Modifying your car is one of the most satisfying and rewarding hobbies out there (in our opinion, at least). Not only do you have the freedom to make your car look unique and set it apart from everything else on the road, if you choose the right parts, you can improve its handling and performance significantly.

Most cars are compromised in some way when they leave the factory. Some are too softly sprung, giving them a comfortable ride but a lack of cornering agility, while others are the opposite way around. Modifying your car’s suspension can allow you to strike the perfect balance, improving your car’s cornering capabilities or even enhancing its ride quality: the choice is yours.

Then, there’s aesthetics. Most people agree that lowered cars look better than their factory-fresh counterparts (lifted off-roaders being the only exception). Closing the gap between the tyre and wheel arch can give your car a much more aggressive, race-inspired look - and provided you don’t get too carried away, a subtle drop won’t impact the day to day usability of the car much either.

So, the benefits of modified suspension are significant. But there’s more than one way to lower your car, and choosing the right option can be tough. Some will argue that lowering springs are the way to go, while others won’t settle for anything less than fully adjustable coilovers.

We’re here to settle the debate once and for all. Below, we’re going to explain not only what coilovers and lowering springs are (and how they differ from each other) but cover the pros and cons of each option. If you’re struggling to decide which upgrade is right for you, read on to get the answers you’re looking for!

What are lowering springs?

The simplest way to lower your car. In essence, lowering springs are shorter, stiffer replacements for your factory-fit springs. Simply remove your standard springs, fit lowering springs in their place and that’s it, your car will be lower by up to 50mm.

Depending on the car you drive, lowering springs can get rid of that unsightly arch gap almost entirely, transforming the way your car looks. They make a noticeable difference behind the wheel too, firming up the ride and, in some cases, improving your car’s handling characteristics.

It’s worth noting that the primary benefit of lowering springs, however, is aesthetic - they’re not going to deliver any real performance improvement unless they’re installed alongside uprated dampers. If you install lower, stiffer springs and keep your standard dampers in place, you may end up with a crashy ride and less predictable handling. So, if performance is important to you, it’s worth switching out your dampers if you plan on installing lowering springs.

Advantages of lowering springs

• Cost: Lowering springs are significantly cheaper than coilovers, allowing you to lower your car without breaking the bank.
• Simplicity: Simple to install, lowering springs are a direct replacement for the standard items. If your car has adaptive dampers fitted, they will still function as normal with lowering springs installed.
• Aesthetics: Lowering springs can drop your car by 50mm or more in some cases, making a real difference to the way it looks. 
• Handling: Although lowering springs won’t necessarily improve your car’s handling on their own, they can work wonders when they’re fitted in tandem with stiffer, aftermarket dampers. 

Disadvantages of lowering springs

• No adjustability: Unlike coilovers, lowering springs are non-adjustable. If you buy springs that are 45mm shorter than the stock counterparts, you’ll drop your car 45mm - you won’t have the freedom to lower it or raise it later on. 
• Limited ride height drop: Although lowering springs can potentially drop your car by 50mm or more, this may not be enough for you. If you really want to slam your car and achieve flush or tucked wheel fitment, you may want to consider coilovers or air ride instead.
• Harsh ride: Lowering springs can sometimes give your car a harsh, bouncy ride - not ideal if it’s your daily driver. If maintaining ride comfort is important for you, make sure you choose quality lowering springs that don’t drop the car too much (30-45mm is often the sweet spot). 
• Increased damper wear: Lowering springs place a greater strain on your car’s dampers, forcing them to work harder to absorb bumps in the road. If you fit lowering springs but keep your factory dampers, you may find they wear out quicker. 

What are coilovers?

Coilovers combine the spring and damper together, with the spring wrapping around the damper (hence the name ‘coil-over’). As a result, they’re lighter and simpler than conventional OEM suspension setups, which tend to feature separate springs and dampers.

But that’s not the main benefit of coilovers - adjustability is. Most coilover models feature adjustable damping, with a dial at either the top or bottom of the unit allowing you to soften or stiffen the shocks to suit your preferences. Want a comfortable ride? Turn the dial anti-clockwise. Need to firm things up for your next track day? It’s as easy as twisting the dial clockwise a few clicks.

Because the springs sit on an adjustable perch, the ride height can be tweaked to your liking too. Simply loosen the spring perch, raise it or lower it and lock it back in place. Depending on your car and the coilovers you choose, you can expect plenty of adjustability; some coilovers allow you to slam your car completely to the ground, VIP style.

The adjustment doesn’t end there. Even mid-range coilovers allow you to adjust the preload or droop of the spring independently of the ride height, giving you the freedom to set up your car exactly the way you want to. If this all sounds a bit ‘racing car’, that’s because it is: you’ll find coilover suspension fitted to all kinds of different track-only vehicles, from touring cars to GT racers and time attack monsters.

Despite their motorsport pedigree, coilovers make a great choice for a road car too - provided you choose the right ones and set them up correctly.

Advantages of coilovers

• Near-limitless adjustability: With so many different parameters to adjust, coilovers allow you to tweak your car’s ride and handling to suit your preferences perfectly. Whether you’re after a comfortable ride with a subtle drop or all-out performance, coilovers make it possible. 

• Real performance benefits: Coilovers are the go-to choice for motorsport because they provide significant performance benefits. Not only can they lower your car’s ride height (and therefore its centre of gravity), they’re stiffer and more responsive than standard suspension. The result? Improved agility, greater responsiveness and reduced body roll. 

Disadvantages of coilovers

• Expensive: The immense capabilities of coilovers come at a price. They’re significantly more expensive to buy than lowering springs, and the price gulf widens further still when you factor in the cost of setting them up and maintaining them.
• Hard to set up: With so many different elements to adjust, setting up coilovers correctly can be tough. It’s easy to just install coilovers and use them as-is, but in order to get the best out of them, you’ll need to consult a specialist. Even something as simple as adding too much preload to the springs can ruin the ride completely.
• More maintenance is required: Coilovers require more upkeep than standard spring and damper setups, which is one of the reasons why you don’t see them fitted to many vehicles from the factory. Expect to have to strip and rebuild your coilovers every 10-20,000 miles or so. 

Should I get lowering springs or coilovers?

So, the big question: are coilovers better than lowering springs, or is it the other way around?

There’s no straightforward answer, because both options have their merits. If you’re looking for a simple, cost-effective way to lower your car (and you’re not overly concerned about performance), lowering springs are the obvious choice. No, they don’t offer the adjustability or versatility of coilovers, but that won’t matter if you’re only looking for a subtle drop on your daily driver. If your car’s not going to see a race track and you don’t want to lower it too much, lowering springs are a great option.

On the other hand, if you’re serious about improving your car’s performance and crave the adjustability that only coilovers can offer, lowering springs simply won’t cut it. Once you have coilovers, you’ll soon see what all the fuss is about. Put it this way: you’d be hard pushed to find anyone who buys coilovers and then switches back to lowering springs, but plenty of people do the opposite. 

Coilovers give you the freedom to make your car look and drive however you want, and for that reason, they’re the best all-round choice (if you can stomach the cost). 

Professional installation vs DIY installation

One final thing - don’t forget to factor in the cost of installation. No matter which option you choose, you’ll need to get an alignment either way once your car is lowered. Lowering springs are generally simpler to install, because they’re a straight swap for standard springs.

Because coilovers need to be set up and adjusted once they’re on the car, you can expect to pay more for a professional installation. Both lowering springs and coilovers can be installed at home if you have access to basic tools, but DIY installation is rarely as simple as it looks; if you have an older car, be prepared to continually battle with rusty bolts along the way.

Even if you install coilovers yourself, we would recommend taking the car to a professional who can configure the ride height, preload and damper settings correctly (alongside carrying out an alignment). 

Discover our complete range of suspension parts

LK Performance is one of the nation’s biggest suppliers of quality suspension upgrade parts, including lowering springs, coilovers and complete suspension upgrade kits. Explore the complete range online today, or get in touch with our team of experts for advice.