partagas

I bang the nose of this thing twice a day. Driveways, rain gutters, hit speed bumps a little fast; not enough clearance as it is. I watch these guys in lowered '03s creep ovet the RR tracks and crawl through deep guttered intersections like a motorhome.

lakeman

partagas, I echo your thoughts. As you know, if you want to improve the handling the solution is good tires. The suspension of the 6MT is already set up very well.

danno

Slow Down

partagas

I have a motorhome for that.

lakeman

I usually have the problem at very low speeds, where there is an abrupt grade change. While it just hits the spoiler, it is aggravating none the less. I have found that taking an angle usually prevents the "rub" , but it is a low car in the front.

partagas

All over the hilly areas of LA, most of Bakersfield and the SLO area and in the old sections of Fresno, it seems that I have to crab sideways out of half the driveways and the rain gutters in rural areas require an angle approach. I hate slowing down for these things.

The main entrance to Fresno State has a deep gutter that goes bang. You're always rushed there because of all the kids crowding through the intersection in the morning.

Mike64

Except, the thing that is scraping is under and behind the front spoiler, so its really doing what it can to warn you about clearance.

partagas

Didn't say that it was. It's just a PITA and I can't imagine any sense in lowering this car. It's never goint to challenge the IS300s in the parking lots or the 330s on the road courses. So why cripple the mobility of your car worse than it already is.

Will it attract chicks?

Tecworld

There is actually a flap of plastic underneath, either for clearance warning or airflow aid, but that is what is scratching. I think I'm going to drive mine around a bit, and maybe go for the comptech springs if it's just the plastic rubbing (I might even cut that off). The car has relatively short overhangs.. but it's also relatively low as a stock car. So it'll take some thinking.

partagas

It's there for a reason. My wife took out a nose over hang on a parking lot curk a few years back. $2200.

What is the reason for lowering it? The handling is as good as this car can get, practically. It is frontend weight and torque steer limited. It's a physical reality. It handles better than 99% of us can drive.

What is the motivation to do this, cosmetics?

It can't be chicks, they don't care.

neuronbob

The motivation is to reduce body roll (I know, sways are better but springs do help) and to reduce squat and dip on acceleration/deceleration. While the stock setup is much better than the last TL (I know, I owned one), it can be improved. I don't think lowering another inch will affect things too adversely (I hope).

How about comments from those who've actually lowered the car? Jimthegreek? Danno (once you get your springs on this week)?

danno

It looks better and handles better. That is a fact. Doesn`t the A-SPEC have been lowered? Why would anyone spend over 5000.00 on this kit?

partagas

Yeah, its springs are shorter. I know guys who have put shorter springs and shocks, on BMW track cars. That I understand. Bashing the nose of my car on public roads, etc. I don't understand. The TL is not a toy car. A race setup BMW M3 coupe is.

danno

Going from a stock car to a race bred performance system is one thing,improving handling is something else. A good majority of Beemer owners alter their suspensions for this reason, not to race on a track

Ken1997TL

You guys have it easy

Try driving a 3rd generation Accord. Those were the 1986 - 1989 cars with the pop-up lights.

THOSE cars were low!

partagas

I put sways on my 330i, just like many of the enthusiasts, but I'll be damned if I'll lower it unless it becomes just a track car. I will certainly entertain sways for the TL if they do anything besides increase rough road pitch. Too many guys think that stiffening the roll of the fron end increases actual cornering ability when, in fact, it only screws up bump handling and increases oversteer.

My guess is that these cars will be lowered because of the young male thing, "it looks so bad."

So, I'll shut up. No thanks necessary.

jimthegreek

i lowered mine 1.4 all the away around and have no isues with clearance whatsoever... i havent hit the front end once yet....

:knockonwood:

Tecworld

The TL will corner better on a smooth surface curve if it were 1 inch lower. Bumps are the only thing that can change this fact. The reason for this is that there is less virtual weight that needs to be cornered if the center of gravity is lower for a car.

partagas

Any fool know that. So what? It will never corner with the Germans so why make it ride like HELL (hemorrhoid hell) and bash into dirveways and gutters and make you drive like a low rider?

I hope that it looks sufficiently good guys. My kid did that to one car until he kept busting stuff and brought it back up. But, what the hell, he was 17, you know, pre brain.

VTEC=happiness

Not quite sure why you are so animated and angry about the whole lowering thing. It seems that if people want to lower their car you don't need to go off about it...if you choose not to lower your car, feel free to tell everyone that and tell us why you choose not to, but no need to bash those that do.

I am planning on lowering my car by 1" all around. I am not doing it thinking it is going to vastly improve handling, rather, I feel that there is a bit too much wheel gap with the stock suspension, and I am planning on getting slightly larger wheels which, I feel, would look better with the car slightly lower. I am not planning on "slamming" the car, as I am not a ricer and I do not feel that this is a ricer car. I do feel that I can make a slight improvement over the already great looks and I know that the compromise to the stock feel of the car will be minimal. I also feel that lowering the car does not translate into scraping the bottom constantly beacuse I always slow for bumps and driveways, and 1" lower will not significantly increase my chances of scraping.

Not sure if you are now going to attack me for my plans, but keep in mind that you are not gonna be in my car, so you shouldn't worry yourself too much. People in cars that cost significantly more or less than the TL lower their cars everyday for looks/handling difference, and there is no need for you to make it your problem. As far as youth being the prime motivation for lowering, take a look at many of the lowered benzes and higher end Beemers and Audis around...the desire to improve looks is not age discriminatory

VTEC=happiness

adam209

ahhh...pwing at its best! anyways, if you get a-spec it lowers the car about 1 inch so. maybe you should re-evaluate how you drive over obstacles. if you wanna plow through sh!t, get a truck.

partagas

OK, best of luck. And, seriously, I really do wish you smooth roads, because I sure can't find them.

bustedbyu

I'm not sure what the rant and rave for not putting in suspension springs but if one installs aftermarket rims, it looks much more nicer when the low profile rims and a drop is made. I'm not speaking in terms of 2 inches but for me, 1 inch is sufficient for this TL.

Sure, you can upgrade to 19" inch rims with low pro tires but I suggest dropping it; otherwise, just keep the damn car stock. The stock look is still nice and it catches eyes.

Tecworld

What the heck? What's your beef with lowering? Don't lower your own car and leave it at that. Nobody cares what you do with your car.

I've driven an accord with a 1.5 inch lowering + aftermarket shocks and it handles superbly. The shocks provide very good dampening, and it rides quite smooth over bumps. It doesn't ride like hell. When you modify a car, it's important to modify it correctly.

I can tell you right now that it is fully possible to make a TL handle and corner better with slight lowering, proper dampening, and better tires. You just don't know enough about modifications, and that is shown by your complete ignorance. Saying it will never corner with the Germans is just incorrect. Everyone knows a suspension modified RSX or TSX can out-handle a stock 3 series. There are limits to FWD cars, but there are also improvements to be made over stock trim. And these improvements can be easily had without making it "ride like hell". In fact, everyone (including people who drive stock height cars) can learn a thing or two about driving a car in a way that prevents nose-dives and clipping dips. It prevents a lot of accidental damage to the front end.