ok well im set on buying a new set of coilovers. something nice like tein flex, tein ss, jic, hks hipermax. it has to be adjustable dampening wise. im looking into buying a used vs buying new. what are the drawbacks of buying used? do coilovers really go bad? how long until they wear out? i mean if someone has them 5k-15k miles and i buy it is there anything wrong with that.
thanks alot
andrew



ps. i didnt post in the suspension forum because i trust the regulars here more

 

I would buy new, unless price is an issue for you. I've been burned by buying used parts in the past, but with something new... you cant go wrong.
5-15k of usage on coilovers dont seem like a lot, but that doesnt mean that they cant be torn up. Just check out the used parts before you buy them. Anyway, they'll end up costing a lot cheaper than new ones.
Maybe some of the suspension savy guys will chime in, since I'm not sure which coilovers are better to go with. I'm just running v7 struts and springs...

 

I'm with Tygerstile - buy new. You just don't know how the previous owner(s) treated their car. It's not worth saving a couple hundred dollars on suspension that will need to be rebuilt soon.

However, if you think you've found somebody trustworthy and honest, here's a couple of questions to ask:

1. Ask for a ride. I'd say a good rule of thumb is ask them to meet you at your place, and take to/from your daily commute (school, work, girlfriend's, etc.) - this should give you a good idea of what your ride will be like. Take note of the other suspension mods on the car, what tires he's running and what the suspension's set at as well.
2. Why is he selling the suspension? Spend 10-15 minutes chatting with him and getting to know him - this will help you gauge if he's worth trusting, and secondly, if he knows anything. His opinion on his suspension won't matter unless he knows what he's talking about.
3. How many miles on the suspension? If it's high mileage, ask if it's been rebuilt, and by who.
4. Warranty? If he's the first owner, ask who he purchased from. Take a hike if it's from Gruppe-S - black/greymarket items usually doesn't carry any warranty (I've had vendors lie to me before).
5. Driving behavior - Has the car ever been to the track with the suspension? Take note of how he drives on the test ride too.

Hope this helps. I'm sure I left out a lot, but feel free to AIM or PM me if you have any other questions.

P.S. Don't trust anybody from SCIC! :P

 

hmm alrite thanks 2 you both i mite just go buy the tein flex or ss new and pop an edfc on
=P

 

is there a big difference between the tein ss and the tein flex?

 

SS are single perch... and flex is dual perch.
dual allow height adjustment without changing the spring compression.
where the single perch u will change the damping and spring compression rate.. which can cause lose in performance.

 

hmm makes sense. ive noticed that the flex is much stiffer than the ss too. they are both edfc compatible which is a plus. but i do autocrossing and canyoning quite a bit and im starting to outgrow the cars suspension setup (rims tires sway bars endlinks). the only thing im getting at is, is the flex worth 400 bucks more for the dual perch?

 

flex bounces

hks is eh i heard that from walter

if your gonna buy used dont put them on just have them rebuilt as soon as you get them

 

they dont bounce that much... flexes are good for the price

 

You really need to do some research on your own. Try Tein's website for this particular question. Knowing the basics (like the difference between two set-ups by one manufacturer) first, and then enlisting the opinions/knowledge of others will give you the least biased results. To be frank, a lot of people don't know what they're talking about - you can weed out their opinions by being a smart consumer yourself.

I also wouldn't hesitate to do a search. There are plenty of people outside of Southern California who can give you good advice.

 

+1 do alot of search before you buy...

 

I really like the KSport coilovers that I put on my WRX. Similar to the Flex in that it is dual perch adjustable and also dampening adjustable from the top. Ksports also come with the camber plates up front and will be compatible w/ their electronic control unit when it's available later this year or early 06. Here's my little review w/ pics. https://www.i-club.com/forums/suspension-handling-brakes-195/ksport-coilover-suspension-hankook-tire-review-104247/

 

yeah the price for what you get is really good

 

it really depends on what kind of driving you are into. where you live is also a factor. ruts, bumps, etc. i was working out in la, and i hit a pothole on santa monica blvd. broke a strut mount. damn.

 

buy some Oteins!


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