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*The info here is subject to change and I am not responsible for its accuracy. Price quoted is including GST and installation.
OK so I've been super quiet for a long while. There's a reason for this, because I just got a Honda City GM6 in conjunction with the Hari Raya promotions.
After getting the car, of course my hands start to be itchy, and I start researching for 'lobang' on how and where to mod my car.
Needless to say, it was both time consuming and frustrating. The information was all over the place.. there was no 'one stop' guide on where to go to modify my GM6. There were some Honda City forums.. but the last postings seem like they were done last year or the year before.. Not so much activity anymore.
Since there is a plethora of information out there, let me narrow down the info so that it is easier to digest.
Today I would be talking about adjustable suspension.
Why would you want to lower your car ? For me the main reason is aesthetics. The stock gap between my wheels and fender is at least 5 fingers. To look better, the gap should be at maximum 2 fingers for the front, and 2.5 fingers for the rear wheels.
If you want to lower your car, there are several options available for you.
1. Stock absorber + sport spring
Sport springs recommended are Eibach pro-kit and H & R springs which cost around RM1.2k per set. Unfortunately when I called the Eibach kit was sold out for the whole Klang Valley. The disadvantages is you cannot adjust your ride height and soft/hard.. Plus because absorber is constantly compressed by the shorter springs, they will not last long. In addition, the sport springs for stock absorbers cannot be used with other sports absorbers if you decide to upgrade the whole system.
2. Sports absorber + stock spring
Stock springs too soft, may not provide enough cushioning for the sports absorber.
3. Sports absorber + sports sping
The best option
So I stumbled upon one of these postings by a senior ZTH member. For a budget of 2-3k, there are some options available. Of course, you can go waaay above that budget eg. Tein RM4.5k but is there any point if I am a first-time adjustable user? I wanted some flexibility to opt out just in case I didn't like the experience.
1. PRS. They specialise in adjustables and have an in-house brand. The boss, Mr Sim, is quite knowledgeable and friendly.
0126282927
Everyday from 10am-6pm except Sundays.
2. FTuned - Supposedly they are a bit more 'premium'. Seeing this word.. I admit I chickened out.. didn't want to spend more than required. They were engineers in the Proton racing division. They use monotube instead of twin tube shocks.
3. BC Racing V1 (Around RM3k), AR Racing, GAB SS (Around RM2.8k). All local brands, no more imported. In fact, they say the spare parts for the SS and V1 are so damn similar so if you request for spare parts for the V1, the shop will replace it with GAB parts instead.
The supplier for GAB is RS One Motorsports in Kepong
One of the distributors for GAB is Yew Exhaust in Shah Alam, as recommended by some of the Honda City forums.
One of the sales guys there recommended the BC Racing BR series, which is supposedly more comfortable than the V1 for RM3.7k.
The thing that peeved me off was this item is fully imported from Taiwan, so it might take a few months to arrive. Secondly, it will not be possible to service this item here as the spare part will have to be imported again from Taiwan. Means waste more time and spend more money.
Why I chose PRS adjustables
I chose PRS adjustables because of the slightly cheaper pricing (RM2650) as compared to the GAB and BC Racing ones. Front springs are 6k, rear 4k. Also, Mr Sim charges slightly cheaper maintenance costs for his own brand as compared to other brand absorbers. Over time, your absorber will wear out, and it needs to be serviced eg refilling the oil etc.. Plus they are absorber specialists as compared to a typical jack of all trades mod shop.
The only disadvantage of going to PRS for me is that they are fairly far away from my house (at least 40 mins drive) and they are extremely popular with customers. I arrived at PRS on Saturday afternoon around 1pm, and only got my adjustables done about 4pm due to the sheer number of customers arriving at Mr Sim's doorstep. Mr Sim advised to return to the shop after 1 or 2 weeks of installation for QC in
Disadvantages of sports absorber (FYI I have mine on the softest setting).
1. You feel every single bloody surface on the road.. Bumps, pot holes, manhole covers, drain covers, rocks, which translates to more discomfort for you and the passengers.
2. Fuel consumption increased dramatically, down from 15km/l to 10km/l on medium setting. Fuel consumption back to 13 or 14km/l on softest setting.
3. Car feels bouncy due to the springs.
4. Wheels more prone to misalign.
Overall adjustables are a personal choice. You may do all the research in the world like I did to determine which adjustables are the best for your car, but ultimately you have to bite the bullet and try them yourself to know if they really fit your taste. As for me, I love the way how lowered my car looks, but in the long run.. I may change back to stock.
Stay tuned for more posts on how I modified my Honda City.
