Raceland Coilovers

[tehmonkay]

Hey guys, not sure if you've ever heard of raceland before. However, they do make coilovers for volkswagens and other vehicles at a great price, and are actually a lot better quality than most inexpensive coilovers at a higher price. Usually theyre around $330. They don't have any BG stuff right now, but i sent them a message to try and get them interested. I am sure it would help if you all did the same. The website is racelandus.com and here is the message i sent.

"I have a 1990 Mazda protege, i noticed you have no products for my car. I would highly suggest you make some. Coilovers for my car would also fit...

1990-1994 Mazda Protege
1990-1994 Mazda 323
1992-1998 Mazda MX-3
1991-2003 Ford Escort
1991-2003 Mercury Tracer
1995-1997 Kia Sephia

So it would cover a lot of models. Even though there are slight variations, you could design the coilovers with the 1997-2003 escort strut shaft diameter, and all cars could use them i listed, by simply buying strut mount thrust b earings for that year escort/tracer, or vice versa.

I hope you will make them, there are quite a few owners clubs that would be interested in buying im sure. wihandyman.com and feoa.net being the two biggest ones. Please let me know of your intentions, and if i can help any."

I would send something similar, perhaps copy and paste but just put what car you have at the top.

[CODY004WD]

I sent them one. Everyone looking for a cheap DIY setup should do the same. This topic comes up often, and this solution is an unbeatable bang for your buck for super cheap-ass enthusiasts. I am a part of a few Miata forums... Anyone on those forums looking for cheap height adjustability seems to use these, and I've heard some decent reviews. While they aren't as adjustable as K-sports, and certainly nowhere near the level of $2000 and up coilovers, these are simply a better answer for those of us who are looking for a cheap coilover. If they indeed end up making them, I would consider using them on my wagon when my GC/Blue setup gives out.

[progt91]

i had these on my bmw and they were pretty good for the money, was a little too stiff up front and too soft in the rear but overall they did good and lasted me quite a while. now i have a set of bilstein pss coilovers. way better set up, the ride and handling are far superior but saying that the bilsteins were way more in cost. overall i cant knock racelands for what they offer for the money. had them on my car for 100k

[atomicEGT]

yo real talk, why buy these over some eBay sleeve and spring jams and whatever struts? same thing except fancy chrome, or is there a legit difference in valving?

[progt91]

i bought them because i needed springs and shocks/struts. i knew they were direct fit. no dicking around. front springs were very stiff. if ii knew what they were rated i would tell you.

[CODY004WD]

Supposedly the valving is matched to spring rates, also the lack of perches is a plus, and finally a shorter strut is likely used for better travel in extremely lowered scenarios. Allows you to get low, and maintain some comfort. I actually hope to be able to test a set for them, and provide feedback on rates and travel if their R&D budget allows.

[atomicEGT]

be cool to have something that didn't ride like **** for cheap, not sure how I feel about using spring perches to adjust ride height but I guess for $400 you can't have everything

[Mazda_Powered]

Those things are garbage from what I've been seeing so far lol, the strut/shocks have failed a lot of people after 10k of driving...luckily there is warranty, but still :/ who wants to replace parts twice a year lol.

It seems the MS3 people have found out the spring rates are stiffer up front, and softer in the rear before they updated their spring rate list as "progressive" for the rears (was #125 apparently)

I know this is trying to find a cheap replacement, but damn :/ idk if it's worth the efforts lol.

[concealer404]

They're garbage. But if you want to get real low for real cheap and don't really care about anything else, then they're a good option.

[Ace]

I'd be interested. Gotta be better than Drop zone's on blown GAB's.
edit- sent them an email.

[Iantboyd]

be cool to have something that didn't ride like **** for cheap, not sure how I feel about using spring perches to adjust ride height but I guess for $400 you can't have everything

I think it depends on the shock used and if it was designed for the different ride heights achievable with the adjustment. I have a set of bilstein HD shocks on my 914 and it has adjustable perch height. Bilstein is pretty universally accepted as a better than average shock/strut manufacture. Not saying this application has taken the same amount of consideration in its design but adjusting ride height by using the perches isn't necessarily a bad option.

[atomicEGT]

yea, the Bilsteins in my R-pack were pretty great.

adjusting ride height via lower perches adds preload, right? I guess I'm just used to my K-Sports/FA500s...

[ThatGreenBG]

A buddy of mine has them on his Miata. Racelands aren't awful as long as you don't slam. The degradation rate if you do is substantial. They're great for cruising around and getting the look you want for cheap, but they're far from a serious performance coilover if you're into track days and stuff. I would call them the hoodrat equivalent to Tein Basics. Grassroots Motorsports did a feature on them and if memory serves, the review wasn't bad there, either. I think I'll send them an email as well. You really can't beat the value for a height adjustable suspension setup.

[bogaut]

Anything beats eBay springs

[ThatGreenBG]

Think this'll do it? lol

Raceland,

You may have received some recent emails expressing interest in coilovers for early 90s Mazda Proteges/323s and Ford Escorts. I wanted to throw my bid in as well. I drive a 1994 Mazda 323 and you guys don't make anything for my vehicle. I've had the opportunity to demo your coilovers installed on a friend's Miata and I was impressed. You really deliver a lot of bang for the buck.

I, and other enthusiasts that drive cars like mine are very interested in your company and would like to see if we can get together to produce an application for our vehicles. It would cover a range of vehicles that are quite popular among enthusiasts, with good following on sites like wihandyman.com and feoa.net. This new application would cover the following vehicles, in which the suspension is interchangeable;

1990-1994 Mazda Protege
1990-1994 Mazda 323
1992-1998 Mazda MX-3
1991-2003 Ford Escort
1991-2003 Mercury Tracer

Most of us are on budgets, so your relatively inexpensive, yet viable suspension alternative is great, being that we have almost nothing in the way of suspension choices. It's essentially oem replacement or $2000 coilovers for us, and we want to end that. My hope is that we can work together to develop a product with both of our interests in mind. You can reach myself or my Club Protege colleagues at www.wihandyman.com and I, of course, can be reached directly through my personal email. We look forward to your feedback!

Best regards,
Josh Chaney