Can those of you with the JCW suspension installed comment on how it impacts your rough road (ie potholes, cracked pavement, etc.) driving? I am pretty sure I will be specifying this upgrade for my MCS, as well as wheels upgraded to 16" SSR comps and 205/50 non-runflat tires. I know that the lighter wheels and more compliant sidewalls on the tires will help, but I am wondering what I may be getting myself into. There are more rough roads than smooth around here...

One of my other upgrades under consideration is a rear sway bar. How does this impact the same type of driving as mentioned above?

Ultimately, I am interested in getting into some limited track/autocross driving, but the car will be my daily driver as well.

 

All I can comment on is the rear sway bar. I found, for me, that the rear sway almost universily improved the handling on rough roads. The only negative is that I found an increase in "oh crap" moments when a turn involved an elevation change which would unweight the car. But, I'm guessing that the sway bar has no immediate impact in that situation - the difference is I have been driving through the corners a little faster which is the root of that problem.

The increase was from no "moments" before the bar to maybe two a summer with it. And like I say, those moments were most likely all due to corner speed, not the swaybar.

If you hit a bump square, the sway bar has theoretically no impact on handling...

 

Thanks for the response velVeT.

Any JCW suspension owners out there with comments on rough road ride quality? I am not looking for plush (in fact I like some 'feedback' from the road), but I am curious if the ride quality is to the point of being a constant distraction. I have read that the JCW suspension upgrade has a 'refined' quality to it, does that translate to rough road driving as well?

 

I have heard the same thing. Because they "tune" the suspension to weight of your car, the ride is better tailored to your specific car. Supposedly, it is a better ride than stock with alot more controll...

 

brgmaxmini,

I noticed that you have question marks after your choice of upholstery. Since you enjoy a bit of sporting motoring, the fabric is the best choice by far. It will hold you more firmly in your seat, less sliding around in the corners. An added benefit is that they are warmed in the winter and don't get as hot in the summer.

Back to the topic. The '05 Sport suspension+ is not as stiff as the first years. The switch to non-runflats, lighter wheels, and JCW suspension should be fine for a daily driver. I have an '02 MCS with the original SS+ and run flats and use it as a daily driver, weekend driver, vacation/trip driver, weekend warrior, etc.

 

I have the JCW suspension on an 05 MCS. I don't track or autocross, but I live in a mountainous area with lots of twisty roads. we also have an 04 MCS with stock suspension, a rear sway and (unfortunately) runflats. I can tell you that the new car with JCW, sway bar and non-runflats is MUCH smoother and more comfortable in the ride department than the 04. In fact, my wife noticed the difference immediately - and she doesn't notice ANYTHING unless a car just stops completely.

The JCW handles mild to moderate bumps comfortably. Large abrupt bumps get your attention (watch fillings). The only time I really had any problem with the ride was when hitting a stretch of local road that has had way too much log truck traffic, making the asphalt stand up in a rather dramatic washboard. That got to hammering pretty hard, so I just slowed down in that section.

As far as handling is concerned, The JCW + sway bar combination takes corners VERY flat compared to stock (even with sway bar). As far as I am concerned, this set up is absolutely perfect for the kind of driving and roads that we have in my area (Mt. St. Helens).

Bottom line is: GET IT!! You will not be disappointed with the ride. It's a great street/daily driver set-up (IMO). And yes, "refined" is a good adjective to use for this suspension - very well matched to the car.


Edit: The sway bar does not really affect ride quality at all (unless maybe you have a heavy bar set to the stiffest hole). It does positively affect handling , although it can take a little getting used to if this is your first exposure to sways (tail has more tendency to come around on you).

 

What sway bar do you have on your car?
Brand
Size


Thanks for the help

 

H-Sport comp bar (equivalent to 22mm) on the 04 MCS.

05 MCS w/ JCW suspension has a Dinan 19mm, because that's what the dealer had to offer. It feels fine for the road driving I do, but I think most would recommend a 22mm bar for track use.

 

I will second just about everything that BrianGoldbloom has said. I don't have an aftermarket sway bar; it's just the "stock" JCW setup. While a heavier sway bar might really liven up the rear end, the JCW-only arrangement really seems to make the car handle in a neutral way; you will feel the rear following the fronts in just about a perfect line, especially if there is a slight down hill turn. Anyway, it really does make the car a "point-and-shoot" type of driver. Just pick your gear and HAMMER IT!!!

Now as far as the bumps, you're gonna feel them. For me, it's no big deal, and I make no apologies to my passengers!

I think that the JCW is a very good value; it's specifically designed for your car. There's different springs for convertibles vs. hardtops, and even hardtops w/o sunroofs get their own springs. While something like a Bilstein coilover kit would be very nice, the JCW suspension is going be at least several hundred dollars less.

Me, I am very satisfied with it, and I can't wait to get a little more mileage out of the runflats so I can get some better rubber. Then we'll really see what it can do!

 

Switching to non-runflat tires should improve your ride significantly. I was anticipating a harsher than stock ride (plus, I was looking to maximize street handing), so I had a set of non-runflats w/ light weight wheels waiting to put on the car when I took delivery from the dealer. So I didn't didn't get much drive time with the JCW susp and run-flat combination before changing tires.

Comparing the ride qualities of both our MCS's: the car with stock suspension (and sway bar) and runflats rides HARSHER than the car with JCW suspension (and sway) and non-runflats. What I will say about the JCW/non-runflat combo is that the ROAD FEEL is enhanced compared to stock/runflats. So, like Johnny L says, I can feel all the bumps, but they are for the most part less harsh, and more comfortable. As I said in the previous post, the conditions where our JCW set-up does hit harder than stock have involved either large abrupt bumps/potholes or prolonged rough roads.

No apologies to passengers, indeed !! Just hang on

 

does anyone have any experience with JCW Suspension and Run-Flats?

 

That'd be me (see above).