Do coilovers have a worse quality ride than springs? If so why?

 

cuz they do, cuz the struts aren't tuned for any specific ride height.

 

I have H&R Sports on stock shocks. Rides like stock, only you can feel the bumps more. I haven't ridden on coilovers yet, but I can assume that the ride quality on coilovers depends on how stiff you want them to be.

If the strut can't rebound fast enough to control the spring load, it's like riding on blown shocks. My guess is that you wanna find a setting between firm but comfy and balls-out race.

 

you probably mean coilover sleeves.. true coilovers >*

 

yes coilover sleeves, ie Ground Controls

 

hey dom.. your car rides like stock because its stock height :fawk:

lower that bish diew~!

 

I think I'm going to go with Ground Control Full Coilovers for my M3 at the end of the year :rockon:

 

any one else?

 

Coilovers use a linear spring design.
lowering springs are usually always use progressive springs.
When people lower their car on coilovers, they are squeezing the springs down to do it, that raise's the spring rate higher the lower you go, that also effects how the car feels.

A progressive springs uses a softer initial spring rate that in theory absorbs small bumps and dulls the impact of larger ones. Their penelty is, they lack a certain edge or responsiveness because of that initial soft rate, since you have to get past that to get the the stiffer part of the spring.

Linear springs have no such initial soft part, they dish out a firmer spring rate the moment the car's weight rest's on them. They are more responsive and will make a car feel more alive. The price is since they don't have that softer initial spring rate, you feel small bumps more readily, and bigger one's aren't dulled, like with progressive lowering springs. Frankly most all stock suspensions, use progressive springs. My new car uses linear springs, (thank god )

One things for sure, no matter what you use one a car, do not be tempted to run weak struts with stiffer lowering springs, you can have the best springs or sleave coilovers in the world and waste it all by running weak ineffective struts. Consider KYB AGX struts as a minimum starting point.

I'd like to add that it is not universally necessary to run full bodied coilovers to run a good coilover setup. Ground-controls and koni sports are a excellent setup. As far as who makes the best full bodied coilover, god, who knows. To many people claiming this and that is the best. I'd feel allot better if someone would do a comparision test just like Car&Driver does mass comparo tests on cars, then,.......................we'd have a real answer, not a case of opinions you don't know if you should trust.