Tein or Eibach/Tokico?

[Mmmmmken]

Need some advice based on experience...

Thinking of going with either the Tein Super Street coilovers, or the eicah Pro kit / tokico blues combination?

It's my everyday driver, want to lower it a bit, don't mind a bit more stiffening up, but not too hardcore.

Advice?

 

[MyZmZm]

The eibachs mated to the illuminas is a very nice combo, so I would assume the HP's would be good as well. Somewhat stiffer, but not hugely so, not a huge drop, and definitely improved handling. I have no personal experience with the Teins, so I can't offer any sort of comparison.

 

[Robot Romeo]

if you get coilovers you're gonna sacrifice ride comfort. for a daily driver i'd choose the tokico/eibach setup.

 

[GhostLinker]

I have the Eibach pro kit with Tokico Illuminas. The struts are adjustable so you can set them to your taste. The Tein SS are more expensive than this combo but probably better if your go on the track.

 

[Mmmmmken]

Are the Illuminas a better shock than the blues? I see they are adjustable.. how so?

I have the Eibach pro kit with Tokico Illuminas. The struts are adjustable so you can set them to your taste. The Tein SS are more expensive than this combo but probably better if your go on the track.

 

[magnumP5]

Are the Illuminas a better shock than the blues? I see they are adjustable.. how so?

From what I have heard the HP's (blue's) are as stiff as the stiffest setting on the Illuminas. But yeah, I agree with those above. If you're willing to go with coilovers, you're willing to sacrifice a lot of comfort. Peronsally, I would go with the spring/strut combination if you're worried about the ride. I have the Tein S-Tech/Tokico HP setup and they feel really nice. They're lower than the Pro-kit, but their spring rates are similar. The thing that got me with the S-Tech's was the fact that they were linear - far easier to predict cornering and exiting if you care that much about performance (which if you seriously did, go for the coilovers for that matter). Just my $0.02.

 

[Mmmmmken]

Your setup sounds pretty nice. I do care about handling, but I don't want to get beat to death on these lousy cleveland roads. Not willing to sacrifice TOO much comfort! I'll have to check out the S-techs, as well as the Tanabe springs.

From what I have heard the HP's (blue's) are as stiff as the stiffest setting on the Illuminas. But yeah, I agree with those above. If you're willing to go with coilovers, you're willing to sacrifice a lot of comfort. Peronsally, I would go with the spring/strut combination if you're worried about the ride. I have the Tein S-Tech/Tokico HP setup and they feel really nice. They're lower than the Pro-kit, but their spring rates are similar. The thing that got me with the S-Tech's was the fact that they were linear - far easier to predict cornering and exiting if you care that much about performance (which if you seriously did, go for the coilovers for that matter). Just my $0.02.

 

[71dsp]

I just installed Illuminas with stock springs, and I am actually very impressed! I'm a Koni person myself, but the Illuminas are very impressive. The build quality is very good, and the ride is outstanding. I found them for $460 shipped on eBay. IIRC somewhere around $350 for Tokico HPs.

 

[MyZmZm]

The illuminas are more expensive than the HP's because they are adjustable. You cannot adjust anything with height (obviously), but you have 5 levels of dampening to select from. This is the reason I will be going with the illuminas when I do my suspension this spring - I was concerned that the stiffness of the HP's would be to harsh for me. This way, I can play around to see what I like for daily driving, long trips, autox, etc. True, once you've found a setting you like you probably won't change it, but at least the option is there.

 

[MyZmZm]

Also, not sure if you have this problem Ken, but everything tends to get a lot stiffer in terms of ride quality in winter - yet another bonus with the illuminas.

 

[magnumP5]

Your setup sounds pretty nice. I do care about handling, but I don't want to get beat to death on these lousy cleveland roads. Not willing to sacrifice TOO much comfort! I'll have to check out the S-techs, as well as the Tanabe springs.

You're really in the same place I was a few months ago when I was trying to figure out what type to get. Everyone here was worshipping Eibach or Espilers which does get to you. The Eibach's have a nice drop to them, but the price and progressive spring type were what really got me ($200+). I didn't know too much about the Espilers but they were also more expensive and I was hesisant about the even front/rear drop. You can find new S-Tech's for like $175 (or better?). I bought mine used for like $125; damn good deal I believe.

 

[Mmmmmken]

Wow, you guys have really helped a great deal. Rep points to all! Think I'm pretty much sold on the Tokico Illuminas, as I can set them as firm as the blues, and back them off if that's to stiff of a setting. Now to decide between the eibachs, Tein S-techs, and the Tanabes. I know the Eibachs look nice and have a good reputaion, but the Teins sound pretty tempting, and give a -1.8 / -1.5 drop.

 

[71dsp]

I'm an H&R fan myself, not really much of an Eibach fan, although they make fine products. I really like Hypercoil, but they only make race springs, so that wouldn't apply to most of you. The H&R race springs are very nicely made, and they make the spring rates I'm planning to use so I switched from Hypercoil to H&R on the track car. I know that doesn't mean much for the P5, but it's my general observations. I ran Eibach ProKits on the Prelude when it was a street car, and moved to Eibach ERS springs when it became a somewhat track car, but since I went to a track only car with it, I've switched to Hypercoil and now to H&R.

If you're interested, I could get you a good price on the H&R Sports for a P5.

 

[romecandleboy]

Eibachs + Blues:

Perfect for 'daily driving' and hitting corners hard.

 

[Mmmmmken]

VERY nice look.

Eibachs + Blues:

Perfect for 'daily driving' and hitting corners hard.

 

[GhostLinker]

Just a note on the Illuminas ...

I had to replace 1 under warranty and I was told it is frequent. My car was limping for 3 weeks and I had to pay to get it installed and re-aligned.
I do not know about the reliability of the Blues.

The Illuminas are adjustable and it is easy to change the settings for the front struts (on a P5) but it's a pain in the back. The top of the shock is not accessible unless you remove the trunk side trim.

 

[Beemer_Killer]

Are the Illuminas a better shock than the blues? I see they are adjustable.. how so?

They use a spin dial at the top of the strut mount (exactly like the new Mazdaspeed struts....hmmm). Its a 5 position dial that uses a small flathead to adjust. The only issue is if you value the back half of your car youll need to keep them set relatively the same all the time. The rear plastic covers the mount, as well as the rear seatbelt mount is directly over the right side strut, making it impossible to adjust without removal of it.

I also have the Eibach Prokit/Illumina combo, set on 5 (hardest). It is a very street worthy setup, with very good handling. I plan on adding the AWR rear swaybar/end link setup soon, as soon as the car is out of the bodyshop, which should be friday.

I dropped it off this morn. The "crappy" kit is getting cracked, cut, reformed, gelled, all good stuff for the sake of aerodynamics, as well as the CF downforcers installed, all color matched and painted, as well as the passenger side headlight housing is getting replaced, and they are removing the side guards off the sides, and then claying, polishing, and getting the car refinished. I really want to get the clear bra on, but don't know much about it.

 

[Black_Protege_5]

The Blues are like #2 setting on the Illuminas. I have the Illuminas with the H&R sport springs. Awesome setup. Dont know about the eibachs.

 

[txmzdspd2gen]

Hi.im thnking og getting an eibach too to repplace my msp springs. I really dont like that wheel gap and im sure it will drop a bit more than msp spring and would look better. Now my question, Will it effect on the negative way the drivability cos the msp suspension is designed for that particular spring? I love the handling of my msp stock but i just want it lower. Thanks

 

[Beemer_Killer]

Eibach + Illumina's