One piece / Coilovers = spring and strut in one assembly
Two piece / spring & strut = spring and strut come in separate pieces.

Which suspension is best would be very subjective. Many would argue that coils are better, but while something feels faster, doesn't mean it really is. Coilovers will always feel faster since they eliminate much more sway and the driver will feel more G's. But more G's is not necessarily a good thing. Since the outside wheels have to travel just a bit further in a turn, to turn properly, your car needs a bit of sway to transfer energy and traction to the outside wheels.Eliminating too much sway is actually worse on your turning radius at higher speeds. Since a stiffer strut eliminates sway, it cannot do this and will ultimately be worse on handling.

What some coilovers try to do to counter the stiffness is use softer springs (Tein). But the springs aren't what keeps your wheels to the ground, it's the struts, and you need the struts to give a bit more to have great handling - you want less rebound, and more bound, or you want the struts to give, but push back out. Most coilovers will not do this as you will adjust both bound and rebound at the same time. Most struts offer less rebound than bound to begin with, so although you are still adjusting both at the same time, it has a better bound/rebound balance. All the softer springs do is make the ride bouncy and uncomfortable.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying all coilovers are crap, just a majority of them won't be as good as a cheaper spring and strut combo. And if the spring and strut combo doesn't feel nice enough, there are plenty of other things you can do to actually stiffen up the ride and get a better feel without sacrificing performance. If anything most people can drive their cars faster through turns with coils because it just feels safer or easier to drive, but that doesn't necessarily mean the car is actually faster through the turns with coils.

And I haven't even gone on to how by lowering your car, you've negatively shifted the car's center of gravity...

EDIT: One more thing - if your suspension feels stiff and not bouncy or bumpy (too stiff to where it's uncomforatble and loud every time you hit a bump in the road), it is going to be the best suspension balance you can find to make your car go through turns faster with that setup, which in many cases will be much better than most coilovers on the market. Remember: Your struts or shocks take the hit and keep the wheels connected to the road, the springs just soften the blow, which equates to handling the feel.

 

Alright thanks Dofu, I get exactly what you're saying. Sounds like coils are better for drifting though

Anyway, probably gonna go with springs/struts then. Tochkio D-Spec and 350Z H-Tech for a .8" drop all around. So about 600 total. Any advice or should I pull the trigger on that set-up? Thanks again man, I appreciate all the help.

 

great post DOFU, I read somewhere that you can lower up to 25mm before handling suffers?

 

and darkstar, I would go with the Z S techs. they really are not that much lower (half an inch if that)

 

Yea there's Z S-techs and Tockio's used for 5k in the marketplace for 535 shipped. But I still may get MDU coilovers since my car is a DD, even through winter. I've done a lot of research and I'm still torn, but at this point I'm sure I'll be happy with either option that I choose.

 

What setup did you decide to go with? I'm in the same boat.

 

i would never buy lowering springs..if your just looking for a little bit lower try the z spring mod and it will ride amaizin...springs ride horrible especially progressive springs...coils are way better and you get what you pay for. i have personally done the z spring mod before and i later switched to coils since i started to track it more often,if its just your dd and you dont track it i suggest z springs

 

If you have at least 900 to spend, look into fortune auto coilovers, they aren't the most popular but are growing and have a lot of adjustable features, spring rates etc.. they start around 1100 but if you get in a group buy or a vendor hooks you up you can get them for 1000.

I would only go springs if you were on a budget of 500 or less

 

Hey ways the best coils to get in you opp .. Looking to get some?

 

Coilovers are better than springs, DOFU is just flat out wrong if he thinks a set of custom spec'd BC coilover that cost 1k which is a great price can be out performed by a set of lowering springs. My buddy Joe won NASA Nationals 09 in his sentra equipped with BC coilovers.

Also you don't need to spend more than 1500 on a set of coilovers for a good set. BC's are right at 1k, megans, which I have and LOVE, were only 850. My car rides great and looks great

More money does not equate to a better product, and a drivers skill makes a bigger difference than any mod or car.

 

Reading comprehension must be hard. I never said springs are better than coilovers, but a good set of struts will outperform the struts in most cheap coilsovers. I'm pretty sure I made it clear that price doesn't have much to do with it either.

And what's with this "my buddy" bs? Do something yourself and then come back to us with the info. We can compare buddies all day... my buddy is a fqing engineer at a company that makes our suspensions work better but who the f cares??? What's that got to do with anything?

 

People are raving about the Swift Springs on the G35 coupe with oem Struts/shocks...1inch front/.6 rear
Supposedly these springs are meant for the oem strut/shock set up...Any comments on these?

 

Swift makes a good product. I would definitely recommend upgrading the shocks at one point to something that is intended to handle lowering springs though. I think for the time being you'll be okay, but just keep that in mind.

 

Yea,thats usually the case...People are saying that this company makes them for oem shock/strut combos so will see^^^^