The shocks on Angelina need to be replaced and I am torn between two options. The car currently has the stock shocks with H-Sport springs and needless to say the stock shocks are shot.

I cannot decide between switching to a JCW suspension (shocks and springs) or keep the current H-Sport springs and replace the shocks with a set of Billstein SP's.

In order to help answer the question, below is a list of parameters I want the new suspension to fit into:

1. We do auto cross about 6-8 times a year.
2. The car is driven in a very "spirited" manner
3. One of my main concerns with the Billstein/H Sport combination is longevity.


Thoughts?

 

it would be tempting to go with the biltiens... although the ride would be considerably stiffer then what you are used to. Do you have many other suspension goodies?

When my stock shocks go I'm going to dump my hsports and pick up a set of coil overs. So that's my .02.

Mind if i ask how many miles you got out of your stock shocks with the hsports?

 

I can answer those. The car has camber plates and rear control arms. We considered full coilovers, but decided against it (combination of price and ride quality). I believe we got about 10k miles out of the stock shocks with the H-Sport springs on (16k total).

 

Only 10k miles out of the stockers, eh? About what I have with my h-sports, and the ride isn't getting any better.. hmm.

I would definitely keep the h-sports and pick up some bilstein sps or koni yellows. Either of these shocks are designed to work with lowering springs, so they should last significantly longer. (And while there are some complaints about koni quality control these days, I haven't heard anyone badmouthing bilsteins for premature failure.) And I believe the combo will result in a better handling car than the jcw equipment. Total conjecture on my part.

 

you only got 16 out of the stock shocks??? how is that even possible. I've got 36k on mine... 3k with the hsports. I guess the lowering springs reduce the life of the shock that much?

 

Yep, the springs really kill them. Also had the same experience on my 'vert. Once the springs went on, the shocks were dead in about 10k.

 

When you say your stock shocks are dead, what are you referring to? Are you noticing a significantly worse ride, or did something actually break and malfunction?

I would definitley look into getting the Bilstein shocks or Koni yellows and keeping your H-sport springs. Ride quality might improve.

 

The ride quality is worse. It is noticeably noisier. I can definitely feel it on big bumps. It also lets itself be knows in reduced handling. The car feels a lot less in control.

 

Bilstiens.......thats my vote........