Ceika Performance Coilovers - my review

Hey guys, Like many people on here, one of the first things we want to do to stock 996's after many years on the stock setup is to refresh the worn suspension parts and lower the car for better handling and performance. My car is a street car and I really couldn't justify spending $2,500+ on a set of coilovers mainly used for cars that see the track frequently. I did a lot of research and was going to get new H&R springs, Bilstein shocks etc. After a lot of research I came across Ceika Performance coilovers. They seemed to be similar to BC Racing coilovers which gets a lot of great reviews from the BMW M guys. The reviews I got were these are a great street setup with casual track use. I know that I'll receive a lot of heat for using a setup thats not KW, Ohlins, H&R etc...but hear me out: The coiovers are made in Taiwan using quality steel and parts. They are made-to-order depending on your desired use and that's how the save money on the product and can afford to sell at the $1040 price point . When I contacted them (the only way is through their chat system via their website https://us.ceika-store.com ) they asked me questions about how I plan to use my car, how the road conditions are in my area and what would I like the car to feel like. They then made spring rate suggestions. I then placed the order and they started to build my set to spec. The process took less than 2 weeks to build and ship. I received my set a few days later. The quality was impressive. I ordered mine with camber plates. The setup did come with front adjustable sway bar links. I purchased Torque Solutions adjustable rear toe links and rear sway bar links. I had the suspension dialed into 996 GT2 specs and lowered to my taste (almost cup car ride height). After a few drives on the new setup, I wanted to share my review thus far of my Ceika Performance coilovers. I'm impressed! Again, my car is a street car. I'm not planning on tracking it since that needs a budget on it's own to maintain and I'm more interested in spirited street driving on beautiful back roads. I don't have bump steer. the car feel planted and confident. I pushed it in the corners and did a few "spirited runs" and it definitely felt more confident than stock. The coilovers are more comfortable than my stock setup, yet the car feels more planted and firmer. I know that doesn't make sense...but it's true. I can enjoy a nice spirited drive and not spill my coffee on the way home The Porsche tech at the race shop in Wi that dialed my suspension in (CS Motorsports) says this "the way you raise and lower the suspension is nothing I'm used to but it seems like a nice street and occasional track setup" he also said the real test is on the track. He too was impressed with the quality .These coilovers are rebuildable. If you're looking at coilovers at a reasonable price point and don't feel like spending 3K+ other misc parts, I highly recommend you consider Ceika Performance coilovers. Before bashing them, check out their specs found here: https://us.ceika-store.com/products/cct1m615

Kudos for trying something new. Give a down the road update once you've had some more seat time with them.

thanks for sharing. I checked out there site.. I'm gonna get ahold of them.

Nice! Keep us updated.

Interesting. I'm not sure where these guys were two years ago, as I thought I researched everything available for a '99 C4. How'd you find them? They look like a great option if they last. Good luck and keep us updated on performance/longevity and potential issues!

Thanks guys! I found them while searching endlessly using different terms for coilover options. For those interested, use this link for a referral code: https://ceika-store.com/?rfsn=1161379.607d1f Im told this is how we could get a group buy or special offers?

Any chance they gave you shock dyno charts? All the knock-off and cheapo coilovers I've ridden in (in porsches) have felt like **** and I just assumed "these must all be for the stance-bros" compared to the more expensive name-brand options. Does the damping actually feel good, or just compared to old worn out suspension it's an improvement?

I emailed them asking for shock dyno charts. I understand that the price is low and could lead people to believe they are "cheapo" but the way I gathered it, they are using the same or similar parts bin as BC Racing, D2 and others. The price is low because they don't hold a supply, these are built-to-order and made to your spec (spring rates, dampeners etc). I'm picky and the quality of these guys is impressive at that price point. It doesn't bother me if they "borrowed" the design of a brand that costs twice or more? I have driven other Porsches with non big named coilivers and my conclusion is, yes some don't ride as nice and it comes down to what other supporting parts you use (adjustable links etc) and how it was dialed in. I installed the myself then took it to a local race shop (CS Motorsports - who work on and have build cup cars) and their head mechanic did all the work on my car. He says, he's not used to how to adjust the ride height BUT, after a few drives in the car after being dialed in, balanced etc, he says they seem to feel good? "A good street setup" - he also added that the real test is on the track. I don't have any bump steer, no weird noises and the dampening / rebound feels good? I'm sure my old OEM suspension was old and worn but this is an impressive upgrade for a street car

Also...I'm allergic to "Stance Bros"

any updates ?

For high performance low budget, go with Feal.

No problems so far. Considering how low its sitting, I am working on upgrading to GT3 cup rear lower arms. Otherwise, happy with it.

cool! kudos for going with something different. do you have to send them back to Taiwan to rebuild?

I've got them on my 996 - very impressed with improved handling and the quality of the construction.

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Did you get them for performance/lowering or just to refresh the suspension? I'm considering them as a direct replacement for my stock suspension as the price and quality seem very good and the kits are pretty complete.

all these brands, including feal, ksport, etc just repackage and rebrand the same stuff, no? I find it hard to believe that feal or ceika is doing anything other than sourcing some custom springs from the lowest cost supplier. Not to say that its a bad product, but what happens when these guys all go out of business in a few years or if you have an issue? I went with bilstein/h&r setup and I'm regretting it, so I looked at Feal. While I want to think they are better than just getting the cheapest ones off ebay, I really don't think thats the case.

Going with Feal on my next race build. Custom valving/springs for dedicated track use (900#F/1000#R is my preference) and rebuilding their own shocks for $75/corner are perfect for my next build.

Did you get/ need camber plates for the rear? What spring rate and valving did you get? I�ve have issues in the past with coil overs being rather bouncy on the street, do these have that issue?

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Why do you regret it?

For a street car, its a great setup. The ride on the progressive H&R springs is outstanding, and the handling is good. But the car has become more track oriented and the suspension is just too soft for a track car and you can't corner balance or adjust. This was intended to be an interim setup and things escalated more quickly than expected (should have known). So now seeking something a bit more track oriented

It's amazing how stiff springs can feel on the street and how soft the same springs can feel on the track.

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I'm in the same boat albeit with ROW 030. Piecing together a new package now. Just need to decide on coilovers. Got GT3 F&R LCAs with solid mounts and monoballs, and camber plates F. Watching these coilover threads. Feal seems like a good bet to me so far, barring a good deal on something used.

My experience with offshore brand suspension parts is that they just don't do well in environments where Road salt is used . Seals go and corrosion gets so bad you end up replacing them long before you would if a more mainstream component was used . it will be interesting to see how these units do 2-4 years out . for my money , TUV approved German built parts like the h&r coilovers I used , with their bilstein hearts were worth it . fyi factory gt3s came with h&r / bilstein joint venture coilovers .

from the subie threads, it seems these hold up ok. for a track oriented car, corrosion shouldn't be a big concern.

moburki, if you decide to go the coilover route, I might be interested in your row m030 set up if its lightly used and fits a C2

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hopefully they will hold up to the extreame duty service of track use it will be great to hear how these hold up two years from now . If they meet expectations they could be a real bargain !

My PSS9 had a blown shock, I wanted to try something new, was researching on pss10, h&r, ohlins, these are the brands that I had experience with on my other cars. I then decided not to spend so much money on coilovers this time, since I only drive my 996 for about 3k miles a year and it doesn't see rain/snow. I was then searching for BC coilovers which few of my friends are using on their weekend cars with good results. However BC doesn't make coilovers for 996 c2, so I went for ceika instead with custom spring rates. I chose 7k front 10k rear. The cost of the ceika are a lot lower than the german brands, which gave me the budget to upgrade other worn suspension parts. I replaced the dog bones, front/rear toe links with RSS units. My ceika setup do give up some comfort when comparing to the pss9 unit, but they feel sportier to drive with my chosen spring rates. Overall I have no complains based on what that they are offering at this price point, you still get a quality product. Here's how the car looks with the new setup.

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I live in heavy salt area...a lot of the underbody has general rust and i drive all season long. Ksport coilovers lasted just over 60k miles throughout 3 winters. I replaced them with another set of new ksports this past fall due to 2 blown shock/struts. Some rust on the components but they held up just fine rust wise. Cost me 1.1k each time...can't complain

Thanks for sharing. What spring rates did you go with baq911?

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Stance looks great. What offset/tire combo are you running on rear? And can I just say, headlights look badass on a lowered, clean setup 996.

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can you give an update on the suspension?

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I second that motion baq911, how about an update, please? I�m getting ready to pull the trigger, and I�d love to hear a longer term review, especially how your impressions have developed. Thanks in advance!

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which ride and height did you opt for. Was thinking about going comfort in sport low as the roads in long island are garbage.

Ok an update on the suspension seems to be in order. My suspension upgrade has snowballed ...who could have seen that coming? I still have the Ceika coilovers and have no problems to report 2 years later. At this point, the only stock components on my suspension are the sway bars. EVERYTHING else has been upgraded to motorsports / GT3 Cup spec. I did this to have the ultimate ability to adjust the suspension to my liking. Everything includes a bump steer kit, adjustable links, upper and lower arms etc etc etc. I cannot remember my spring rates but I had the first set of Ceika coilovers to enter the US, so when you contact them, let them know you want the same setup as the first set they sold for a black C4S... they know my car and will share the specs. Back to the update...the coilovers work great with all of the upgraded components. I had KMR (Kelly Moss Road and Race) do the installation of the race components and dial the suspension in. I told them that I want it low, compliant, confident and comfortable. The did an incredible job. While they were at it, we custom built the most aggressive fitment we could As I continue to build this C4S "Clubsport"...the more I realize how rewarding it is to build something bespoke to you. Stay safe everyone, all the best and enjoy the pics.

Thanks for the update! Stance looks perfect and the wheels round out the look perfectly too.

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Thank you !

I had a question regarding your alignment in GT2 specs. Could I do a GT3 alignment on my 996 carrera C2 if I have adjustable rear toe arms, adjustable front and rear sway bar links?

Any updates on these? How are they holding up? About to pull the trigger on these for my 996 turbo.

I ordered some for my C4S today. Will report back.

I have had a set of Ceika coilovers on my 2003 C2 for 3-1/2 years and they have been performing very well. I have no complaints. Car is used for spirited driving. I like them so well I have ordered a set for my 2002 C4. Mark

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Which configuration type did you choose? Sport or Comfort? I am about to get a set for my 996 Turbo but am not sure which one to choose. It might see 1 or 2 track days in the future but its used for spirited driving/occasional commuting/lunch trips

I got the Sport version for the C2 and IIRC the Comfort for the convertible. I have Ohlins RT for my Turbo.

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Would be interested in a direct comparison, if you�d be willing?

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+1 Wonder how the sport valving on set @ full soft compares to the comfort valving Or ...would sport be good for daily driving and occasional 'spirited' driving?

I just got a set of these delivered for my '02 C2. Are there any helpful tips on installing them? I am more than comfortable with the installation, but would just like to know an initial configuration to start (pre-load, length, etc.). I want to start at stock height and then maybe trend towards a tad lower.

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Not sure how similar the front carriers on the c2 are to the TT as my car is a TT with AWD but I had to disconnect the brake lines to swing the carrier down/lower to get them to fit. Adjust the clickers to full hard and back off them until you like how it rides. Set the ride height with how much gas you usually drive around with. It will vary. Coat the threads and the bottom of the adjuster ring or the shock collar where it rests with some anti-seize to make it easier to take it off in the future.

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Can I ask what wheels these are? I dig em!

Those wheels look like CCW Classic wheels - https://ccwheel.com/shop/classic -Tom

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Thanks!!

Thank you for this review. I have been going back and forth about Coilovers vs Bilteins B6 + RoW 030 springs which I had before on my 996 C4 and loved it. My 996 Turbo has 89k miles and I need to replace every single strut/shock component which by the time I add all the pieces, I'll be looking at $2,800 plus labor (I no longer have all of the tools I used to). Ceikas has a Black Friday sale and I can have them for less than $1,200. I have a mechanic who would install them for less than $700 plus the alignment. Easy decision based on numbers. However, there are also the Feals at about $300 more. Decisions, decisions. Thoughts anyone?

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Im going with Feal, I just need to know what else I need to change at minimum. Don�t have another $3k for a full suspension refresh.

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if you plan on dropping the ride height, get the helper springs and make sure the bump stop is set properly.

I have a set of brand new set of Ceikas with the helper springs in my garage. The previous owner installed lowering springs and those springs caused me nothing but grief. I went through rear tires like crazy. I installed adjustable dog bones and then adjustable trailing arms and the dealer still couldn’t get that car aligned. I bought the Ceikas to raise my car. In the end, my indy suggested just getting original springs, ditch the adjustable parts and go back to stock for a while. it got the car squared up and it drives sooo much better. It doesn’t look quite as cool, but I do not care! I finally get to feel what a 996 felt like out of the box. Gosh! It’s a real nice handling automobile. Oh! My Indy said those Ceikas were just fine for a daily driver but he didn’t know how they would stand up on the track. (I don’t have a track near me so no biggie)

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Willing to bet the coilovers weren't installed properly. They are not meant to be adjusted from the bottom mounts, you're supposed to use the preload to adjust the height after the bump stop height is set.

FYI, I would not use anti-seize on any set of coilovers on the threads. I had used it initially on my Ceikas and I had to take the coilovers off to reset the bump stop height and one of the coils got seized to the shock body. I was able to get it off but the combination of anti-seize, grit and the powdercoating became problematic and it took some penetrating oil and hammering to break it free. I would highly suggest using Boeing T-9 or frequently using PB blaster or something along those lines to keep the threads corrosion free.