Now, its not unbelievable in the sense most of you will think i mean it, Its unbelieveable in the different charachteristics of different aftermarket suspension manufacturers... Read on..
Basically since January this year i have had 4 different lots of suspension on my car, and the difference's are quite startling to be honest, to the extent that if i didnt take time to learn how they all reacted, then i would have had a very badly damaged Vectra back in June!!
Let me Explain...
Standard SRi Set Up
Absolutely appalling, i have had various SRi's in Vectra and Cavalier form, and my C in standard form handled like a Cross Channel Ferry! It wallowed about on Country Roads, Lay it through a corner and you had no confidence you were gonna come out the other side in one piece, It was awful beyond my wildest dreams...
Bilstein B4 Shocks/Eibach Pro Springs
I have driven some well set, good handling cars in my time, My old Vectra B was awesome in the twisty stuff, But my C with this set up rates as one of the best i have driven.. My mate has a 2000 AWD Subaru Impreza, and i chased him thru a roundabout one night i Milton Keynes, by his own admission my car was more than a match for his Subaru thru the roundabouts. It gave me confidence that if i was in the mood for some hard driving, then it was ready for action, Stable, Well Set, Good Stance, Not too bumpy a ride, it had everything, and coupled to Bilstein damper's, which have proven Race pedigree, it was simply awesome!
Bilstein B4 Shocks/PI -45 Springs
Nw this is where i started to realize the vast difference's beween the different uprated spring manufacturer's. Wherea's Eibach need to know axle weights to make sure you get the right spring for your Vectra, Pi only have one spring rating, and that cover's all Vectra's in the range. At the time it wasnt of concern to me, as surely one lowered spring is the same as another! Oh how wrong one can be! Where the Eibach was sure footed, you turn, point go, the Pi is not in the same league, It was a bit twitchy, forever correcting the steering, it was bumpy and banging over the bumps, but it was all part of driving a lowered car. Dont get me wrong, the Pi is and was a good spring, Just i was spoilt when i bought Eibach's first. Pi's are a good cheaper alternative, and coupled to my Bilstein Damper's they were pretty good, and i would reccomend them, but i preferred the Eibach/Bilstein combo.
FK Coil Over's
The daddy, something i had always wanted but seldom been able to afford, but got them at a great price. Basically all i was after was the height adjustable platforms, and for someone like me, who is obsessed with "The Lower the better", these are the stuff dreams are made of! However, they do come at a price, or so i was told, and having done 100 miles or so since they were fitted, i am still waiting to see what price i'm gonna pay(apart from the price of buying them!) Bumpy ride, Go Kart handling, all among the things i had been told. i'm still waiting for them. The ride quality is superb, better than the Pi's by far, and if i am totally honest, not very far behind the Eibach's either, they're that good. WIth the adjustable platform's, you can lower til your heart's content, and -75mm later, Ben's a happy camper! However, they're not all about the looks, so i have been in search of the Go Kart handling.....I'm still looking for it. They are good, somewhere between the Pi's and the Eibach's. They respond well, However, it does feel extremely light on the front end which was more tha a little unnerving at first until i got used to it, i thought at first the back was lower than the front by a considerable amount, so i went outside an hour ago and had a measure up, all 4 wheel arches are 24" off the floor, 3/4 of an inch lower than the Pi's. So i have put it down to characteristic of FK Suspension, which isnt a problem to me, as i took the time to find out how they reacted, but had i jumped straight in and drien like it was on one of other set up's, i would more thn likely be in a ditch by now!
I have never tried an Irmscher Suspension equpped car, but i dont think i am too far wrong in thinking they will be very simlar to the Bilstein/Eibach's, if anyone has one i would be interested to hear your thoughts on them.
After all these different set up's, I have come to a couple of conclusion's...
1 - If you are after Maximum Low'ness and good handling, Go for Coilover's, dont waste your money trying other stuff, i have spent a small fortune to find out what i already knew!
2 - If your after a superb aftermarket suspension set up, that doesnt affect the ride quality of your car, will lower the car slightly,that handles superbly and will give you maximum Grin factor should you be inclined to chase on a bit round the lanes, Go for Eibach/Bilsteins, take it from me, the are truly awesome, you will not be disappointed!
3 - If your on a budget, but want good looks and pretty impressive handling, the go for the Pi Springs, They are great value for money, and you will be very happy with them.