start from £650.00 per corner

[Twiney 0]

Opps.

Well being a 205 gti forum....... A 205 gti....

1.9 16v franko race car

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Ohlins, dynamics, Penske, proflex

 

 

As mentioned a budget would be very helpful as 'best' is not cheap

[Twiney 0]

£650 per corner!:0 yikes my budget would be £550/£600

[Lowercase 56]

I've had AP coilovers on my last peugeot and although they are budget (£330-£360 ish if you shop around) they were great for a fast road car. Took all the roll out the corners and weren't harsh. just firmed up the ride. had no problems with them at all.

 

Owned by KW and are just a rebranded KW Variant 1 - which i think are in the £500-£600 mark.

 

i'll be getting another set for my XE.

[Henry 1.9GTi 36]

I went through the same dilema of cost vs performance. Got a quote of 7k from penske for linear roller bearing dampers which would be the dogs gonads!

 

proflex were also very helpful in giving info and were around 3-4k

 

the UK ohlins dealer can make you a custom damper based on a bilstien strut body. Aurora? Or something similar is the company name I think.

 

I plumbed with AST in the end as was the cheapest inverted monotube I could get: 1.25k with top mounts and eibach springs. Speak directly to the dutch guys dont bother with UK dealer unless they are in stock (unlikely) the dutch guys gave me all the info on product range and offered me very good prices. I went for sportline 2 which was a rebound only adjustable inverted monotube. You can spec it with double digressive valves if you so wish and coated shafts for slightly less friction.

 

I dont think you will get much better for less money unless anyone else knows of something.... well only think I can think of is using a bilstien B8 inverted monotube tarmac damper and converting it to a coil over strut body. They are really inexpensive for what you get.~500 for front dampers?

 

you can also spec up to three way adjustables with remote canisters for more £££

 

So far they have been spot on for the money. all prices above were front only btw. I use tarmac spec bilsteins on the rear.

 

A friend went from spax to KW V1 on his golf and the difference was most definitely night and day and the V1s may be nearer your budget.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Henry 1.9GTi

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

I have heard good things about KW never tried them personally so it would be good to see what others think

[welshpug 1,621]

Often over damped and sprung, iirc theyre koni inserts.

 

About 750 will get you a set of inverted bilsteins, 500 odd will get you the std dia sprung inverted units iirc.

[welshpug 1,621]

On a golf theyll be about £1200 a set due to being coilover all round, pug rear dampers are a lot cheaper.

[wicked 103 3 Cars]

I've had AP coilovers on my last peugeot and although they are budget (£330-£360 ish if you shop around) they were great for a fast road car. Took all the roll out the corners and weren't harsh. just firmed up the ride. had no problems with them at all.

 

Owned by KW and are just a rebranded KW Variant 1 - which i think are in the £500-£600 mark.

 

i'll be getting another set for my XE.

 

Do you know that for sure or is that an assumption? I have a Weitec set, also owned by KW, but spring is different from the KW variant 1 afaik

 

AST's are very nice, but with all the things you can adjust, you also need the knowledge to do that properly, otherwise it won't bring you much....

[Batfink 201]

If you want AST buy through me.

[welshpug 1,621]

Are you dealing direct now kev? I need some metric springs soon.

[Henry 1.9GTi 36]

demon tweeks will sell you a metric eibach spring. I use the 60mm ID and *N/mm type from them.

 

Also interested to hear if you deal direct now kev potential 3-way upgrades!

Edited April 24, 2014 by Henry 1.9GTi

[Lowercase 56]

Wicked- just what ive read mate. Decent kit though either way.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

I know a friend of mine Rates KW's very well for his Golf and has them on a new 205 he has just bought, The Golf ones have been re-valved as will the 205 ones soon so I should have some info on these, Handy as he's won a few Race championships too so not coming from people who haven't had much experience

[Batfink 201]

demon tweeks will sell you a metric eibach spring. I use the 60mm ID and *N/mm type from them.

 

Also interested to hear if you deal direct now kev potential 3-way upgrades!

We order parts directly from the factory now so uk has no involvement on most orders. Far quicker now

[feb 47]

Not much help as I don't have experience in the Peugeot but KW are very good from reviews of friends who had them in Subarus and VAG.

 

It is one of the very few manufacturers that have a proper rig which they rent to other OEM suspension manufacturers

 

 

http://www.kw-suspensions.co.uk/uk/kw_7post_test_dyno.php

 

They are also stainless steel and have lifetime warranty.

 

I never got along with the ASTs my Forester came with. They were good on smooth tarmac only, on broken/uneven roads they were very bouncy.

 

I had them revalved with super-duper pistons that were supposed to solve the problem only to become worse; I felt like i was in a shaker bottle.

 

Fortunately I returned them back and got a refund.

 

I am now on a custom made (valved and "springed") set of Bilstein B14s which are fantastic. Great ride quality being only slightly stiffer than the OEM ones having a sweet stiff feeling that I can't describe with words.

 

Again, these are custom made items so don't confuse them with off the shelf B14s which I have read are a bit stiff/crashy too.

 

What are you trying to achieve and what do you use the car for?

 

In my 205s I had SBC suspension (basically revalved front Bilsteins with SBC springs) and forest rear Bilsteins from memory (someone will correct me if wrong) and that was the benchmark for me for a fast road car with occasional track use.

 

What works for some doesn't work for others and since the subject suspension is so personal IMHO, try to get a ride in a car that has the coilovers that you are interested in before parting with the money.

Edited April 24, 2014 by feb

[welshpug 1,621]

A friend works at Litchfield Imports and they have also gone from AST to Bilstein, doing their own valving setups for the nissan gtrs and M3's and BRZ's.

[clen666 2]

Has anyone any experience with Black Art Design (B.A.D)?

 

Unfortunate acronym, but I've read that a fella with a 306 rates them highly