New member here - 2009 KIA Optima LX

[jkalber87]

Those zaubers

Usually if your suspension is bouncy, your spring rates are no good compared to the shock dampening. A proper coilover setup, or one that you pieced together properly should have no real bounce, but either rock hard, or able to absorb bumps and make you feel like you are crawling over the bumps in the road without hammering your back.

Those zaubers are beautiful. 18"s are the perfect size for this gen optima.

Go for air if you want a comfortable and readily adjustable ride. If you want to live the low life though, go with coils. Neotech is really popular in Korea, most of the cars from bobaedream in the KDM thread run them IIRC.

My civic was lowered on Tien Basic Dampeners (Fully height adjustable) and I absolutely loved them. In the winter time I would raise it a few inches for better driving in the light snow and heavy ice that we get down here in Texas. More than likely I will save up for the NEOTech coilovers (the more expensive of the two, fully height adjustable and dampening) and the once the coils are on I'll save money for a set of some super clean 18's. I have my eyes on those Zaubers, I think the Optima slammed on a set of 18's would look super fresh. Later down the road I could always get a performance shop to modify my coils to fit bags if I wanted to. I just recently purchased this Optima and have a four year note so I am in no rush at all. As stated previously, I want to take this build slow and do it the right way and not make any short cuts. Stay tuned, the build will take a while but once its finished I'm sure the car will turn a head or two

I don't want to create a build thread just yet because the only work I've done is very small exterior work. I will create a build thread once I have purchased the coilovers and they're installed. Again, I would love opinions or recommendations on any wheels or suspension for this car. The only company I have found that offers a coilover kit for my car is from NEOTech.

[rice4life]

Go with neotech, people seem to love their neotech setups, and fortes can get slammed on them.

I don't know what to tell you, tein makes one of the best coilovers on the market. If you got them on ebay, you may have gotten fakes.

http://www.tein.com/counterfeit/

[jkalber87]

Go with neotech, people seem to love their neotech setups, and fortes can get slammed on them.

I don't know what to tell you, tein makes one of the best coilovers on the market. If you got them on ebay, you may have gotten fakes.

http://www.tein.com/counterfeit/

The Tien coils I had on the civic definitely weren't counterfeit but thanks for the heads up. Yeah, I'll probably just get the NEOTech's...can't find another reputable company that makes coilovers for my year optima.

[rice4life]

Don't forget that you can run a manual bag setup with bags, compressor, and a manual valve setup.
Don't forget to check out the coilover and bag sections here.

http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=8

for coilovers
and

http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=35

for air.

http://bagriders.com/modlab/products/MANUAL-PADDLE-VALVE-KIT.html

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/BAGS-AND-BRACKETS/BAGS/

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/MANAGEMENT/COMPRESSORS/COMPRESSORS/

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/MANAGEMENT/AIR-LINE/

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/MANAGEMENT/AIR-TANKS/

Good luck man, since you seem mechanically inclined, a manual bag setup could be cheaper than a coilover setup. But with bags it will be much more labor intensive, and could get leaks.

I'll be looking forward for progress on this car.

[jkalber87]

Don't forget that you can run a manual bag setup with bags, compressor, and a manual valve setup.
Don't forget to check out the coilover and bag sections here.

http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=8

for coilovers
and

http://www.stanceworks.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=35

for air.

http://bagriders.com/modlab/products/MANUAL-PADDLE-VALVE-KIT.html

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/BAGS-AND-BRACKETS/BAGS/

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/MANAGEMENT/COMPRESSORS/COMPRESSORS/

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/MANAGEMENT/AIR-LINE/

http://bagriders.com/modlab/categories/MANAGEMENT/AIR-TANKS/

Good luck man, since you seem mechanically inclined, a manual bag setup could be cheaper than a coilover setup. But with bags it will be much more labor intensive, and could get leaks.

I'll be looking forward for progress on this car.

Thanks for all the info bro, really do appreciate it. I am mechanically inclined but I sold every tool I had when I stopped working at KIA as a service technician. More than likely I'll just find a reputable shop to do the work. Kicking myself in the rear end for selling all my tools, tool box and roll cart

[jkalber87]

Hello everyone!!!! Just wanted to update everyone on the slow progress of my car

Tomorrow, I will be purchasing a rear diffuser for my Optima with intentions to be running a quad muffler exhaust setup. Will post pics of both the diffuser and exhaust.

Rear diffuser:

http://imgur.com/Nw14Bwy

http://imgur.com/0UIcS3Z

PICO E.V.C quad axle back exhaust:

http://imgur.com/83akDIk

http://imgur.com/ZtWSgil

Exhaust will be purchased sometime in December. Will be running the diffuser with stock exhaust for the time being.

Stay tuned

[jkalber87]

Well, turns out that the "used" rear diffuser I was going to get from Sequence is pretty banged up and they don't want to sell it in the condition that it is in.

I did however purchase the new "K" emblem set for the front grill, steering wheel and rear trunk. I also went ahead and de-badged the "Optima" and "LX" badges today, overall the car looks ten times better. I will upload pics.

[jkalber87]

Finally!!!! I'm somewhat low now haha! Last week I installed some H&R Typ GE Lowering Springs on my 09 Optima. Overall, I am very pleased with the end results.

http://imgur.com/LCInY2D

http://imgur.com/M7bwkju

[rice4life]

Nice! You should get a build thread going.

Glad you are still around

[jkalber87]

Nice! You should get a build thread going.

Glad you are still around

Yeah thanks bro. Haven't got around to creating a build thread but I do need to. I usually just lurk around the forums until I purchase something for my car & then I throw up an new updated post here ha.

[bwoodbury88]

hey guys this thread is great im in the same boat i have a 08 optima and the blue vip styled one made me decide to do some mods so far i've tinted windows sea blue k spec badges 8k HIDs and clear LED turn signal/parklight bulbs working now on finding a suspension setup and some classy 18's i've been thinking of getting touren tr9s [IMG][/IMG]

[rice4life]

hey guys this thread is great im in the same boat i have a 08 optima and the blue vip styled one made me decide to do some mods so far i've tinted windows sea blue k spec badges 8k HIDs and clear LED turn signal/parklight bulbs working now on finding a suspension setup and some classy 18's i've been thinking of getting touren tr9s [IMG][/IMG]

Make your own build thread! Please don't threadjack.

I would stay away from those wheels. They don't look like they would suit a VIP build.

Look into Avant Garde wheels. Their cast wheels aren't expensive and pretty good quality.


Glad to see another KDM fan here