Sway Bars or Coilover (or?)

[Chrisedge]

So I have a 2019 Model 3 Performance, and...

I plan on keeping the 20" factory rims
I want similar ride height to what I have now (I can't really go lower in my driveway)
I want a stiffer, more go-cart like ride. Not crazy, but a bit better than the ride now...

What is my best bang for buck? Sway bars? Better suspension? I am in So CA and want it installed if that matters.

Go?!

 

[Mash]

MPP Sport Adjustable. Sway bars in the rear give marginal improvement only and making it any stiffer makes suspension too disturbing on bumps. Front bar stiffening is pointless. So, coilovers. Skip sway bars.

 

[Bigtuna00]

What have you driven before? My benchmark is a 2017 330xi with track handling package (including EDC dampers and staggered wheels), AC Schnitzer springs, and a 20mm rear sway bar. For a 3800 lb car that thing cornered like a dream. Though for go-kart-like handling not much could beat my 1989 CRX with Neuspeed Race springs and Tokico dampers

I agree proper coilovers is the best first step; really it's about proper dampers. The stock Performance dampers are...weird. They have way too much low speed damping and not enough high speed. The feel very European cruising around town, but like garbage under load at speed.

But, depending on your expectations, sway bars shouldn't be far behind. Even with coilovers and sway bars my M3P doesn't handle as well as the bimmer, but it's much better.

And it wouldn't be the internet without an argument: I disagree with Mash about sway bars. I much prefer the feel with sway bars. I have the rear set to full stiff and front in the middle setting (39% increase in front, 275% increase in rear) on my UP bars. But I suspect we have different goals. Like OP I'm looking for a certain feel, not lap times.

 

[asian_xl]

Agree sway bar makes the car bit stiff , not comfy if you are daily driving in city with bumpy roads.
I had both installed, handling is awesome, but not every passenger likes it

 

[Chrisedge]

So these?
MPP Model 3 Sports Coilovers AWD/Performance | Mountain Pass Performance

or

Coilover Suspension Kit For Tesla Model 3 by Unplugged Performance

Both seem adjustable, I don't mind a hair lower (1") if I could try in and adjust at a later point. Any one really have a preference?

 

[dfwatt]

So I have a 2019 Model 3 Performance, and...

I plan on keeping the 20" factory rims
I want similar ride height to what I have now (I can't really go lower in my driveway)
I want a stiffer, more go-cart like ride. Not crazy, but a bit better than the ride now...

What is my best bang for buck? Sway bars? Better suspension? I am in So CA and want it installed if that matters.

Go?!

Hands down get the coilovers. Don't even think about the sway bars. If you poll the Forum I think you'd get MPP 3 or 4 to 1

 

[Sunshine Speed]

So I have a 2019 Model 3 Performance, and...

I plan on keeping the 20" factory rims
I want similar ride height to what I have now (I can't really go lower in my driveway)
I want a stiffer, more go-cart like ride. Not crazy, but a bit better than the ride now...

What is my best bang for buck? Sway bars? Better suspension? I am in So CA and want it installed if that matters.

Go?!

Since you're in SoCal, note that Unplugged Performance sells coilovers and other upgrades and will install them at their HQ in Hawthorne, CA. Check out their reviews on Yelp.

 

[MountainPass]

I would recommend the MPP Sports Coilovers for you. You'll be able to enjoy an OEM-like ride if you adjust the softer, or stiffen them up to transform the car into what it was meant to be!

We performed back to back testing with aftermarket bars on the Model 3 and found that stiffer bars do reduce body roll, but at the cost of having almost no transition between grip and oversteer/understeer. It felt like we had dead tires on our car when doing this track test, but once we swapped the stock bars back on the car was instantly more manageable at the limit.

We have a list of installers we can reference for you as well if you would PM us your ZIP code!

 

[Mash]

What have you driven before? My benchmark is a 2017 330xi with track handling package (including EDC dampers and staggered wheels), AC Schnitzer springs, and a 20mm rear sway bar. For a 3800 lb car that thing cornered like a dream. Though for go-kart-like handling not much could beat my 1989 CRX with Neuspeed Race springs and Tokico dampers

I agree proper coilovers is the best first step; really it's about proper dampers. The stock Performance dampers are...weird. They have way too much low speed damping and not enough high speed. The feel very European cruising around town, but like garbage under load at speed.

But, depending on your expectations, sway bars shouldn't be far behind. Even with coilovers and sway bars my M3P doesn't handle as well as the bimmer, but it's much better.

And it wouldn't be the internet without an argument: I disagree with Mash about sway bars. I much prefer the feel with sway bars. I have the rear set to full stiff and front in the middle setting (39% increase in front, 275% increase in rear) on my UP bars. But I suspect we have different goals. Like OP I'm looking for a certain feel, not lap times.

It's ok to disagree. I'm driving on stock front after removal of UPP front. And rear is medium UPP. If it's about choice as OP asks - skip sways. If not - rear adjustable makes sense. Rear hard and front medium is how I used it for some time, but got tired of car incompliance over bumps on the track and street. It's just losing composure. Double spring rates over MPP sport makes better feeling vs stiffer sways.

 

[MasterC17]

MPP quality and customer service is top notch. MPP Comforts ride so nice

 

[Chrisedge]

So, sounds like I should do the Adjustable Coilovers and keep my swaybars, at least to start. Any preference to UP or MPP? I am in So Cal as I mentioned, and like that UP is here (even if its a ways)

MPP, I will PM you..

 

[bryanbruin]

I have eibach sways and love them. Biggest improvement is that the car is more stable at high speed. Marginally stiffer ride but doesn't bother me or my wife (she's more sensitive to ride quality). To each his own.

 

[MasterC17]

So, sounds like I should do the Adjustable Coilovers and keep my swaybars, at least to start. Any preference to UP or MPP? I am in So Cal as I mentioned, and like that UP is here (even if its a ways)

MPP, I will PM you..

UP vs MPP Coilover

Check the Poll at the top.

 

[tlr1000]

I think both MPP and UP are good companies that make good products. Both use well-known suspension manufacturers known to make good products with reliable track records. Polls are not so meaningful unless the people offering the opinion have used both products back to back with otherwise identical set-ups. An opinion saying product A is better than product B, without having tried product B, is not the most reliable. Since they are both great companies, and the OP lives 40 miles from one of the two companies, I'd go with that one for ease of after-sales support if required.

 

[MasterC17]

I think both MPP and UP are good companies that make good products. Both use well-known suspension manufacturers known to make good products with reliable track records. Polls are not so meaningful unless the people offering the opinion have used both products back to back with otherwise identical set-ups. An opinion saying product A is better than product B, without having tried product B, is not the most reliable. Since they are both great companies, and the OP lives 40 miles from one of the two companies, I'd go with that one for ease of after-sales support if required.

I agree to a degree, but the sample size of people using MPP Coilovers is considerably larger, and I imagine there is a good reason why. Additionally I would like to link this thread, and beware this is strictly my opinion, based somewhat on data, but that is what OP is asking for: I've Purchased 50+ Aftermarket Performance Products - Why MPP is Best

 

[tlr1000]

I agree to a degree, but the sample size of people using MPP Coilovers is considerably larger, and I imagine there is a good reason why. Additionally I would like to link this thread, and beware this is strictly my opinion, based somewhat on data, but that is what OP is asking for: I've Purchased 50+ Aftermarket Performance Products - Why MPP is Best

I have no doubt about MPP's products, high quality, and great service. All I'm saying is that if someone says 'A' makes the best coilovers (which could very well be true) but they haven't used the 'B's coilovers, it is not necessarily a researched opinion - all it says is they bougfht A and they enjoy A. The most credible opinion is from someone who has tried A and B. The large sample size for MPP is largely due to the good products they make but also, they are way more active in this forum than UP is and I believe that makes a difference.

I think both of these companies are very service oriented and stand behind their products. For me, if two products were both very good quality and both products have good after-sales support, I might choose the one that is an easy drive to get to so that on the small chance there is an issue, I can drive there and talk to someone face to face.

btw, I have read that thread you started about MPP's service. Great work and stuff like that takes effort and time to put together. To date, I have not bought anything from MPP yet but I do intend to in the future. There are some things they sell where I don't see any other option but to buy from them.

 

[freeAgent]

I have no doubt about MPP's products, high quality, and great service. All I'm saying is that if someone says 'A' makes the best coilovers (which could very well be true) but they haven't used the 'B's coilovers, it is not necessarily a researched opinion - all it says is they bougfht A and they enjoy A. The most credible opinion is from someone who has tried A and B. The large sample size for MPP is largely due to the good products they make but also, they are way more active in this forum than UP is and I believe that makes a difference.

I think both of these companies are very service oriented and stand behind their products. For me, if two products were both very good quality and both products have good after-sales support, I might choose the one that is an easy drive to get to so that on the small chance there is an issue, I can drive there and talk to someone face to face.

btw, I have read that thread you started about MPP's service. Great work and stuff like that takes effort and time to put together. To date, I have not bought anything from MPP yet but I do intend to in the future. There are some things they sell where I don't see any other option but to buy from them.

Exactly. There are VERY few people (are there any?) who have installed and run both products. That's really the only way for a person to compare them. Service, marketing, and overall reputation are a different matter though they certainly should factor into a buying decision. I don't think it's as simple as putting up a poll asking which product is better and trusting those results.

 

[dfwatt]

Exactly. There are VERY few people (are there any?) who have installed and run both products. That's really the only way for a person to compare them. Service, marketing, and overall reputation are a different matter though they certainly should factor into a buying decision. I don't think it's as simple as putting up a poll asking which product is better and trusting those results.

I believe beastmode13 had a write-up on both products because he had driven the ohlins Redwood product and he owns the MPP products. But systematic testing of adjustable suspensions with many adjustment points in terms of shocks and where the MPP product has both compression and rebound adjustment would be a very expensive and complex undertaking. I don't think it's likely to happen.

So in the absence of that data appearing I think what you're left with is the 100% endorsement rate for MPP products. We own both the sports and comfort adjustable coilovers. Both kits are exceptional. I personally (again I'm just speaking for myself) would never consider anything but MPP products after my consistently excellent experiences with all of their stuff and their fantastic product service and support. And again just about everybody says the same thing about them– everybody loves them. I think that speaks volumes. I've owned quite a few coilover kits on quite a few cars. I've never seen kits of higher quality than the MPP kits. That doesn't mean that some other kits aren't of equal quality but there's nothing better.

 

[MODEL+]

I have no doubt about MPP's products, high quality, and great service. All I'm saying is that if someone says 'A' makes the best coilovers (which could very well be true) but they haven't used the 'B's coilovers, it is not necessarily a researched opinion - all it says is they bougfht A and they enjoy A. The most credible opinion is from someone who has tried A and B. The large sample size for MPP is largely due to the good products they make but also, they are way more active in this forum than UP is and I believe that makes a difference.

I think both of these companies are very service oriented and stand behind their products. For me, if two products were both very good quality and both products have good after-sales support, I might choose the one that is an easy drive to get to so that on the small chance there is an issue, I can drive there and talk to someone face to face.

btw, I have read that thread you started about MPP's service. Great work and stuff like that takes effort and time to put together. To date, I have not bought anything from MPP yet but I do intend to in the future. There are some things they sell where I don't see any other option but to buy from them.

Exactly. There are VERY few people (are there any?) who have installed and run both products. That's really the only way for a person to compare them. Service, marketing, and overall reputation are a different matter though they certainly should factor into a buying decision. I don't think it's as simple as putting up a poll asking which product is better and trusting those results.

Agree and just want to add "ride feel" and "handling" are such subjective ideas. If we are talking strictly performance and lap times then that's a different story because those can be measured but now we are talking an even smaller sample size.

 

[Chrisedge]

I think I’ve settled on the MPP so I want the sports based on my description?