I've read these forums and other reviews to understand suspension and how to and how to NOT lower and improve your car. These forums praise Koni and Progress CS- ii. I'm not sure i they fit what I need. I'm lowering, daily, mountain spirit drives and occasional track.
Question: I want to lower my car -NOT SLAM- while adding better handling. What are the best ones for a 2000 dx hatch for about 700$-900$? I'm not aware of suspension producers. Whats out there?

 

I've got an EM-1, and I am in the same boat as you. I plan on spending a little bit more money, and probably going to get some AMR Engineering black series coilovers. I was originally going to go with Koni/GC, but after doing some searching on here read a lot of good reviews on the AMR's. I don't have to worry about spring rates either since they said they will set it up for me. I'm a complete newbie, and to be honest I don't know what rates I want, but I do know that I sure don't want to spend a grand, and not get something that won't suit me. Looks like you just joined the forum too, but I noticed not much activity here these days. So I just been using the search function to get some ideas.

 

[QUOTE=turboem1b18c5;52164396]I've got an EM-1, and I am in the same boat as you.
I have not seen nor heard anything of AMR coils in these threads, yet. You're the first. Yeup, I figured I'd joined since I'd started building the hatch. Spring Rates are from what o understand the stiffness and softness of springs. 250 on a slammed cars equals bottom outs. 550 up is stiff. So stiff you can feel Satan sneeze through the earth. I'm assuming AMR IS going to pre load them for you. Did you give them info on your car and how low you want to go? What are your plans for your em1?

 

I heard about them in the STICKY thread on here, and I found an old thread with over 30 pages of positive feedback. They use to be a sponsor on here quite a number of years ago, and they are still around so I sent them an email. I actually sent them an email, and I chatted with them online. They got one of those chat boxes on their website. I have a 2000 EM1, turbocharged on some stock shocks and some Eibach springs. Suspension is next on my list. Yah, they come pre-loaded, they told me I just need to set the ride height, and get an alignment. They even gave me a list of mods that would compliment the suspension, and told me what mods not to waste my money on. So I've already got a bit of a shopping list after I buy the coilovers. I'm leaning towards them right now, but I need about another 150 bucks before I can buy them. They hooked me up with a coupon code, so that helped. I'm going to lower my car just a little over 2 inches, and I want something that can handle the power I am putting down, and some spirited driving. No track time, just a fun car I can drive around, and do some canyon runs, and have some fun with. I gave them all that info, and they suggested some spring rates to me. I have no clue about suspension or what rates to run so I'm glad they'll literally do that all for me. Hopefully in a few weeks here I'll have enough funds to get my order going cause they are making a batch of their all black series that looks pretty sexy. Seems like we have similar goes, but no track duty for me. I think for the price I'm getting more value than buying the Koni/GC I had my eyes set on originally so I'm going to save up a little bit more, and just do it right. I spent money on the turbo, so I might as well get something nice that will last me.

 

I absolutely love my Tein Flex Z for daily driving

 

What made you choose those over the advance Z?
Initially I wanted Tein, but these forums prefers the Koni or Progress CS II. Yet I haven't heard anything bad from the Tein side except the Tein SS.

 

"Stopsign32v" How much did you pay for the Flex Z for your Integra?

"The Underdog" Yah they come preloaded, just need to set the rideheight. To answer your other question, yes I gave them info on my car, and they suggested a spring rate to me, and also gave me list of mods that I should get to compliment the suspension, and what to stay away from which I thought was super cool. My plans for my EM-1 is to finally upgrade the suspension, I am on Eibach springs for now. I spent my money on the turbo kit, so I told them I want to lower my car about 2 inches, and have a setup for spirited driving to do some canyon rights, but no track duty. We have similar needs, but no track days for me. Just a fun little street car. I'm about 150 bucks short, so in a few weeks I should have enough. They have a setup that isn't too much more than the Koni/GC so that's what I am saving up for. Good luck to us.

 

They're a pretty penny at 1500. If you're not doing track days or something as demanding as that, why get such expensive and from what I see very capable coils? A bit much of overkill eh?

 

Well a few things have sold me, lifetime warranty, I don't have to worry about spring rates, and the fact they told me what other modifications to get was a plus. The parts that they recommended they don't even sell so I thought that was pretty cool, it was not like they were up selling me. On top of that I think I am getting more value than I would with the Koni/GC I was originally looking it. 1500 price tag is for the works, they have a cheaper version that isn't listed on the site for like 1100 that I am saving up for. A few hundred dollars is well worth it rather than get an OEM Style shock with a sleeve coilover on it. Atleast this will be a true coilover that will last me longer than the car. I don't mind spending a little extra since I spent a good amount of money on the turbo.

 

Fair enough. Now that you have yours, I'll just keep swimming in the ocean to find my set of coils

 

If you're not getting the better trim of the TEINS, don't even bother. The Basis ones are mediocre at best. I've had Progress CS-II on 2 different cars and I like them just fine. Order them with stiffer spring rates and you should be fine, even though they are fixed dampers. You're not going to find another comparable set of coilovers for under $600, PERIOD.

 

^^ Ur another who has praised Progress CS II.
If I would've gotten any coils from Tein it would be Advance or Flex. Do you know or have any experience with these from Tein?

 

at $700, the progress CS II is a great deal.

your range of $700-900 is low end for really anything above stock replacement.

for progress to provide a quality twin tube damper and adjustable ride height and custom spring setup? seems like a great deal to me.

personally, maybe youve already searched and read because my opinion hasnt changed, tokico illuminas and GC is all most ppl need, but its too bad illuminas arent sold anymore.

koni/gc is also popular because ppl are lemmings... lol. koni dampers are just well made, reputable manufacturing. shocks are their business, not fly by night chinese branded ****. and the GC specific sleeves that go around yellows made it almost like it was an integrated coilover system. but the combination of both have gotten more expensive as time and popularity has grown. and again personally, i dont like koni's rebound only philosophy. its too soft in compression. its why lots of real racers who swear by koni have them revalved because the quality is good, the valving sucks, just my opinion.

 

I've heard that's a nice setup many people run.
I've only read one person complain about progress, only because he didn't follow the given instructions.
I've never heard of progress before outside the forums here, are they new or Honda specified? And what spring rates for mostly daily and occasional mountain runs?

 

progress has it all spelled out already, im sure youve read. https://www.progressauto.com/product...-coil-over-kit

but dont kid yourself. mostly daily means nothing more than 250 in the rear. rear spring rates dictate the ride comfort, in my experience because of the front heavy FF honda weight distribution.
as they say,

 

What do u feel about 350 F 250 R?

 

thats a very appropriate daily setup. it'll be fine on track too especially with a rear swaybar.

 

Progress recommends 450 F 350 R. For a Daily and fun car

 

thats not what i read for a d-series SOHC hatch.

anyway, get whatever you want, no one needs to tell you what you should get. its your car.

 

 

actually, buying a different PAIR of springs so you can mix and match fronts and rears is a better way to figure out and tailor what you want.

looks like progress sells springs for $96, again, not a bad deal. or find someone selling old GC Eibach springs or get them new https://www.summitracing.com/parts/eib-07002500450. whatever.

you are buying adjustable coilover spring suspension... adjust them. theres no commitment.

 

because I had them on 2 different cars and they perform well for what I need them for. Had Tein's on my old Infiniti G20. The set was on the car when I bought it. It's ok, nothing to brag about.


They've been in business longer than 1/2 of the current members on H-T. LOL
I had a set of their lowering springs on my '98 Prelude....yes, back in 1998.

 

Well then. I need to get back in the loop!

 

Progress is a great company and you really can't beat the price of their CSII setup.

That being said, I run AMRs on my car. If you're not in a rush Andy always has smoking black Friday sales, you can get the AMRs for under a grand.

 

Definitely can choose with the budget, depend on what performance you are looking for