What are the differences between mfg's and price ranges of lowering springs?

Do some have different spring rates, lower life expectancy, or better fit quality?

What are some MFG's to stay away from?

You answered your questions in all of the above. Use the search feature here it helps alot. Also... when you lower your car dont use stock struts you will just be creating more work for yourself in the long run when they blow. I know this because I was cheap and did this myself back in the day.

ya man hes^^^^right do some research, you basically listed what you should be looking for....if you type in the spring you are thinking about in the search I bet it will pull up information about most. Good Luck and dont use stock struts....just wasting your time.

If you have the money, get the struts at the same time. Otherwise it's not that big of a deal. I am dropped on Goldline Springs with stock struts for the past 3 years. I am finally changing my stock struts out this weekend to a new set of Tokico HP's. I was definately on a budget back then (I still am, but not as tight) and could only afford to spend $120 on the springs and install them myself with the $10 camber mod. Now, 3 years later, I am finally finishing the installation.

As far as my springs, they are great. Haven't sagged (they supposedly have a no-sag warranty) and lowered me almost a full 2". Not too low that you are scrapin everywhere but definately a head turner.

Just thought I'd chime in with a recommendation. I'm not sure what you're looking for in a spring, but I put H&R Sport springs on mine and they're fantastic. They're matched up with a set of Tokico HPs.

Can't go wrong with eibach.... i have the prokits. 1.5" drop.... sportlines are too low for my tastes, but the quality is definatly there... my prokits were like $250

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I put on that crappy sleeve style coilover kit last weekend, just to give me a feeling for how much I want to lower it. At this point I am looking in the 1.5" range.

I do live in Minnesota the land of 10,000 potholes, and high driveway enterences.

Now to shop for springs and get those sleeve coilovers off.