DriverJ

I've debated lowering my 4th Gen SS basically since I bought it 17 years ago. It's never been a daily driver, but I'm looking for something that has road manners, won't be stupid hard to get off the ground for maintenance in my garage (no lift), but will also make the car more fun in the curves.
I've debated on doing some Auto-X in it, but as I've never really raced, I'm not going all in at this point.

Would I be better off going with a coilover setup or just new shocks with some lowering springs (probably using BMR or UMI)
Since most of the driving it does now is on the street I want it to have good road manners as well. But the car maybe see's 1k-3k miles a year at most right now.

ramairetransam

iTrader: (18)

coilovers will always be better . you don't have the have the car slammed to the ground .

blackbyrd

iTrader: (14)

I'll second coilovers
, more versatility and with the right set can tailor to your needs

FirstYrLS1Z

iTrader: (4)

Only one problem with coilovers for the rear is if the rear shock bolt stud snaps/breaks then you lose all height in that corner. With separate shock and spring if a shock stud bolt snaps the spring will still hold that corner up. I've seen it happen once, only once.

biketopia

iTrader: (5)

Like stated, coil overs will always be better for adjustability, but how much do you want to spend? A set of Strano lowering springs and quality adjustable shocks that Sam recommends will probably make you very happy with the stance and ride/corner carving ability. Especially if you're not looking to go all in and spend a few grand on a viking dual adjustable set up. Also with coil overs you'll have to work at it a little to get the car even at each wheel, which can be a good and bad thing depending on much effort you want to spend at it.

Sam Strano

iTrader: (41)

The idea that coil-overs are always better is not a good one to absorb. They can be, but folks seem to forget that coil-overs are nothing more than shocks and springs, that happen to give you height adjustment. Well just like you can get crappy shocks or poor spring rates for normal stuff, you can with coil-overs too.

The question here is what your priority is. If you HAVE to have height adjustment to nit-pick the result, then you should get coil-overs but not just *any* if you care about how the car actually drives and handles. What some consider to be all in, I would not. All in would be $4k and say Penske on it.

Separate sales info and looks from reality. Learn a little about shocks. If you have two twin tube shocks, and one has no gas charge, no lifetime warranty and no ability to alter the flow of oil/how it flows through the piston with speed, or one that is gas charged, has a nice long warranty, and acts upon the flow of oil through the piston, which way would you go? Now, it gets more sticky, because the shock that doesn't offer that does offer some height adjustment. Do you need that? And if you do, are you aware of there being monotube shocks with a lifetime warranty that are also coil-overs?

Z28SteveA4

iTrader: (16)

I’m no autocross racer but I’ll can tell you the two three things that made my car handle a million times better for a street car was three point subframe connectors, koni on car adjustable shocks all the way around and bmr lowering springs. If you are looking for handling call and talk to Strano right above. He is the proven man for 4th gens and could answer any question you have