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GSM Performance Customer Car Colouring Book Edition 1
The Best Coilovers For Your Nissan Silvia and 200SX
Suspension guide
The Silvia and 200SX are the cars people come to us with when the stock suspension has had enough. Most of them want the same two things: the car sitting properly, and damping that holds it there on a trackday.
Cameron's first question is always which generation, because TEIN MONO SPORT fits S15 only and BC Racing gives the S14 and S15 different part numbers. AST and MOTON take the simpler view: they made one kit for both. Garreth's question is what the car is for, because the answer runs from a TEIN FLEX Z at under a thousand pounds to a MOTON 3-way at six thousand.
Below is our pick at every level, cheapest first, with the price, what you can adjust and who each one is for.
- AST and MOTON use one kit for S14 and S15 on identical part numbers
- TEIN MONO SPORT (S15 only) is the UK-market monotube kit for 1999-2002 cars
- BC Racing BR for these cars comes with a pillowball front mount, not rubber
- BC Racing gives S14 and S15 different part numbers but identical default spring rates
- No lowering springs or anti-roll bars in our range for S14 or S15
S14 and S15: what is the same, what is different
For most of the kits on this page the generation does not matter. AST and MOTON list one kit for S14 and S15 on identical part numbers: ACU-N2002S covers both, M 502 120S covers both, and so on across the whole range. BC Racing and TEIN are where the split shows.
| Your car | What changes |
|---|---|
| S14, 1993-1998 | BC Racing D-14 series. TEIN FLEX Z only: no MONO SPORT |
| S15, 1999-2002 | BC Racing D-27 series. Both TEIN FLEX Z and TEIN MONO SPORT (UK-market) |
| AST and MOTON, both | Identical part numbers: one kit covers both generations |
From the vehicle tables on our listings.
Cameron’s point is to confirm the generation before buying anything with a TEIN or BC Racing part number. If you have an S15 and it is a Japanese import and not a UK-market car, drop us an email or click to open a chat before ordering TEIN MONO SPORT: the GSN52-71SS4 is written for UK-spec cars.
The ladder at a glance
Five levels, cheapest first. No lowering springs or anti-roll bars in our range for S14 or S15, so the first rung is a coilover.
| Level | Our pick | Price inc VAT | What you can adjust |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry coilover | TEIN FLEX Z (S15) | £972 | Full-length height, 16 damping positions |
| Fast road coilover | TEIN MONO SPORT (S15 only) | £1,740 | Full-length height, 16 positions with ADVANCE M.S.V. |
| Club and trackday 1-way | AST 5100 Clubracing | £3,420 | Height, 12 click rebound |
| 2-way | BC Racing ER | £1,849 | Height, rebound and compression separately |
| 3-way | BC Racing ZR | £2,159 | Height, three way adjustable |
Prices read from the site on the day this guide was built, inc VAT. The product cards below show prices before VAT, as the rest of the site does; the Inc/Exc VAT switch changes them.
1. TEIN FLEX Z or BC Racing BR: the first coilover
TEIN FLEX Z is the cheapest coilover that adjusts both height and damping on these cars. Twin-tube, 16 levels on one dial, spring rates of 7 kgf/mm front and 5 rear, camber-adjustable front upper mounts. TEIN covers both S14 and S15 on different SKUs, and the recommended drop range is stated in each listing.
BC Racing BR is a hundred pounds more. It ships on a pillowball front mount rather than rubber on these cars, which is the choice BC makes on applications it expects to be used hard. Default spring rates are 6 kg/mm front and 4 rear on both generations. The listing reads across to the ER and ZR above it, so you can see exactly what an upgrade would cost at the same time.
- Price. £972 inc VAT
- Adjustment. Full-length height, 16 damping positions
- In the box. Coilovers, springs, upper mounts per car
- Buy it if. You want ride height and damping adjustment and do not want to spend more than you need to
2. TEIN MONO SPORT (S15) or AST 5100 Street: the step up
TEIN MONO SPORT is the monotube step up from FLEX Z, and the UK-market kit for the S15. Full-length adjustable, same camber-adjustable front mounts, stiffer springs at 9 kgf/mm front and 7 rear. Cameron’s argument is the damper: TEIN’s ADVANCE M.S.V. valving gives about three times the useful adjustment range between soft and firm, and the kit can be overhauled where the FLEX Z can only be replaced.
The AST 5100 Street (ACU-N2002S) covers both generations on one part number. It is an inverted monotube with 12 clicks of rebound and fits your original top mounts. For S14 owners this is the step up from FLEX Z or BC Racing BR. The Street Performance version adds camber-adjustable front top mounts, which a lowered car usually wants.
- Price. £1,740 inc VAT
- Adjustment. Full-length height, 16 positions with ADVANCE M.S.V.
- In the box. Monotube coilovers, springs, upper mounts per car
- Buy it if. You want the better damper for road and track, on either generation
3. AST 5100 Clubracing or MOTON 1-Way Clubracer: regular trackdays
Both kits fit S14 and S15 on the same part numbers. The AST 5100 Clubracing moves to a coilover rear and solid camber front mounts on the same inverted monotube. The MOTON 1-Way Clubracer is the MOTON monotube with 15 clicks of rebound and no reservoir, also with camber front and solid rear mounts at every corner.
Cameron points to the MOTON for a car where space behind the suspension is tight: no reservoir hose to route. Garreth’s is about what the coilover rear gives you: once the car is being set up session to session, being able to change the rear spring rate without replacing the damper matters.
- Price. £3,420 inc VAT
- Adjustment. Height, 12 click rebound
- In the box. Coilover rear, camber front and solid rear top mounts
- Buy it if. The car goes on track regularly and you want the rear spring rate under your control
4. Two way: BC Racing ER, AST 5200 or MOTON 2-Way
The BC ER is the same listing as the BR, with a second dial and external reservoirs. Rebound and compression adjust separately, which is what a car set up session to session needs, at a fraction of the AST or MOTON price.
Cameron’s view is that ER is the right move for a drift car being tuned for angle: cheapest two-dial setup for S14 or S15, and the compression adjustment is where you get the work done. Garreth’s position for a circuit car is the same as it is on every car: AST and MOTON build to the application, offer custom spring rates and have a UK rebuild centre. The ER can be rebuilt too. The question is what the car is worth.
- Price. £1,849 inc VAT, ER
- Adjustment. Height, rebound and compression separately
- In the box. Coilovers with external reservoirs and springs
- Buy it if. You set the car up at the circuit or on the drift pad and want compression as well as rebound
5. Three way: BC Racing ZR, AST 5300 or MOTON 3-Way
BC Racing ZR splits compression into slow and fast positions on top of rebound, and still comes in under two thousand pounds. The AST 5300 adds 14 to 15 clicks of low speed compression to the same inverted monotube as the 5200. The MOTON 3-Way runs 6 low speed and 15 high speed positions, and its lineage is endurance racing.
Buy one when somebody is going to write the settings down.
- Price. £2,159 inc VAT, ZR
- Adjustment. Height, three way adjustable
- In the box. Coilovers with external reservoirs and springs
- Buy it if. It is a race car, or a drift car being set up by somebody with a notebook
Every option we list for the Silvia
| Range | Part number | Listed for | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| TEIN FLEX Z | VSK70-C1SA4 | Nissan 200SX S15 | £972 |
| TEIN FLEX Z | VSK82-C1SA4 | Nissan 200SX S14 | £972 |
| BC Racing | BCR-D-27 | Nissan Silvia 200Sx (RWD) (99-02) [S15] | ZR £2,159, ZX £1,964, HM £2,059, ER £1,849, RM £1,239, BR £1,049 |
| BC Racing | BCR-D-14 | Nissan Silvia 240Sx (95-99) [S14] | ZR £2,159, ZX £1,964, HM £2,059, ER £1,849, RM £1,239, BR £1,049 |
| TEIN MONO SPORT | GSN52-71SS4 | Nissan 200SX S15 | £1,740 |
| AST 5100 Street | ACU-N2002S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £2,580 |
| AST 5100 Street Performance | ACT-N2002S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £3,084 |
| AST 5100 Clubracing | ACC-N2002S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £3,420 |
| MOTON 1-Way Clubracer | M 502 120S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £3,804 |
| AST 5200 2-Way Motorsport | RIV-N2002S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £5,016 |
| MOTON 2-Way Motorsport | M 502 020S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £5,220 |
| AST 5300 3-Way Motorsport | RAC-N2002S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £5,328 |
| MOTON 3-Way Motorsport | M 502 021S | Nissan S14 / S15 | £6,000 |
Every coilover and spring listing that names the Silvia today. BC Racing prices are per series.
Before you order
- Generation. S14 (1993-1998) or S15 (1999-2002): TEIN MONO SPORT is S15 only, and BC Racing part numbers differ between the two
- TEIN MONO SPORT and imports. The GSN52-71SS4 is the UK-market kit. JDM imports: drop us an email or click to open a chat before ordering
- Alignment. Any change of height changes the geometry. Book it as part of the job
- Drop links. A lowered S14 or S15 usually wants adjustable drop links alongside the coilovers
Common questions
What are the best coilovers for a Nissan 200SX S15 on a budget?
TEIN FLEX Z at £972, which gives you ride height, 16-level damping and camber-adjustable front mounts.
Can I fit TEIN MONO SPORT on an S14?
No. The TEIN MONO SPORT GSN52-71SS4 is the S15 UK-market kit only. The S14 option from TEIN is FLEX Z, and the step up is AST 5100 Street or BC Racing RM.
Do AST and MOTON cover both S14 and S15?
Yes. ACU-N2002S fits both generations on the same kit. BC Racing gives the S14 and S15 different part numbers, but the spring rates and configuration options are identical.
What spring rates do these kits use?
TEIN FLEX Z runs 7 kgf/mm front and 5 rear on both S14 and S15. TEIN MONO SPORT (S15 only) runs 9 kgf/mm front and 7 rear. BC Racing ships both generations at 6 kg/mm front and 4 rear.
Do I need a coilover rear on a Silvia or 200SX?
Not on the road. The AST 5100 Clubracing and MOTON 1-Way move to a coilover rear: worth having when you want to adjust rear spring rates on a car being set up for track.
What we would fit
For a road S15, Cameron fits TEIN MONO SPORT. It is the UK-market kit, it can be overhauled, and the stiffer springs and ADVANCE M.S.V. damping handle a trackday without needing to respring.
Garreth’s pick for a car that does regular trackdays is AST 5100 Clubracing, because the coilover rear matters once the car is being dialled in corner by corner, and it fits both generations on the same part number. For drifting, Cameron would run ER; for circuit racing with data, Garreth would spend the extra on AST or MOTON.
Our MOTON guide and AST guide go deeper on both ranges, and the BC Racing Nissan guide covers every BC fitment for the brand.
Tell us the generation, what the car is for and how far it is going down. We will confirm the part number before you order.
Send the year and what the car is for. We will confirm the right part number and talk through spring rates before anything is ordered.
