Page 1: Current car status
Page 2: The process
Page 3: Powerworks Supercharger - 2.5 year review soon to come!
Page 4: Tein SS coilovers (w/ EDFC) - 2 year review soon to come!
2 year review (Winter 2006 - Fall 2009):
I have now had this setup installed for over two years. During that time this car was daily driven, and averaged between 12,000 and 16,000 miles per year. While it was always a slight delay getting the car out of my driveway (the sharp decline over the last 2 feet from driveway to road caused the car to alternate corners being lifted 0.5 - 1 inch off the ground), overall I encountered very few large problems. TEIN itself was difficult to work with, I sent them numerous emails requesting part information, or queries about replacement fittings, and to this day I have yet to receive any replies. Only one motor mount of the four provided with the EDFC has shown any damage (it was broken by the dealership during a routine alignment job). Be sure when you are ordering parts that you differentiate between the first gen black EDFC and the second gen silver EDFC which also has smaller servos and wiring attachments.
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That being said, this kit is NOT meant for the road. It is choppy, stiff and unforgiving when driving over uneven and moderate road conditions. You will be constantly dodging small holes and small objects (car clearance at maximum ride height cannot clear a standing soda can), plus you may notice some vibrations at highway speeds over otherwise visually even pavemeant... yea, you feel EVERYTHING. My routes to work and school had to be modified slightly to avoid certain stretches of road and obviously certain entrances and exits to garages and businesses were circumnavigated.
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Now, this suspension is AMAZING on corners when on pristine, smooth concrete. It is so stiff that there is little if any vertical movement, and you really feel like you can handle ANY corner at high speed. Truly an outstanding upgrade for autocross and time attack events, or basically any situation in ideal road conditions (like new roadways or airport runways). I have a much better appreciation for the car traction level at speed, as you can more readily feel the car beginning to loosen up just prior to spinning. Again however, any bumps during turning and the car completely loses the ability to cope (though this may be more related to the Focus design than the suspension, admittedly).
The EDFC is fun to play with, and having a few presets for road and track definitely saves some time from pushing buttons repeatedly to dial things in. However, I still feel this extra box, is just that, extra. It is more for show, as the levels of dampening are hard to distinguish except at maximum ranges. If you are willing to invest the capital into the TEIN system, the EDFC is easy to install and operate, and adds that little extra fun factor, but it is certainly not a necessity.
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Overall I would rate the TEIN suspension 6/10 for daily driving, as it's a little too extreme for getting grocery bags or bopping over to school (and it even says so on the boxes they came in, lol). The harsh ride and unforgiving stiffness does not translate to healthy cruising. If you ever have had lower back pain, this setup is not for you. My longest road trip was 12 hours each way, and even my young frame was stiff and sore the next day.
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However, overall I would rate the TEIN suspension as a 9/10 for racing and performance handling. This system really delivers extraordinary feel in tight corners and even adds some benefits under heavy acceleration/deceleration. A beautiful green and copper that has held up for two years now, this setup still puts huge smiles on my face each time I get to blast the car through some twisties or tight intersections.
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Page 1: Current car status
Page 2: The process
Page 3: Powerworks Supercharger - 2.5 year review soon to come!
Page 4: Tein SS coilovers (w/ EDFC) - 2 year review soon to come!
