grand on coilies

[Dan519]

But as has been said, you get what you pay for.

Spax (adjustable) = £800
GAZ (adjustable) = £800

KW V1 (fixed) = £825
Bilstein (fixed) = £700
H&R (fixed) = £900

KW V2 (adjustable) = £1125
AST (adjustable) = £1500
Bilstein (adjustable) = £2000

Nitron/Moton/Intrax (adjustable) = £2.5k to £5k+ (not available for clio)

The point i am trying to make is that yes, the Spax are 'adjustable', but at the same priced as the 'fixed' premium brands.

Now, i have no idea on the quality of the Spax product, & i am sure that it is lovely, but there is surely a reason why it is cheaper.

did you know that Spax invented the adjustable damper?

They're very different to other's in the same price point due to the way their adjustment is on bound and rebound. (if the adjuster is at the top, you have rebound only) and they're Fully stainless steel

 

[Dan519]

Just out of interest, obviously you are pleased with the Spax, & would happily purchase again, but have you tried anything else at that price point?

I have. Think I've driven every available setup. KW V1's were shocking (no pun intended) on a stripped out car, Billys were similarly just wrong. Gaz are the worst things I've ever experienced, Vmaxx are genuinely a better option if you are budget limited. KW V2's are better, well made, but just have "made in germany" tax on them

If Spax are good enough for the thrust SSC (that's some serious high speed stability needed!!!) then I'm happy

When I started working with Spax it wasn't blindly or without carefully considered options. I approached half a dozen manufacturers and Spax were the most enthusiastic about their products, and about working on new things. Their engineering/development department is exceptional. Koni for example just said clios were too old to bother with......nice.

 

[tommyl]

Not sure if I am reading this entire thread wrong but it's gone from a discussion/disagreement of fixed vs adjustable being a personal preference to dearer fixed vs cheaper adjustable is better. Confusing!

I have used GAZ GHA, Spax RSX, KW Clubsport and Bilstein PSS9 Clubsport all on the same car/type of car. Yes there's a difference in performance at the various price points but it's by no means the case that the cheap GAZ and Spax are terrible and worse than dearer fixed units - no way!

I found the Spax better than the GAZ in being able to deal with prolonged sessions. The GAZ would overheat and start making the car 'rock' (for want of a better word) around long, high speed bends. The Spax also had well defined adjustment. The effect of a single click could be more easily felt than on the GAZ.

The good thing with GAZ was the customer support (cheap rebuilds) and ability to spec your spring rates (with valving to match).

BTW both the GAZ and Spax units had damper failures but were replaced under warranty.

 

[Russ_16v]

My Exclusive had KW V2's on - I agree with Danny, great quality, ride comfort was very nice, and lovely when wound up tight, at the time of purchase was near £1100.

For my needs (Road use with circa 5 track days per year) I would not buy them, they were lovely on the road, but I just couldn't justify spending that much on suspension (Im a tight arse lol)

 

[Dan]

i think this has all come down to people not wanting to think they have wasted a good amount of money on suspension so just argue a point that is obviously personal pref :S

 

[Silent_Scone]

BTW both the GAZ and Spax units had damper failures but were replaced under warranty.

How about that, had the same on my VSX Spax kit for my Corrado. Only they were 4 months out of warranty.

 

[Dan519]

How about that, had the same on my VSX Spax kit for my Corrado. Only they were 4 months out of warranty.

such is life tbh, it will happen to a % of anything. Standard dampers are s**t for blowing, I've found leaks on a 8k old 197 before
I've seen the returns shelf at Spax, it's very small, and most of their issues seem to be from people using mole grips on the shaft to tighten the top nut

 

[Silent_Scone]

Yeah that's fair enough, I know people who've had Bilsteins burst on different cars. But such is the way of personal experience.


Apart from GAZ, leaking is kind of their trademark

 

[tommyl]

such is life tbh, it will happen to a % of anything.

Agree

The KW Clubsports I referrred to above - one of the dampers is on its way out after very few events - less than 20. The problem with those is that they can't be rebuilt and that's a MASSIVE issue. At least, KW themselves won't touch them. I didn't enquire with anyone else.

 

[Dan]

Yeah that's fair enough, I know people who've had Bilsteins burst on different cars. But such is the way of personal experience.


Apart from GAZ, leaking is kind of their trademark

see you say that about gaz but i have seen them take some stick 55K+ miles also unserviced with use on some horrible roads to go with it and still going well! luck of the draw again imo

i know 4 owners of gaz coilies and only one had a prob and that was due to incorrect tightening (wrong tool) :S

 

[Dan519]

Yeah that's fair enough, I know people who've had Bilsteins burst on different cars. But such is the way of personal experience.


Apart from GAZ, leaking is kind of their trademark

GAZ are just tripe in general. They're not even nice before they break.
Billys and H&Rs (SAME!!!) don't seem to leak much, but they develop a lot of play in the fronts which make them knock (I havn't seen a set in 4 years that hasn't started to do it)


People are odd tbh. The set on my car was returned as "faulty" to me. I inspected, couldn't find a single issue other than the damping was set to 0 making the valve squeek (they're not meant to be used linke that), and there was overspray on the piston. They've done about 3k on my car now and they're as perfect as they ever were. Perceptions of when there's a fault/issue are often miles off and it's installation thats the issue

 

[Scott H.]

On the cheaper Spax RSX kits (the none rear coilover type) can these be lowered at the rear? Iv found them for sale on a few sites, europerformance, venom motorsport and eBay etc aswell as you Danny, and on some sites it says it lowers it just by 25mm with no adjustment and others say 15-45mm. There all Spax RSX 706 kits btw.

Im stuck between which coilovers to buy at the moment but not going to post a new thread, ill just read through all the arguments
​

 

[Dan519]

they're wrong rear has adjustment. I asked for it to be added. Upto you if you buy from somewhere with duff info that has no knowledge of the product and can't give support/assistance

 

[Scott H.]

Willing to price match then pm me

 

[p@blo]

such is life tbh, it will happen to a % of anything. Standard dampers are s**t for blowing, I've found leaks on a 8k old 197 before
I've seen the returns shelf at Spax, it's very small, and most of their issues seem to be from people using mole grips on the shaft to tighten the top nut

Lol seriously?

 

[Dan519]

Lol seriously?

yes. They've even had stickers made to warn people not to do it

 

[mitch1503]

well after being in Dans car today i can honestly say the ride of the spax is fantastic.. Even on the bad roads and the car getting the beans it always felt planted with no body roll at all and not once did it shake the s**t out of me.. it was hughly more comfortable than when i go along the exact same roads in my cup with standard suspension i can honestly say if i was going to buy some coilovers the SPAX are where my money would be going

 

[Cup_Phil]

Not sure if I am reading this entire thread wrong but it's gone from a discussion/disagreement of fixed vs adjustable being a personal preference to dearer fixed vs cheaper adjustable is better. Confusing!

Good isn't it - the point of the thread was lost long ago LOL
People on here are random

I had Spax RSX on my 106 quiksilver for 6 years - never leaked once, lovely setup
I've had billies on this car and my old 106 - they are well made but never feel worth the price tag

My money in October when the car comes off the road again for a winter refresh will fully be going on a spax setup

 

[Sir_Dave]

well after being in Dans car today i can honestly say the ride of the spax is fantastic.. Even on the bad roads and the car getting the beans it always felt planted with no body roll at all and not once did it shake the s**t out of me.. it was hughly more comfortable than when i go along the exact same roads in my cup with standard suspension i can honestly say if i was going to buy some coilovers the SPAX are where my money would be going

Did you drive it?

 

[ourboy]

gaz coilovers where fitted to my cup when i bought it. 3 months later the rear shocks leaked and started knocking . not knowing how long they where fitted i got the hole kit referbished 1 year on rears have gone again and the front passenger side is leaking and the ride is sh*t.
others may have had better luck but i would stay well clear.they are bloody awful they seem to be the best way to make a good car sh*t

As soon as the funds come together i'm going to try the spax rsx kit seems they tick all the boxs (for me anyway)

 

[Sir_Dave]

Oh the irony. After saying about how amazing the Sachs are, mine are fubar'd lol.

Perhaps thats why the ride has been so good as of late i can essentially bounce the car using my hands on the front headlights!! So it would appear that they are rather goosed. Refurb costs from BG are:

Service - £430
Service inc. shafts - £700
Service inc. shafts & adjusters - £820

Its likely that i'll need new shafts as well, being that they've done 183k miles - albeit with a minor 'service' done by someone other than BG 13k ago. Pay cheap, pay twice it would seem ... so, i am left with a quandry not dissimilar to Italian_Jobs.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Have you thought about spax?

 

[Sir_Dave]

Have you thought about spax?

Of course - when you consider i could sell my Sportlines/rear Koni's for £280, it makes them a very cheap alternative, ie £420 ish to change, vs spending £720 on refurbing my front Sachs alone!

Tempted to just bung some on & see what i think - would also give the members of CS a proper, non-biased review of the kit as well

 

[Jamie86]

Dave, as your Sachs are fubar i'll give you a tenner and a whispa for them

 

[Sir_Dave]

Dave, as your Sachs are fubar i'll give you a tenner and a whispa for them

Nah, im keeping them whatever happens. Its still a Trophy, so still needs Sachs, even if they are knackered & in the shed

 

[Cup_Phil]

Of course - when you consider i could sell my Sportlines/rear Koni's for £280, it makes them a very cheap alternative, ie £420 ish to change, vs spending £720 on refurbing my front Sachs alone!

Tempted to just bung some on & see what i think - would also give the members of CS a proper, non-biased review of the kit as well

Damn you - can't you buy my billies off me instead so I can get some spax?

 

[Italian_Job]

Oh the irony. After saying about how amazing the Sachs are, mine are fubar'd lol.

Perhaps thats why the ride has been so good as of late i can essentially bounce the car using my hands on the front headlights!! So it would appear that they are rather goosed. Refurb costs from BG are:

Service - £430
Service inc. shafts - £700
Service inc. shafts & adjusters - £820

Its likely that i'll need new shafts as well, being that they've done 183k miles - albeit with a minor 'service' done by someone other than BG 13k ago. Pay cheap, pay twice it would seem ... so, i am left with a quandry not dissimilar to Italian_Jobs.

sorry to hear that mate but welcome to my world lol
I got my sachs back and I was thinking about the cheap BG refurb but if the pistons are scored, honestly, f**k em.
So I'll be getting in touch with them soon and try to get the bad boys inspected......

 

[2 live]

If Spax are good enough for the thrust SSC (that's some serious high speed stability needed!!!) then I'm happy

iirc thrust ssc also used mini subframes....or was that bluebird?? either way, just because its on a car that goes that fast on a flat surface, doesnt ness mean they top b****cks. just they viable/cheap/free option

im in the same boat tbh, the sachs have seen better days, and im not paying £700+ for a half refurbed set of shocks , they dont even touch the outers, just new seals/gas/oil. half arsed refurb if you ask me. but what the next step??? id rather sink a grand into something better, and new than just get the old ones 1/2 refurbed.