Ultimate 350z Coilover Guide

We review five of the most popular Nissan 350z coilovers (Z33) available on the market today. This is the ultimate 350z coilover guide.

• APEXi ExV Coilovers
• Tanabe Sustec Pro Coilovers
• Stance XR1 Coilovers
• H&R Street Coilovers
• APEXi Evolution Coilovers
• BC Racing Coilovers
• KW Variant 3 Coilovers
• Jump To Our Winner

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In a hurry? Here is our 350z Coilovers summary

The Nissan 350z (Fairlady Z in Asia) (Z33 chassis) is an excellent sports car. Great looks, impressive stock power and a responsive rear wheel drive platform all contribute to making the 350z a solid choice.

These characteristics won the Nissan a place in our coveted Best drift cars for beginners article. Don’t believe us that the 350z is a future classic? Then read what motoring journalists thought at the time the Z33 was first launched:

On it’s launch Autocar’s reviewer stated: “With bags of character, the 350Z is still one of our favourite coupes.”

Honest John summarised the latest Fairlady Z with: “Perfect combination of power, grip and safe but exploitable handling.”

EVO magazine said: “Regular readers will know I’ve become a massive fan of the latest-generation Z-car. I reckon it’s one of the greatest affordable performance cars of the last ten years and, judging by the continuing waiting lists for new ones, a lot of you agree.”

There is no doubting the 350z’s appeal however as with most stock cars, the suspension does leave room for improvement. Early Z33’s will be over 15 years old so refreshing a tired set of suspension should be high on your to-do list.

Aftermarket coilover suspension kits offer a far greater selection of suspension adjustabillity, this is especially helpful if you want to slam the car or to perform well at circuit or drift days.

If you have to replace the tired old suspension anyway then why not upgrade to a set of coilovers and get those trick rims looking just right?

What is this guide for?

This guide was written to help you find your perfect set of 350z coilovers. The guide focuses on suspension specifications, features, construction materials, spring rates and manufacturer descriptions.

For each set of coilovers we also add our own comments. In addition we have given each suspension system a Drifted rating (1-5) based upon features and price. We are considering budget, mid-range and high end coilovers in this comparison.

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Let’s take a look at our 350z coilovers

To read more about any of these products just click on the coilover name or photo.

APEXi N1 ExV Damper Coilover Kit

• Manufacturer: APEXi
• Levels of damping adjustment: 32
• Construction type: Monotube
• Spring rate front: 10kg/mm
• Spring rate rear: 8kg/mm
• Fitment: Nissan 350z, Nissan Fairlady Z, Z33
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your APEXi ExV’s here

Our comment: Our first set of coilovers are produced by Japanese tuning giant APEXi. These coilovers are a great out of the box option for a no thrills sports setup. These would be suitable for anybody looking to improve the looks and handling of their 350z for a reasonable budget. They are the cheapest coilovers in our guide and offer good value for money.

Manufacturer description: “APEXi N1 ExV is the newest line of coilover kits from Apexi featuring dual height and 32 way dampening adjustments. ExV, which stands for “Expert Type V” was designed to the be ultimate street suspension with no compromise for ride quality and price.”

“Features include:
– 44mm Monotube Damper w/ 32 way adjustments
– Full dual height adjustable body for fine adjustments
– Spanner wrench and accessories included
– High quality design and manufacturing”

“A must have for anyone doing track days and spirited driving. Will improve car handling and response effectively.”

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Tanabe Sustec Pro Five Coilover Kit

• Manufacturer: Tanabe
• Levels of damping adjustment: 32
• Construction type: Twin Tube
• Spring rate front: 10kg/mm
• Spring rate rear: 8kg/mm
• Fitment: Nissan 350z, Nissan Fairlady Z, Z33, Infiniti G35
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Tanabe Sustec Pro’s here

Our comment: The Tanabe Sustec Pro FIVE is a mid-range coilover. The design features twin tube coilovers coupled with Tanabe’s Slide Valve Technology. This technology comes directly from their Pro SEVEN coilover kit but it is at a more affordable price point.

Something that makes this kit stand out is the compatibility with Tanabe’s TEAS electronic suspension controller. This gizmo (once mounted in the car) allows for remote suspension setup on the fly. It sounds like a slice of Formula One in your 350z! Very cool.

Manufacturer description: “Sustec Pro FIVE is an all new adjustable coilover that features a wide array of new circuit-developed technology that is similar to Tanabe’s Sustec Pro SEVEN. However, Sustec Pro FIVE delivers broad performance at a fraction of the cost.”

“Featuring the same slide-valve technology as the SEVEN, the Sustec Pro FIVE also gives a great range of adjustability and function for street and track use.”

“When used with the new TEAS electronic active suspension controller, the wide range of dampening force is accessible through the touch of a button, and is fully programmable to automatically adjust dampening rates according to the speed you drive.”

“Features include:
– Slide Valve Technology
– TEAS Compatible
– Twin Tube
– Spring Rates F/R: 10.0 / 8.0k
– Height Adjustability F/R: -1/4~-1 1/2 in / +1/4~-1 1/2 in”

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Stance XR1 Coilover Kit

• Manufacturer: Stance
• Levels of damping adjustment: 16
• Construction type: Monotube
• Spring rate front: 12kg/mm
• Spring rate rear: 8kg/mm
• Fitment: Nissan 350z, Nissan Fairlady Z, Z33, Infiniti G35
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your Stance XR1’s here

Our comment: The Stance XR1 coilovers are a solid choice for your 350z suspension. With 16 way damping adjustment, highly regarded SWIFT springs available (front only) and robust build materials (the patented dual coating should really help to prevent rust) makes the Stance XR1’s a great option for any 350z. They lose out slightly on points as they don’t have a killer feature like the Tanabe Sustec’s TEAS system nor as they as cheap as the APEXi ExVs. The spring rates are also on the firmer side.

Manufacturer description: “Stance XR1 Coilovers are our standard single way adjustable coilover. The XR1 is very similar to our Super Sport line, but due to the constant development of our products, has been improved in many ways. The build and material quality has never been higher. Newly designed pillowball and bushing materials increase longevity and performance.”

“The range and consistency of the XR1 damping forces is also greater than previous Super Sports. The most exciting advancement is our corrosion prevention. Our new dual coating process involves an initial Zinc binding finished with a super hard and ultra thin electrophoretically deposited protective layer.”

“This process has taken our products far above and beyond our competitors in terms of corrosion and rust resistance.”

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H&R Street Performance Coilover Kit

• Manufacturer: H&R
• Levels of damping adjustment: ?
• Construction type: Monotube
• Spring rate front: ?kg/mm
• Spring rate rear: ?kg/mm ?
• Fitment: Nissan 350z, Nissan Fairlady Z, Z33, Infiniti G35
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Discontinued

Our comment: H&R is a German brand that has been manufacturing high quality suspension components since the 1970’s. These monotube constructured and street focused coilovers are another solid entry level coilover set for your 350z. While a little sparse in the features department, H&R have a built great reputation for the quality of their products.

Manufacturer description: “H&R coil overs are engineered for street use. Unlike traditional twin-tube shock absorbers, H&R Coil Overs feature a state-of-the-art mono-tube gas shock construction. Combined with the knowledge and skill of H&R’s suspension engineers, the use of this state-of-the-art technology results in the best suspension product that you can buy for your vehicle.”

“H&R is the originator of the true coil over system for the street and continues to lead the market with an extensive line of applications. Each shock is tuned with a progressive rate spring that is engineered from its inception to work with the shock’s valving, creating a finely tuned suspension system. H&R Coil Overs are the suspension answer for everybody, from daily drivers to the serious tuner.”

“Features include:
– Unrivaled comfort, performance
– Lowering range of 1.0 to 2.5 inches on average
– Fully threaded shock body for adjustable vehicle lowering
– Awesome handling and ride comfort
– Street Performance Coil Over
– Front Lowering: 1.2 – 2.2in
– Rear Lowering: 1.0 – 2.1in”

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APEXi N1 Evolution Circuit Coilover Kit

• Manufacturer: APEXi
• Levels of damping adjustment: 20
• Construction type: Monotube
• Spring rate front: 12.5kg/mm
• Spring rate rear: 12.5kg/mm
• Fitment: Nissan 350z, Nissan Fairlady Z, Z33, Infiniti G35
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your APEXi Evolutions here

Our comment: Serious about the track? These coilovers could be just what you are looking for. Stepping into the higher end of the suspension market, the APEXi N1 Evolution coilovers offer thick monotube dampers, 20 way adjustment and full dual height adjustment means that you (or your engineer) can tweak the suspension settings to your hearts content.

If you are serious about your track work this level of suspension fine tuning is a very powerful tool for reducing your lap times and building confidence in your car.

Manufacturer description: “APEXi proudly introduces the S1 Damper system for the Nissan 350Z Z33 Chassis as one of the line of coilover kits from Apexi featuring dual height and 20 way dampening adjustments.”

“Ride quality and handling performance are not mutually exclusive. Almost all coilover suspension systems are designed for track use, but are not well matched for street use. In fact, most are sprung and dampened improperly for street use, which not only gives a harsh and unpleasurable ride, but also hurts grip performance when the suspension cannot conform to the terrain.”

“To address this gap, Apex proudly introduces the S1 Damper line, with a specifically selected recipe of spring rates, oil and valving for hi-performance street cars that doubl as weekend track machines. 100% made in Japan, with precision Japanese components.”

“Features include:
– 45mm Monotube Damper w/ 20 way adjustments
– Full dual height adjustable body for fine adjustments
– Spanner wrench and accessories included
– High quality design and manufacturing
– Spring Rate: F-7K; R-7K”

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BC Racing BR Series 350z Coilovers

• Manufacturer: BC Racing
• Levels of damping adjustment: 20
• Construction type: Monotube
• Spring rate front: Options available
• Spring rate rear: Options available
• Fitment: Nissan 350z, Nissan Fairlady Z, Z33, Infiniti G35
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your BC Racing BR’s here

Our comment: We decided that some more budget options were needed in this guide so let’s take a look at the BC Racing BR 350z coilover kit. These coilovers offer some great features including monotube design, 30 levels of damping adjustment, pillowball top mounts and a large range of height adjustment.

The coilovers deliver all of these features while keeping the price below $1,000. As a brand BC Racing have a good reputation as a mid range suspension manufacturer so I wouldn’t be put off by the price.

For a budget set of coilovers you could do far worse then the BC Racing BR 350z coilovers.

Manufacturer description: “A BR type BC Racing coilover lets you use adjustable knobs in your vehicle to fine tune the rebound and compression damping and adjust your car’s ride height. These can be done manually, but the adjustment knobs optimize for efficiency without requiring you to possess deep mechanical knowledge.”

“Adjusting rebound and compression damping and ride height using knobs is nice in itself, but you need a way to ensure that your selections stay locked in until you readjust. Our BR type BC Racing coilover supports the process with pillowball mounts that provide sensitive feedback to help you monitor your car’s suspension and sharpen steering response.”

“In addition, BC’s optional front and rear camber plates help you perfect alignment. A high-performance, visually appealing coilover option, a BC Racing coilover looks as great as it operates. This coilover technology that features the following:”

“Features include:
– Mono-tube shock design
– 30 levels of damping force adjustment
– Adjustable Compression and Rebound
– Pillowball mounts and adjustable camber plates
– Separate, full-length height adjustment”

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KW Variant 3 350z Coilovers

• Manufacturer: KW Suspensions
• Levels of damping adjustment: 14
• Construction type: Twin Tube
• Spring rate front: Progressive spring
• Spring rate rear: Progressive spring
• Fitment: Nissan 350z, Nissan Fairlady Z, Z33, Infiniti G35
• Value for money:rating
• Purchase link: Buy your KW Variant 3 coilovers here

Our comment: When it comes to all-around versatility, you’re going to struggle to beat what KW’s V3 kit has to offer.

Although it’s not one of the cheaper options on the market, you get the finest German quality, along with what many believe to be the best performance available.

Whether you’re looking to carve canyons or head to the track at the weekend, there’s no doubt that the KW V3 kit should be on your radar.

There may be fewer damping adjustments than other alternatives, but the 3-way adjustability and progressive spring rates are far more critical factors.

Overall, the KW Variant 3 coilovers make for a fantastic all-arounder, whatever your needs.

Manufacturer description: “Cutting-edge motorsports technology for more performance on the road. Like every suspension product developed by KW automotive, the suspension manufacturer, and manufactured in Germany, the KW Variant 3 Coilover suspension kit also provides a significant plus in safety reserves in road traffic.”

“With compression and rebound stage damping, that can be set separately and independently of each other, the damper setup can be customized to your personal driving preferences or vehicle changes such as weight, tire characteristics, or altered vehicle rigidity. True performance optimization is only possible with this unique, patented system.”

“With KW Variant 3 coilovers you can achieve maximum lowering within an approved lowering range that ensures a proper functioning suspension with adequate travel after your car is lowered. Even after years of use you can easily adjust the ride height thanks to the dirt resistant trapezoid thread and composite adjustment collar.”

“Features include:
– Independently adjustable damping technology – rebound and compression damping
– inox-line stainless steel technology at no extra charge
– Individual height adjustment
– High-quality components for long life
– Infinitely adjustable rebound damping
– 14- level adjustable compression damping
– Unique, independently functioning damping power adjustment”

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Our winner

Our winner is the APEXi N1 ExV Damper Coilover Kit.

Based upon specifications, features, quality of build materials and the low price point our winner is the APEXi N1 ExV Damper Coilover Kit.

The ExV’s are a solid coilover packed with features and at a price point that can’t be challenged. A clear winner in this guide.

APEXi N1 ExV Damper Coilover Kit

Runner-up

One clear runner up to the APEXi ExVs is the circuit-oriented APEXi N1 Evolutions. These high end coilovers would be the perfect fit for a 350z owner that is serious about track work.

APEXi N1 Evolution Circuit Coilover Kit

Thank you for reading our Nissan 350z coilover guide

Now that you’ve sorted your 350z’s suspension why not add some power? Like things on the loud side – our 350z exhaust guide is right up your street. Need an intake? Try our 350z cold air intake guide.

Looking for a set of coilovers for your Infiniti G35? Try our G35 coilover guide.

Are you curious if you need coilovers? Then try our coilovers vs lowering springs guide.

If you’re looking for the best 350z lowering springs on the market, here’s our Ultimate 350z Lowering Springs Guide.

To ensure that your Z maximizes its lifespan and continues running smoothly, we recommend checking out our 350z oil guide.

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