Hey everyone,I'm hoping to lower my Vibe sometime soon and am looking at Hotchkis, Eibach Sportlines, Progress, and Teins S-techs. I am thinking of going with either the Sportlines or Hotchkis it's just that they run around $200-220 and the Teins are only around $135-145 shipped on ebay. PTuning sells the Progress springs for $170. I know a lot of you have the Teins and they seem like such a great deal. Is the drop about equal between all four of those springs? I first thought maybe the Teins are a bit too much of a drop for me, but maybe not. I'm also wondering if there is any quality difference with such a large price difference. I'm just trying to decide between these and would appreciate any more opinions. I've already looked at just about every single post available on springs and am still having a hard time deciding. Are some of the springs firmer or more uncomfortable for everyday driving than others?I emailed Bottle at titanmotorsports.com to see if they are still offering the Hotchkis springs for $190 shipped as a genvibe discount; still waiting for the response.Thanks for all the help,
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
I think you'll find that most people are happy with whatever set of springs they got. I haven't heard anything negative about any of them. I have the Teins on my car, and I really like them. I can still clear most parking curbs, so even if I pull too far forward I don't scrape. I think the Teins are definitely the best value. Performance wise, that would be difficult to tell unless someone has driven a Vibe with all of the different spring sets in them.
I have Teins and love the look of the 2" drop. With the springs and new tires, the car handles like a go-cart. The ride is not harsh and there is a lot less front end dive under braking. The Vibe has been transformed into a form of enter"tein"ment, not just a form of transportation.
Just for your info Justin, Of the springs you mentioned the Hotchkis are the most "high performance" so they offer the best handling, especially w/ having a higher spring rate for the rear than the front. Ride quality is decent but not as plush as sportlines or teins. Progress is an equal spring rate all around but still harsher than tein and sportline. Tein and sportline are less "competitive" but give great decent handling and a comfy ride.-Phil
2003 Shadow Vibe Base 5spd - 53,000 MilesFlowmaster 60 series exhaust - Short Ram Intake SystemKonig Kaliber 17x7 Rims w/ 225-45-17 Kumho Ecsta 711's - Hotchkis Springs - Progress Rear anti-sway Bar My Vibe is FOR SALE: $8900
Thanks for the input everyone.I read in one post about Hotchkis, they said the drop was about 1-7/8" front and 1-1/2 rear. People are saying the Teins are about 2" and were the Sportlines about 2" all around also? I like the agressive stance the Hotchkis gives, lower in front. Are all the other level all around?
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
Oh, I thought the Teins were going to be less comfortable with such a large drop. Glad to know that. Hmmm... maybe I will go with Teins, such a great deal and if they still drive somewhat comfortable or more than the Hotchkis springs. Thanks for the info Phil, that helped.
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
Also, I think I've heard that we don't necessarily need to worry about our struts going out any sooner than stock springs. Is this right? I wouldn't need to worry about the Teins wearing my struts out more than the Hotchkis, for example?
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
strut wear is hard to measure....the hotchkis would wear a little faster b/c the spring rate is higher, yet they would wear a little slower b/c the drop is not as big (1.8-2.0). Tein is easier on the struts in the spring rate department, yet harder in the drop aspect (2.3in) so they are probably about equal really.
2003 Shadow Vibe Base 5spd - 53,000 MilesFlowmaster 60 series exhaust - Short Ram Intake SystemKonig Kaliber 17x7 Rims w/ 225-45-17 Kumho Ecsta 711's - Hotchkis Springs - Progress Rear anti-sway Bar My Vibe is FOR SALE: $8900
yeah, sorry silver, i was trying to say that strut wear between the different brands of springs was equal, not between stock and aftermarket. Aftermarket will always put a little more wear on struts but i wouldnt say its enough to worry about.-phil
2003 Shadow Vibe Base 5spd - 53,000 MilesFlowmaster 60 series exhaust - Short Ram Intake SystemKonig Kaliber 17x7 Rims w/ 225-45-17 Kumho Ecsta 711's - Hotchkis Springs - Progress Rear anti-sway Bar My Vibe is FOR SALE: $8900
How about the Tein H-Techs? I just saw some on ebay and haven't heard about them before. Anyone used them or heard anything? They are rate a drop of 1.7" front and 1.5" rear. Is that close to the height of the Hotchkis?
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
Quote, originally posted by JustinVGT »Thanks for the input everyone.I read in one post about Hotchkis, they said the drop was about 1-7/8" front and 1-1/2 rear. People are saying the Teins are about 2" and were the Sportlines about 2" all around also? I like the agressive stance the Hotchkis gives, lower in front. Are all the other level all around? I bought Tein S.Techs...they have a drop of approximately 2.3" in front and 2.1" in the rear. Haven't installed them yet, but will have them in June 25th.
YES!I still visit GenVibe periodically. I have not forgotten about my "original" family over here!
Cool, must be hard having them but having to wait until June. I'm planning to go on some road trip this summer and possibly up to WI and the Great Lakes. Maybe I could time it around the Genvibe meet. Sure would be cool to meet up with so many fellow genvibe members. I'll have to see how things go with possibility of summer classes and whatever else.Later,
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
Thanks for the input everyone. Right now I'm leaning towards the Teins S-Techs. If anyone has any more comments, let me know.Thanks,
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
So, I'm thinking about going with the Teins. No one has any negative comments about them do they? The only thing that worried me at first is if it is too low. Those of you with Teins, is the height still enough clearance for most bumps, driveways, etc. and the ride is still mostly comfortable?
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
I have never bottomed out with my Teins, and I have never scraped. I haven't had to change my driving habits at all. I even had this 700# swingset in the back, and the shocks still didn't bottom out going over a couple speedbumps.You won't be disappointed with the Teins. Going to my 17" wheels made my Vibe alot rougher than dropping it.
Quote, originally posted by cohocarl »I've got Hotchkis on mine. Had 300lbs of Quikrete in the rear end yesterday and didn't notice any bottoming out, or any ill handling.Ha! With 380lbs spring rates on the hotchkis rear springs, I don't think you'll be bottoming out anytime soon!-Phil
2003 Shadow Vibe Base 5spd - 53,000 MilesFlowmaster 60 series exhaust - Short Ram Intake SystemKonig Kaliber 17x7 Rims w/ 225-45-17 Kumho Ecsta 711's - Hotchkis Springs - Progress Rear anti-sway Bar My Vibe is FOR SALE: $8900
Thanks FrostyGT, that's exactly what I wanted to know. Maybe I'll go ahead and get them. Adventon.com has them $120 + 23.48 shipping, beating the best ebay offer I saw by only a couple dollars.Now, I have to decide on my wheels.Later,
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
Well, just got off the phone with Adventon.com. My Teins are on the way! So far, adventon's service was great. My rep picked up immediately and was very nice on the phone. She said they are being shipped UPS tomorrow and I should get them in 5-10 business days. Woohoo!
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.
Yeah, Savedbyzero is going to help me out with the install, thanks Brad.
Justin 2003 Vibe GT - Mille Miglia Evo5 18x8 Wheels (now stock)- Magnaflow Cat-Back Exhaust (now stock)- Tein S-Tech Springs (now stock)- Injen CAI - Red Painted Calipers - Hella Supertone Horns - Polk Speakers - Bazooka RS8A-HP Sub - Kenwood Headunit - Still love my Vibe, but I've just turned it back into a basic daily driver.