major suspension and wheel upgrade

[xintersecty]

It's time I make the plunge and get this upgrade. A couple things about my driving habits: I drive long distance between Greenville SC and Raleigh NC (about 300 miles). I actually live past Greenville and into the last Co. in SC in a place that nobody had heard of.... I keep my speed at 75 to 80 MPH (indicated, the GPS says something different). Occasionally I will gun it and drive very aggressively and corner hard. Curvy on ramps will have me accelerating and trying to hold the corner. On some curvy roads, I am trying to hang on and push my car. On the highway I hit the cruise and kick back.
The Car: I have the Light Blue Hatchback Special Value manual transmission with add on AC. I put on aftermarket cruise control. Currently I have Falken crappy tires with a crappy suspension.
I want to get a good gas millage with occasional hell raising. Not acceleration (Hey it is a Chevy Aveo) but more action on the curves.
So I am thinking new suspension, front strut bar and a under the car rear anti-sway bar, new alloy wheels and new tires.
Front Strut Bar:
I found this on ebay, this is what I am going to buy first for the strut bar. Any experience with this product? Can you feel a difference?
ULTRA RACING 2-Point Front Strut Bar: Chevrolet Aveo [UR-TW2-531]
Suspension:
I have been looking around and I have not really found anything I have liked. I did look on KYBs website for the KB GR-2 struts and I could not find anything. I am considering lowering the car. Just how much I don’t know. On the highway I expect that will improve gas millage. So recommendations on how much to lower and whose products would be appreciated.
Wheels:
Everything I have read here leans towards 15 and 16 inch wheels for a balance of millage and performance. When I do switch wheels, I plan on painting the rear drums black. I am leaning towards a 16 inch wheel chrome (it goes with everything!) and 7 inch width.
http://www.discounttiredirect.com/produ ... grm.xl.jpg
Any experience with Konig Wheels? Is this a good size?

Now that I have discussed everything, I find buying tires to be a very frustrating experience. Tires wear out faster than is stated. Even with getting Alignments done regularly once the suspension goes your tires soon follow. I have noticed mechanics will not say anything until they are bald even while with regular alignments. So I would to get something that is popular (meaning a lot in stock and a lower price). Any suggestions there?

[petrified.rabbit]

basically, you can look at it in two aspects.

if you lower the center of gravity, then you have less to topple over.. ie less body roll. that goes for springs, and coil overs. benefit of the coil overs is this aspect is adjustable height.

The dampening adjustment is "Sort of" like a deflection range. How much you want to let the suspension move when it moves.
if the inside corner on a turn, you can have it adjusted to it "how much" it will allow that corner of the car to drop (more specifically how fast, for the duration or to outlast the turn). the opposite side will raise in correlation to the drop of the other side.. So the less it drops the less it will raise the other side= less body roll. plus, if you can adjust how fas the other side will raise up. you get more control.

wheels sizes don't matter as much as tires, if you run a 195/50 whether r15 or r16, it will have the same side wall but more/less rolling diameter. but if you were doing a 195/50r15 versus a 205/40r16, then yes sidewall is very different.

[paulsaveo]

if it helps at all, my 04 aveo has 17x7 enkei RS6 rims, tires are somewhat mismatched for the moment, fornt is 205/40 toyo proxes FZ4 (discontinued so rear are different) and rear are 205/40 nitto neogen. they have been on the car a year (about 25,000 miles) toyos are at about 40% tread and nittos are about 75% tread. for suspension I have eibach pro-kit, 1.4 front 1.0 rear mated to KYBS, excel-2 front struts, GR-2 rear shocks. the overal ride is pretty good, 16s with a more sidewall would make for a pretty smooth ride. As far as chrome rims go, they may look good, but chrome is HEAVY

[freddingo]

if it helps at all, my 04 aveo has 17x7 enkei RS6 rims, tires are somewhat mismatched for the moment, fornt is 205/40 toyo proxes FZ4 (discontinued so rear are different) and rear are 205/40 nitto neogen. they have been on the car a year (about 25,000 miles) toyos are at about 40% tread and nittos are about 75% tread. for suspension I have eibach pro-kit, 1.4 front 1.0 rear mated to KYBS, excel-2 front struts, GR-2 rear shocks. the overal ride is pretty good, 16s with a more sidewall would make for a pretty smooth ride. As far as chrome rims go, they may look good, but chrome is HEAVY

Any end link kit? When does the car actually need it other than loooow on coil overs?

[sambo]

I'm new to the forum and the suspension talk, so please excuse me. I would like to know if is possible to lower my aveo with low profile 17s? Or how much lowering is needed to gain benefits? 2008 sedan 205 40 17. What's my best option?

[petrified.rabbit]

any lower, or a more performance spring rate will improve handling. handling is not the same as comfort.

those wheels and tire sizes will be fine with a mild-moderate drop.

[sambo]

Thanks, I appreciate it.