Coilover suspension is a key component for any enthusiast looking to tailor the way their car drives. Questions our followers often ask are: “Is it worth spending more on coilovers for my car?” and “What are the differences between cheap, mid-range and expensive coilovers?”. These questions are especially relevant, as prices for coilovers on the market range from €250 to €4000 and more, which makes the decision harder. Price differences often reflect the brand, build quality, the level of adjustment offered, customer support and other factors. In this article we look at what you gain by spending more on coilovers and whether the pricier options are really worth it.
Why are cheap coilovers so cheap, and do they even work?
If you have ever looked for coilovers for your car, you have probably come across very cheap offers starting at just €250. But why are these options so cheap?
One of the key reasons for the lower price is mass production in less developed countries, where labour and production costs are lower. But that saving often comes at the expense of quality, which can affect how the car drives. Poorer damper development and testing lead to below-average performance.
Cheap coilovers often adjust ride height and spring preload at the same time, which with an extreme drop can leave the spring incorrectly preloaded. This leads to reduced suspension travel and a harsher ride, which can drastically reduce the car’s stability and safety on the road. In practice, lowering coilovers to the extreme, where you also change preload, shows up as extremely unsettled handling and a car that skips over every bump. Not only is driving like that unsettled, it is extremely dangerous. Based on our testing we would recommend lowering the car no more than 4 cm from the factory height. Anything beyond that causes the symptoms of ruined preload. That is not a rule, of course, and depends on the car, so we advise testing for yourself and setting the height that suits you and your car.
Quality: With a lower price you naturally lose some quality. Over the years our team has tested many cheap, mid-range and expensive coilovers, and we always found the same thing – cheap coilovers do not last long; in some cases we were “unlucky” after just 10.000 kilometres.
Cheaper coilovers of course have their buyers. They are suitable for someone who does not care about ride quality at all and cares more about how the car looks. They are also suitable for someone who wants to lower the car only slightly, without changing damper preload too much. In that case cheaper coilovers drive reasonably well. If your original dampers are in good condition, we would rather recommend lowering the car with sports springs for lowering.
Below we list a few brands offering affordable options, with the clear caveat that the advice and recommendations above matter.
- TA Technix
- JOM (coming soon to the online shop too – contact us for a quote)
- FK (coming soon to the online shop too – contact us for a quote)
You also need to be careful because with an incorrectly fitted oil cooler the oil cannot reach its optimal operating temperature. We prevent this by fitting an oil thermostat.
And how do mid-range coilovers perform?
Moving from budget coilovers to the mid-price range, we see several key improvements. Mid-price coilovers, which in our range start at €550, offer better quality and greater durability than their cheaper counterparts. In our testing they proved for very reliable: we covered more than 50.000 kilometres on them with no loss of performance and no damper damage.
Coilovers like these are an ideal choice for drivers looking for a balance between price and quality. They are suitable both for those who want to improve the drive without dramatically changing ride height, as well as for users who expect reliable performance in the long run.
In our range you will find mid-price coilovers from about €550 upwards:
- MTS Technik
- ap coilovers
- Vogtland (coming soon to the online shop too – contact us for a quote)
- ST coilovers (some series fall into the higher price range)
Expensive coilovers – are they really worth the money?
More expensive coilovers certainly justify their price with noticeably better ride quality and the advanced adjustment they offer. The difference in handling is noticeable, as more expensive coilovers are based on extensive testing and development that deliver outstanding comfort and performance.
With more adjustment options, such as preload, compression and rebound, they let you tune the car precisely to specific conditions or personal preference. It is essential, though, that buyers get to know the options and define their needs before buying, as the range of adjustment requires a certain amount of knowledge for optimal use.
The lifetime warranty some manufacturers offer underlines their confidence in the quality and durability of their products. Our experience shows that more expensive coilovers last considerably longer without signs of wear, even after 100.000 km.
In our range you will find higher-priced coilovers from about €1200 upwards:
- ST suspension (certain series)
- BC Racing (coming soon to the online shop too – contact us for a quote)
- KW suspension
- D2 Racing (coming soon to the online shop too – contact us for a quote)
- Öhlins (coming soon to the online shop too – contact us for the range
Conclusion
Our overview of the different coilover price classes may sound like criticism of the cheaper options, but our aim is simply to show the advantages and disadvantages of each class. As the author of this article, having covered more than 50.000 km on MTS Technik coilovers in the last 14 months, I can confirm that for the money they handle excellently – assuming we follow the key points from the article. Set up and used correctly, cheaper coilovers can give a satisfactory ride, as long as we adjust our expectations.
On the other hand, for those who can afford the more expensive options, we recommend the investment without hesitation. The difference in handling is obvious and can substantially improve how the car feels to drive.
For anyone looking for advice or help choosing the right coilovers for your car, we are available via our kontaktnega obrazca. Don’t hesitate to get in touch for expert advice tailored to your needs and expectations.
P. S.
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