Many car enthusiasts start their suspension journey with lowering springs. They're simple, cheap, and provide that immediate “dropped” aesthetic. But when you’re looking for performance, precision, and the ability to truly dial in your setup — coilovers are on another level. In this guide, we’ll break down why coilovers are a superior choice for street, drift, and track cars compared to lowering springs.
The Core Differences
Lowering springs replace your factory springs with shorter, stiffer ones, lowering the car and slightly firming up the ride. Coilovers, on the other hand, combine a shock absorber and a threaded spring perch into one unit. That threaded design allows for adjustable ride height, preload, and sometimes even damping.
- Lowering Springs: Fixed drop height, often paired with factory dampers, lower price.
- Coilovers: Adjustable ride height, better performance tuning, bundled shock/spring package.
Performance Tuning: Coilovers Win
Ask any driver who takes their car seriously: adjustability matters. With coilovers, you can change your car’s ride height, spring preload, damping (in many cases), and corner weight distribution. That means better handling balance and grip, whether you're attacking corners on a backroad or sliding at the local drift event.
Ride Quality and Control
Surprisingly, coilovers don’t always ride harsher. Many quality coilover setups (like our SLR Drift Spec Coilovers) are valved specifically for comfort during daily driving and control under stress. Lowering springs on factory struts often mismatch damping and spring rates, causing a bouncy or crashy ride.
Who Should Choose Coilovers?
Anyone who wants to:
- Daily drive their car with better handling and a lower stance
- Take their car to track days or drift events
- Fine-tune their setup as tires, loads, and driving style evolve
Common Misconceptions
“Coilovers are only for racers.” Nope — daily drivers benefit from better weight distribution and handling too. “They ride too stiff.” Not if you choose the right spring rate and damping combo. “They’re too expensive.” Quality coilovers like SLR’s are competitively priced and built to last.
Why SLR Coilovers Are the Top Choice
SLR Drift Spec Coilovers aren’t just rebranded off-the-shelf kits. They're engineered specifically for aggressive use with dialed spring rates, premium oil, and valving that responds well to both street and competitive use. Whether you’re drifting an E36, tracking a 350Z, or daily driving an E46 — we’ve got the right kit for your needs.
Verdict: Coilovers > Lowering Springs
While lowering springs offer an entry point into suspension tuning, coilovers open the door to a world of performance. For the serious driver — or anyone who values the way their car feels, handles, and performs — coilovers are the clear upgrade.
Want to learn more about how coilovers compare to lowering springs? Check out our full breakdown blog here: Lowering Springs vs Coilovers: In-Depth Performance Comparison.
SLRspeed — real suspension, no fluff.
