Take me out for a ride?

[lucasxdiniz]

Hi, everyone.

Recently there have been many posts about suspension refresh and upgrades, and after reading about the improvements to conform and handling, I'm now considering refreshing mine. However, the handling and comfort feels fine to me, but it could be because of the last car I drove (MX5 on MeisterR coilovers), so I don't know if I can justify spending money where there wouldn't be a significant improvement.

So if anyone in my area with a suspension refresh would be willing to take me out on a ride just so I can feel the difference, it would be much appreciated. I'm thinking Bilsten B4s + Eibachs or Sachs. I wouldn't go any harder than the M-sport suspension, so the B12 kit is a no-no for me.

I'm usually in Brackley during weekdays (NN13), and Windsor during weekends (SL4). I will be in Bath this weekend and could come anywhere in the surrounding area.

My car is around 100k and going by the service history nothing in the suspension has been changed. But I suspect at some point they have been changed as there's no play in the wishbones, bushes, and as I said comfort and handling is fine.

 

[buzyg]

You make such a good point. I'm sure my Zed rolls a little more pushing on, than it did 9 years ago when I bought it. Thing is it's still supremely comfy, for me, on the occasional 500+ mile run up T north and pleanty fast enough, on a Sunday morning hustle to the coast and back. So why would I change things on it?

Oh and for the record the MK2 Mx5 is a little gem, if a tiny bit bouncy on a country lane. The MK3 is too grown up and long legged for me though. Love driving them all though :wink:

 

[ben g]

It will be a huge improvement, but don't expect the car to turn into an F1 racer.

Mine still has some body roll with new Bilstein B4's and eibach springs fitted, along with new top mounts, but it sticks to the road well and seems to upset many a younger, more technologically advanced car, to the point I sometimes I don't realise just how slow they need to go around a bend and I end up on their rear bumper :lol:

One of my front struts actually failed whilst driving and both my rear shocks wouldn't decompress when I pushed them down after removing from the car, so I knew they were completely useless. That was after about 125k miles.

There's no way I would want the suspension any firmer for daily driving. It would be unbearable, so I'm glad I didn't go for the B12 kit, as I would probably have regretted it.

 

[dhobbs]

I went for the b12 kit and find it very firm. Not so bad on smooth roads but terrible on bumpy and pot holes.
You forget about it when going for it on the back roads but it all depends on what you want.

 

[lucasxdiniz]

Oh and for the record the MK2 Mx5 is a little gem, if a tiny bit bouncy on a country lane. The MK3 is too grown up and long legged for me though. Love driving them all though :wink:

On the stock suspension the MX5 was meh at best, so much squat and dive, and more roll than one would expect given how enthusiasts rave on about the MX5 handling. I guess the Japanese engineers neglected to implement anti-dive/anti-squat geometry. That was cured with the MeisterR suspension, but the rear was prone to bounce up on rebound if I went over a bump on the road, and this happened because of the spring stiffness - which was very conservative in my car (6kg vs 9kg that some have on them).

After almost £2k in suspension upgrades my MX-5 truly deserved the 'go kart handling' compliment that people throw at stock MX5s. So I've experienced a planted car and I'm not disappointed with my Z4 with the M-Sport suspension, the roll is very acceptable and it grips really well. Now that I've changed my tyres, it's gripping too well! I need to really push and use the brake to break the balance of the car to make the rear step out.

 

[lucasxdiniz]

It will be a huge improvement, but don't expect the car to turn into an F1 racer.

Mine still has some body roll with new Bilstein B4's and eibach springs fitted, along with new top mounts, but it sticks to the road well...

I'm only considering a suspension refresh because of comfort. I'm happy with how the car rides right now, and satisfied with its handling, but I will always welcome a better ride, specially if it comes with the bonus of better handling.

I went for the b12 kit and find it very firm. Not so bad on smooth roads but terrible on bumpy and pot holes. You forget about it when going for it on the back roads but it all depends on what you want.

B12 is not for me, as I said in the original post. I'm only considering Eibach springs over OEM because they have a rising spring rate, so should be slightly comfier on small bumps at slow speeds.

 

[ben g]

The refresh should be perfect for your needs then hopefully someone local to you will have done the same as me and will be able to take you out.

I also fitted superpro polybushed lollipops and rtabs, aswell as powerflex arb bushes, which I imagine would help the handling and have the bonus of being maintenance free, unlike the oem rubber ones which don't seem to last very long.

 

[Chris_D]

I'm usually in Brackley during weekdays (NN13), and Windsor during weekends (SL4). I will be in Bath this weekend and could come anywhere in the surrounding area.

I'm sure I read that previously on a postcard inside a phonebox on Tottenham Court Road :lol:

 

[lucasxdiniz]

The refresh should be perfect for your needs then hopefully someone local to you will have done the same as me and will be able to take you out.

I also fitted superpro polybushed lollipops and rtabs, aswell as powerflex arb bushes, which I imagine would help the handling and have the bonus of being maintenance free, unlike the oem rubber ones which don't seem to last very long.

Personally I'm not a fan of PU bushes. You might not need to replace them as often, but certainly takes some maintenance to stop them from squeaking. In fact, I've already bought new Meile front lollipop bushes (the only component with some play in the front suspension), I just need to wait until the low-profile jack from work comes back from the Isle of Man to change them.

I'm sure I read that previously on a postcard inside a phonebox on Tottenham Court Road :lol: