Megan Racing Euro 2 Coilover Review
 

MINI:
2010 Cooper S Clubman with JCW Tuning Kit
49k miles
NON daily driver
I drive it on nice days
Spirited mountain NC runs
NOT a track car

Performance upgrades:
JCW tune
JCW CAI with Amsoil dry filter
Alta turbo inlet pipe (hard pipe)
Alta hot side boost tube
Remus Axel Back exhaust

Suspension setup:
Megan Euro 2 Coilovers (Teal and black)
Hotchkis 19mm rear sway bar
Hotchkis Adjustable Control arms (rear)
Way Motor Works adjustable front end links
EBC Red stuff brake pads on OEM Cooper S calipers
Drill slotted rotors (way motor works)

Quality:
Seems to be good, no issues, packed well for transport.

Fitment:
Perfect fit
Un bolt existing coil/struts, bolt in new!

Adjustability:
32 levels of damping
I am currently set at 5, a low setting for now to keep a decent ride quality.
Fronts are easy to adjust ride height and camber.
Rears are tougher due to the tight area and the trailing arm in the way (almost easier to remove the coil, adjust put back) this would go for ANY coil.

Alignment:
MINI was able to easily get me back to a straight setup
I didn't want excessive camber
Less tire wear, maybe a sacrifice in handling, but sticks like glue.
All is now well within spec for the car and ride height.

Installation:
On a scale of 1-10 (1 easiest, 10 hardest)
This was like a 2 or 3, very easy (having the right tools makes it easy)
NO spring compressors, NO impact guns.

Control arm install:
Follow this from Pelican Parts and you cannot go wrong.
http://www.pelicanparts.com/techarti...stallation.htm

Coilover install:
Follow this from Minicooperspeed and you cannot go wrong
NO spring compressor needed for these Coilovers. So take off the existing coils and replace with the Megan's,
http://www.minicooperspeed.com/mini-...-installation/

Rear trailing arm bolt:
Many have stripped this out doing it incorrectly. Follow this and you will be good.
Read this post and my TOP TIP on post #48
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...bolt-size.html

Review:
Quality: good
Noise: very quiet, no clunking, grinding or bottoming out.
Lowered: 1.2" front, 1" rear
Installation: VERY easy

Ride quality:
HWY: seems to be better and smooth on the highway. Not bouncy. You will know it when you hit a big bump. But it's not a harsh ride at all. Very comfortable. Driven at least 6 hrs of hwy driving and it rode nicely.

Mountains:
Just did Blue Ridge Parkway, Hwy 80 Devils Whip, Little Switzerland
The car handled like a BEAST! So much more responsive and connected to the road.
I had NO bottoming out, rattling, just smooth as glass. It's like a new car and handles differently...in a good way.

Overall:
The car looks amazing sitting a little lower, handles and performs better.

I could have spent a lot more money on a set of Coilovers, but for the amount of driving I do and the type, I couldn't see putting much more into it. I'm happy with it, it made sense for me and I didn't have to break the bank.

I would recommend these, but understand that everyone's driving habits are different.
I cannot compare them to others because I have not had them on my car. All I can say is I like my choice, works for me and I'm happy.

I chose these due to an affordable price, relatively good reviews and ease of installation.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...747c13ae9.jpeg

Nice review!

In the review you state that they adjusted the camber on the front- How?

The front Coilovers have adjustable camber plates. Easily adjusted with a supplied Allen wrench

The rear camber is adjusted with the Hotchkis Adjustable control arms.

Here is a link to the Megan Euro II for R56

http://www.meganracing.com/product_d...d=81&catid=105

On the front camber: Are the adjustment screws easily accessible without removing the strut? Are they accessible through the top opening under the hood?

You just told me 3 of the routes I loved when at MOTD.

I miss them so much and now my friend's in Miatas are at MATG.

What are the spring rates? I often hear (and personally felt) the rather harsh daily ride quality (likely more due to shocks). But it would be nice to see something with less of an understeer bias.

Yes, the camber adjustment screws are easily adjusted from the hole in the shock tower. NO need to remove the coilover.

I don't know the spring rates, a coilover is definitely going to be a little firmer than the stock setup. Anytime the car is LOWER than stock, you have reduced the travel and it needs to be firmer to avoid bottom out. Hence the firmer ride. I wouldn't say these are harsh. IF you hit a big bump or a bridge seam that is not too smooth...you know it!!!

Megan has the spring rates advertised as 6K. I like how the height adjustment is separate from the spring adjustment and that they come complete with F&R top mounts. Did you install the remote adjusters?

I didn't install the rear adjusters. It only takes a small hole. However, on the clubman it requires panels removed from the interior to get to the small hole. Maybe in the fall when the temps are not 100 with 98% humidity I will do it.

Jim- Very nice looking Clubman. I've had similar experience with these coilovers - they've been on my Clubman for about 20,000 miles. The ride is much better than stock, and the handling improved as well. I have mine set at 11 down from 32. I haven't installed the rear adjusters either...was reluctant to do any cutting. If you decide to do it, please let us know.

Hi All - First Post - Learned alot here as a lurker, so thx for that.

I just installed these on my r53 as well and the one thing I am a bit surprised by is the height of them. I have the rears wound all the way in and the are roughly still stock height. I dont want the thing dragging but wanted it a bit lower.

Ride wise - This isnt a daily driver. But so far i like it. It def feels better than stock. I haven't installed the rear extenders but have mucked with the front dampering and perhaps im too noob but havent found a ton of difference. That being said perhaps its a combo them not settling and me not driving enough. Ill be tracking it in Oct and will report back after that.

You cannot have the coilover wound all the way in and be stock height. It's imposssible.

Your not just compressing the coil are you? If you are, you're not set up correctly and those Coilovers will blow out quickly.

Nice review slim, I just placed an order for the same set along with 1 pair of hsport adjustable control arms - only lower set needed? and are the front sway bar links necessary?
I was also going to wait to do rear sway bar but from the looks of it rear coilovers will have to come back out, if that's the case I'll do it all at once.

mdinger - are you saying you put a set made for the r56 on your r53?

Thanks for the response.

I do have them preloaded as prescribed by the Megan site, so nope they arent compressed.

Im just speaking about the backs. its clear the fronts can go down way more but im pretty sure (without pulling the bottom bolt again to check) that the backs are all the way wound in. There is about 1.5 - 2 inches of threads between the top and bottom section.

No all r53. I realized that i posted to the Gen2 sub forum after i posted. Sorry for confusion.

I hear ya, was hoping it was something obvious :thumbsup:

Take a picture and post it here.

You will need rear adjustable control arms
AND
front end links. Get the Way Motor works links. Very quiet links, no clunking.

yup, ordered one pair of control arms with the coilovers, from WMW.
I guess I'll be ordering the front links and rear bar in the morning from him

How is the ride compare to ST XA and Bilstein B6 with H&R or Eibach lowering spring? Not going to track just want to lower and comfort ride.

Thank You, if you get it in the morning, I'll get them shipped tomorrow for you.

Received and installed everything Way, fit was perfect , instructions (as straight forward as it is) were accurate.
I checked to make sure the springs were preloaded, all the jam nuts tight and ride height was the same but otherwise left them set where they came.
It's my daily ride and I didn't/cant want it slammed, haven't found anything I've bottomed out on so I may drop another 1/2-3/4" in the rear. My stock struts were way passed blown out @100k miles so the handling is night and day, also with the hollow comp bar installed at the same time. Never owned a car on coilovers so also didn't know what to expect, I set the rebound at 16 out of 32 which is imo way to harsh for daily and I'll be setting it about 8 when I drop the ride height.
Pic from before it was aligned there was alot of rear camber so the tire gap didn't look bad, after aligned it still looks to high in the rear.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.nor...76ce6786be.jpg

So these can go down/drop a max of 2" or more? It's a nice drop on both pics posted

i think max is right around 2", i didnt measure my fender height before putting them on however.
from the pic above i dropped the front down another 3/4" of threads on the shock (still a lot of threads on the front to go, but i imagine trying to lay it all the way down would be useless), and the rear another 1/2 of threads on the back(with maybe 3/4" more drop available). it sits much nicer, and seems to ride much smoother as well (maybe in my head) but the harshness is gone now.

I'm debating between the Bilstein B14 coilovers, and the Megan Racing coilovers for my Clubman...are front sway bar end links necessary? Or will the stock end links work?