Hey guys, I'm new here, so be patient with me.

Anywho, I'm looking to smoothen out the ride on my 98 civic ex coupe.
(at the moment, it's similar to riding in a go-cart)

I was just wondering whether it was more intelligent to go with new shocks or springs first, and what brands/info I need in order to go about this. I've been searching the forums all night, and I've run across a great deal of information, but I'm still not 100% on what I should look for. My goal is to get my car to ride similarly to newer vehicles.

I'm looking for something cheap + reliable, but any help is appreciated.

 

What is on your car right now?

 

Stock

 

Ride quality comes from the following:

Good shocks: Worn-out shocks decrease ride quality over time, so if you have over 100,000 miles on your car, you WILL feel a difference with good gas shocks like Bilstein or even KYBs.

Low unsprung weight: You can get 10-12 lb, 15-inch wheels that'll improve your ride noticeably. The worse thing you can do for your ride and braking is to buy 22 lb, 18-inch wheels. Remember, the lighter, the better. Believe it or not, there are some lightweight wheels out there that are not too expensive. Just make sure they are made by a fairly large company. Unsafe wheels are no fun.

 

Yeah, i'd figure as much. What would be my best bargain for shocks? Is it worth buying new springs too? My car is mostly stock and has almost 110,000 miles.

 

If you want OEM quality then I'd go with KYBs... pretty affordable too. They are slightly more stiff than OEM but very comfortable.

 

I agree. KYBs are good shocks for the money. I don't think new springs will make the ride softer. Steel normally doesn't get harder with age. By the way, 15 inch Konig Feather wheels are 11.9 lbs each and cost $395 (shipped) here:

http://www.jlbmotorsports.com/rims/konig-list.html

Konig Heliums are a bit lighter (11.6 lbs) and are shown on the same page.

 

Are we talking about stock on my vehicle or newer vehicles?

 

i am slo trying to do the same for my 96 honda civic 4 dr. my rear suspension is pretty bad now, and its stock. my car had 166,00 miles on it. do you guys have any suggestions for this car? im also lookin to lowering my ride, im not so sure i thats a good idea tho. u guys can help?

 

Since your question is pretty specific to you, and will probably get many different opinions, I suggest starting your own thread.
Also, read the stickys in the Suspension section for information.