Lowering question

[LittleEcker]

Hi friends,
I have probably the most cringing teenage question there is, but I'm still dying to know what you guys can do to help me out. What's the cheapest way I can lower my later model e30 without making anyone turn over in their grave? I'm not super concerned with performance but I am NOT going to cut my springs or anything like that. I'm not trying to upgrade my handling, but I don't want to make it any worse. If it matters, I'm on 14's and it's an is. Any ideas?
Thanks,
-Ecker

[Ether-D]

$200 lowering springs.

[LittleEcker]

What kind of springs though?
And shouldn't I swap the shocks as well?

[Ether-D]

I was going for cheapest.
$700-Bavauto sport springs with bilstein sports. It will add value to your car as well because of broad appeal.
I think you can get shock/spring combo for cheaper, but it won't be very nice.

[RedReplicant]

My budget setup is the Ground Control coilover conversion kit ($447 shipped), 98 Camaro Z28 KYB Gas-A-Just struts out back ($73 shipped) with 2x McMaster Carr sleeve bearings ($14 shipped), and MR2 KYB AGX struts - pn KYB 765016 ($170 shipped) with the strut shaft milled down to fit the stock front suspension bushing and a spacer inside the strut tube.

Cut off the stock front spring perch, lower both adjusters all the way front/rear and it's somewhat low - front sits an inch or less above a 14" tire and the rear tire is tucked an inch or so. Get a race camber plate setup up front and you can lop off another inch. You can lose another inch in the rear by removing the coil adjuster... then you can lose another 2" up front by sectioning the housing.

It DOES NOT get cheaper than this. It will handle well. I went 440lb/650lb springs. $704 for a legit setup is hard to beat in E30 land. I'll post pics of my car tomorrow.

[AndrewBird]

I would try and find a set of used lowering springs. H&R Race or Sport, Ireland Engineering Stage 3, Suspension Techniques - All good brands.

Definitely get struts. Short springs require shorter struts. Bilstein Sports or Koni are your best two options. You might be able to find a good set used, but I'd be weary of used struts. They might be blown.

[DER E30]

My budget setup is the Ground Control coilover conversion kit ($447 shipped), 98 Camaro Z28 KYB Gas-A-Just struts out back ($73 shipped) with 2x McMaster Carr sleeve bearings ($14 shipped), and MR2 KYB AGX struts - pn KYB 765016 ($170 shipped) with the strut shaft milled down to fit the stock front suspension bushing and a spacer inside the strut tube.

Cut off the stock front spring perch, lower both adjusters all the way front/rear and it's somewhat low - front sits an inch or less above a 14" tire and the rear tire is tucked an inch or so. Get a race camber plate setup up front and you can lop off another inch. You can lose another inch in the rear by removing the coil adjuster... then you can lose another 2" up front by sectioning the housing.

It DOES NOT get cheaper than this. It will handle well. I went 440lb/650lb springs. $704 for a legit setup is hard to beat in E30 land. I'll post pics of my car tomorrow.

This man speaketh the truth. Go coils...

[nando]

I was going for cheapest.
$700-Bavauto sport springs with bilstein sports. It will add value to your car as well because of broad appeal.
I think you can get shock/spring combo for cheaper, but it won't be very nice.

nooooo. anything but bavauto springs! even cut springs may be better. Seriously - they would be stiffer. :|

the simplest would be a drop in spring and some sort of sport shock (bilsteins, maybe). the budget coilover setup isn't a bad idea either because you could upgrade the struts and swap out spring rates later if you wanted.

[ThatOneEuroE30]

Joms or racelands would work just to be low until you can save for a real set like gc's or something similar.

[Ether-D]

nooooo. anything but bavauto springs! even cut springs may be better. Seriously - they would be stiffer. :|

Opinions are like assholes. Everybody's got one, and they all stink.

Bavauto springs are absolutely great for a DD. But somebody sometime said they were too soft and the whole internet believed them.

[nando]

they are too soft. they are SOFTER than stock springs. lol.

[Ether-D]

Yes, they are to soft for a track car. But they are lower than stock & comfortable. Did you read the first post?

[nando]

he didn't say he wanted soft. he said he wanted to lower his car on a budget. there's no savings for going with bavauto springs - they're a waste of money, nobody is going to want to buy them from him later.

[Ether-D]

Wrong. I'll buy them when he's done with them. I love em.

[LittleEcker]

So okay if I get some $400> coilovers just for daily driving (not track) until I can afford something nice, would that be the end of the world? Is there any potential for them just to break on the road or is that really just a track issue?