my car is about to hit 70,000 miles (01 AE) and i was thinking of replacing the struts soon. doesnt seem to need them, but why not right?

what kind of aftermarket struts, if any, will give you better handling? i know its the springs that will make the biggest difference, but i dont have the cash for everything right now. i will also throw on a RSB when i do the struts.

thanks!

 

tokico illuminas or gr2 if youre on a budget

 

I'm in the exact same situation as you. I have an '01 AE with about 68k on it. I was looking into new struts and found the KYB GR2s to be the best deal for me. I was about to order them but last minute I decided to stay with the stock ones for a little while longer. I was going to order them off tirerack.com, that's where I got the best deal. Check them out, they might work for you.

 

A set of KYB GR2's will firm things up quite a bit and provde much better handling.
There priced right as well.

Tokico Illuminas will give you the adjustability to go from a softer then stock ride, up to a much firmer then stock ride. Mid way settings provide excellent ride control and stability in cornering while maintaining a very compliant ride. There well worth their price tag especially if you thinking of putting a lower sprot spring in later on.

 

If I eventually want to upgrade to sport springs, how much more effective will the illuminas be than the gr2s?

 

more, i dont think night and day but it'll definitely outlast the gr2, gr2 isnt made for a drop

 

Just FYI....if you are interested in maintaining relatively good ride qualities, dont do the GR2s and consider the Tokico Blues instead -they are much softer.

I know, because I have had both back-to-back on the same car.....I just removed a pair of GR2s with less than 4k miles on them and went back to my old Tokicos so.....if you want a pair of very lightly-used GR2s, PM me.

And to correct the post above, both the Tokicos as well as the GR2s will support drop of up to 1.5 inches

 

I'd recommend the Illumina's. They give you the ability to adjust the settings, from firm to soft (5 position adjustable) So, on your stock springs, you can dial them in to what feels best to you. Then when you add aftermarket springs (H&R, Maxspeed, Tein, etc), you can readjust them to match your new springs. If you buy non-adjustabe shocks, you are stuck with whatever level of firmness (or softness) that they came set at, and you may or may not be completely happy with them. So, go for the Illumina's, and adjust away!!