Ok Fit Freaks,

Week 3 of ownership and I find myself with $450 ready to burn from my the sale of my wheels off of my Wagovan.

So here lies the burning question:

What mod should I do next to the fit? I have ordered the Mugen Short Shift kit and leather wrap steering wheel cover (and replacement fog light...ugh!). I really want to lower it, but I've done just springs before and am concerned by the lack of aftermarket damper support since the stockers will crap out soon enough.

My thoughts are:
-Save for Bilstein PSS(my preference) or other coilover
-Get springs now (Pro-kit, DF210, or Swift) and deal with the damper issue later
-Progress rear swaybar
-JDP CF lip (sexy)
-Other ideas?

If you vote for "other," please post your thoughts.
I appreciate the input!

 

Megans, get the megan springs. Same drop as the swifts, good spring rate, and great price. at $150 shipped you'll have plenty of money left!

 

^this or some kind of springs + JDP cf front lip should be a nice bang-for-the-buck combo right there

 

i know many people are going to recommend you springs for the looks... but i have done many springs with a different variety of struts and shocks... and bilstein paired up with ANY spring/coilover are no doubt the best ride quality you'll ever have. (I totally see where you are coming from with that preference)

I also done Tokico, and they are good but only for springs, for coilovers Bilstein can handle the extra loweredness. Tokico is soooooo much cheaper tho

I like where your head is at on the first option, many people sacrifice so much when they go springs only and keep the stock struts/shocks in... hell iam thinking about changing out to Bilstein or Tokico and keeping the factory springs in, just for the improved ride quality.

 

OP- do it right the first time. get coilovers.

if you can find aftermarket adjustable dampers to go with the prokits that might also be a good choice.

 

my opinion. get some T1R S-coil springs, they have a wicked drop. ride is decent too. make your own lip like i did. cost under 50 bucks. and mod something else. exhaust, tint and whatnot. just my 2 cents.

 

Vash - yeah, you pretty much nailed it. I've done it on the cheap for my last few vehicles, and within the next year or so after installing springs, I'm scrambling for shocks. I have high hopes for the Bilstein PSS for the Fit due to the wide range of positive review on other platforms.

My car is exclusively a DD, so it has to be comfortable enough for me. The ONE thing that was in all of the PSS reviews was how comfortable the ride is.

I'm still open to ideas. Thanks for the voting and input so far!

 

I voted to save for the coilover option. That's my plan at the moment for Spring/Summer 2011... In particular, Buddy Club N+

 

I'm on Swift spring and would recommend it than any other springs... BUT... I'd say save your $$$ for those awesome Bilstein coilovers... BUT... you could just get Swift springs while still saving

 

Unless you're planning to *dump* your ride or have serious intentions of auto-X'ing and need to constantly adjust your sussy...then I don't really see the point of coilovers on a DD FIt. <-- I'm prepared for the flaming. Even if you're planning to seriously track your car...it will take many hours behind the wheel before your driving ability exceeds your sussy capabilities. If this is just about looks or baller status then I don't know why you really need our opinion?? Just buy what you like...

I have Progress springs on my Fit and the ride is excellent...stiff in the corners but soft over the bumps. (notice a trend here??...most people generally have very favorable reviews of their springs, specifically Progress and Swift springs. Tanabe's tend to get mixed reviews, especially the really low ones). You could always buy a set of springs and just upgrade to coilovers if you absolutely hate them. But..why pay more if you don't have to? The money I saved went towards track wheels/tires and tint. Again this is just my opinion, but I'd use the cash for something else...

 

BlackandDecker - great points and I really have wrestled with just getting some springs. The main reason to get the Bilstein PSS is due to the fact that it is a tuned shock to the spring AND it is historically a comfortable/sporty set up. No, I don't want to dump it (Bilstein's adj is only 30mm-50mm lower) and the other coilovers are just way too stiff (from reviews I've read) for a 36 year old father of two who commutes 50 miles a day. I want to lower it a little (looks much better) and I want the planted feel of lowered car (all my previous cars, even my LS400 was lowered). Just more confidence inspiring.

 

Everybody mods their car uniquely and that is what makes the car culture so awesome...at the end of the day you gotta decide for yourself. I know how it is when you get a new car...you get bitten by the mod bug big time!

I can only speak for one particular set of springs, Progress springs...but my gut feeling is that the difference b/w Eibach, Progress, and Swift is minimal other than the amount of drop. Progress have the lowest advertised drop...but this allows plenty of travel on the stock struts. I think I'm in the minority though, as the Swift springs appear to be more popular.

I've auto-X'ed mine and I have a ways (i.e. several seasons) to go before I'll notice the limitations of my sussy. If our car had quad wishbone suspension it'd be a different story...but the truth is that we have a torsion bar rear suspension...do you really think a coilover is gonna be any different than a spring back there? Answer is no! Save your money man...lightweight wheels/tires is the absolute biggest bang for your buck.

 

Well about being tuned to the shock, this is exactly what Tohatsu does with their Sport-Mach springs. The material they use is also proprietary to them. I can't speak about Progress springs as I have never used them, but have used Swifts and when/if I go coilover I will also use Swift springs to replace whatever spring it may come with if not Swift stock. The spring rate is slightly stiffer than stock and lowers about 20~25mm front and rear. They will not cause your stock strut to give out over time, unlike many springs on the market whose only function is to make the car lower without any real concern as to the side effects with how much lowering is done. Also, you really shouldn't go any lower than 25mm up front or you start to screw with the suspension geometry and then you should start looking at roll-center adjustment to get the suspension back into proper angle. Many people believe their car handles better when lowered, and in most cases that is true, but with the type of sussy employed on the Fit up front, handling can be drastically reduced just to look good. Then again, many that slam the shit out of their car are the same ones that gather in parking lots to show how tight their ride is. :P

 

Keep your money or buy sticky tires.

 

Swift springs will give you a very nice ride, without costing too much... later buy a set of bilstein, the RSB is amazing on the GD but that's because there's nothing from stock... on GE there's already one, you just add another... anyways you"ll probably remove it when getting coils! as for lip... well that's just show... soo...

 

Wow, there is a whole tribe of you Fit owners that recommend the Swift springs! =)

I am listening and the whole price aspect of just getting springs vs. coilovers is very tempting.

555sexydrive and cr4zy3lgato - thanks for your wisdom.

cr4zy3lgato - good word on the RSB...Question: if you are recommending Swift, why are you running Tanabe GF210?

Thanks All! More opinions welcome!

 

Tanabe gives a lower drop, i.e. Form > Function.

 

damn... looks like the new guy acts like a smart a** Lol... jk! all i have to say is we all learn from our mistakes...

the drop is about the same (i have grip feeling ->less drop, better performance, not drop feeling -> more slammed) actually , i really like the cornering, the only thing is that they're bouncy over large bumps... but if you want to buy a set of swift and trade them with me, be my guest!!! You could always go with Tein, they are very reputable brand, and have great comments on them, just feels more like a toyota brand...

btw, i went with Tanabe because i liked the fact that they gave a choice for function or fashion...

 

Ha! Not being a smart ass, just a sincere question. Thanks for the info!

 

Hmm why not get some sticky tires and get a class or two from some pros. I mean i like the look of lowering a car but if it is a DD than that can get in the way some times. I would say in less you really just have to get that lower felling go with something else than coils. How about some mugen love for ur car. I love the Fit with the mugen body kit. I know you would have to keep saving but that would be a sick car to have. Just some of my thoughts or some new wheels would be nice.