Hope I'm posting this in the right place. Looking for a good suspension setup that achieves three specific goals. (Note: I have a MY05 with no performance modifications other than a K&N intake.)

1. 1" drop for aesthetics
2. reduce body roll during cornering
3. maintain OEM ride quality as much as possible

The car has 40k miles and it's only driven on warm and dry days (4-5k miles a year) in NY. I don't plan on ever tracking the car. Just want to achieve a more "planted" feel while driving around on mostly smooth roads. I don't want anything that will degrade the comfort of the OEM ride too much.

I've done hours and hours of research on here and keep coming back to Koni yellows with Eibach Pro springs. Can anyone weigh in on whether they think this would be a good setup for what I am trying to achieve? Anyone in a similar situation that found this (or something else) to be a better option?

I'm intrigued by the Bilstein PSS or PSS9 but I really have no interest in coilovers or spending $1100+. Just looking for a mild drop and better performance without sacrificing (too much) ride quality.

Steer me in the right direction guys! Thanks!

 

Lowering springs from any reputable brand should fit your needs/budget. Eibach, Swift, H&R, etc.

 

Koni and lowering spring combo is? Like? $800? Konis are nice...but you're going to a twin tube shock. The factory dampers are monotube. So a little downgrade, IMO.

I think the PSS9 is worth paying the extra, assuming you're going to drive and enjoy the car a long time. Last I checked, Rockauto had these for like $1300...and the 5% code worked. Its under "suspension kit" or something.

The ride and handling from the PSS9 offers more comfort than stock, but does have a very planted feel. Good for a 100% street driven car. To me, the PSS9 seems like something that should have been offered as a factory upgrade.

 

Thanks for your input. Do you know if the PSS9 comes with everything you need for install, like the correct diameter bushings and spring seats?

I always want the option of reverting back to stock and being that you have to drill out the stock bushings in order to fit the Konis, I need to factor in the cost of replacing all the stuff that needs to be modified. By my count that looks like a few hundred bucks.

I would feel better dropping $1300 on the PSS9 if it came 100% complete so i can just essentially clean and store away my old stock suspension.

Thanks again!

 

I can't remember if the tophat bushings need any modifications to fit into the Bilsteins. I *think* you need to drill them to accept the larger thread.

You will also need to re-use your stock tophats, in similar fashion as the Koni setup.

The big advantage of the Bilstein over the Koni is the monotube construction. In the S2000's case, that's a noticeable plus for handling and ride.

If you're looking for a totally complete setup, you'll probably need to look outside of any Germany based companies. Their TÜV regulations restrict using non original tophats, etc. And it seems that any non TÜV german stuff is massively expensive and biased towards race use.

Fortune Auto is a good alternative in your price range. They're priced ~$1K. They're built to order and are customizable. The company is based in VA. I'm using their FA500 on one of my S2000's, and I can say the quality is quite good so far.

Obviously, the easiest answer is to buy a set of Ohlins. They're a non-comprimise setup that have a small, but tangible edge over everything else. But they're ~$2K. I'm using Ohlins on my other S2000, and the ride is amazing. Its like the ride quality is in "high def", as compared to any other shock I've tried. I'd say they're still a great value at $2K...but obviously, you'd have to be OK with entering that price range.

 

Good call on RockAuto. Looks like I can get the PSS9 for $1400 shipped.

What are your thoughts on the regular PSS? I don't think I'll ever want to adjust ride height which is why I was avoiding coilovers in the first place. I'm more concerned with being able to maintain ride quality at a safe 1" drop. I know the PSS damper isn't adjustable. Any idea how it rides at the fixed setting?

I ideally want something that I can set and forget and never have to think about again. I mainly drive to and from work and go on little leisure cruises every once in a while. Nothing crazy aggressive and the roads where I live are mostly decent. I really don't see myself tweaking height or dampening regularly, if at all. Just trying to get the most bang for my buck without going overboard. And as sick as the Ohlin's are, that's definitely overkill for what I'm going for.

And btw, you singlehandedly talked me out of the Koni's. I didn't realize the importance of monotube vs twin tube. I'm sure it would have been fine but I'd rather spend the extra money for something that makes a noticeable difference. So thanks for that lol

 

Since this is about how the car FEELS and LOOKS, and that's a very subjective matter...

The advantage of adjustment is to be able to adjust to the setting you want...and then leave it there.

You can still set and forget...but you'll likely be happier with a setting you chose rather than the one you were compromised to accept.

Most people say the PSS rides well. I have no way to know what they're using as reference...but...*some* people have claimed the PSS ride to be a little harsh. Well...the PSS9 is a few clicks away from alleviating that.

I don't advocate lowering springs for the same reason. The only disadvantage to coilovers is cost. They're usually more or as comfortable as a lowering spring/shock combo.

Likem..maybe you get the 1" drop Eibach springs, and you decide, "shit. this would look better with a 1.0000001 inch drop"

Well...you're stuck. And if you're like me....you wont be able to live with it either (lol). With a threaded coilover, you can dial in what u want.

Maybe it takes 1 or 2 tries to make you happy. But then you can leave it exactly how you wanted.

Plus, your eyes can change. After a year or more on the same setting...I decided yesterday that my car would look better if it was 1/8" lower in the back. I had nothing going on for that 20 mins...so I made my wish come true.

 

I just bought the Ohlins DFV 8/10k....going in this weekends along with new OEM clutch/flywheels/bearings etc.

 

Considering you only want a 1'' drop, and that's exactly what Swift Spec R springs tend to give, and considering they maintain OEM-like handling, I'd say your best bet is those. Worst case scenario, you sell them for like $250 down the road and lose out on $50. No need to replace your shocks, either.

 

I considered doing just springs but I felt like pairing new springs with 40k shocks wasn’t the best idea. Plus I like the idea of keeping the stock set together in case I want to switch back or sell in the future.

Are you running swifts on stock shocks? Is it unreasonable to think that pairing new springs with worn shocks would be problematic down the line?