Anyone used these and got any reviews or should I spend a bit more for a recognised setup.
Also I am no spanner wizard so would be looking to get them fitted been quoted £360 at one place just wondered if that is the going rate or not.
Many thanks in advance of your knowledgeable replies.
Thanks Mike
Koni are definitely quality items, no doubting that… However, I’m going to tell you that in my humble opinion, lowering an already relatively low car by 40mm is too much and you might regret it…
The other week I fitted a set of Bilsteins with 30mm Eibach lowering springs and as far as the rear end is concerned it’s right on the limit of what is acceptable.
I managed to scrape the exhaust on the very first test drive with them fitted and it didn’t even scrape on a speed bump (which you have to navigate sideways, by the way…)… There was a very smooth and subtle hidden dip in the road the springs managed to compress just enough to allow the curve of the center section where it connects to the backbox to hit the road.
I’m sure the sparks looked spectacular for whoever was behind me, but it’s not ideal.
I’m glad I didn’t go with 35mm now, and based on this, I feel confident in saying that 40mm is overkill!
Hello Chris, thanks for that certainly something to think about, I am just after something that will improve the ride and decrease the lean an roll in the bends. I know it’s all relative it don’t roll look an old Citroen of course. It was the temptation of a reasonable price and the full set all in one go. Might keep my wallet in pocket and have a bit more thought.
Many thanks.
If you’re on the standard shocks you can buy the Eibach springs for -/+ £200 which will achieve the same look… It’s not as optimal as having a matching shock set but it’s a common and accepted mod and does the trick, the lower center of gravity will certainly help the handling.
If body roll is a real concern, I’d suggest that the best mod is going to be uprated ARB’s (not cheap, I’m going to get a set from an RX8 as they’re bolt on items for the NC, takes 15 minutes to fit each one too).
I’d suggest keeping an eye on ebay… I got those bilsteins with springs used for £150, and without having to fit springs (difficult at best, dangerous at worst), I was able to fit them myself - 20 minutes per corner).
Whatever you do, I wouldn’t go any lower than 30mm!
It’s got the standard setup, I was just looking at some small improvements, it’s not a big issue but as I see like most owners on here I just want to make some changes .
I am clueless to whats good/bad, don’t want to be crashing through pot-holes and scraping the exhaust so I’ll take your advice and look about. What sort of kit/tools would I need to fit them, I haven’t got a Wheeler Dealer style garage!?
If you get them complete as I did with the springs pre-mounted, you’ll need very basic tools:
19mm and 17mm socket for the pin bolts and captive nuts that hold the shocks to the bottom of the wishbone (unbolt with one, secure with the other to stop it spinning in the bush)
14mm socket for the 3 bolts that hold the shock into the top of the tower under the bonnet, same applies for the rear behind the plastic boot liner
A trolley jack, axle stands: Once the car is off the ground use stands for safety (never bother myself unless I’m getting underneath it)
Lots of WD40, copper grease
A small socket set with hex bits to hold the ARB link while you unbolt it (again to stop it spinning). Expect trouble if the links have been on a while, in the past on various cars I’ve had to cut them off, take a blowtorch to them etc. It’s a valuable lesson in why a liberal coat of copper grease is always a good idea when refitting!
That’s pretty much it for tools! If you decide you’re going to take the job on then let me know and I’ll talk you through the process but it’s very straight forward. I’ve only got a 200pc Halfords advanced toolkit and I’m yet to come across a single job that I’ve not had the right tools for!
I fitted Bilstein B12 kit with (Eibach) 35mm drop. It was too much. Scraped on my driveway. Handling on smooth roads was sensational, but just too low for me.
I ended up swapping them out for a set of height adjustable MeisterCRD and this is perfect for me. Not as low or as taught as the Bilsteins, but suit me better.
Sold the B12 kit on ebay recently for £400, so that was a £200 lesson…
Fitting is fairly straightforward. You can get spring compressors for £20 or so if you don’t buy complete units. But also be aware if you don’t buy complete units, you may also want to swap bump stops and rubbers at the same time, so add another £100 for that.
£360 for fitting sounds a little bit pricey to me. Maybe if it includes tracking afterwards it is OK. That said, if the garage is charging £100 an hour and you trust them, it is not unreasonable. I think my local BMW garage is now at £200 per hour…
Hi I have Eibachs in mine with bilsteins. They were fitted new as the approved Mazda sports suspension kit . 30mm lowering.
Works great but have to avoid some speed ‘pillows’
I had 30 mm eibachs fitted on my last NC1 while they do give a better look to the car ,and improved handling because of the shortened damper travel you can on uneven surfaces find yourself hitting the bumpstops on occasions. If I were to do anything to my suspension on my NC2 I would definitely go for Meister CRD coilovers fully height adjustable, and you can adjust ride stiffness to your exact liking,more expensive , but if your going to keep the car for a long while I think that they are worth it. There are a lot of members on here that have them , and they all seem very happy with them.
Interesting that there are ‘plenty in stock’ and zero reviews
40mm is just too much IMO. Like Capt Carrothers, I had -30mm Eibach on standard shocks on a previous NC1,was fine for me. On my current NC2 I have the Meister club race and love them
Both fully height and damping adjustability. I recently put them to full soft setting and they are very good, wind them up to mid point and they become very stiff, great though on decent roads. I have the ride height at approximately -30mm too and won’t touch that setting again but it’s there if I want/need to. The Meister’s come fully assembled with top mounts so less work to fit. The Koni’s need your OEM top mounts swapping over. The Koni ‘kit‘ is a set of their fixed, non adjustable shocks with a different company (H&R) providing the lowering springs? Factor in £360 for fitting and you’re at Meister prices, OK, you still need to fit them but a lot less cost involved there I reckon or DIY as Chris suggested.
Barrie
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