Hi all,
After deciding to lower my car to eliminate most of the wheel gap and improve handling a little bit, I did some research on lowering springs and coilovers. I decided to go with coils as I had heard lowering springs weren’t the most comfortable ride with oem suspension. I wasn’t looking to spend $1100 + on a coilover kit as I’m a student, and as a result I found the Solo Werks S1 Coilover Kit for $700 which included everything I needed. The fronts use helper springs, and come with new sway bar end links that are shorter than oem, and both sides use a double lock ring design to adjust ride height. I found Solo Werks had good customer service and were able to answer all my questions about the kit.
I was able to install the kit myself in my garage using the supplied step by step instructions, which also included very helpful diagrams, and listed the correct sized sockets and tools for each step. I also used Akopp’s DIY coilover install for some tips. The Solo Werk kit installed virtually the same way as the ST kit that he did his DIY on (using oem lower damper mounts, top strut mounts). The S1 kit seems to be excellent quality (zinc coated housings and painted springs). I did use anti corrosion coating on all the threads and bolts as well. (sorry for not great iphone picture quality).
I prefer the ride quality of the S1 coilover kit over the oem suspension. I find it less “bouncy” feeling, it is not too stiff or rough by any means, and I’ve hit some decent sized bumps and potholes while driving. The coils provide a fairly smooth ride. The car seems much more planted in the corners and I haven’t run into any rubbing or scraping issues (running 215/40/18 tires and 18x8 wheels). The handling feels much better than the oem suspension.
In my opinion, the S1 kit is a great entry level coilover that performs exceptionally well for the price. The drop is exactly what I was looking for (not too low but removes most of the wheel gap), and I haven’t noticed any noise coming from them when going over speed bumps or curbs. I have put about 500km on them to date and have no complaints.
Overall I think that the S1 kit is an awesome deal for the quality of the suspension. It is an ideal option for someone looking to lower their car and improve it’s handling, without spending too much money and keeping excellent ride quality.
