Aipex8 has D-Specs with Tein S-Tech and I believe his car is dropped 1.5" front and .7" rear.

May I chime in? Thx.
 

Here is what I think about the coil-overs versus springs/dampers debate:

A set of coil-overs is a great option for anybody who has as much money and time to spend on properly adjusting everything that decent coil-overs are capable of adjusting. It is not uncommon for coil-overs to require as much labor time and/or expense to properly set things like ride height, compression damping, rebound damping, and corner-weighting.

On the other hand, a decent pairing of spring/damper combo will bring the average enthusiast pretty close to the performance he/she is seeking without the needed expense of suspension tuning and time on the track in order to find the "perfect" settings.

Please also keep in mind that the greatest benefit to the adjustability of coil-overs was created to deal with the wide variance of surfaces that racetracks across the country and around the world are likely to have.

In other words, any RX-8 driven on the street really doesn't NEED coil-overs and most people are not the hard-core racers they might think themselves to be.

On the other hand, a decent spring/shock combo in the hands of somebody with a decent amount of "seat time" is all that is needed.

^^Well said.

Thanks to everyone for the great info. I think I will go with a combo a spring/damper combo (I am definitely not a hard-core racer). Based on what everyone is saying, I am concerned about getting a setup that will 'match' properly so that neither the damper nor spring is over-stressed. Are there any combos that you recommend as being as close to a perfect match as possible?

I know the Swifts and Racing Beat work well with the Konis.

I have heard that the Tein's work well with the Konis and Tokico D-specs.

I have heard that the Racing Beat's work well with the Tokico D-specs.

I know the Espelirs DO NOT work well with the Konis.

Just curious - Has anyone here that is suggesting shock/spring combo ever drive a car on coilover kit?

Yes. A good set of coilovers are excellent on the track.

Nemesis8 has an awesome set of Zeal coilovers on his car. I love them. I'd much rather have his setup then mine. But his setup also costs about 4x mine. I'd also like a turbo too...

Just thought i would comment since i was once in your position. I jumped on the low-end coilover bandwagon and went with Tein Basics. It was my first mod and i knew nothing. I jumped the gun a little and i'm not sure yet if i regret my purchase but here's what was going through my head at the time.

1. I wanted coilovers because i was under the impression they were easier to install. Typically they are but Tein Basics don't come with top mounts so i ended up having to get a spring compressor and do a lot more work than i originally thought. Basically the same install as springs and struts.
   
2. I wanted height adjustability because i did not want to get stuck a one hieght. I envisioned buying a set of springs that sat too low for driving around my area and being stuck with it. My driveway is pretty steep so if i didn't make it up after i installed my suspension i wanted the ability to raise it up just slightly.
   
   Although i like this feature i have the coilover set real close to the bottom (but not too low -- i forget what that magic number is but i'm at it :) )and i rarely scrape. I've gone up some insanely steep driveways and as long as you have the right angle and do not have fat friends you will not scrape. For this reason i'm not sure if there are many springs out there that are "too low". The stock bumpers covers wrap around the car like a glove, not stick out and hit inclines and dips -- they do hit curbs though :icon_no2: (IIRC you have a body kit though)
   
3. At the time I did not think dampening adjustability was necessary. I now think that it is :)

If i were to do it all over again i would probably go with koni's and some sort of spring combo or save more money for a higher-end coilover kit like the KW Variant III's

I'm not disappointed with my Tein Basics though. I've just seen the light.

Before you get springs or a set of coilovers why not invest in some sway bars and endlinks first. Its worth it. Big time.

Yes I had a at with tanabe gf210 springs. Now have a mt with tanabe gf210 springs and ap sway bars and endlinks. Have drove my friends 8 with tein basics. Love his ride set up so much that I can invision the tein basics with my ap sway bars and endlinks so bad that I'm getting some tein basics.
If all gos well, I'll be on the track in March and will have my bro shoot some vid. Keep you all posted. :smoker:
-Gil

My shocks feels quite bad and done after driving with stock shocks + H&R Springs.

I'm going to install my KW V3 coilovers and higher my car abit soon.

^Yea I like the look but the feel is only good for the street. I need something more.

I have the koni yellows and racingbeat springs. I have the fronts at 60% and the rears at 40%. I autocross quite a bit and my set up has helped me out quite a bit in that area.

If you are not racing I would highly suggest buying a set of sway bars and calling it a day. My combo has made the ride a lot harsher. I find myself apologizing to people who ride with me.

+1 I wouldn't recommend the Konis to someone that isn't really in to tracking or autoxing the car. The jounce is definitely harsh. It handles great but around town it's not comfortable. That's why I tell people to go with Tokico's if they're just looking for a little lowered look for street. They can be adjusted as soft as stock for the ladies and cranked up for the back roads.

I started with the RB springs and sways and they eliminated wheelhop, even with nitrous use. I now have the D-Specs and I like tham because they are easily adjustable.

The ride isn't that bad but this stuff is highly subjective as it really is a matter of matching the driver's abilites and preferences with the hardware.

I am soon to install Energy bushings, Progress Tech sways, and probably powder-paint the RB springs since I am in AZ now.

I have been using the tokico d-spec springs/struts for about 5K miles including 2 track days. On the street I bairly notice the difference in ride comfort but they handle much better then stock. At the track I stiffen them up and they handle great. The drop is 1.2" all the way around and even with the MS front bumper it does not scrap most driveways or speed bumps.

I recently picked up a set of kW variant 3 coilovers which have seperate adjustability for compression and rebound. These are the only coilovers I would buy but they cost $1800 which was twice as much as the tokico set up.

I will be selling the tokico d-spec springs/struts in about 1-2 weeks. I am think $450 shipped. Feel free to PM me if interested or keep an eye open for them in the FS section.

I have Tein Flex Coilovers and love them. I went with coilovers because of the added adjustability. After they were installed, I took my car to a performance shop to the suspension dialed in. Having your car aligned and corner balance makes a very noticeable difference!

PDX, how much did that suspension adjustment cost you and what all did they do for you?

PM sent :)

People need to hear your story as your chosen shop sounded pretty friggin' awesome and they asked ALL the right questions. It should serve as a standard of expectation for other who choose to go with a set of coil-overs.

And you guys thought I was a "hater"! :lol2:

Thanks again to everyone for the valuable input. I think I will go with the D-specs for my needs. Highway do you have a pic of your 8 with the Speed kit and the D-specs on? I've got a kit on too, and I'm wondering what the drop looks like and how clearance is? Thanks!!!!

No pics at the moment. Its at the body shop getting a CF hood painted/installed and a few paint chips fixed. When I get it back in a week I will take a few pics and include them in the FS thread and in this one. I did messure and the front bumper is 4.5" off the ground.

In case it matters; I sell the D-Specs for $595, shipped, and that includes a set of remote adjuster cables. I also use them on my own car.

PM'd ya

Just the struts with cables right? What is the price for the complete tokico spring/strut package? I dont think very many people realize that tokico sells them as a set.