Lowness Obsession

[Neat]

After manufacturers spend millions in getting handling set-ups for their performance vehicles sorted, the obvious thing for anyone to do is to bolt on a couple-of-hundred quids worth of aftermarket springs and shocks then throw all the recommended settings in the bin.

mnnnnnnurrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

They compromise with the set up based on numerous factors. OE while very good can be improved on, it's not the pinnacle, however I'd agree it's going to be superior to some chimp chopping half the coils off his springs and refitting them to the standard dampers.

I think along the same lines.

I'm probably one of the only people here who is happy with his 182 pretty much as standard. Only things I want to change are the seats (recaros) and the steering wheel (something smaller that looks good). I may get a stainless exhaust if mine gets any worse but tbh they all seem to be too loud and have a raspy note to them, which i don't like. The suspension will stay as it is though. I'll get eibach springs to replace my knackered OE ones but that's purely on a cost basis.

I'm pretty happy with mine as it is. Better quality interior would be good, something along the lines of VW/Audi - but then the car would have been more expensive to build/buy and would probably have been heavier as well. Standard exhaust is a bit dull - something very slightly sportier sounding would be an improvement in my opinion.

But as far as the suspension is concerned - I've never wanted it to feel any different to standard. One of the main reasons for buying the car in the first place wasn't just for its subtle, sporty looks and straight line performance - it was the views of motoring journalists who rated it so highly, one of the best handling hot hatches.

Ok, so manufacturers have to do things to a cost and they may have deals with certain suppliers, etc. But overall I look at it from the point of view that my car was developed by people who really knew what they were doing and I'm not about to start experimenting with different components that COULD have a negative impact on the overall driving experience - I may get it wrong. Although I guess this forum is a good place to learn from the experiences of others as to what works and what doesn't. I'm sure you can improve on the standard - if you know what you're doing and have the budget.

If I was going to start messing with the suspension of a car l'd rather start with a cheaper, older one - less concerned about ruining it then.

Lowering a bit does look better.

Really low though and I don't like it because you know how impractical it would be.

There must be a lot who lower cars without actually having the funds and knowledge to do a proper job of it. There will also be lowered cars that are downright dangerous and shouldn't be on the roads. But then the same could be said of poorly maintained standard cars.

Each to their own - always going to be different views on this kind of thing.

Great rant Sara. You didn't/don't understand why people lower their cars so much. You threw your views out there and started a discussion. Lots of strong opinions. Initial responses were not in your favour, but overall there now seems to be an evenish mix of views.

 

[JCC]

Do want

http://www.canibeat.com/2010/01/ccw-ill-flossin/

And for the haters IIRC this car is running high end suspension components and has been set up/corner weighted etc so it's not a bodged set up.

Perfection.

I love cars that are seriously low. One thing I miss about my coilover'd 1.2 was watching the person behind getting angrier waiting on you as you crawl over speedbumps. I agree it is a waste however doing it to something intended to be driven hard and fast like an RS, unless you go spending £K's on getting it done properly.

 

[col182]

Couldn't agree with the OP more tbh

Hellabent...especially on a RS clio

 

[Turkish]

But as far as the suspension is concerned - I've never wanted it to feel any different to standard. One of the main reasons for buying the car in the first place wasn't just for its subtle, sporty looks and straight line performance - it was the views of motoring journalists who rated it so highly, one of the best handling hot hatches.

In all honesty (speedhump clearance aside) the H&R coilovers I had fitted to the 182 not only improved the handling but actually rode better than the OEM set up.

 

[Neat]

In all honesty (speedhump clearance aside) the H&R coilovers I had fitted to the 182 not only improved the handling but actually rode better than the OEM set up.

Fair enough.

Although -

In all honesty (speedhump clearance aside) the H&R coilovers I had fitted to the 182 not only improved the handling but actually rode better than the OEM set up.

Maybe I'm just an old git, I like/need my car to be useable on typical (i.e. awful) British roads - uneven, potholes, speedhumps, etc.

 

[Turkish]

Mine cleared speed humps, even the evil brick construction ones they just took a little longer to negotiate if you didn't want to clout the cat against them. Never felt it was an issue, not many around here and I could avoid most by planning an alternate route anyhow.

 

[realnumber 1]

Do want

http://www.canibeat.com/2010/01/ccw-ill-flossin/

And for the haters IIRC this car is running high end suspension components and has been set up/corner weighted etc so it's not a bodged set up.

Lol that looks fuckin stupid.
It might have been set up to drive well round a track but it wouldn't last 5 mins on the fun roads round my way...

 

[Turkish]

I'm sure he's gutted he lives in the US and not Huddersfield

 

[realnumber 1]

Even in the US that thing looks s**t

 

[daddycool]

... the 172 which looks fine at standard height.

i think it looks like a 4x4 at standard height, and i have a cup which i've read is slightly lower than non-cup 172's

 

[gaz44]

Perfection.

I love cars that are seriously low. One thing I miss about my coilover'd 1.2 was watching the person behind getting angrier waiting on you as you crawl over speedbumps. I agree it is a waste however doing it to something intended to be driven hard and fast like an RS, unless you go spending £K's on getting it done properly.

As much I hate speedbumps, I have decided to go passed a few twits with their gash cars struggling to ascent to the peak of a 50 odd mm concrete mound. One was a Skyline and he was not too happy but if your car is not fit for the road, get out the way!

And why is it funny to hold people up? I'm sure you'd get angrier if you were stuck behind someone on the outside lane of a motorway doing 50.

It's also funny watching people bounce along the flat roads because they have basically no suspension due to it being grounded, like some nasty Civic I see most days. Where's the enjoyment in that?

 

[poopipe]

In all honesty (speedhump clearance aside) the H&R coilovers I had fitted to the 182 not only improved the handling but actually rode better than the OEM set up.

Thats a legitimate reason to lower and in fairness with the clio you've got a couple of inches you can drop before you're going to encounter any sort of problem with road furniture/underbody interaction.

 

[Curtis!]

Does a lowered Cup not look like a monster truck right there?

 

[172nick]

that is the perfect hight imo! looks f**king lovely! wat sus is that on?!

 

[Curtis!]

Sorry which one are you reffering too?

 

[shiyan]

I'd say that 99% of people with massively lowered cars don't drive them fast enough through corners to realise that the car's too low. If they did they'd see things like driveshafts rubbing on the car body.

After 2 years I've got mine to where it will lap 8:3x BtG at the 'Ring on a clear lap, but I'm sure some will find its "stance" all wrong:

 

[Ospi]

Guess it all comes down to personal taste (durr) but there is no way I could modify a car to the point where it's handling performance starts to become hindered, to me it defeats the purpose of buying a car which builds its reputation on its agility.

For me, as soon as you start hiding wheels under arches or (god have mercy) having to increase negative camber to just fit wheels in the arches then something has gone very wrong, but a nice low stance can look great.

 

[z8jay]

You must have been doing it wrong then, my Golf handles fine and isnt a pain in the arse over speed bumps...

Mine was lower than that. Don't have any pics but it was on H&R coilovers wound all the way down. Could only just get your hand under the front bumper. as i'm sure you know from owning one, the big bumper mk2's have a really deep front end

 

[Moz168]

^My Golf is only on cheap coilovers lowered about the same as Marcos, its a hell of a lot better than it was at standard! I felt sea sick sometimes going over the tops.

 

[Munson]

Personally I think decked cars look s**t unless they're on a race track.

 

[franx]

^^ right, +1

I put my Cup on H&R's and after a year i RAISED the front a bit for BETTER HANDLING (+ still some scrubbing now + then grrr)

 

[SaraJ]

Glad to see I 'm not the only one to have the same rant, i did wonder for a bit if i was being a 'silly old lady' !!

Like i said, I'm not against lowering, infact it's on my list to do.

 

[JCC]

As much I hate speedbumps, I have decided to go passed a few twits with their gash cars struggling to ascent to the peak of a 50 odd mm concrete mound. One was a Skyline and he was not too happy but if your car is not fit for the road, get out the way!

And why is it funny to hold people up? I'm sure you'd get angrier if you were stuck behind someone on the outside lane of a motorway doing 50.

It's also funny watching people bounce along the flat roads because they have basically no suspension due to it being grounded, like some nasty Civic I see most days. Where's the enjoyment in that?

Ah yes I've had a few people overtake me on speedbumps before, although it balances out as they are the usually same idiots I catch up to a few minutes later dithering around at roundabouts/lights/junctions/ or doing 45mph on NSL roads.

TBH I still take speedbumps slowly in my standard height 200, I see no point in flying over them buggering up my alignment and looking like a complete tw*t bashing my head off the roof in the process.

 

[gaz44]

Ah yes I've had a few people overtake me on speedbumps before, although it balances out as they are the usually same idiots I catch up to a few minutes later dithering around at roundabouts/lights/junctions/ or doing 45mph on NSL roads.

TBH I still take speedbumps slowly in my standard height 200, I see no point in flying over them buggering up my alignment and looking like a complete tw*t bashing my head off the roof in the process.

It's not a race, mate. And driving slowly on NSL roads or roundabouts is not because the car can't cope, unlike ultra low cars that can't get over a small bump in the road with scraping or breaking something.

Also, speedbumps are meant to be taken slowly - just 'not' that slowly!

 

[_Tom]

Mines low just so i can have this sticker and keep them out -

Im guessing you might be one of them...lol

 

[MikeB]

Low FTW!

 

[BoroGTI]

Never understood going way low tbh. But then I'm guessing I'm a bit older than a lot of people that do go very low, guarantee it's something 95% of people will grow out of.

How Patronising is this?!? you assume that lowering a car a lot is immature

 

[Chili Red]

I don't mind cars which have been lowered a bit so the wheel fits nicely in the arch, that's fine.

However, once part of the tyre is hidden by the wheel arch it looks f**king silly.

It always seems to be chavs in Saxos who've gone for the collapsed suspension look as well.

 

[m0rk]

Do want

http://www.canibeat.com/2010/01/ccw-ill-flossin/

And for the haters IIRC this car is running high end suspension components and has been set up/corner weighted etc so it's not a bodged set up.

O RLY?

Level wishbones?

No way that's been corner weighted though (properly) since it almost always ends up in a nose up stance.

I'm no hater, my MX5 is dragging it's rails on the ground most of the time....

 

[BoroGTI]

I don't mind cars which have been lowered a bit so the wheel fits nicely in the arch, that's fine.

However, once part of the tyre is hidden by the wheel arch it looks f**king silly.

It always seems to be chavs in Saxos who've gone for the collapsed suspension look as well.

Isen't it funny though how theres a massive culture in VW ownership to be as low as possible, yet most VW owners are the furthest thing from chavvy. Seems to be acceptable if you own a decent VW

 

[JCS_182]

Subtle drops look good, I'm going for 40mm springs on mine till I get coilovers then drop it a few mm more to sit over the tyre.

Aircooled mk3 Golf FTW

 

[Ollie82.]

^^ right, +1

I put my Cup on H&R's and after a year i RAISED the front a bit for BETTER HANDLING (+ still some scrubbing now + then grrr)

Same. Mine went onto FK's about 18 months ago and was rather low.......not 'slammed' but low. I admit it looked great but my god it was a pain in the ass. It scrubbed even when i went over imperfections in the road.
I raised it back up when i started doing track days. I could go lower now im on 15's but really, whats the point?

Yeah yeah, it might be a 'lifestyle choice' but seriously.....it looks broken. Grow the f**k up.

 

[Struggler]

why do people do performance mods when there is a speed limit??
why do people put buckets in when the standard seats are prefectly good??

why do people fit foglights to base models when its so rarely foggy?

its down to personal prefrence!!
is nobody else place to judge my taste.

its my naffing car, and ill do what the heck i like with it

go lower!!

 

[Austin-182]

Low FTW
and £235 road tax... the £35 a year road tax car behind me can wait 10 seconds while i get over the speed bump!

 

[Gally]

Cs.

Spend £800 Lowering the car for cool points.

They realise it's undriveable, moan, then sell it.

Done.