MeisterR Auto Solo Result after suspension swap.
07-30-2015, 10:15 AM
#1
MeisterR Auto Solo Result after suspension swap.
A common question many owner ask: How does MeisterR coilovers compare to other brands?
As coilovers are only part of a car's suspensions, and there are many other variable involved; it is often a difficult questions to answer.
So I want to bring up a very interesting "test" that we will be doing.
Here in Houston USA, I meet a driver at a local SCCA Auto Solo event name Lucio D'lsep.
Lucio was an Italian racing driver back in the early 2000's, and have decided to get back into competitive motorsport after being absent for over 12 years.
Here is a picture of him in the former glory days racing with Osella in Rechberg (Austria) back in 2002.
Lucio's current car is a Honda S2000 daily driver that runs in the SCCA Auto Solo STR (Street Touring Roadster) Class.
The good thing about the STR class is that the rules limit modification you can do as well as tyres you can use, thus creating a class that daily street driven cars can compete with each other.
Suspension Issue
Speaking to Lucio, he have been having issue with his car.
He is using an off the shelf Bilstein PSS9 adjustable coilovers, and he just couldn't get the suspension to work with the car.
The tyres just couldn't find grip and the body motion does not feel controlled no matter how he adjust the coilovers, so he is struggling to keep speed through the corners as well as keeping the car on the racing line.
The result is lost traction as well as hitting cones, and this put a time penalty on his result.
MeisterR Suspensions Change
I thought this will make a great opportunity to test the MeisterR coilovers against Bilstein, and will keep things fair as we can get a qualitative (how the suspensions feel on the road) and a quantitative (Lap time) feedback on the same road car driven by the same driver in the same competitive event.
So we got a set of off the shelf MeisterR Zeta-R coilovers, and swap the Bilstein PSS9 coilovers out.
Initial Feedback on MeisterR coilovers
The initial feedback by Lucio is positive after a few days of street use.
Here is what Lucio have to say:
Both the Bilstein and the MeisterR look like serious tools and not toys.
The MeisterR out of the box are ready for the installation, the light weight aluminium top mount included with the MeisterR is the main difference when compared to the Bilstein that need to reuse the top mount from the original Honda suspension.
After 12 years out of racing it’s the first time that I see a suspension with springs coil adjustments independent from ride height adjustments.
This is a great improvement and it mean no more compromise when adjusting the ride height.
Compare to the Bilstein, the MeisterR damping response and compliancy on the irregularity of the street gives you confidence.
You are able to feel the grip and trust the car/tyres, and know that when the grip finish there will be space for correction.
The accuracy of the steering is what impressed me the most with the MeisterR coilovers.
The front of the car is on track followed by the rear even with the non-linear power curve of the S2000 engine trying to mess up your approach to the apex.
It is also more comfortable on softer damping setting.
If your potential girlfriend has already experienced sport cars, she will not complain about comfort as softer damping setting is not so far from the original equipment.
SCCA Result with Bilstein
The last round of the SCCA Auto Solo, Lucio finished in 7th place with 13 competitors total.
While the lap time of 51.297 isn't slow, the additional penalties from hitting cones brought his result down to 7th place.
The next round of the SCCA Auto Solo will be this Saturday 2nd of August, 2015.
We will get the S2000 to the track and hope we finish on the podium, because when you race you race to win.
We will report back in a few days time.
As coilovers are only part of a car's suspensions, and there are many other variable involved; it is often a difficult questions to answer.
So I want to bring up a very interesting "test" that we will be doing.
Here in Houston USA, I meet a driver at a local SCCA Auto Solo event name Lucio D'lsep.
Lucio was an Italian racing driver back in the early 2000's, and have decided to get back into competitive motorsport after being absent for over 12 years.
Here is a picture of him in the former glory days racing with Osella in Rechberg (Austria) back in 2002.
Lucio's current car is a Honda S2000 daily driver that runs in the SCCA Auto Solo STR (Street Touring Roadster) Class.
The good thing about the STR class is that the rules limit modification you can do as well as tyres you can use, thus creating a class that daily street driven cars can compete with each other.
Suspension Issue
Speaking to Lucio, he have been having issue with his car.
He is using an off the shelf Bilstein PSS9 adjustable coilovers, and he just couldn't get the suspension to work with the car.
The tyres just couldn't find grip and the body motion does not feel controlled no matter how he adjust the coilovers, so he is struggling to keep speed through the corners as well as keeping the car on the racing line.
The result is lost traction as well as hitting cones, and this put a time penalty on his result.
MeisterR Suspensions Change
I thought this will make a great opportunity to test the MeisterR coilovers against Bilstein, and will keep things fair as we can get a qualitative (how the suspensions feel on the road) and a quantitative (Lap time) feedback on the same road car driven by the same driver in the same competitive event.
So we got a set of off the shelf MeisterR Zeta-R coilovers, and swap the Bilstein PSS9 coilovers out.
Initial Feedback on MeisterR coilovers
The initial feedback by Lucio is positive after a few days of street use.
Here is what Lucio have to say:
Both the Bilstein and the MeisterR look like serious tools and not toys.
The MeisterR out of the box are ready for the installation, the light weight aluminium top mount included with the MeisterR is the main difference when compared to the Bilstein that need to reuse the top mount from the original Honda suspension.
After 12 years out of racing it’s the first time that I see a suspension with springs coil adjustments independent from ride height adjustments.
This is a great improvement and it mean no more compromise when adjusting the ride height.
Compare to the Bilstein, the MeisterR damping response and compliancy on the irregularity of the street gives you confidence.
You are able to feel the grip and trust the car/tyres, and know that when the grip finish there will be space for correction.
The accuracy of the steering is what impressed me the most with the MeisterR coilovers.
The front of the car is on track followed by the rear even with the non-linear power curve of the S2000 engine trying to mess up your approach to the apex.
It is also more comfortable on softer damping setting.
If your potential girlfriend has already experienced sport cars, she will not complain about comfort as softer damping setting is not so far from the original equipment.
SCCA Result with Bilstein
The last round of the SCCA Auto Solo, Lucio finished in 7th place with 13 competitors total.
While the lap time of 51.297 isn't slow, the additional penalties from hitting cones brought his result down to 7th place.
The next round of the SCCA Auto Solo will be this Saturday 2nd of August, 2015.
We will get the S2000 to the track and hope we finish on the podium, because when you race you race to win.
We will report back in a few days time.
07-30-2015, 12:08 PM
#2
This is outragous. Having had both, they are in different leagues and the only positive for MeisterR is not having to reuse the top mount. It seems this 'evidence' is based on his inability to set his suspension up properly, and has no reflection on quality.
07-30-2015, 12:39 PM
#3
This belongs in the Traders section as it is advertising pure and simple, it is not a definitive back to back test it is just saying Bilstein are inferior. how you can compare the two I am not sure, how many manufacturers of prestige sports cars use Meister as OE fit ? how big is meister's R&D facility ? do they pound the nurburgring trying to test their products to extreme ?
I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO, BOLLOX TO MEISTER.
really pissed me off this.
I THINK THE ANSWER IS NO, BOLLOX TO MEISTER.
really pissed me off this.
07-30-2015, 01:27 PM
#6
Registered User
07-30-2015, 01:35 PM
#7
Wow guys… There are a lot of assumption made here that I have not made any claim about.
I did not mention pedigree, I did not mention quality, I haven't even mention performance.
The only thing I posted was qualitative feedback from the driver, and that is it…
If he like the MeisterR that is his own personal preference, but it in no way reflect that one is "better" than the other.
As far as result or performance, we won't even know until the event after this weekend.
By all account the MeisterR can be slower.
This is a out of the box spec vs. out of the box spec, on the same car, setup / driven by the same driver, at the same regulated competitive event.
There is no other changes to the car, and both suspension was / will be properly setup and corner weighted.
If anyone feel that this comparison is unfair or "rigged" in anyway, please feel free to let me know.
No one go into competition to lose, and I couldn't set anything up before hand as I only meet Lucio about 2 weeks ago.
I am however slightly taken back by some of the comment here.
Lucio was a professional driver, he wasn't someone who was doing a few track day in a year; he was paid to drive.
To say that this entire test was base on his inability to setup suspension and throw his entire racing career / experience out the window seems to be a bit harsh to the driver.
I am not sure how I have offended anyone because as far as I can see, because the result aren't even posted because it hasn't happened yet.
Jerrick
I did not mention pedigree, I did not mention quality, I haven't even mention performance.
The only thing I posted was qualitative feedback from the driver, and that is it…
If he like the MeisterR that is his own personal preference, but it in no way reflect that one is "better" than the other.
As far as result or performance, we won't even know until the event after this weekend.
By all account the MeisterR can be slower.
This is a out of the box spec vs. out of the box spec, on the same car, setup / driven by the same driver, at the same regulated competitive event.
There is no other changes to the car, and both suspension was / will be properly setup and corner weighted.
If anyone feel that this comparison is unfair or "rigged" in anyway, please feel free to let me know.
No one go into competition to lose, and I couldn't set anything up before hand as I only meet Lucio about 2 weeks ago.
I am however slightly taken back by some of the comment here.
Lucio was a professional driver, he wasn't someone who was doing a few track day in a year; he was paid to drive.
To say that this entire test was base on his inability to setup suspension and throw his entire racing career / experience out the window seems to be a bit harsh to the driver.
I am not sure how I have offended anyone because as far as I can see, because the result aren't even posted because it hasn't happened yet.
Jerrick
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07-30-2015, 01:55 PM
#8
I think this is causing offence because of the way it is being positioned; ex-race driver (assumption is he knows his stuff), out of the box spec (anyone can achieve the same benefits), poor handling on Billies (as he hit cones). This is a completely bias staging of how he, as if by surprise, will do better this weekend with your coilovers. But feel free to prove me wrong and post the results as twice as bad...
If a mere trackday amateur can tell the difference, then I'd expect a pro too also. My comment make no reference to his previous career. Maybe he was on crack on his 12 year break.
If a mere trackday amateur can tell the difference, then I'd expect a pro too also. My comment make no reference to his previous career. Maybe he was on crack on his 12 year break.
07-30-2015, 03:33 PM
#9
I think this is causing offence because of the way it is being positioned; ex-race driver (assumption is he knows his stuff), out of the box spec (anyone can achieve the same benefits), poor handling on Billies (as he hit cones). This is a completely bias staging of how he, as if by surprise, will do better this weekend with your coilovers. But feel free to prove me wrong and post the results as twice as bad...
If a mere trackday amateur can tell the difference, then I'd expect a pro too also. My comment make no reference to his previous career. Maybe he was on crack on his 12 year break.
If a mere trackday amateur can tell the difference, then I'd expect a pro too also. My comment make no reference to his previous career. Maybe he was on crack on his 12 year break.
The fact that it is not doing so just point to his inability as a driver.
Under no circumstances could the MeisterR perform better than the Bilstein because it is an impossibility?
And under no circumstances could any driver personally prefer the MeisterR over the Bilstein, because it is also an impossibility?
If that is the case then what would be a fair way to stage a comparison?
He can do better at the weekend, he can do worst… No one can say until after the weekend.
It seems like everyone just feel that MeisterR is not allow best the Bilstein in a regulated competitive event because MeisterR does not have the same pedigree as Bilstein.
I am just not sure how to take the criticism from the forum members and use it in a constructive manner.
I am always open to opinion, but what would be a fair way to construct this comparison if everyone feel that it is staged in a biased manner.
Jerrick
07-30-2015, 11:45 PM
#10
If you read my response, the issue is the way your infomercial has been positioned. I've made no criticism of your product but object to the way it is being staged. I don't have the technical background to critique the product like many in this forum, but as you are currently using qualitative measure at present, I think my opinions are also valid, racing driver or not.