mex lex

iTrader: (4)

I have a 2002 GS300 with 62000 miles and I have 20x8.5 rims on 245/35 tires. I have spent countless hours researching springs, shocks and coilovers on this site. I have been thinking alot about which setup to go with and now I am completely lost and confused. At first I wanted to lower the car to fill in the gap a little bit. I have about a 2.5" gap in the front and a 2" gap in the rear. However, I could not decide whether to get either of the tein springs or tanabe nf210s. Then, after reading just about every suspension thread, I learned that the stock shocks on lowering springs will bottom out and will eventually wear out the shocks sooner. So, I then decided I should get a s/s combo to avoid paying installation twice. However, based on my research and what I was told, coilovers would only cost a couple hundred dollars more. So, now I decided maybe coilovers are worth the extra money if I go with the s/s combo. I don't know yet what my budget is because I have to take the car to the dealer for some catalytic converter and oxygen sensor repairs and I don't know if the warranty will cover it. On the other hand, I think I am also considering leaving the suspension stock so my warranty will not be voided. That is my other big issue too. I also want to do some engine upgrades and buy a lip kit. I still have the warranty and I will probably purchase an extended warranty since I plan on keeping my GS forever. I am sorry for such a long post and I know some people won't even read it because it is so long, but I hope the experienced members who have been in my position before can give me some well needed advice. I am open to any suggestions on specific parts and where I can find a great deal on them. Thanks again for the advice.

P.S. Pics would definately help me in choosing the look that I want

GSteg

iTrader: (15)

I went with L-tuned springs and KYB (L-tuned) shocks. I believe if you get the dealer to install them, then your suspension warranty will still be intact because L-tuned is backed by Lexus.

But if you are more serious about handling and wheel gap, get yourself coilovers. Although I am lowered, I still have 3 fingers gap in front and 2 fingers gap in the rear. I'm on oem 17 so it looks good enough. Since you have 20s, coilover is the way to go.

Honestly, suspension mods makes my drive more fun than engine mods because your car is more tossable. Your car will drive like a different beast around turns. With engine mods, you wont gain that much power (in a GS300) unless you go with a turbo or supercharger, so your day to day driving will almost be like stock.

csq860

Any advice I could give would be far from expert, but I'm curious why you're concerned about voiding the warranty with suspension mods but not engine mods? That aside on the suspension issue I think it's a very personal choice, coilovers are all that will satisfy certain drivers, performance shocks and lowering springs are fine for others, some wouldn't deviate from stock even if Jesus was doing the installs. It's all a matter of your likes. I'd suggest trying to get a ride, or better yet a drive, in a car with shocks/springs and one with coilovers and see what feels right to you. My guess would be, given that you seem ok with the idea of staying stock, shocks/springs might be all you need, coilovers might be too much for you, but you can't really say until you feel it both ways for yourself. I don't think I'm going too far out on a limb suggesting those 20's will look way better if you lower your car a bit. There's a posting in the classifieds for a set of L-tuned shocks, that might be just what you need. Also I'm not sure what you mean by a "lip kit" but if you mean a front lip spoiler I've got a brand new Greddy lip in my garage that I'll let go for a very nice price, pm me if you're interested. Good luck, Chris.

Btw check the regional Southwest forum, there's a car meet coming up in mid January, that might be a great chance for you to try a couple of different suspension setups.

RacerLex

It's really not that complicated. Before you do any modifications or upgrades, baseline your car mechanically. No point in having a lip spoiler if you car doesn't run. Take your GS into the dealer and have the catalytic converter and oxygen sensor addressed. Has the 60k service been completed? If not, set aside another $500+ and get the done.

Your wheel/tire combo are also way out of spec, your actual engine miles are more than the 62k the odometer shows. If you've got the stock wheels/tires, I'd put those on before taking it into the dealership. Heck, I'd leave on the stock until you get you can get the right sized tires (245/30-20).

Once you've got the GS mechanically sound, then think about the upgrades. If the warranty isn't covering the 02 sensor and cat, plus the 60k service, you're looking at a $2k bill from the dealer.

Oh, and about the mods... do the suspension first. I highly recommend coilovers because you can adjust the height so each corner is perfectly balanced. Plus the components were specifically designed to work together. Which one to choose is another thread... get your car running right first.