I got a question. I'm real new to working on cars post 1970 and even newer to the Evo. I was wanting to lower my X a little bit because I feel it sits just a bit high. Question: Whats the better way to go? Buy some Eibach lowering springs for $250ish or go the long way with coil overs? Has anyone just put lowering springs and been done with it? Will the stock shocks accept that? How did it ride and is that a good budget approach? Thanks.

 

I've been through a similar question, not with a X but with my base Lancer. The advice I got is still just as valid with the X though. It depends on what you want to use the car for.

If this is going to be daily driven, the answer is typically lowering springs. Seeing as this is a brand new car, information on factory damper longevity won't be available for a while, but typical results on most cars are that it gets less when the car is lowered. By how much can depend on the car/spring brand/spring type (spring rate)/roads/how often it is driven and how hard it is driven. Since most people who get lowering springs just use them for daily driving, the spring rates are typically softer than a coilover, but still harder than stock. But then again, if you want to play on the track and use it on the street, coilovers with full adjustability would be best.

I on the other hand wanted good street handling, without having to worry about longevity as much, so I went coilover, cheaper coilover, but coilover. The ride comfort has suffered more, but the handling has improved immensely. It would have been more comfortable had I either gone cheaper with springs or more expensive with more adjustable coilovers. But that's how it is when you want to have your handling cake and eat it too, on a budget.

EDIT: If you're going spring, Eibach would be a good choice since they are usually firm but comfortable, and not as bad on dampers as some cheaper springs would be. If coilovers are your choice, maybe wait until there is a Robispec event nearby and have him do a full KW Clubsport setup for you.

 

check to see if they make tien they ride a lil softer and nicer imo and yes springs are just fine i got evo 8 with tien lowering springs s-techs drag road course no problem and dd just depends on what you want to do with car like lumpy said

 

I agree with the Tein suggestion too, since that is the brand of basic coilovers I got. Good stuff. Some other members on here thought I should go with K-sport (in the Lancer's case for more adjustablity at a cheaper price), but I didn't trust them yet seeing as how they are a relatively new company. But anything that has been used for over a decade in many different forms of racing, endurance being one of them, should be trustable. Tein, Eibach, JIC, KW, the list goes on.

 

I'm probably not going to be tracking the car very often. And when I do its usually when I tag along with the Porsche club guys from work. I go back road banging quite a bit on the mountain roads and such. The car is a DD and will be for time to come. So lowering springs would probably do the trick just fine wouldn't they? Better handling and better appearance? I don't see the necessity for adjustable shocks and what have you considering my limited use on the track. However I do plan on doing about 3 or 4 Auto-X a year.

EDIT: The only TIEN springs I found were for "05 and up" IX. They ran about $155. The Eibachs have the "pro" package for about $250ish. And those were for the X.

 

My advice is to wait until more options become available.

Has Eibach or TEIN released the rates of their springs?

Tein S-techs are known as "Style" springs, and you lose almost all available bump travel. Not a good thing for performance or comfort. On the EVO 8 and 9 you were quite literally riding on the bumpstops. They do look cool though....


- Andrew