First let me thank eric (sidemarker) for coming over last sat. to help me put on my comptech sways. It was really very nice of him to waste so much time on doing something for someone else's car... so BIG thanks to him! And i should add that he did most of the work, so if u ever need a hand then i'm here buddy

Installation:

I wont say how long it took us to install them (kinda embarrassing) but it was the first time for both of us so its cool... atleast we got the job done right. Its definetly not hard, but little things like taking off screws and sliding the sways in and out (esp the front) consume the time. Otherwise its a fairly simple process

Before / After :

Soon as we had them in, we went out for a spin. Hoping to see an immediate different while taking the first 2-3 turns, i was disappointed. So we went down to this really winding road with steep ups and downs and all sorts of curves to really get the feel of the bars. Slowly, but surely, u could start to feel the difference... tho in a very subtle manner.

I drove for 10-15 mins and than let eric drive the way back home and just like me, he could feel the difference but not outright. Only in certain turns u can feel the car not sliding out and sticking on the road.

Now that i've driven my car for some days now, my opinion is that the only way to REALLY and DEFINETLY know the contrast between the OEM and CT bars is by driving through ur everyday roads and turns.

Austin's a fairly hilly town, esp the west side and driving through there everyday i knew how my car reacted... so now when i take those certain turns at a certain speed, i can really tell how much the handling has improved. And the best part is that it does it with absolutely NO NONSENSE... meaning the ride quality doesnt change at all and even in sharp curves, the sways quietly do their job.

Worth:

But are they worth almost $300? umm I personally dont think so; yes there is an improvement but not $300 worth (or 280 which i paid). Not to bash on anyone but i've read many praises on this board about these sways so i was expecting a more profound improvement - which i dont think is there. Of course, ppl should know that i am running on stock michelins and i'm sure if i got high performance tires then it would make a world of difference. Maybe i'm too picky or the other guys are easily amused... i dont know

I certainly dont regret getting these CT sways and overall i'm happy with them, esp. cos i didnt like how the car handles before and MAYBE i'll be fully satisfied once i get better tires which stick better and dont worsen the ride quality.


ps - thank again to the guys who had offered to help before!

 

good input dude... i wanna get the sways soon myself, but i'm just trying to figure out if i really "need" them.

 

Just curious, do you have springs as well? I got springs, and later sways, and I love the difference in feel from both

 

Nice review.

 

try autocrossing with them. Tossing a car left-right-left-then-sharp-right at 35mph-50mph will definitely have you feeling them.

I've had mine for three weeks. The front sways may not be worth the money but I can definitely feel the thicker rear sways.

 

ive got the comptech springs..im not sure i would even need these sway bars...the suspension on my ride is noticably better with just the springs..what added bonus would another 300 in comptech parts (sways) get me??? i think i may be better off just using the 300 bucks to help pay for a V1 or a little thump in the trunk...

 

I think the Sways work best in combination with sticky tires and Springs.
I really can’t isolate the individual benefits of each part because I had all those items AND larger Rims installed within a couple of days of each other.
And my car was only 2-weeks old.

Shawn S

 

No, no springs... my car is totally stock. Thats why i put up the review, so ppl who ONLY want to put the sways in their stock car will know what they'll get out of em.

But about the springs, if i understand correctly, springs are MOSTLY to improve the actual ride... such as the stiffness of the ride going straight, over bumps and stuff - while not a whole lot to do with turns.

And sways are ONLY good for turns and stuff like that cos they dont do much when ur basically going straight.

But one thing i forgot to add is that the car feels alot more connected to the road when i'm cruising. Almost like the sways are pulling the car down.. maybe its just in my head but its def a good feeling

 

But when you combine ALL of these factors on a bumpy/curvy road, THAT is when they work best in combination.
When you brake hard while entering a corner the springs are used.
When you turn and accelerate in the middle of the curve, that is when the sways are used.

I’m kind of regretting NOT doing shocks when I had the suspension ripped apart, but I’ll address that when the stock ones die.

Shawn S

 

upgrade yo 235/40/18 Add some Nitto or Toyos... and the difference is day and night!

 

Yea sticky tires are definetly next on the agenda....

I know ppl are always praising toyo, s03 and nittos on here and i'm sure they are great. But i want them to be stickier then the stock michelins yet they cant be any louder or rougher. Cos the stock tires are, i think, as rough and loud as i can handle. After all i am suppose to be driving a "luxury coupe" and not a sports car so i'm afraid those tires will be too much for me in terms of noise and all.

I've heard good things about Bridgestone Turanza LS-Z - where they're stickier yet offer a ride atleast at par with the stock. Anyone have an opinion on those?

Thanks

 

I felt a difference with the sways immediately, but give it some more time. You'll be amazed when you drive a different road for the first time and feel a difference. They are definitely the right 1st suspension mod.

 

I'm no expert by any means, but I did the springs first. Reason being #1 I liked the way the car looked lowered, #2 by lowering the weight of the car I felt it would improve the handling. I wasn't really interested in "autocross" type handling, just the everyday drive, eliminating that "wandering" it does on the highway and having it stick better on off ramps. I did also purchase better, wider, lower profile tires too.

I have been pleased with the decision. Again, I'm not trying to pass someone on the inside though... no wandering, car definitely seems to track better and I feel "seat of the pants" that I can go around the highway ramps at a greater rate of speed than I could before, less body roll. Plus, I have the lowered look, which brings many compliments, which I dig

I'm still debating on the sways, but really don't see why I would need them. More interested in adding the headers, which will happen next Tues...

 

Its funny u mention the headers cos i got a chance to drive sidemarker's CL with comptech headers, exhaust and AEM CAI. While his car was definetly faster at higher RPMs but we both agreed that paying $1000 for headers is too much.

There is an increase in power but dont think its worth that much, but again if ur the type to squeeze every drop of HP out of ur car and VALUE isnt an issue then u'll definetly enjoy it.

But generally speaking, comptech being one of the few, and in some instances, the only company to make stuff for our cars, they put a price on their products than what they're REALLY WORTH.

.02