s2kdriver80

I've never tracked the car but often drive in a spirited manner taking turns faster than the average person. Right now, I'm at 50k miles and the shocks/springs don't appear to be worn out if at all (at least to a degree that is very noticeable, maybe a hardcore track freak might notice). How long would they last before they BEGIN to show hints of clumsiness? My dad's 98 Accord has like 200k miles on them and the springs/shocks operate ok for point A-B but definitely show signs of wear. The S2000's coilovers might last that long as well, but when do they start showing signs of fatigue? I might replace them at that point. Thanks.

RazorV3

my friend has 100k on his s2000 and he tells me that the stock suspension is doing just fine. it really has to do with the road conditions in your area. the suspension can deteriote faster if there are a lot of bumps and potholes that you hit on a daily basis. as i said, there is no definate answer and its all relative to your driving conditions.

TrophyFodder

Shocks don't go bad over night. They deteriorate over time, so you can not feel how much their perormance has dropped without comparing it to low mileage shocks. Leading to 'the shocks feel just like they did yesterday' but they actually 50% worn. Some cars are known to go through shocks faster than others ~Miatas come to mind...
Chris

s2kdriver80

Thanks guys. Yea, I'm aware that shocks don't go bad overnight. I guess I'll change them out when the suspension travel increases a bit and the car feels "lazy" on turns. Are the shock/spring the only part of the suspension (besides tires, but they are simple to diagnose) that really get worn out? The anti-roll (sway) bars don't really wear out, right? I mean they are bars of metal. Any other part of the suspension that wears to a high degree? Thanks.

Now, the question would be - do I replace them with stock coilovers or go with high performance? Are the revalving "requirements" at every 30,000 miles (for the high performance coilovers - Ohlins comes to mind) just a recommendation to keep the car performing at tip-top track condition or are they really a requirement that if you don't do it, the shocks will actually get damaged?

AmazinglySmooth

Here's a good/bad test I've heard about:

Get your car oscillating up and down by pressing on the fender (at least on a car with normal metal). If the shocks are good, then the car should only travel 1/2 have cycle.

Of course, the speed at which it does this will vary over the life of the shock, but you could measure it over time if you wanted.

Cheers