Espelir Springs for Protege5

[SpookyP5]

That's what sold me...

The drops are the same. That's why i keep telling people not to look at specs but pictures only. I don't have those pics anymore. I'm sure Bluemp5dave does tho.

Rishie

On 12/03 Rishie is installing Tokico Blues and the Espelirs.........What sold me were the Pics - it seems to be a very nice drop all around.

Rishie has hands on experience and when I came to the shop and inquired, he didn't come off trying to push anything on me but really made me feel that he believed in this product.

So I said HELL YEAH!

I'll try to take pics before and after - Hell, maybe and can take a few digital pix during the install too............

Peace,
SpookyP5
(birthday)

 

[ARD MP5]

Awesome stuff. Hopefully this is tony above cause that's the only appt i have scheduled. lol. Your struts came in today tony.

Thanks, Rishie

 

[SpookyP5]

Oh Yeeeaaaah.......

Awesome stuff. Hopefully this is tony above cause that's the only appt i have scheduled. lol. Your struts came in today tony.

Thanks, Rishie

Yeah, it's me....Tony - sorry to worry you....

Good News!(cool), Damn that was quick.

Thanks,

 

[ARD MP5]

Here's Tony's Car:


http://www.msprotege.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=34957

 

[SpookyP5]

Great Set Up!

Here's Tony's Car:


http://www.msprotege.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=34957

Well, after two days all I can say is: It Was worth it!

This set up is very close to the stock set up with a few differences: At parking lot speeds, the car feels softer, it doesn't crash into speed bumps anymore. But once the speeds go up, then you feel it.

I would describe the feel this way: The shocks and struts make the car hug the road. If the road goes up and down REAL fast, then me and my P5 will be going up and down REAL fast. It just sticks. Is this more harsh? I don't think so.

I took my P5 to some of the more industrial areas of Oakland and Alameda which has some of the worst roads in the east bay. Pot holes, F**cked up railroad crossings, road work - I hit it all. While helping a friend move. Yup, that's right, stuffed the P5 FULL of my friend's crud - Car drove excellent - no rubbing what so ever and it still felt tight as hell. So this set up doesn't make the car any less useful that it was before - Now it's just closer to being the perfect daily driver.

Peace,
SpookyP5
(birthday)

 

[ARD MP5]

That's awesome Tony. Glad you're happy with your new found "attachment". hehe. See you soon for those wheels. i'm heading out there monday to grab em and take pics.

Rishie

 

[Reitrof]

Well, after two days all I can say is: It Was worth it!

This set up is very close to the stock set up with a few differences: At parking lot speeds, the car feels softer, it doesn't crash into speed bumps anymore. But once the speeds go up, then you feel it.

Hi Tony,

I thinking of doing the same setup in the spring. Is the ride harsher than stock at highway speeds?

Thanks.
Bruce

 

[SpookyP5]

Harsher?.....

Hi Tony,

I thinking of doing the same setup in the spring. Is the ride harsher than stock at highway speeds?

Thanks.
Bruce

IMO.... No. It's about the same.

Of course, It depends on the roads too. I tried out some of the worst roads I could find - the car still felt as one solid piece - it moved as a unit - it just does it Faster.

Some might find that harsh - but all you have to do is slow down.

But, MAN! On nice roads, at freeway speeds you can feel the car just DART.....It just feels like it reacts much quicker - it really is more fun to drive.

Peace,
SpookyP5
(p5white)

 

[ARD MP5]

Yeah Tony, I'm sure you've noticed how well P5's take to suspension mods. When I had my coilovers that thing was nutzzzz. I'd take you for a ride if I still had them.

Thanks again for your testimony. It's good for people to hear from a fellow user. I am too, but sometimes I'm sure I get viewed as the "seller". Although we don't offer what we can't stand behind or have not tested ourselves.

LAters, Rishie

 

[Poseur]

I just dropped on espiler as well. I will say that the handling advantage is freakin incredible... the thing I noticed first off that I wasn't even expecting isthat it's actually hard to get that little bit of wheelspin on takeoff since the car doesn't squat back andlift the front as much. Ride quality has not degraded substancially, save for things like expansionjoints on bridges where your car does a bit of the front-to-back "lowered ride" hop, but it's very slight and hardly annoying, but moreover ENTIRELY worth the tradeoff.

My car is brand new all over again. I thought it was fun before, but any recollection of stock now just makes me thinkof terms like "wallow" and "float" taking turns at speeds taht used to be exciting are now a yawn. I was merging onto a different freeway behind a Matrix and we started pushing it. I noticed their car do waht mine used to and lean over and start pushing while I wasn't even really feeling like I was driving alltaht fast.

Here's the couple pics I grabbed just on my way back over the pass from our Karting meet. Got 300+ miles on my springs by the 2nd day they've been on and I love it. Honestly I've no other P5 suspension experience, but this vs stock is incredible... should've dropped a long time ago..

 

[ARD MP5]

Very nice. very nice.

 

[jrodhotrod]

Looking good with the Racing Harts!

Can't wait to get my car back from SPD with the Espelirs installed. The car is finally gonna look complete with the drop and the Volks.

 

[Reitrof]

Tony and Poseur,

Thanks for the info. It sounds like the package I'm looking for. I can hardly wait for spring. Sigh. Rishie, you will be hearing from me.

 

[Poseur]

Thanks guys I'm stoked on how it looks. and even more on how it drives. Oh, and BTW if anyone's wondering, yes I WAS running msp-size tires (hankook ventus though) in the snow and YES it was a bit scary... snows're coming outta the garage soon, but dammit my car JUSt got to looking sooo pretty.

 

[Reitrof]

Poseur, I hear you.

Another question, for Tony, Poseur, and Rishie, do the bump stops need to be trimmed like the Eibach's.

 

[ARD MP5]

Either way you're good. You can trim the bump stop about 0.5" if you so desire. The drop is not that drastic however it is the same as the Eibachs. You can't go wrong either way.

Rishie

 

[Poseur]

No trimmage here, and haven't really noticed a problem. Of course it's been kinda crappy weather out to be testing the limits of anything lately, (and, to be honest Ive had a bunch of crap floating around in my backseat aswell) Either way, it doesn't seem necessary sofar.

 

[Reitrof]

Ok. Thanks. I would rather not if I didn't have too. Also did any of you replace the top bearing while you had the strut out? Is it necessary? I have about 73,000 on the car now and will probably have close to 80k when I get this done. Any other parts that need to be changed while the strut is out?

 

[ARD MP5]

I would replace the uppermounts if you can find some inexpensive replacements from like KYB or something. This is good if you're in snowy areas where salt and varying temperatures are an issue.

Rishie

 

[Reitrof]

Rishie, Does the upper mount mean the bearing and the housing? I live in MA, so it might be an issue. What would a mount cost from KYB? Would that be for all 4 or just the front?

Thanks
Bruce

I would replace the uppermounts if you can find some inexpensive replacements from like KYB or something. This is good if you're in snowy areas where salt and varying temperatures are an issue.

Rishie