Cosmo coil over for the track???

[Rolla1990]

I tracked a set of Cosmo's and Bilstein Sports at Blackhawk farms at a HPDE last month and yesterday, didn't have any problems. The suspension seemed just fine, and the car felt pretty nimble. Just make sure to align that car after you adjust your ride height.

[Fair!]

I 've read lot about the bad quality of the components but nobody had really presented facts. A lot of the feedback is from people who think their junk and not from people who bought it and were dissapointed.

http://www.cosmoracing.com/productinfo.asp?cid=219&pid=1623

Customize the height as needed for different wheel sizes and weather conditions. Give your car a more aggressive look by eliminating that dreadful wheel gap!

This is good reading. Love the Asian teen models everywhere - that makes me feel confident in their suspension design capability. :D

So for $200 you are getting 4 coilover springs and the perches needed for fitting them to your struts? The low cost of this kit tells you a lot... like where this stuff was made (can only be China) and what kind of quality you can expect (ditto on "China").

But don't trust what I say - look at the stuff yourself. Again, its only $200, and you could easily turn all of that into a series of paperweights if it turns out to be junk, so you have that going for ya. ;) At least the spring rates are so soft as to not easily overspring whatever random struts/shocks you use them with.

[rwh11385]

I saw this thread on the main page and thought it said Fail, not Fair! and was about Cosmo Coils ... and would not have been surprised.

Along with Aquadots, lead-based painted toys, Ireland engineering's stuff, I think there is a coming back-lash against cheaply made low-quality shit from China. My car is on H&R and would rather pay a premium for trust quality and stick to trusted retailers like Bimmerworld & Turner Motorsports than some newcomer who leads with low prices and a great deal. Loyal quality-seeking customers who don't piss around looking for the lowest possible deal should be attractive too for retailers so hopefully there is always companies committed to quality.

But hey, some of us think just because we drive E30s that means we don't have a real reason to buy quailty.

[nando]

Dave,

I didn't realize it took a super genious to realize that $200 made-in-china coilovers are of questionable quality. I'll pay the $200 "premium" for GC or something comparable where I get a warranty and can select spring rates to my liking.

Not to mention I'm supporting vendors who are still doing R&D for our 20+ year old econoboxes instead of shady overseas companies who simply copy the big guys and use cheap 3rd world labor to undercut them on price.

[DSP74]

http://www.cosmoracing.com/productin...d=219&pid=1623



This is good reading. Love the Asian teen models everywhere - that makes me feel confident in their suspension design capability. :D

So for $200 you are getting 4 coilover springs and the perches needed for fitting them to your struts? The low cost of this kit tells you a lot... like where this stuff was made (can only be China) and what kind of quality you can expect (ditto on "China").

But don't trust what I say - look at the stuff yourself. Again, its only $200, and you could easily turn all of that into a series of paperweights if it turns out to be junk, so you have that going for ya. ;) At least the spring rates are so soft as to not easily overspring whatever random struts/shocks you use them with.

There is only way way to tell. Shear volume of sales and NO customer service can sure help to drive sales and profits up, and costs down. Adjustable perches can't be screwed up. I mean honestly. And springs. They may NOT be accurate spring to spring........Or they might be Eibach springs bought in mass quantity.

Springs so soft? Man I've already been down this road OVER AND OVER again with the F-body guys........

There are different ways to skin a cat. Just because it feels like a go kart doesn't mean it's better. Keep the tire happy with enough static negative camber and enough roll resistance to maintain that camber, and tune the responsiveness of the car with SHOCKS, then WHO CARES how you acheive the same end result.......

[DSP74]

Dave,
I'll pay the $200 "premium" for GC or something comparable where I get a warranty and can select spring rates to my liking.

There is what your paying for. If those spring rates aren't for you, by all means you would be money ahead and probably slightly quality up, to go with G/C............

[rwh11385]

Dave,

I didn't realize it took a super genious to realize that $200 made-in-china coilovers are of questionable quality. I'll pay the $200 "premium" for GC or something comparable where I get a warranty and can select spring rates to my liking.

Not to mention I'm supporting vendors who are still doing R&D for our 20+ year old econoboxes instead of shady overseas companies who simply copy the big guys and use cheap 3rd world labor to undercut the big boys.

true, and

I just want to repeat Terry's more-likely-than-not reference to "whatever" struts/shocks thrown together with them. There's never any mention of Konis being anything but random off-the-shelf variety which may be cheap and easy to throw together into a kit, but far from optimal.

[DSP74]

http://www.cosmoracing.com/productin...d=219&pid=1623


So for $200 you are getting 4 coilover springs and the perches needed for fitting them to your struts? The low cost of this kit tells you a lot... like where this stuff was made (can only be China) and what kind of quality you can expect (ditto on "China").

Hey man, I think I've been in correspondance enough with you for you to know that I'm not out to ruffle your feathers.....

But, my issue with this whole thing is the 'mindset' such as above.....Everyone assumes cheap is junk. Which may not be the case. There are levels to everything........For instance compared to AST4300's or Motons, JRZ, etc, Ground Control and Koni's are JUNK!!!!
To most of these guys they think that the Cosmo setup is junk. It's all based on personal opnions rooted in the 'you get what you pay for' thought process. WHICH GENERALLY IS TRUE.

China doesn't necessarily mean JUNK does it?

You plate bearings aren't junk are they?

[Lair]

I'll probably try a set of them eventually - just to satisfy my own curiosity. It'll be worth $230 to me to know what people consider "junk".

Years of beatdowns by the world's #1 e30 tyrant have skewed people's perspectives.

Case in point - I was astonished when the e30 guru proclaimed that Hella H4 headlights are "lousy". I've owned multiple sets of Hella H4 lights, and they are anything BUT "lousy".

[DSP74]

true, and

I just want to repeat Terry's more-likely-than-not reference to "whatever" struts/shocks thrown together with them. There's never any mention of Konis being anything but random off-the-shelf variety which may be cheap and easy to throw together into a kit, but far from optimal.

Alot of "custom valved" shocks are plain and simple FUCKED up. I'll take my short body but OFF THE SHELF valved Koni sport inserts thank you.

Rear.......FOR ME a different story. That just may begin and end with a call to Terry this late winter for a set of 4200's. Whichever the case I need to be able to have a good turnaround on rebuilds/revalves.....I DON'T think a simple off the shelf setup is best out back. But I would expect Terry supplies full dyno sheets with every shock of that level

[nando]

that's because things like Motons come with a lot more features than a simple GC/koni combo - like remote resiviors and in car remote adjustments. these are not something that is needed for the typical E30 weekend racer. That's like comparing a Toyota Camry to high end car like a Bugatti or a Ferrari, when you should be comparing the Camry to a Yugo.

If somebody in china copied a set of Motons and sold the same thing for 1/3rd of the price, you bet I'm going to call into question both the quality and the shady origins of the design.

[DSP74]

that's because things like Motons come with a lot more features than a simple GC/koni combo - like remote resiviors and in car remote adjustments. these are not something that is needed for the typical E30 weekend racer. That's like comparing a Toyota Camry to high end car like a Bugatti or a Ferrari, when you should be comparing the Camry to a Yugo.

If somebody in china copied a set of Motons and sold the same thing for 1/3rd of the price, you bet I'm going to call into question both the quality and the shady origins of the design.

I'm calling on that one. Never have seen or heard of an IN CAR adjustment. In fact you aren't gaining squat in features per se, just better execution of the intended goal.......Until you get to triples then you gain a low speed compression adjustment....Nice but I don't have $8000 for shocks.

[DSP74]

If somebody in china copied a set of Motons and sold the same thing for 1/3rd of the price, you bet I'm going to call into question both the quality and the shady origins of the design.

Sure can't agree with you more. But these aren't shocks. They are threaded aluminum sleeves and springs.

[nando]

I wasn't speaking of motons specifically having those kind of features, I was speaking about high end suspensions in general. It must be out there because OEMs like BMW and GM have had features like that on production vehicles for many years.

and yes, they *are* just threaded perches and springs. But also consider where is that money going - are GC, TCK, Vorshlag etc. not using the profits they earn on their "cheap" coilover kits (in respect to moton and the like) to develop unique and high quality products? Would you argue anything out of china even closely matches the quality and design that goes into Vorshlag's camber plates? Do you think all those factory laborers have even seen an E30 much less have track experience and the ability to try lots of different things?

Those are the kind of benefits you get when you buy from a vendor like GC, and that's why I'm willing to spend the extra money. I don't think the ebay vendor is going to have a conversation with you about spring rates. ;)

[DSP74]

I don't doubt you will be lacking customer service....

Almost every part for my last S/P car was bough from a little shop non serious autoxers have probably not heard of.....Stranoparts. Sam was HUGE in helping me out and actually became a friend of mine. I can't argue with you that customer service trumps many things......And FWIW he doesn't sell coilovers for an E30 :)