BC Racing Coilovers for Mazda 5 - Unboxing

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phunky.buddha

Mad scientist
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So I bought a set of BC Racing Coilovers for the wife's Mazda 5 from Import Auto Performance and got them in over the winter break. With all the vacations and my crazy work schedule, I just got around to digging around in the box and thought I'd share with all of you guys. And before anyone asks, no, I don't work for IAP, but I have to let everybody know that their customer service has been great with REALLY fast responses both over the phone and through email and forum private messaging on the sites they have a presence. I've been nothing but satisfied so far.

I'll have a giant installation how-to thread once I get these things on, but first let me share my rationale for buying this set of coilovers vs other options.

1. Price. Ultimately, the dollar count is what matters most to quite a few people. The price point on these things is $1000 shipped. My other main option was Koni Yellows and H&R Sport springs which would have checked out at around $900 shipped. With all the reading I've done on the forum, quite a few people have been reporting broken mounting hardware when they've gone to change out their struts, and needing to spend another few hundred bucks replacing everything. I have weird clunking sounds coming from the front end of my wife's 5 now, so I might have something broken up front. If I do, these coilovers take those parts out of the equation since none of the OEM mounting hardware is used. Replacement shocks/springs do not.

2. Spring rate. I likes my go-karts. :D BC and one or two other companies actually offer MZ5 specific spring rates. BC specs the MZ3 at 7kg/mm front, 4kg/mm rear. The MZ5 part number is sold with 8kg/mm front and 7kg/mm rear springs. The Yellow Speeds are 8kg/mm front and 6kg/mm rear. More rear rate = more fun for me.

3. Adjustability. I've had coilovers before where the height and spring pre-load were independently adjustable. It's a nice feature to have. The real reason to have independently adjustable shock body length and spring perch height is to be able to corner weight your car while keeping your ride height looking how you want. Will I corner weight the family car? I have a buddy with corner scales, so maybe, just maybe.

4. Reviews. BC seems to have some of the best feedback out of anything else in this price range for inexpensive coilovers. No, these aren't crazy $5k+ competition coilovers, but they seem to be pretty popular in almost every forum for cars that they make an application for. I'll at least be able to compare them to the Tein Flex that were on my Civic and retailed out around $1600, plus the AST 4100s that are on my S2000 and peg out close to $3k.

I guess that's enough blabber for now- on to the pics!

Box the way it ships- double boxed, straps everywhere:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_01.jpg


Part numbers on the outside along with spring rate information- these are 8kg/mm front, 7kg/mm rear:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_02.jpg


Invoice straight from Bor-Chuann, looks like a declaration of $150 might get you past customs a bit easier ;)
mz5_bc_unbox_m_03.jpg


Red box inside brown box:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_04.jpg


Paperwork inside, lots of Chinese, installation instructions, product pamphlet, sticker:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_05.jpg


How they're packed- never seen peanuts inside bags before:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_06.jpg


One front and one rear laid out:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_07.jpg


Front lower, shows the tag and model type:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_08.jpg


Front spring info; the way I read it is 62mm coil diameter, 180mm coil length, 8kg/mm rate:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_09.jpg


Model specific tag on the front:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_10.jpg


Hardware mounting tabs welded to the lower sleeve:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_11.jpg


Top mount with camber plate- these are not in the application guide for the MZ5, but I asked for them anyway and got them:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_12.jpg


Rear tag:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_13.jpg


Rear top mount with adjuster:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_14.jpg


Rear dust boot, bump stop:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_15.jpg


Bushing at bottom of rear shock:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_16.jpg


Rear spring stackup:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_17.jpg


Rear upper adjustable perch:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_18.jpg


Rear spring- 62mm coil, 180mm length, 7kg/mm:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_19.jpg


Rear lower perch, top side:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_20.jpg


Rear lower perch, bottom side:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_21.jpg


The sticker:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_22.jpg


It's actually made of metal:
mz5_bc_unbox_m_23.jpg


Overall I'm quite impressed with what came in the box, especially for the price they want. The build quality looks good, the camber plate is really nice, and the large chunky metal pieces look well formed. Hopefully all these pictures give you guys a better view of what the coilovers really look like in the flesh as opposed to the same promo pictures you see on every web site.

I can't wait to get them onto the car and settled in to see what they're capable of. I just have to get my OTHER coilovers back and get this thing backed out of the garage... suspension installs outside are a little cold in the winter.

:)

s2k_garage_m.jpg
 
:thumbsup:

those look very nice


looking forward to the install and the review
 
:thumbsup:

those look very nice

looking forward to the install and the review

:)

cold, in dallas?

suck it up dude.

nice coils.

Oh, I know- but working outside after midnight (do everything in the dead of night) for hours with 30 degree temps and 50mph winds isn't my idea of fun. MA is much worse for sure, but that combo is still going to kick anyone's ass.
 
Ok, so after all the mess that's been going on lately on the weekends, my lack of ability to work on a car after 10pm on weekdays after putting the kids to bed, and being out of town on business- I finally have things buttoned up.

Coilovers are installed
Ride height is set at 25.75" from fender to ground at all four corners
Stiffness is set at 6/32 front, 8/32 rear (1 is stiffest)
Top Speed rear camber arms are installed
Mazdaspeed 3 rear 26mm sway bar is installed

So while I process the 150-ish pictures that are left after deleting the trash and work on my install writeup, here's a side shot of the car with the levels all blown out in Photoshop so you can see the even wheel gap:

mz5_25_75_to_fenders.jpg


Writeup coming soon...
 
It's a blast. You yank the wheel a quarter turn, and it moves almost instantly- not quite as fast as my Civic did, but for something that weighs a half ton more, it's damn good. It's soooo planted now. Next up, more tire...
 
nice, BC is down the road from me and I was considering their remote reservoir setup for my race car....held off for now. Im interested to see what you think.
 
I like them for street, but their travel is limited... which may or may not hurt you on the track. More later...
 
Lookin good. With the wheels and the drop, it looks more like a 5-door hatch, and less like a minivan
 
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