Mazdaspeed coil overs vs. bc vs. autoexe

[ndedomin]

I have been set on the mazdaspeed coil over suspension upgrade for a while, but I have heard lots of good things about some of the competitors out there such as the BC coil overs and autoexe tunable suspension. The prices are all different and I'm just curious which suspension upgrade everyone feels is the best upgrade:

BC coil overs: $1,000-$1,250
Mazdaspeed Coil Overs: $1,400-$1,800
Autoexe Tunable suspension: $2,500 +/-

[jp4130]

I just switched from tein superstreets to the mazdaspeed coilovers. The Mazdaspeeds do everything so well, I am really impressed with them. They definently get my vote.

[D_Roc7822]

I just switched from tein superstreets to the mazdaspeed coilovers. The Mazdaspeeds do everything so well, I am really impressed with them. They definently get my vote.

Why did you switch from the Tein SS coilovers? Im kinda curious cause those are the ones Im looking at, those and the BC Coilovers are on the top of the list. Ive heard all good things from the BC's and also think that with the others all you are really paying for is the name on them. You could buy 2 of the BC's for the price of the auto exe ones haha.

[Yoo Shin]

How about the KW V2s? My first concern is ride quality and want something that's going to maintain near stock compliance.

[Captain KRM P5]

Why did you switch from the Tein SS coilovers? Im kinda curious cause those are the ones Im looking at, those and the BC Coilovers are on the top of the list. Ive heard all good things from the BC's and also think that with the others all you are really paying for is the name on them. You could buy 2 of the BC's for the price of the auto exe ones haha.

my vote goes for the BCs. we have had nothing but good results with them. i will give any member here the absolute best rock bottom price as well.

[Frankie3mps]

will the ride still feel as smooth as standard or will it change for the coilovers?
id like it lower, but not hitting every stone will make my liver worse and worse...

[808MP5]

my vote goes for the BCs. we have had nothing but good results with them. i will give any member here the absolute best rock bottom price as well.

Speaks the Troof...

[ndedomin]

So far pretty close between the mazdaspeed and bc's. For those of you who say the BC's are better, what specifically, besides price, do you like about them more than the mazdaspeeds?

[USMC98]

my vote goes for the BCs. we have had nothing but good results with them. i will give any member here the absolute best rock bottom price as well.


I'll be giving you a ring in the not to distant future to take you up on that offer :)

[udontknowjack]

my vote goes for the BCs. we have had nothing but good results with them. i will give any member here the absolute best rock bottom price as well.

how much is rock bottom price?

[808MP5]

how much is rock bottom price?

All i can say about that is HE beat every other place i called that carried BC's

[haberdashery]

i have the bc's, i couldn't be happier with them.

[Captain KRM P5]

how much is rock bottom price?

i cannot post that publicly, sorry

[ndedomin]

This is still really close....I haven't been persuaded away from the mazdaspeed coil overs yet. Unless someone can give me definitive advantages of the BC's over the mazdaspeed coil overs, I think I'm going to go according to my original plan and stick with the mazdaspeeds.

[CnoTataymo]

This is still really close....I haven't been persuaded away from the mazdaspeed coil overs yet. Unless someone can give me definitive advantages of the BC's over the mazdaspeed coil overs, I think I'm going to go according to my original plan and stick with the mazdaspeeds.

Only thing I can think of, the BC's will lower the car way more then the Mazdaspeed ones.

[udontknowjack]

This is still really close....I haven't been persuaded away from the mazdaspeed coil overs yet. Unless someone can give me definitive advantages of the BC's over the mazdaspeed coil overs, I think I'm going to go according to my original plan and stick with the mazdaspeeds.

bc option front camber plates if u into autox/track day....- front camber is your best friend

[Captain KRM P5]

Only thing I can think of, the BC's will lower the car way more then the Mazdaspeed ones.

this in itself should be enough to convince anyone. a better price, lower stance and in turn lower center of gravity, more adjustability and a tolerable street ride. i honestly wouldn't spend the money more on the MS set.

[jp4130]

this in itself should be enough to convince anyone. a better price, lower stance and in turn lower center of gravity, more adjustability and a tolerable street ride. i honestly wouldn't spend the money more on the MS set.

I was actually quite impressed, the MS supension does not allow you to overlower the car. They chose performance over the look you get by slamming the car. A lower center of gravity does not do any good when the suspension geometry is ruined by it being set that low.

[iredremix]

i wish i could have coilovers in new york lmao. i'd def go w buddy club. if u could afford it, get the autoexe.

[ndedomin]

Sounds like BC's have a lot of advantages over the Mazdaspeeds, but so far I've heard good things about both of those kits.

No one has said anything about the Autoexe suspension. Excluding price, how does this set compare to the others?

[Yoo Shin]

I'd like to know opinions on ride quality between the MS, BC, AX, as well as the KWs and Tein SS.

[MS3_Wild_Thang]

well from what i have seen BC coilovers are like the flex.They can do height adjustment without adjust the compression of the spring. i also had the tein flex on my mr2 and it was a pain in the ass to adjust. because you have to adjust the compression first then adjust the ride height and if you don't do it right your car will bounce. with standard coilovers once you adjust the height it auto adjust the compression on the springs to go with the height. Correct me if i am wrong. i personally like auto adjust of the compression since i don't really know how to adjust the compression of the springs to match perfectly with the height.

[4thStroke]

Why isnt H&R in there, any reason?

I have t narrowed down to BC and H&R. Calling Protege Garage tomorrow to get their opinion and place an order.

[Snyeed]

Keep the opinions coming please, I am need for some new shocks and been thinking about making the jump to coilovers.

[udontknowjack]

did u guys see his sig...he went with the one he did have an option for...
Tein SS Coil Overs w/ upgraded 8kg front springs, Tein EDFC controller ....lol
i got my bc coilover installed....didnt really drive it yet....still waiting to have my top hat cut plus alignment/corner weight....

[Munnugles]

how low can the bc drop the car... im looking to get rid of my cobbs and possibly go with coilovers but i really am looking for like 1 finger - 1 and a half, front and rear on the 225/40/18s

any one have pictures with that setup

[fastdreams]

Back from the dead...

Any body have more to say about the BC's? I read that BC actually dyno tests each set to match them within 5%. That is good news, matched shocks means a lot and most companies don't bother.

I'm just concerned with the unknown to me name. Do the shocks hold up well? What are the spring rates? Can you order different spring rates?

I don't care about lowering. The point of the adjustability is yes to lower a bit, but also to corner balance. I do track days.

Captain...I may be giving you a call for that magic price ;)

[madvillian]

get the bc's! im always trying to push people to get them. i like my car slammed, so theyre perfect for me, and the handling is so much better, and it cuts down so much of the torque steer and squirliness. i cannot imagine them being any better than the competition, but thats just me. the price ken will give you will be much cheaper than buying springs, then having to get new stock struts later on.

[DrZoidberg]

Hey Ken,

Can you do any better on the MS coilovers. I want independent rebound adjustment and I don't want the car lowered much, so I think these would suit me best.

[STRICK-]

how low can the bc drop the car... im looking to get rid of my cobbs and possibly go with coilovers but i really am looking for like 1 finger - 1 and a half, front and rear on the 225/40/18s

any one have pictures with that setup

I have BC's and this is low as itll sit without scraping all the time. (sorry for the blurry pics, only ones i have with it this low) Its the red speed3 tucking the tires way up there. Great product all the way around
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/striklymyn69/018-1.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/striklymyn69/031-1.jpg
http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f175/striklymyn69/006.jpg
I dont have it sitting this low anymore

[Renzokuken]

I have heard nothing but good things about the BC's. The price is the best. The only thing I DONT like is the cutting involved, BUT it still gets my vote for overall value and price.

[STRICK-]

I didnt have to cut anything??

[DrZoidberg]

What cutting is needed with the BC's? Is rebound adjustable?

[QuickSpeed3]

It depends on what your goals are as to which is best. If you want just a cheap lowering job with good valving for the springs, then BC's will work

If you're looking for something with more adjustability, the Mazdaspeed's give you independent compression/rebound adjustments. I'm personally going for these as i need that feature with my track car.

[truredspeed3]

Dont forget HKS Hypermax 3. 2,100.00!

[Yoo Shin]

I've never heard/read anything bad about the HKS Hypermax IIs or IIIs for any car. The consensus with the HKS is that they're a great blend of performance and ride quality. Of course for the price, that's what's expected.

I actually seen them for as low as $1600 for Subarus. I wonder if they'd come down for the MS3.

[Addison]

Mazda ones are pretty much out of the question for me. $2510.31 from the dealer. Now, I do live in Canada- but sweet jeebus that's a big jump. (boom07)

Does the BC set come with complete installation instructions? I would naturally assume they would- I just want to make sure.

[7mileshome]

I have the mazdaspeed coilovers, and I love them. I have tracked them a couple of times, and they are absolutely worth it. Independant compression and rebound adjustment (16 ways +/- for both.) It does lower the car, but not as much as the BCs, that is too low. The mazdaspeed coilovers are the KW varant 2s, they are just rebadged as mazdaspeeds.

Basically for anyone doing research:
If you are into performance/racing, and auto-x, GET the mazdaspeeds!! There is a reason that club mazda uses them!

If you just want something to really lower your car, get the BC.

P.s. - If you call a vendor looking for advice on which set-up to go with, just keep in mind that their goal is to get you to buy something. Talk to someone that actually knows something about suspension for advice. = )

[derspi]

From a performance standpoint, there's no question the Mazdaspeed coilovers are better than the BCs. It all comes down to your priorities though as the MS coilovers don't really lower all that much as the BCs or even H&Rs for that matter. The BCs are what I would call vanilla coilovers - you get better looks due to the large height adjustment but really only rely on lowered CG for the "improved" handling part.

[fastdreams]

Have had the BC's for about 13k miles and 6 (or 8?) track days. They are a performance improvement. They are great on the road as well, with the only drawback being sharp bumps (like a 2x4 in the road) where they are harsh.

I've really been enjoying them. Much better than stock. Hard to beat for the $$$ IMO. At 13k miles on them I can't tell the difference from when they were new/broken in. The ride height I've kept close to stock. Just because they can go lower doesn't mean they have to be set lower ;)

I would have gone with the KW's (mazdaspeeds) but didn't think the extra price was justified, and 13k miles later I'm still glad I made the choice for BC.

H&R are very good coilovers, no damper adjustability but frankly that's not a bad thing. H&R uses custom bilstein which is an excellent shock. Matched to the springs you wind up with a very good ride and much improved handling. I had a set of H&R's on a previous Audi and they were very good for all around street and track use.

I don't think much of coilovers with damper adjustability unless you're talking about external resevoir ohlins, motons, penske, etc. And then geez who wants the headache? I'd rather set it and forget it.

[derspi]

H&R are very good coilovers, no damper adjustability but frankly that's not a bad thing. H&R uses custom bilstein which is an excellent shock. Matched to the springs you wind up with a very good ride and much improved handling. I had a set of H&R's on a previous Audi and they were very good for all around street and track use.

I concur. I liked the H&R coilovers so much on my previous car that I went with them again on the MS3. Very good ride when modestly lowered (I'm lowered about 1.25 - 1.50" all around) and slightly stiffer than stock for sharper cornering. Not the stiffest setup so it'll probably be a bit more sloppy on a track but for 99.5% street use, can't be beat IMO.

[SPEEDYHANS]

If ur going to spen $2500 why not look ayt the hks there really good

[Nliiitend1]

If ur going to spen $2500 why not look ayt the hks there really good

I believe he's talking Canadian dollars, meaning that the HKS kit is still going to be proportionally more expensive and probably somewhere in the neighborhood of $3500-$4000 (Canadian)...

[destrux]

I have the mazdaspeed coilovers, and I love them. I have tracked them a couple of times, and they are absolutely worth it. Independant compression and rebound adjustment (16 ways +/- for both.) It does lower the car, but not as much as the BCs, that is too low. The mazdaspeed coilovers are the KW varant 2s, they are just rebadged as mazdaspeeds.

According to the KW website, the variant 2 only has adjustable rebound. The variant 3 is the one with independent adjustable compression and rebound. Maybe the mazdaspeeds are variant 3's. I was even looking at the KW variant 1 for my car. I really like the fact that the KW is stainless steel and polymer and will never rust or seize. Huge plus here where it snows.

The only thing I notice is.. if the Mazdaspeed coilovers are KW variant 3's, then they are about $300 less than KW charges for them. (wow) Are you sure they're KW? It should be easy to tell, if the bodies are magnetic, they are probably not KW (since all the MS3 KW coilovers are non-magnetic stainless steel with polymer spring collars).

[Nliiitend1]

According to the KW website, the variant 2 only has adjustable rebound. The variant 3 is the one with independent adjustable compression and rebound. Maybe the mazdaspeeds are variant 3's. I was even looking at the KW variant 1 for my car. I really like the fact that the KW is stainless steel and polymer and will never rust or seize. Huge plus here where it snows.

The only thing I notice is.. if the Mazdaspeed coilovers are KW variant 3's, then they are about $300 less than KW charges for them. (wow) Are you sure they're KW? It should be easy to tell, if the bodies are magnetic, they are probably not KW (since all the MS3 KW coilovers are non-magnetic stainless steel with polymer spring collars).

The MS Coilovers are similar to KW's V3s, but they are not the same thing.

Yes, they are independently height, rebound, and compression adjustable. They do employ different springs (and therefore different spring rates) than KW's own V3 offering and perhaps different damper circuit valving as well (I don't know that anyone has confirmed or disproven this yet).

Basically, Mazdaspeed contracted with KW to build them their MS3 kits using the features that KW typically offers on their V3 line. ;)

[destrux]

Oh I see. Does anyone know if the MS coilovers are stainless steel or not? I'm kind of set on the stainless, cause I drive mine year round and it sits on the street in the winter when we get heavy snow, and I don't want the coilover threads to seize.

[Nliiitend1]

They certainly look like they are constructed exactly like the KW bits:

http://www.protegegarage.com/images/mazdaspeed_coilovers.JPG

I'm assuming they are stainless steel.

[Design]

The more research I do on MS coilovers, the more they appear to be very similar to KW V3's. The only major physical difference, from what I'm told, is the black threaded collar that limits how much you can drop the front (which can apparently be removed). Beyond that, MS coilovers apparently have a rate of 400/290 over 375/260 from KW. And the valving is apparently the same.

[FOGMIC 3]

I hear lots of great reviews from local members and on the boards in regards to H&R's for the MS3, in fact I may get a set in the coming months.

[destrux]

All KW street coilovers have a fairly conservative lowering limit (well, it's only conservative if a 2+ inch drop matters to you) to allow the parts to be street legal in europe. It mentions about it on their website. TUV sets standards for coilovers as to how far they can allow the car to be lowered and still remain street legal. I guess it keeps the ricers in check over there.

[Design]

I hear lots of great reviews from local members and on the boards in regards to H&R's for the MS3, in fact I may get a set in the coming months.

For daily use, I'd choose H&R's any day of the week. Most of their apps are about 50% stiffer over stock with slightly more progressive spring rates. The only reason i'm considering MS coilovers is because of their adjustability. H&R uses threaded Bilstein Sports which aren't adjustable.

[FCNutCase]

I have the mazdaspeed coilovers, and I love them. I have tracked them a couple of times, and they are absolutely worth it. Independant compression and rebound adjustment (16 ways +/- for both.) It does lower the car, but not as much as the BCs, that is too low. The mazdaspeed coilovers are the KW varant 2s, they are just rebadged as mazdaspeeds.

Basically for anyone doing research:
If you are into performance/racing, and auto-x, GET the mazdaspeeds!! There is a reason that club mazda uses them!

If you just want something to really lower your car, get the BC.

P.s. - If you call a vendor looking for advice on which set-up to go with, just keep in mind that their goal is to get you to buy something. Talk to someone that actually knows something about suspension for advice. = )

The KW Variant 2 is only one adjustment, the KW 3 has compression and rebound, so I think the MazdaSpeed are actually the variant 3 struts, but I could be wrong.

SportsCompactCar (RIP...) did a great suspension comparison in 2008 w/ both BuddyClub and KW. They did use an S2000, but the comparisons are still valid. They liked the KW ClubSport best for street and strip. The ClubSport is the V3 KW w/ different upper mounts and more aggressive dampening profiles. Given that I am autocrossing a lot, I'm going with the MazdaSpeed.

LASTLY - if you do autocross, you're eligible for MazdaSpeed MotorSports Competition Parts discounts. I'm calling for pricing tomorrow, but basically you show them two race/autocross results, and they sell you parts at ridiculously low prices. Very cool...

Cheers,
Collin Webster

[Nliiitend1]

The KW Variant 2 is only one adjustment, the KW 3 has compression and rebound, so I think the MazdaSpeed are actually the variant 3 struts, but I could be wrong.

SportsCompactCar (RIP...) did a great suspension comparison in 2008 w/ both BuddyClub and KW. They did use an S2000, but the comparisons are still valid. They liked the KW ClubSport best for street and strip. The ClubSport is the V3 KW w/ different upper mounts and more aggressive dampening profiles. Given that I am autocrossing a lot, I'm going with the MazdaSpeed.

LASTLY - if you do autocross, you're eligible for MazdaSpeed MotorSports Competition Parts discounts. I'm calling for pricing tomorrow, but basically you show them two race/autocross results, and they sell you parts at ridiculously low prices. Very cool...

Cheers,
Collin Webster


You're correct.

[skatethesea]

Does anyone have a pic of the lowest setting on the BC set up?