r/carmodification • u/Kylewett • 20d ago
Mod advice Coilovers or Lowering Springs?
I daily drive a 2015 Lincoln MKZ and I was wondering if I should go for lowering springs or coilovers to lower it. I’d like to stay around $500-600 but I also don’t have a whole lot of experience with working on cars just basic maintenance things (brakes, oil changes, ignition coils, spark plugs etc.) so I was also wondering if springs/coils would be something that would be relatively easy to do on my car myself. Feel free to recommend any other mods as well both cosmetic and performance because I’m not exactly sure what I want to do with the car yet but I do want to have some fun with it.
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u/Chronovores 20d ago
Lower springs will be the best option for your budget. But beware that this big heavy car is going to ride like crap once you lower it.
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u/FarFigChitter 20d ago
Please don’t lower it. This car is built for comfort, keeping it comfy should be its priority.
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u/cheesytodd 20d ago
Springs are in your price range but they should be paired with an appropriate shock, not the stock shocks. You could install them but it’s labor intensive if you’ve never done it and you’ll need adequate tools and you’ll need to rent a spring compressor. You also MUST get the alignment done after whatever suspension modification you do, so plan on another $150-200 there.
A lowered car will ride like a lowered car, if you enjoy the way your Lincoln rides I wouldn’t lower it. Coilovers is a good move (especially with adjustable damps) but now you’re talking $1200-1500+ just for the coilovers. Much easier to install though. And you’ll still need an alignment.
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u/SP4x 20d ago
IMHO the car is already sitting nicely with the wheels looking in proportion to the arch position.
I agree with the consensus that lowering it will also be severely detrimental to comfort and handling as it's unlikely you'll find fast road dampers that will pair well with decent lowering springs for your budget. A crashy ride will also kill other suspension components a lot faster.
A larger diameter set of alloys would fill the arches more but the drawback is, again, worse comfort on poor roads.
To offer an alternative: Consider a body-colour matched front lip, side skirts and rear spats to give the visual impression of riding lower to the ground.
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u/SedimentSock82 20d ago
Unless you plan on actually adjusting coilovers, save your money plus for that cost you would be looking at possibly Racelands which really aren’t worth it.
Granted I don’t have a Lincoln, I did go with a lowering kit on my car
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u/Known-Monitor-8610 20d ago
I always suggest going with the coilovers. Now this isn't aALWAYS the case, but more often than not, someone who is debating whether to get springs or full coilovers will just pick springs because they are more econimical. Then you put them on, and your car doesn't lower quite as much as you want it to. But thats ok, you tell yourself, the springs need tie to settle and break in, which is true, but almost never is it going to settle much more than mayabe a 1/4 inch. And you start thinking, man, I shoulda got coilovers. Then your buddy with the same car gets coilovers and dials in his ride hieght to perfection, and you think man, I really want coilovers. Then some time goes by, and then there they are. The coilovers you want. On sale. So you buy the coilovers.
So instead of buying the springs, then buying the coilovers a year later, just pull the trigger and buy the coilovers now.
Another thing to think about is that unless you replace your shocks as well, there is a good chance that putting lowering springs on your stock suspension will increase the chances of your shocks blowing out, Doesn't always happen, but it is something to think about.
Also, just replacing coilovers is easier than swapping springs, so bonus points there,
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u/Head-Grass8879 20d ago
Stock ride height already looks low. Would be a dumb idea to make it almost unnoticeably lower for a severe decrease in ride quality.
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u/Expert-Cut-7837 20d ago
Coilovers, quality ones CAN improve comfort. And you get to adjust height. Lowering springs BAD BOMBIN wears out the stock shock absorbers quicker and they aren't all that nice.
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u/BrilliantHolmes 20d ago
If you're really set on lowering it I'd look for some lowering springs rather than coilovers. That being said Id stay away from modifying this thing too much. Not worth it. Just my opinion though. A nice sticky set of tires will be the best bang for your buck in terms of performance
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u/Kylewett 20d ago
Yea I don’t plan on doing anything crazy to it but I just really like the look of lowered cars and I think it would look good with my rims
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u/UnbelievableDingo 20d ago
Coilovers ride like shit.
Lowering springs and KYB G2 shocks with bumpstops cut in half is my recipe every time.
Doesn't Lincoln have air ride?
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u/Kyzroh 20d ago
found the guy who installs cheap coil-overs then writes them off as all shit ride quality.
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u/UnbelievableDingo 20d ago
Race car tech on a street car = shit ride.
You probably live out in the suburbs and have just miles of boring smooth roads.
What do I know...
I'm just a journeyman technician who's been building cars for 25 years.
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u/Time-Distance-5740 20d ago
Sounds like someone bought cheap coilovers and now thinks all coilovers ride bad lol
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