GR86 Question for UK owners re: driving with lowered car

[Ed86]

Afternoon all, first time posting - hello!

I'm looking to purchase a GR86 soon, with the intention of installing some subtle mods for that OEM+ look. One area I'm considering is lowering the car a smidge, nothing too extreme as... well, british roads!! but I'm after some advice and recommendations from UK drivers who have lowered their cars yet still use them daily.

Would you suggest keeping it stock as it's cheaper than seeing the dentist, or can you recommend any coilovers that balance that fine-line?

Really appreciate your thoughts and time taken to reply
Ed

 

[ninjin]

Stock suspension is very very good for handling. Lowering it only really improves its look for road use.

I use TEIN RX1 coilovers and when you turn the hardness down, it's actually more comfortable that stock suspension.

 

[Ed86]

Stock suspension is very very good for handling. Lowering it only really improves its look for road use.

I use TEIN RX1 coilovers and when you turn the hardness down, it's actually more comfortable that stock suspension.

Many thanks, I appreciate your reply.

May I ask, if you have lowered the car, by how much?

Thanks again!

 

[Moonballs]

This is -30mm with lowering springs, the motivation was for the aesthetics, I never could like how it sat just a bit too high from the factory. Now it's an even gap between the tyre and body all around. It's worked out really well for me, happy it was more budget friendly.

I can't comment on performance, no track use or pushing. It is firmer and still familiar. You cut the rubber bump stop down to account for the shorter spring, so the dampers work the same and due to the shorter spring you naturally add about 1.5 camber. Comfort wise it wasn't great stock, but now i notice more bad roads then i did before.

1 year in and no issues with clearance, some obscene speed bumps and still not been an issue.

 

[ninjin]

Many thanks, I appreciate your reply.

May I ask, if you have lowered the car, by how much?

Thanks again!

My car is set up for handling over aesthetics but I hazard a guess at 30mm front 25mm back. (I measure from pinch welds to the ground and didn't have the stock height before adjusting) .The reason of the difference in Front and Rear height is this how the car performs its best on track.

For Road, I run stock wheels with 20mm spacers all round. Front looks a bit weird as I have -3 degrees of Camber.

 

[Ed86]

Both of yours look great, about the same drop as I'm after.

Really appreciate your comments and off the back of them I've just hit order on a black 86!! Awaiting for confirmation and finance agreement but fingers crossed it'll all go through!

 

[GRistopher]

I have KW V1. After a few months of ownership i can tell you that the high speed ride is better, but the low speed ride is worse. At least with them set how I currently have them without the helper spring really doing anything. I chose them because I didn't want to be endlessly adjusting the car, but I wish I had at least got something with separate ride height and preload adjustment. The fact that i have to run the main springs already loaded and the helper spring fully compressed to get the ride height that i want feels a bit stupid.