Want to Move Up to a Premium Damper Set and Looking For Advice

[dfjaws]

Hello Everyone!

I'm looking at moving up to a more serious/premium suspension set up this year but am kind of at a cross roads when it comes to making a decision. I have had two ground control kits in the past and liked them but I feel like I'm ready for something a little better than the good old S/A Koni's. Primary use will be street (Personally, I don't mind stiff suspension on the street), 12-15 autocross events per year, and a handful of track days (probably 4-5 tops).

Price isn't a big deal but it'd be nice to keep it around $3500 for everything. I would also like something double adjustable as well. I want to keep a divorced spring/shock rear as I don't want to have to modify or reinforce my rear shock towers to hold the load of a coil over rear setup. I'm open to external reservoir dampers but their cost jumps considerably over non external reservoirs.

So far I've looked at:

AST 4200's
Pro: Great reviews and they're proven. Not too costly.
Con: Not sure if they even make anything for the Z4 M.

MCS D/A's (no external reservoir)
Pros: based out of US. Proven product. I know people personally who have them and love them.
Cons: I'm only able to find external reservoir D/A's for the Z4 M.

Nitron
Pros: Great feedback from users. Very high quality. Great record with Lotus guys.
Cons: I don't even think they make D/A's with no reservoir.

Moton
Pros: Arguably the best out there.
Cons: The most expensive I've found.


If anyone has any feedback on these sets or any other more upscale dampers I haven't thought of I'd appreciate your input!

[gmd2003]

Originally Posted by dfjaws

Hello Everyone!

I'm looking at moving up to a more serious/premium suspension set up this year but am kind of at a cross roads when it comes to making a decision. I have had two ground control kits in the past and liked them but I feel like I'm ready for something a little better than the good old S/A Koni's. Primary use will be street (Personally, I don't mind stiff suspension on the street), 12-15 autocross events per year, and a handful of track days (probably 4-5 tops).

Price isn't a big deal but it'd be nice to keep it around $3500 for everything. I would also like something double adjustable as well. I want to keep a divorced spring/shock rear as I don't want to have to modify or reinforce my rear shock towers to hold the load of a coil over rear setup. I'm open to external reservoir dampers but their cost jumps considerably over non external reservoirs.

So far I've looked at:

AST 4200's
Pro: Great reviews and they're proven. Not too costly.
Con: Not sure if they even make anything for the Z4 M.

MCS D/A's (no external reservoir)
Pros: based out of US. Proven product. I know people personally who have them and love them.
Cons: I'm only able to find external reservoir D/A's for the Z4 M.

Nitron
Pros: Great feedback from users. Very high quality. Great record with Lotus guys.
Cons: I don't even think they make D/A's with no reservoir.

Moton
Pros: Arguably the best out there.
Cons: The most expensive I've found.


If anyone has any feedback on these sets or any other more upscale dampers I haven't thought of I'd appreciate your input!

Get the external reservoir MCS , there is a reason almost every pro team is running them this year . Best suspension I've ever experienced and they were reasonable cost wise .

[mtrhed]

I've been happy with my AST SA 4150s. About $3300 with Swift springs and Vorschlag camber plates. I'll be looking to convert them to DA when I have them rebuilt.

[The HACK]

Originally Posted by gmd2003

Get the external reservoir MCS , there is a reason almost every pro team is running them this year . Best suspension I've ever experienced and they were reasonable cost wise .

THIS. MCS is founded by former Moton engineers and founders when AST bought Moton. They're about as good as money can buy for professional level dampers and they know what they're doing. If you're going to go upscale, I have NEVER hear anyone running them complain. EVER.

You left a couple of premium dampers off the list. Öhlin and JRZ both make premium dampers. Öhlin in particular has a "road and track" version that's more road friendly than the upper echelon D/A with remote reservoir kits from MCS, Moton, and JRZ as a good step up from entry level dampers.

[seank]

Originally Posted by dfjaws

Hello Everyone!

I'm looking at moving up to a more serious/premium suspension set up this year but am kind of at a cross roads when it comes to making a decision. I have had two ground control kits in the past and liked them but I feel like I'm ready for something a little better than the good old S/A Koni's. Primary use will be street (Personally, I don't mind stiff suspension on the street), 12-15 autocross events per year, and a handful of track days (probably 4-5 tops).

Price isn't a big deal but it'd be nice to keep it around $3500 for everything. I would also like something double adjustable as well. I want to keep a divorced spring/shock rear as I don't want to have to modify or reinforce my rear shock towers to hold the load of a coil over rear setup. I'm open to external reservoir dampers but their cost jumps considerably over non external reservoirs.

So far I've looked at:

AST 4200's
Pro: Great reviews and they're proven. Not too costly.
Con: Not sure if they even make anything for the Z4 M.

MCS D/A's (no external reservoir)
Pros: based out of US. Proven product. I know people personally who have them and love them.
Cons: I'm only able to find external reservoir D/A's for the Z4 M.

Nitron
Pros: Great feedback from users. Very high quality. Great record with Lotus guys.
Cons: I don't even think they make D/A's with no reservoir.

Moton
Pros: Arguably the best out there.
Cons: The most expensive I've found.


If anyone has any feedback on these sets or any other more upscale dampers I haven't thought of I'd appreciate your input!

For your price range' i would suggest brian hanchey's company. He was head of ast usa and started his own company. They made custom jri's to ast 4200 specs' with the fix that ast refused to make to the 4200. Other than the moton, it is the best option in your price range. http://www.hancheyvehicletech.com/
Hvt 6200 by jri.

[Finnegan]

Wow. Great thread!

[dfjaws]

Sorry it's taken me forever to respond! I appreciate everyone's input. MCS was the one I was already leaning towards and I think the advice here solidified that even more. I didn't know the part about them being made up of ex Moton engineers. That's interesting.