Hey,

One of my front struts are slightly bent, and another is leaking. Time to change them. Did some searching and couldn't come to a conclusion.

My Goal: New coilovers that lower the car only slightly, try to keep close to OEM ride feeling.

Question: If the car gets lowered, do I need to get rear adjustable control arms so that an alignment can be performed properly?

Now for your input. Please recommend coilover kits that are under $1000 that will achieve the above. NOTE: It doesn't have to be a complete kit. You can recommend shocks + Springs.

So far I have been looking into the following:

http://www.waymotorworks.com/megan-r...coilovers.html

http://www.waymotorworks.com/vmaxx-c...s-r50-r53.html

http://www.waymotorworks.com/koni-fsd-shocks.html + Stock springs

http://www.waymotorworks.com/koni-ye...rt-shocks.html + lowered springs

Stock struts + lowered springs?

 

For issues you outlined, I went with the JCW Suspemsion. It is comprised os specially matched set of Eibach springs with Bilstein struts for your MINI. Only dropped the MINI little over 1/2 inch. No additional components required.

Porvided much better handling, and yet rides so much better than the Sport Plus suspension I had before.

 

Hey Gray!

Could you elaborate on the JCW Suspension? Do you mean you had a standard MCS and fitted stock MCS JCW suspension?

 

Bump!

Need more advice :D

 

A properly designed and manufactured CO system is going to cost well above 1k. For the objectives that you listed and the allowance, I would look into the following two routes:

1-As Gray mentioned the JCW kit. It is OEM engineered and manufactured. The struts are properly matched to the springs. It will lower very slightly and the ride is improved for daily driving.

2-A little more aggressive is the TSW and Koni FSD route. I have TSW with the OEM struts and it is still a major improvement over my stock suspension.

Suspension is the most intricate (IMHO more so than engine) part of cars. It involves a lot of R&D which is a ton of money and a variable that most other modifications are not subject to, personal preferences.

 

Depending on how low you go, you will have to consider rear control arms as well, since the stocks have very limited adjustability (and none before 2005). Here are the Helix: