Right...

Basically im after a little backgound info...

When i had my Corsa C (sorry to talk about a corsa) i lowered it myself.. and spent a while researching the good and bad makes to go for, and the otpimal height to drop it. before settling on a 40mm drop.

i was basically after any details on the good / bad heights to drop her. i will eventually have 17" 205 40 17 alloys / tyres. and have family who are tool makers so adapting things isnt too big an issue to me.

anyway... if any one does know, of have any feedback on specific makes and drops then i would really appreciate it.. i have looked but could only find the "will this fit" or "how low can i go"

i like a slightly hard racey stance and dont care how many sets of tyres i need (i melted a new set of 2054017 at Castle coombe in the summer on my corsa :S

Cheers guys... (probably Jug lol)

Dunno if its any help but the Marea is very similar to the Bravo mine is down 40mm on 215 40 17s and it feels good. Had 3 in the back 2 fat and it coped very well with no rubbing.

thats cool... what springs did you use?

i have jamex 45mm springs. they cost me £49 brand new on ebay. fitting is a doddle. the bravo is easier than most cars. i think a 45mm drop was perfect as far as looks and handling goes. the only problem is my front mudflaps catch on speed bumps because i've only got 195/50/15's on, so it sits very low. if you had 17s it would be fine for speed bumps and kurbs etc. or if i took my mudflaps off i would be fine too, but i like my factory fitted mudflaps . 40mm would be just as good, and 40mm springs are common so you might find them easier to get. to really improve the ride i suggest some decent gas shocks. i use kyb excel-g. they make a big difference, especially when you hit a bump in the road going fast round a corner.

cool... 40mm it the kind of drop i was thinking off too... where abouts did you get your shocks??? any idea the kind of cash they were?

local motor factor. iirc it was £12 each for the rears and £18 each for the fronts. not cheap, but worth it.

thats cheap... imo.

Spax lowering springs. = 79.99
Front shocks 18.00 x2, = 36.00
Rear Shocks 12.00 x2, = 24.00

Total cost of Lowering to a high level =139.99

compared with 279.99 for a full sports suspension kit...

imo thats good.

if you have trouble finding them, use buypartsby http://buypartsby.co.uk/shock-absorbers-fiat.php

prices are for a matched pair (2 shocks).
fronts are £41.30 + v.a.t
rears are £29.18 + v.a.t

still not a bad price.

is it just as easy with my car mate. i'm making a list of things i want to do to it this year

easy peasy. the only possible cause of problems is the top nut on each front strut. if you open the engine bay and prise the black plastic cover off the top of each strut you'll see the nut i'm talking about. to loosen it you're supposed to stick an offset ring spanner on the nut and allen key in the middle to hold the rod while you turn the nut. its very hard to do, so i suggest you take the car to a garage and ask nicely if they'll loosen the nut off using a windy gun. that can save hours of struggling (as i found out on my first bravo). i had the strut in a vice, with a ring spanner inserted into a bar for leverage, and a hex bit in a 1/2" drive rathet with an extension bar. i tried with all my might, and then the hole where the hex bit goes rounded off. :bang: lesson learnt i loosened the nut before removing the strut on my second bravo.

or... use a spanner and an allen key lol.. thats what i used on my corsa lol. (Two people job though)

Windy gun.. I got a garage to loosen my top nuts off on the Tipo. I'd been swinging on the nuts with a socket and couldn't budge them. Quick bzzz bzzz and they were loose. Nipped them back up for the journey home and easy to undo once I got back.

ChristieCruiser said:

or... use a spanner and an allen key lol.. thats what i used on my corsa lol. (Two people job though)

Click to expand...

if you think i didnt try that first you seriously underestimate me

Hellcat said:

Windy gun.. I got a garage to loosen my top nuts off on the Tipo. I'd been swinging on the nuts with a socket and couldn't budge them. Quick bzzz bzzz and they were loose. Nipped them back up for the journey home and easy to undo once I got back.

Click to expand...

exactly the way to do it.

hehe... didnt say that lol...


hehe.... my corsa was only 3 years old though lol... not nearly 10 lol.

yep younger nuts are always easier to get off.

hang on a minute! thats the most perverted and gay thing i've ever said

hahahaah.. that had me in stiches at work lol....

haha...


i know where your coming from (reaches for direct line to child protection) lol haha