R53 Suspension question: Keep the Coilovers or Not?
 

OK so I bought a 2006 MINI Cooper R53 about six months ago. It has Megan Coilovers installed, I have to think that the shock/strut in them are shot as the car rides fine on flat surface but any dip or bump will bounce you out of the seats.

I talked to Megan and I can get replacement for each corner at 140$~ for each corner.

So here is the question, do I replace the replaceable Megan part for about 600 (I need the wrenches also) OR do I just install a completely new JCW Spring, Strut, Shock suspension setup. If I go with the JCW kit I have get all the parts as the front & spring perches and associated hardware is gone. I can do the whole JCW setup for about 1000$

I do not track the car, it is used for spirited daily and road driving. I am torn as everyone says coilovers are great but these things ride like ****, now that maybe because they have always been shot since I got the car. I have the JCW setup on my other 2006 and its great love the ride.

Opinions and information welcome and appreciated

You can get a set of KONI FSD shocks for around $500, and a new set of springs for around $100-$200 depending on what you want.........that would get you good handling, and a plush ride. If I was going to be driving the car on a daily basic, and not taking it to the track....that's what I would do.

I've never ran coilovers, but from everything I've heard.......they are designed for the track. They all give a firm/hard ride.....they really aren't made for the street. I'm sure some other guys will chime in with some more info.

I just put some Bilstein PSS10s with Swift 330# springs onto my '05 MCS, even on full soft, the springs cause 'bounce' on concrete highways. In fact, just this morning I thought that maybe I'd set the shocks to full hard after the last autox, so I turned them all completely the other way, I was wrong, more bounce. I would concur that the coilovers tend to have a stiffer response even set to their softest. If you want a softer ride, go with a less aggressive shock and not necessarily a coilover, though the steering response with the coilovers and an autox alignment is insanely good:grin:
JMHO,

The design of the coil overs has the most to do with how they ride. Megans being at close to the bottom of the pile will not ride as well as a custom built set. They are of course usually set up for those of us that want the added perfomance, not usually for the street as that can be more easily gotten with a good strut/spring combo.

For your driving a good set of dampers and springs would be the best option.

I had the Megans on my R50 for many years until they wore out, which was at about 60K. If you bounce out of your seat at every tiny bump, they are probably turned up to or around 32 (max hard) on the dampers which is overkill even on a track. If they are set that high, the valving is probably toast. Mine clunked on every single bump. If I set them at 32, no clunking but the ride was really bad. It felt like I had no suspension at all other than what air I had in the tires. That being said, I actually really liked my Megans. Not too expensive and on and off the track, they worked as I expected with the settings that I had them at.

I'd swap out the Megan coils and go with something more quality. The standard aluminum-bodied Chinese models are all roughly the same (and not too great - as you're noticing over road imperfections).

The money on good suspension pretty much all goes into valve design and then tuning.

Find the springs with the rates you want, and then have someone tune some Bilstein or Koni struts to match the rates. FatCat Motorsport is a good one. They do mail-in service and can set up just about anything (and their setup is one of the fastest you can purchase for the Miata chassis).

You're getting bounce because the PSS struts aren't valved for the spring rates you're throwing at them. I've had PSS9's in the past, and they don't bounce when set up properly. PSS9 vs PSS10 is the same suspension line, just one more adjustment setting for the 1-way dampers.

ST Suspesion, KW V1s, AST...etc are at the top of my list. Some people like the megans. I have Ohlins and they are the nicest i have seen next to AST Suspension. If you daily and dont want to go low then Koni Reds. JCW springs and such if you want to go oem and purist.

I'm between H&R, ISC street comfort, and another set of Ohlins R&T coils for my new-to-me R53.

Cheap and designed to work really well around one ride height; cheap and works at a lot of ride heights, but less ideal by design; dual flow valve, twice the price. A decision for spring time.

Good luck with whatever you choose. I dont think you can go wrong with those. The Ohlins look super high quality in my opinion. :)

I had them in my Tiguan for a while. Loved them. Only reason for considering something else is that I just don't know that I want to spend the same on coilovers as I did on the car itself. :laugh:

Thanx - you guys put the Bilstein B4 OE Sport Shocks & Struts KitES#3202677 on sale so I grabbed a set of those, and all the other parts that go with them to make up each shock and strut assembly:

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...cf5571da32.jpg

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...3fde639ef9.jpg

I had to replace EVERY piece as the coilover replaced everything Doh! Got all the parts in today and built the assemblies:

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...796bd3ab59.jpg

Now I just need to install them, the Header, Fuel Injectors, Rear Brakes, (front already installed Wilwoods), Standalone ECU. and have the ECU tuned.

A couple other photos of parts (cause everyone likes photos)

https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...af1b2054e7.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...7662434deb.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...39730c331f.jpg

Cute; two different 'cats.'

You are welcome!! That last pic made my day :)