Best Coilover under $1000 (FD3S)
 

Im trying to figure out what coilover system to get. Ive been doing a lot of reading and Im not exactly sure what to get. I was looking at the Megan EZ coilover and Tein SS coilover. Im using it for street and occasional strip. I would like to stay in the $700 - $800 range but for an extra $100, there's like 10 other brands out there! So please help me out!

If you are wanting to stay in the $700 range then Megan is not bad. The Tein SS use the stock top mounts and dont come with Pillow mounts.

I have a sale on the EZ or the street right now.

Instead of buying cheap coilovers I would buy shocks and springs, however if you are saying you can get Tein SS for $800-900 then buy that.

Bc coilovers are not bad too. It's about that price range

I also want it to be a direct fit/bolt on. I didnt know the Tein you had to use the stock mounts. That seems kind of cheap. Does anyone one know if the Megan is a good ride? How low can they be adjusted with 17'' or 18'' wheels? I was leaning more towards these. Does anyone have these installed?

Not cheap just using the stock mounts reduces harshness. Tein are high quality products and are very durable.

I would agree with about posters a shock spring combo would give you better quality and will get you to the ride height you want. Coilover prices have jumped considerably over the last few years seems now the base price of midrange coilovers is 1500$.

Don't worry about the adjustability on the Megans if you go that wat it will be more than enough to get you are low as you could want.

Keep in mind that if you have to replace your stock top hats...then you have to add $240 to that shock/spring combo. And then add renting spring compressors to put them all together and the time......takes you right up to mid-level coilovers that you can just plug and play.

I bought Pettit's Stage II....working fine for me, but there's a massive thread on the pro's and con's of these somewhere in the suspension section.

It's not cheap. And Teins are a quality coilover. The SS is probably just about right for your purposes. If your top mounts are in decent condition (and most are) using them is actually a good thing. Pillow-ball mounts aren't really needed with the FD suspension geometry and just add to NVH. That's probably why JASON mentioned that feature in his post.

For near your price range you might also consider a GROUND CONTROL kit. Those are also height adjustable and come with your choice of spring rate and shock depending on budget. ---> http://www.ground-control-store.com/...tion.php/II=42
I've been running GC for years with no complaints.

Spent a bit more and get the Apexi EVX. They ride very well for the price. I believe the rx7 store has them for around $1050.

These are the route i was going to go because they are cheaper than the tien flex i would like. i hear they have a very good ride. i believe papsmagu (simon) on the forums has these and likes them.

ditto, i went with BC Racing

http://www.bcracing-na.com/products.php?view=BR_Type

you can get them for about $1k shipped, they are high quality (they manufacture for many other big names), and revalveable / rebuildable in the US.

I have these on my FD and I'm pleased with them. For street use they are great.:icon_tup:

I know it's a little more than you wanted to spend, but I just picked up a set of stance coils for $1,100 shipped.

Koni yellow's over any cheap coilover. Once you are ready for real coilovers, spend some more $$$ and get quality stuff. You'll feel the difference & your vehicle will handle 10x's better.

Best suspension you can get for under 1000$ is a set of Yellows with a ground control kit.

If your looking for something better than that, build your own konis, you will need to modify the instructions in the link to work with RX-7 components but the basic idea is still the same. You just need to use springs with the proper rate, and konis designed for the rx-7.

http://farnorthracing.com/autocross/konis.html

True, it will probably add an additional 40 minutes of working the springs. At O'Reilly's, it's a $50 deposit to rent spring compressors for 48 hours, but they refund the deposit upon returning the compressors.

I have the Flex Types with the solid "pillow" tops, but if I were to do it again, I'd probably want to try utilizing the stock upper mounts. No complaints here though :) After 7 years, my TEINs are still bright green, no rust, easy to adjust, and the car handles quite nicely.

For ~$1000, and given my experience with TEINs, I'd strongly consider the SS.

Teins are great only because they're made in Japan but their spring rates are a bit soft & they don't produce both compression & rebound adjustment. For the money they're not bad though, I would start with Teins after Koni yellows.

Greddy s-types are around $1300. I'd save a bit more for that. IMO, if you don't have ideal road conditions around you, these are the best you can get.

It is a matter of opinion, but any of TEIN's *various* spring rates are plenty stiff for a 2800-lb. FD, and being *coilovers*, ridiculous stiffness is achieved by turning the perch and further compressing the spring. You can get it stiff enough to launch the car in the air over freeway undulations and do two-wheel balancing acts over driveways. And the ride would be a joke.

Incidentally, stock FD spring rates have been measured at 268-279/198-201 lbs. front/rear.

The SSs are 671/559.

My Flexes (and the Basics) are 559/448, and early on with the springs clamped down and dampening turned up, I've had a number of girls riding shotgun bouncing up and down because of my incredible stiffness ;)

if you are interested i have a set of tein superstreets for 799, greddy type-s 975, tein flex for 1000 and a great set of hks hypermax 3 for 1200. Shoot me a pm, going used opens up a lot of great options.

when i am looking for suspension im going to be contacting you then,

NONE....or Megan Track's. Still garbage....Tein....lol

Any noticeable difference or noise or anything? whats the cons of not having the upper mounts?

Personally I like Stance. If you dont HAVE to have NEW coilovers I'd look around for some Stance. I just bought a second set of GR+ coilovers for under $900 shipped. Theyre great coilovers too.

Shock and spring combo is a waste of money in my opinion. Most people just slap them on and neglect to replace the dry rotted and compressed stock upper and lower rubber mounts. The car will then sit too low and cause all sorts of problems. You can expect to add $350-400 to the job by the time you buy all the mounts and isolators and for that price you can have a decent coilovers. The Apexi EXV ride very well for the price and have enough adjustability to cover everything from comfort, street driving, to moderate track use. The greddys are also a good option if you want to spend a bit more.

I got to say the bc racing ride really well and perform great.
And like got hp said they are a manufacture for some of the big companies.
There shocks are also 32 way adjustable

Bc racing shocks are great. They ride great and perform awesome.
Like got hp said they are a manufacture for some of the big companies.
Also there shocks are 32 way adjustable

Not to mention rebuildable in the US, and the build quality is excellent!

I just got my set of BC's installed yesterday... still breaking them in, but they feel excellent!

The whole time I meant Tein basic coilovers... I found them for $700 shipped or the Megan EZ for $650. Does any one have these installed?

Pretty sure Megan are made in chinese sweatshops, someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

I'd say Tein is the safer bet.

I have Megan EZs on my SC300 and love them
So much that i also bought them for my RX7.

They look exactly the same as Apexi's
and Goodlfellas........... they are not made in a Chinese Sweatshop, that's a common sterotype.

They are actually made in a Taiwan Sweatshop.

When it comes to light track performance/auto-X, I think the Megan coils might serve you better. I've never heard of anyone using Tein SS' for any kind of performance duty, but the Megans work fine for most people in auto-X conditions. Well, for S13's and Z32's anyway, but I don't imagine it would be much different.

I'd never buy any Megan products for any of my cars. My advice would be to save up a few hundred dollars and buy better coilovers. I'm sure you can find some lightly used HKS, Cusco, and Mazda Speed coilovers for under $1000.

Buy used nice ones