Coilovers ... What do people say is best?

[Heathypolo]

Hi guys, looking to buy a clio 182 very soon
I know this is really personal preference and budget etc ,
But what a people running and what is generally a good step up from that standard set up?
As I know The handling from standard is brilliant so I wouldn't want to take a step back so to speak
Any input would be appreciated
Cheers

 

[syko6288]

Search button is usefull as its been talked about quite a lot there is even a sticky thread in the suspension section

 

[Heathypolo]

Search button is usefull as its been talked about quite a lot there is even a sticky thread in the suspension section

Didn't see it tbh mate if I did I wouldn't of posted the thread .

 

[Bobby.]

any coillovers with improve the handling i think, the question is how much do you want to spend.

 

[DannyR]

Ktec/VMaxx/raceland will not improve handling!

 

[markhinton]

Ktec/VMaxx/raceland will not improve handling!

Lol I was about to jump in and say this, people think just having a lower centre of gravity will give a better handling car, but I bet my bottom dollar (or pound) that any standard Clio will run rings around any cheap coilovers when it comes to uneven, back road surfaces.

H&R seems to be very popular for the price.

 

[DannyR]

I loved my standard Clio, handled so well!

 

[SkidMarx]

Depends what your after really. For a road car id say all coilovers are a step backwards handling wise.

As said above, on uneven country lanes is where a 1*2 is at its best. Fit coilovers and you take that away.

Trophy sachs are the way forward.

 

[Bobby.]

Ktec/VMaxx/raceland will not improve handling!

i've had k-tec coilovers on mine and i think it handled better they gave me more confidences to go faster through high speed corners due to less body roll. plus their's hundered's of thread where people are also saying that they feel that their handling has improved with k-tec coilovers so i dont know how you can just say they dont improve the handling.

 

[DannyR]

They think so because they haven't used a better suspension setup. The shocks are all knackered so it feels better. I've always had FK Koni's and drove a 172 on K-Tec coilovers and it was horrendous

 

[SkidMarx]

i've had k-tec coilovers on mine and i think it handled better they gave me more confidences to go faster through high speed corners due to less body roll. plus their's hundered's of thread where people are also saying that they feel that their handling has improved with k-tec coilovers so i dont know how you can just say they dont improve the handling.

Think most people like to try and kid themselves after spending £400 trying to make it handle better.

 

[Greeny.]

They think so because they haven't used a better suspension setup. The shocks are all knackered so it feels better. I've always had FK Koni's and drove a 172 on K-Tec coilovers and it was horrendous

FU Dan

 

[D4N13L]

I had f.k konigsports on mine and couldn't fault it.

I haven't been in a car with 'cheaper' branded coilovers so couldnt comment but for road use now i would get a set of koni dampers and eibach springs.

 

[Tony Hunter]

any coillovers with improve the handling i think,.

Untrue statement I'm afraid.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

any coillovers with improve the handling i think, the question is how much do you want to spend.

Not necessarily.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Snap Tony!

 

[Tony Hunter]

Hey

 

[DannyR]

FU Dan

Yes it was yours lol!

 

[DannyR]

Snap Tony!

Hey..... I said it first

 

[Greeny.]

Yes it was yours lol!

Was only coz the front was to low and it rubbed if you corned faster than 20 :S

 

[DannyR]

It was the set dampening that did it, was so soft!

 

[Addicted]

Rather than getting coilovers, what about Eibach springs with Koni dampers? Get a rear ARB too and you're onto a winner! (Or so i hear anyway)

 

[Tony Hunter]

If people put new standard suspension on their cars,they would be surprised at how different it would feel.

 

[DannyR]

I know, I was shocked when I bought a 172 with brand new shocks and decent tyres

 

[markhinton]

My Eibach sportlines were a good shout, might upgrade the shocks but they're relatively new so I'm rather happy for now. I think a rear ARB would compliment it nicely, too.

 

[Rhys Beal]

A coilover that is not so popular yet is the new Spax setup from Danny @ 519. I have briefly driven the "track day setup" on the road and thought it was a comfier ride than my Sachs, and on Saturday spent some time in the same car around Snetterton and was massively impressed. For the money, I would recommend these highly.

If I went for a coilover setup, I would choose the Spax track day kit.

 

[Bobby.]

the thing is how can you say they dont improving handling surly its personal opinion?

 

[Sam@NP]

All depends how you define the word 'handling'

 

[DannyR]

the thing is how can you say they dont improving handling surly its personal opinion?

Yes but yours and hundred other peoples have an opinion only based on KTec/Raceland. Few of us have tried and tested both and the standard setup works better than cheap coilovers.

 

[Bobby.]

Yes but yours and hundred other peoples have an opinion only based on KTec/Raceland. Few of us have tried and tested both and the standard setup works better than cheap coilovers.

yeah but the argument is 'does cheap coilovers improve handling over std suspension' and anyone who has compared the two think that the cheap coilovers is an improvment surly that their opinion and you cant say your wrong.

also if you were to get fussy and say define handling they i guess you could do laps times on a track same driver etc. make it as fair as possible. and i bet the cheap coilovers would win.

 

[DannyR]

I know that's the argument, I've compared standard and cheap and standard was the better setup. I'd happily do the test if I had both.

Most people that "upgrade" have old tired standard suspension so it could feel better.

Also because most set it low there is less body roll, a decent suspension setup needs suspension travel. Look at all the BTCC cars, they have massive arch gap because they need suspension travel but a wide track

 

[Bobby.]

so you have tested both and you think standard is better. that is your opinion not a fact. i said I THINK. you and tony said no its not better like its a fact.


if hamilton tested both and he thought the coilovers was better for handling would that make it so?

 

[Tony Hunter]

any coillovers with improve the handling i think, the question is how much do you want to spend.

Like the way you said this, as if it was fact.

 

[Bobby.]

yeah i saying their i think coilovers would be an improvement that my opinion and the next thing is how much you willing to spend as usally the more you spend the better the kits going to be. im not saying anything like its a fact, just my opinion.

 

[DannyR]

So your actually saying we both have an opinion but your opinion is right? You told me earlier I can't say I'm not wrong.

Me and Tony have both said standard is better because, well.... It is. Tony has a lot of knowledge, I have far less but have also tried both methods and I've been around for a while.

Standard > Cheap coilovers all day long

I don't think standard is better at all, I know it is

 

[Tony Hunter]

And I say that there is a lot of people out there, that put these things on their cars,and to be quite honest haven't got a fkn clue what there doing, or what they are trying to achieve.

They mess up the car completely, but think it's great because it's ass is scraping along the floor.

I cannot see how a £250 set of coilovers can compete with standard suspension or any suspension in fact.

 

[Dan519]

A coilover that is not so popular yet is the new Spax setup from Danny @ 519. I have briefly driven the "track day setup" on the road and thought it was a comfier ride than my Sachs, and on Saturday spent some time in the same car around Snetterton and was massively impressed. For the money, I would recommend these highly.

If I went for a coilover setup, I would choose the Spax track day kit.

ding ding ding, winner

 

[Sam@NP]

also if you were to get fussy and say define handling they i guess you could do laps times on a track same driver etc. make it as fair as possible. and i bet the cheap coilovers would win.

Handling is completely different to lap time. MX-5's have brilliant handling but are pretty slow cars.

I have driven back to back on Raceland/K-tec coilovers and a standard Trophy. Trophy handled much better.

You can't go on the theory that more ££££'s = better because Renaults budget for designing the Clios suspension is probably 10x the budget of Raceland's and there coilovers.

 

[johnny182]

How much fir the spax track day set up?

 

[DannyR]

And I say that there is a lot of people out there, that put these things on their cars,and to be quite honest haven't got a fkn clue what there doing, what they are trying to achieve.

They mess up the car completely, but think it's great because it's ass is scraping along the floor.

I cannot see how a £250 set of coilovers can compete with standard suspension or any suspension in fact.

I've been saying this a lot recently too.

Clios are now cheap enough for chavs to afford who want lowzzz. They will buy cheap coilovers and rage about how much they've transformed the ride. This forum now has an influx of these know nothing's who then recommend cheap crap parts, unfortunately more people see these idiots raving about how good they are and then buy.

At the moment there is now a minority on the forum I'd say who actually like to spend a bit more money for quality parts.