jasonart

Hi Everyone,

I have a 2007 IS 250 AWD with 96K and am looking to replace the shocks to restore the comfortable ride.

I am thinking of going with the F-Sport shocks through Sewell but would also like to learn a little more about coilovers. I do not want to lower my call at all as I just want to restore the comfortable ride.

If I go with coilovers, it is an all in one unit/loaded shock that people say provides an excellent ride. However, most people that use them also lower their car.

I drive about 20K per year in Minnesota, summer, winter, city, rural etc, all over the state so I am wondering what the best replacement would be.

How long do coilovers typically last? Are they comparable to a regular shock or are they specific to sport and performance so they provide excellent comfort but only for a short time as they are designed to replaced often to keep up with the sport/performance requirements?

Do people also replace other bushings and such a long with the shocks? Do I have to reset the bushings (as it says in the post) if I am not lowering the car?

Thanks, I appreciate your input.
Jason

projectdna

iTrader: (56)

depends mostly on usage type and driving style. but, for daily driving purposes, it should last as long as the OEM shocks are rated for. some have been on coilovers for over 60k and have not reported any issues.

depending on which brand of coilovers you purchase, they can be customized (spring rate, valving) to fit your needs. most coilovers in the $1k price range allow you to dial in dampening as well.

no.

yes, you will have to reset the bushings, since you're replacing the spring/shock assembly w/ a coilover assembly.

jasonart

Thanks for your reply. Do the bushing have to be reset if I only replace the shocks with OEM or F-Sport?

I would think coilovers should last as long as regular shocks but sometimes that is not always the case as they are geared for performance.

It is interesting that on Sewell, the F-Sport shocks are cheaper than the OEM shock. That peaked my interest and some folks have said they like them so I thought about giving them a try.

The coilovers sound awesome and a lot of people say they like them but it looks mostly for lowering. I just want a comfortable ride with some responsiveness as my car is AWD. :-)

projectdna

iTrader: (56)

anytime you unbolt suspension components - whether to replace OEM springs/shocks w/ aftermarket counterparts, you'll need to reset the bushings.

you'll also need an alignment afterwards.

yes, coilovers should last as long as regular shocks. but no, not all coilovers are geared for performance.

they are designed to work w/ f-sport springs. ride quality firms up considerably. only downside is you have zero adjustability.

for the most part, any coilover in the $1k category is just that. even the damper settings don't do much in terms of ride quality.

if you're the type that will never tinker with ride height (read: set it and forget it), go with the f-sport springs and shocks, and call it a day. the fact that you have AWD also makes lowering a tricky proposition, since if you go too low you'll tear the AWD 2is CV boots, not to mention all sorts of other mechanical maladies.

Hyrepower

Buy the Tein Comfort Sport coil overs, enough said. They ride BETTER than stock and will last longer than your car at this point with it having almost 100,000 miles. I had them on my IS and loved them, the ride was like silk.

tedward88

iTrader: (11)

Don't forget the annoying vibration while idling if your too low! (specifically for AWD IS250s)

jasonart

Thanks guys!

I am not looking to lower it all. We just had 10 inches of snow in MN over the weekend so I cannot go any lower than it already is since this is my daily driver. AWD gets through it just fine but sometimes the extra inch or two of ground clearance comes in real handy.

Are we supposed to buy new bushings when replacing the shocks/coilovers? I don't see them in the Sewell parts list online but I am not necessarily looking for them either. Resetting would be good if the car is new with less miles but I am guessing that since I am resetting them, I might as well replace them with new unless that is not recommended.

Tein Comfort sport is not cheap. I can see staying in the $1000 range as that is what new shocks and mounts would cost. Megan and BC Racing seem to be very popular on CL and I saw a recommendation for Stance. Megan seems to be the lowest price but their new LP line is near $1000 too.

Jason

projectdna

iTrader: (56)

no, you are not supposed to buy new bushings when you replace the shocks/coilovers. you will need to replace them only if they show signs of extreme wear.

and yes, any coilovers offering in the $1k range will do what you're looking to do. then again, based on what you're posting, ANY coilovers offering will be overkill for what you need them for.

but hey, it's your money.

jasonart

Very true, I really don't want to spend any more money than I have to but I also want to keep my car what it is . . . no Monroe Sensa Trac for this one. :-)

New shocks and mounts at Sewell is going to be near $1000 already so I am thinking the coilovers would be a great choice as it is a loaded shock and also include the performance feel.

CircuitMS

iTrader: (51)

We carry a ton of suspension bits, feel free to shoot us a PM if you want some help with a set

Laid_Out

there are a lot of different factors but also, twin tube dampers generally last longer than monotube ones.

snaggle

I would just replace it with stock suspension, that is new. The ride will be smooth and nice just as you like it.

Coilovers have a more stiff and harsh ride than stock. The plus side to that is better performance, but sacrificing comfort. However some people dont mind or prefer a harsher ride like me. In my case, I put BC racing coilovers on my IS, the ride got more stiff than stock (obviously)

TooCool4u

iTrader: (2)

I have bc racing and they seem to be doing fine for me for now lol

sm1ke

iTrader: (5)

Don't forget that some coilovers can be rebuilt so that they have brand new internals, essentially making them perform like new. Something to look into, as the cost to repair is a LOT cheaper than buying a new set every two or three years

ip428

12K on my BC's and still rolling, no issues, and Daily driven...