susuki1220

I will try my best to describe & elaborate on how i felt, this will not be a professional review as everything is under my own opinion/experience. Please don't get offended if you don't agree to some of the things i have stated.

Since I've driven Buttonwillow #13CW the most I will use it to be the baseline of my review.

I have been to buttonwillow (#13CW) a total of 5 times with my 04' sebring silver s2000 (5/30/09, 7/11/09, 8/2/09, 9/26/09, 12/20/09). and yes I started tracking just this mid year.

Things I've used prior to 12/20/09 track day:

re050 215/245 - good tires if everything is stock
z1* spec 225/255 - very precise tires, better than re050 & federal 595 rsr
Federal 595 rsr 225/255 - best price/grip tires , steering is vague compared to z1*
xp10/xp8 - good pads, easy on rotor and good brake modulation
xp12/xp10 - can't really tell the difference from xp10/xp8 combo.

Things I've on the car on 12/20/09

RG II 17X9 +45 - wider track made car handle better
Federal 595 rsr 255/255 - will never go back to stagger setup
Spoon Caliper - expensive and don't feel increase in stopping power
SS brake lines - placebo effect
J's type 2 wing - additional rear DF(recommended for BW)
APR front splitter - additional front DF (recommended for BW)
Swift sway bar - uh....i guess it reduced some body roll
momo steering wheel - personal preference
J's 70RS exhaust - i can feel the power, but good weight saver !
Berk HFC - i think its working
J's front camber kit - not recommended if on stock suspension
ORC clutch - just a clutch, oem would do fine with stock power.

Since i was on stock suspension for half a year, i feel that it can achieve alot even with the excess body roll. The car was easy to drive and handle very well @ buttonwillow. My best time using stock suspension was 2:05.1 on 9/26/09

Seeing everyone breaking 2 minute at buttonwillow i wanted to join the club. To join the club i knew i had to upgrade my suspension which was the biggest chuck of $__$ that i need to spent compared to my previous ones. (everything i bought was on the forum used, except for a few items were new). i'm just like everyone else trying to save money by being cheap lol.

I was reading threads on the forum trying to find the best suspension for track and came across a few options here and there. Many of the s2kC guys run Tein SRC and was able to clock extremely fast times @ buttonwillow. Of course everyone knows evasive came out with their own spec but price was a bit higher then the regular src and not everyone wanted to spent the extra money on something they are not sure of. believe me i was on the same boat. But seeing what evasive was able to do with their own spec on timeattacks i decided to save the extra $ and give it a try. ( yes you can call me the guinea pig )


So i installed my SRC from evasive about 2 weeks prior to last weekends track event. My first impression when i drove home from Evasive with the suspension on was "hmmm it is not as harsh as i thought it would be" (setting 8/8 all around) I was expecting something unbearable on the streets because i know it is a serious track suspension as they have stated.

So while retaining a comfortable enough ride on the streets i was on my way to buttonwillow on 12/20/09! Arriving in the morning, track time was delayed due to fog and i didn't get to go out until almost 10ish .

First corner "sunrise" took me by surprise as the car did exactly what i wanted very stiff no excess body roll through the corner. Then comes "cotton corner" as i wanted to try to have enough weight transferred to the front of the car by heavy braking and again i was able to feel the suspension compress and rebound feeling the car rotate while diving to to the corner. Then comes the famous "riverside" as i have heard rumors that i can be flat out on throttle through there if you have enough balls . And yes! i went through "riverside" flat with in 5th gear(ap2).

With more driving towards end of the day i felt that this suspension was amazing as it was like a point and shoot but also forgiving. There was traffic the whole day on the track and wasn't able to do any hot laps to see fast i was capable of running. I had to ask Aaron to let me in the red group as i finally had one clean lap behind mark tsai in the last session.

Conclusion:

By using the out of box setting 8/8 (bound/rebound) all around i was able to clock a low 2:02 with 40psi hot on the federal 595 rsr. I don't know why i kept the tires @ 40psi. I will try play around with lowering psi next time around.

I believe i left a lot of time on the track (see video) with lack of skills. With better setting on the suspension and play with my wing a bit i will be ready to attack 1:59XX. very doable in my opinion with street tires.

I highly recommend these suspension if you can afford it, even if you have to save for another month. It is probably the evasive valving that made these different from the regular SRC.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4ogDddV9wc [/media]

please feel free to comment if you have the regular SRC and maybe we can compare the difference of the two.

Thanks Mike, and Kel @ evasive


Eddie

psychoazn

Great to see a tangible review!

I'm going to want a ride in your car

psychoazn

Rather off-topic question, but what is the "screech" noise when you upshift? It doesn't happen every time, but the first time I hear it in your video is going out of turn 3 (off-ramp). (0:28 on the video)

My car makes the same noise if there is a large gap between current RPM and RPM in the next gear (e.g. I'm shifting really fast). FWIW, I never heard it on the stock clutch, and your video is the first one I've heard it in.

susuki1220

good question ! I've been wondering the same thing for a long time but i just blame it on my clutch, at least everything is working fine until this day. If anyone knows why please let me know.

Eddie

darylcha

nice review! makes me wish i got src lol.

i see you didn't "pressure" urself enough to do 2:00 lolll

MP2k

I had a similar sound and found the top nut on the driver side motor mount was working it's way off. The mount was barely holding on also, being about 75% torn.

susuki1220

!!!! will check asap. sounds pretty serious. I was just suspecting it from clutch engaging @ high rpm from 2nd gear to 3rd gear.

psychoazn

My car's been making the noise pretty much since I had a different clutch put in.

I'll be checking as well!

CKit

1. Maybe your driving has improved with experience?
2. Maybe a good portion of the "change" is from the increased spring rate?
3. You'd be hard pressed to separate the change due to the Teins vs. the stiffer spring rate if you've never driven another non-OEM setup.

What's to say you wouldn't have the same review if you put on some Megan coilovers with stiffer springs.

susuki1220

Ckit, good catch!

1. You are right, i should have stated that my driving has probably improved with time when i was more familiar with the track and also with more experience. I totally agree.

2. I believe a stiffer spring rate might have a good portion of the "change" but until i have tried other spring rates on the Tein i would not know.

3.That is why i stated that my review was non-professional and all from person opinion.

I probably would write a review also if i had tried on another set of coilover with stiffer springs but the review again would be my gut feeling without any possible comparison rather then oem ap2 stock suspension .

I guess this set of SRC from evasive will be my baseline to compare with all other aftermarket suspension. Until someone else comes around and post their suspension reviews (also buttonwillow) and hear some feebacks from them of how they felt personally then i won't be able to compare.

This review is also for someone who runs buttonwillow raceway often and want to see what is capable . As i know many people want to be full throttle through riverside, with my info they would know that it is possible. Maybe it is because the car setup is different? maybe its the suspension difference? but until i throw things out there to discuss i would not know.

Not many people like to talk about their secret setup or how they drive. I'm different i don't mind sharing knowledge of what i know personally, if by sharing i can make you faster then me i would be happy because I'm sure I'll find a faster way next time around.

Again i was willing to spent the $ on these as many would have just settled for the regular SRC, just trying to help out the community by being the guinea pig and post my personal feelings.

Eddie