JIC FLT-A2: 15 way adjustable compression and rebound, inverted monotube damper for less unsprung weight, independant ride height adjustable lower brackets (you can adjust the length of the strut) - most systems adjust ride height by using spring preload, meaning you actually affect ride quality when changing ride height. JIC can adjust the ride height by actually adjusting shock body length - does not affect suspension travel. Includes upper pillowball mount (on the IS, apparently this mount does not include the built in camber adjustment plate).

Tein SS: 16 way adjustable compression and rebound, standard damper design keeps damper on wheel side - does not affect unsprung weight, lower brackets are not adjustable, ride height changes via spring preload (thus affecting ride quality). Tein coilovers for Lexus applications traditionally do not come with any upper mounts to speak of, but this varies by application.

The benefit of the JIC is the adjustable shock body length, plus the inverted monotube design. There may be one more notch in the damper adjustment, but believe me, the benefits on the JICs far outweigh the TEINs. (Which I might add, as of the date of this post are unavailable.)

-Brian

 

The zeal function x are also available now for the IS. 33 way adjustable damping, both compression and rebound and ride height is adjusted like the JIC's are.

Zeal has a service center here in the states so getting them reconditioned (every 2-3 years) won't cost you an arm and a leg shipping them back to japan as airing an 80 lb box overseas and back is mucho $.

I would wager that if you took a poll on the enthusiast forums, most, if not all would choose to have zeals on their car over JIC's. They are considerably more expensive ($2300 v. $1660 for the JIC's) but worth it IMO.

 

First, you're right, if you ran a poll Zeal vs JIC, Zeal would come out on top. On the other hand, if 100 members were FORCED to purchase Coilovers, I bet you anything that JIC would come out on top from a price perspective. This is for the same reason you chose to purchase Stoptech instead of getting the Endless Brakes - Price.

Realistically speaking, any coilover installed on the car will likely out last the ownership period. (You're giving a figure of about 2-3 years before the strut needs to be rebuilt, I'm thinking more like 5 years, just long enough to decide you want another car.) Most people will not include where the product needs to be rebuilt as a factor in purchasing.

JIC is also here in the United States. While I do not know whether their service center exists in the US or not - If the struts need to be shipped out, JIC USA will perform the shipping, and boat shipping 80lbs back and forth is a reasonable proposition.

The difference in "performance" from a technical perspective between the Zeal and the JIC is nominal at best. The end user will likely not notice any difference as the adjustments should only be performed by a person qualified to make those adjustments. (Someone well versed in Racing Suspension setup - A shop capable of properly corner weighting a vehicle, and that can order spring rates specific to the desired application is preferred.)

The installation and setup of highly adjustable suspension components is as important as the components themselves. If the suspension is improperly setup, it won't matter whether you have Zeal or JIC on the vehicle, the ride quality will be unbearable. From the perspective of an installer, the only reason to go Zeal is for the name as the extra fine adjustment on the Zeal doesn't make up for the price difference.

-Brian

 

Very good point. I went with stoptech this time (had endless on my g35) as I don't plan on getting the matching rears. Stoptech does a lot of research into the stock brake bias so you can use their full on front kit with the stock rear brakes. This isn't quite so with the Endless kit as going with just the fronts will introduce too much front bias. If I planned on going to the track more than I contemplate right now, I would go with the Endless and get there 6 pot/4 pot racing set up for sure regardless of cost. Besides, I could just spend less than half on Tein's SS (too stiff) but those and the JIC's (bad reputation, at least IMO) aren't a consideration for me.
Most coilover companies recommend re-builds every 2-3 years. If you don't want to follow that and risk the consequences, then you have a risk/reward dilemma.

Going by boat equals 3-4 weeks each way + the actual shop time.

If you don't drive them back to back, you probably won't notice the difference as you only have 1 frame of reference. When I was researching suspensions for the G, I read more than several accounts of people switching from teins, jic's, etc., to zeals and they were unanimous in their praise for the zeals.

It's the same argument for I-Forged wheels v. HRE's (where I think they have a more valid argument in that situation )

 

The moral of the story here is that if you can't afford down time, don't put race components on a street car (especially not your daily driver).

-Brian