I have a 2001 ls miata and looking for a pair of affordable coilovers.
I am looking at the FM Vmaxx classic stage 2 (with sway bars) and the TDR Yellowspeed sports.

Anybody have any experience with the yellowspeed? Which would you recommend for dd and minimal track usage.

 

Yellowspeed looks like BC, Stance, GR, K-Sport, K2, et al.

 

Thats what i was thinking but i read a couple good reviews on how the adjustable dampener actually works.

 

Yellowspeed < BC

I installed BC Racing BR Series coils in my car and think they're a decent budget coilover.

I helped replace a guy's YellowSpeeds after he'd only had them a couple of weeks, he hated them and preferred his previous FM MSM suspension setup (the original FM one, pre-coilover) and quickly found a set of 2nd-hand AFCOs which we installed.

Having installed Yellowspeed and BC coilovers, and actually seeing them side by side, the Yellowspeeds look and felt cheap in comparison to the BCs.

Not sure where Yellowspeeds are made but BC Racing coilovers are made in Taiwan (which is where the best computer motherboards and memory are made - ie. Taiwan quality is bloody good, lightyears ahead of "Chinese quality").

 

I've handled many BC's on another platform, and IMHO their quality is utter dog crap.
cheap, knockoff, with valving and spring rates a guesstimate rather than any sort of engineering effort, feel like junk, handle like junk, and blow out very soon

if these "yellows" feel even cheaper, I can't even imagine how terrible they must be.

 

Which BC Racing coilovers are you talking about?

The V1 Series (black and red) are BC Racing's entry-level coilovers which I read somewhere are also re-branded as Meagan coilovers (which don't have a great reputation).

The BR Series (black and gold) are the next level up and in Australia cost A$100 more.

I don't pay much attention to the V1 Series coilovers but keep tabs on the BR Series coilovers since I have them on my car. We don't have many issues with these on MX5s here in Australia and our roads are worse than in the US; when people do upgrade them it's usually to go to a track-oriented coilover rather than due to failures (the BR Series coilovers which normally come with 8Kg/6Kg springs are really a general-purpose/compromise budget coilover for street and track use).

From BC Racing Coilovers - Comprehensive Review

"CONCERNS

1. Made in Taiwan. Let’s face it- this can be an issue. We have all seen the horror pics of failed Megans, D2’s and others. BC Racing coilovers are indeed made in Taiwan by the Bor-Chuann suspension company. The BC Racing factory is ISO9001 certified for quality control and its coilovers are German TUV certified. That’s a big deal (especially the TUV, which is a rigorous standard) and it alleviated much of my concern."

I don't think you can knock BC Racing's quality for their Tawain-manufactured components (although VW may have tarnished the whole "German quality" thing a tad).

... if the coilovers are manufactured in China though, all quality-control assurances must be "taken with a truckload of salt".

 

There's two levels of megan **** for miatas in the US, one is crap and the other more expensive crap of a different color.

"racing"


"street"



All crap, v-max included. I will knock BC, they go for a grand here. You could do a lot more damage with a grand than blow it on cheap coilovers, even if they are gold.

 

well i heard that vmaxx was crap but being said that FM critiqued them i have read better reviews, and the main reason i was looking at the yellow speeds is because they are local to me at TDR in dallas.

 

**** VS ****. Get some bilsteins and diy a coilover setup if you want to do it on the cheap.

 

The ones I've dealt with thus far are the black/red

 

I have run vmaxx (10k miles). They aren't total ****... in fact I thought they were pretty nice considering the price.

 

Be cheap and DIY bilsteins, or be baller and buy xidas. Don't **** around with the middle.

 

This pretty much sums up the "Suspension" portion of this sub-forum.

 

I absolutely hate mine. Did you put FM's swaybars on as well? I did the full Stage 2 with the Vmaxx Sports and it will understeer up to a point and then snap oversteer.

 

I did. I liked it. Your under/oversteer issues may (likely) be related to alignment/ride heights as well. Try lowering the front shocks a little and going back to stock Mazda rear sway.

I used to run the FM rear bar on tight tracks, then swap to stock rear bar on faster tracks. Seemed to work pretty well- the FM rear bar is pretty stiff vs their front so my car pretty much defaulted to oversteer with it installed, default understeer with FM front and Mazda rear.


I currently have the 949 BGK and it's better (how much so is debatable).

 

I picked up stance super sports since they are distributed locally near me(Chicago) and can get them warrantied locally etc. I've had them for about 2 years. I leave them on mostly soft, and about half way clicked for track days. Full stiff they ride too hard and upset the car. For 15click adjustable dampening it's more like 3 settings. Full soft, medium, and hard since there's no noticeable difference between 1-2 clicks. But that's what you get with "meh" coilovers. For the $900 I spent on them brand new they have been pretty decent and am happy with my purchase. I do like that you adjust ride height from the base of the coilover instead of the spring perch. Makes for adjusting height easier if you ask me, since I just undo the bottom bolt and spin the base instead of dealing with coilover forks etc.

I've considered moving to a swift spring, but I might just jump to higher quality coilovers like afcos or xidas in the future.

 

I have BC BR's on my subaru. ~80000? miles on them. Still impressed for a $900 coilover set.

 

I know this isn't quite what you wanted to hear, but TRUST ME... I have a 2001 miata LS, too, save up your money, and allocate the proper funds for a PROPERLY engineered suspension.

I was going to buy FCM elite shocks, but I really talked to the owners of FCM and 949, and the XIDA is just better engineered.

Your car will have so much grip if you get the big grip package from 949, YOU WONT KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH IT. Like if you took the same corner at 95-100mph on the stock suspension, you can go over 130. Hairpins you were sliding out on at 45-50mph, you can take at 70mph WITHOUT proper driving line.

Please for the love of cars, the smile on your face, and the awesome feeling of not comprehending the speed of your car's handling, WAIT.

 

If you're going to spend $1000 on coilovers and not build them yourself, buy these and report back.

DSD Coilover - V8 Roadsters

 

This is, like, the smartest thing you've posted.
Truth