Apex lowering springs - Clio 182 - the verdict!

[Benjiman46]

This is just a review of Apex lowering springs on the Clio 182... The same brand of springs effect different cars in different ways... I had an Audi S3 with Apex springs and because it was a heavy car, you could hardly tell it had stiffer springs. Just bear that in mind if you've found this on google After some reservations about Apex springs because of several bad reviews on here, I decided to get some anyway and make up my own mind!After having them on for just over a week, I must say I am impressed. They are nowhere near as hard as I was expecting, they are stiff... But not "back-breaking" as I've heard them described.They don't improve handling per say, but they do change the characteristics of how the car feels in a corner. You'll still go round the same corner at the same speed, only with a little more bounce... As expected from just springs. I can't stress enough, if you plan to do track days, then don't buy ANY lowering springs, you need at least uprated shock absorbers too to counter the increased rebound (uprated shock absorbers absorb more bounce, therefore your springs don't keep bouncing and rebounding while your standard shockers catch up) I highly recommend coilovers or adjustable damping shock absorbers twinned with springs. Adjustable shock absorbers allow you to change either the bounce, or rebound qualities of the shock absorber so you can fine tune your suspension to exactly match your cornering speeds and weights. If you find your car bounces accross the road and bounces around a corner, try tightening up... If it gets worse, you can loosen off to get it right.Apex lowering springs then, in my opinion are best suited to fast road drivers who want to improve the looks of their car, just don't expect too much from them.If you're worried about the stiffness of the springs, just think... You've bought a Clio 182... If you wanted comfort over fun, you should have bought a BMW or something. These springs in my opinion make the car more fun. It feels happier and more spritely when driving at normal speeds, and in my opinion, and the words of Jeremy Clarkson, it feels more like a "puppy-car-dog" with Apex springs.I would reccomend these springs to anyone who isn't wishing their standard car was more comfortable, because if you are, it's time to sell up and move on anyway, because it'll only get worse the older you get lol if you want your car to look awesome, but not destroy the ride or your money in your bank, get these springs!I cannot vouch for any other brands... I have only tried and tested Apex.Cheers for reading my ramblings, happy Renaultsport-ing Ben

 

[Benjiman46]

Apologies for the huge block of text, for some reason it won't let me start a new paragraph... -_-

 

[Mr Plums]

I love mine but as you say, they are a bit twitchy around bumpy corners.

 

[Rubicon_]

I liked mine on my old 182. Couldn't see the hate for them tbh.

The cooksports I have now are good handling but a very harsh ride!

 

[MartinR]

Dangerous spring!!!

Harsh ride, very crashy, you will end up in a bush or on your roof.

The worse thing i had ever fitted to a car..

Wait till they settle a bit more and the rears start to wear away coils due to sitting on one another.

 

[forest4ever]

I`v have them on my 172 and thought they where fine...just done a track day at Cadwell and they handled very well indeed, no problems at all.

 

[Bluebeard]

Dangerous spring!!!

Harsh ride, very crashy, you will end up in a bush or on your roof.

The worse thing i had ever fitted to a car..

Wait till they settle a bit more and the rears start to wear away coils due to sitting on one another.

There's nothing wrong with the springs.

They are just not very good working with a standard damper. Have you tried them with an uprated damper?

 

[Andyman]

Iv been running, till recently, Koni / Apex set up for roughly 7 or 8 years without any issues. They do give a firm-ish ride due to being linear rather than progressively wound but they are no where near as harsh as folk make out and more than tolerable.
40mm is the best drop out of all the spring sets on the market imo - Eibach sit too high and Cooksport lower more at the back than the front which look terrible stance wise.

 

[Will Eastman]

I have had Apex on mine for the last year since I bought the car so here is my 2 pence. Its all I know so you can disregard it if you wish but here goes. I think the crashy harsh sense that I have heard banded around by people rings true and can cause you to flinch when driving over pot holes. I think that the stiff ride feels ok on the road when driving spiritedly and does keep the car nice and flat which is a feeling I like.
From my experience of the car on track, when the pace is much quicker, I think the stiff front end gives the car an inherently understeery feel. I think that having Apex springs being on the standard shocks doesn't help things and the car would hugely benefit from a revised damper set up that suits the springs.

 

[MartinR]

There's nothing wrong with the springs.

They are just not very good working with a standard damper. Have you tried them with an uprated damper?

No Daniel i have not tried them with an uprated/matched damper. After how bad the springs was on standard shocks i thought feck buying anything more apex related.