Why are cheap coilovers crap?

Technical question for those who understand how suspension work.

If we compare the cheap ebay kits to the GAZ item the components are pretty much similar. So what makes the ebay kits so crap, is it the spring or damper?

If it is the spring if you change it to a different poundage rate would that make any difference?

Or is it the damper? If it is whats the difference between it and the GAZ item for example? What goes on inside that makes the big difference?

I'm not looking to buy a cheap kit but just curious how coilovers work.

some stuff is developed to work properly, and some stuff is made to look impressive.

A spring is largely a spring so no great wonderment there.

Its all in the valving of the damper.
Some makers cant get the valving right/havent really got a clue what is 'performance' suspension so put on soft springs and hard damping to make it 'feel' sporty but in reality its a handful on the road (skittish etc)

Also there is a lot in the finishing of the product.
A damper has recently been released to market for another car that is made in the far east and the damper body isnt hard anodised so the piston will wear the tube out in 12-18months of use, and they cant really be rebuilt. GAZ on the other hand are due to release a similar product but approx 20% more cash, but WILL be hard anodised, they can be rebuilt if needed and are engineered properly.

this day and age you get what you pay for ie. better quality metals and fabrication, better testing and improvements on old models, colors/finishes etc. and i assume the high end of the market avon, bilstein, gaz etc are handmade which is always a bonus :thumb:

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Originally Posted by Stuart

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A damper has recently been released to market for another car that is made in the far east and the damper body isnt hard anodised so the piston will wear the tube out in 12-18months of use, and they cant really be rebuilt. GAZ on the other hand are due to release a similar product but approx 20% more cash, but WILL be hard anodised, they can be rebuilt if needed and are engineered properly.

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...... also warranted with back up from the UK factory. Sure someone selling a shipload of Taiwanese goods will accept a small loss by maybe giving you free replacements should it be necessary, but what about when the seller is no longer selling Nova coilovers, maybe his next 'ebay scheme' involves selling cheap knives to chefs. He wont have coilovers to offer you & maybe even wont honour any kind of warranty as certainly in most cases, cheap goods come with none anyway, merely the seller offering the benefit as a good will gesture.

That said, over the years there have been many kits that come recommended in Nova circles & others that are best avoided. These reputations arent totally unfounded but based on the findings of many owners spending good earned money on the bits. I've had enough poor suspension to put me off Novas forever. I definately wouldnt advise scrimping on that aspect of the car.

I do love the fact that I can call up Gaz and pop down there to have a tinker with my spring rates/get the dampers dynoed after the rough roads of late etc.

cant beat good customer service in this day and age

I must say I have owned some really pap suspension over the years, even when going for top named stuff (eg avoid Bilstein Blacks), but when I put the full set of GAZ's on, even just setting it up with a tape measure, the handling was cok-on. Well impressed & I guessed the spring rates too.

I like Gaz which is why I run them on both the nova and the coupe.

Jamex coilovers on mine. The best set up i have had on my car by far (smooth ride without soggy handling). I have also tried some top branded stuff including an apparently road kit from courtenay that rendered my car almost undriveable.

Something which will always push up prices is tolerancing, tighter tolerances and throwing more parts out which don't fit them will always make costs go up exponentially for a greater quality product.