I’ve had my 1996 Honda Accord for a long time now, and honestly, it’s one of those cars I just couldn’t part with. Nothing fancy, but reliable to a fault. It’s been my daily for years—just basic maintenance, oil changes, new tires when needed. Never touched the suspension or even thought much about mods.
That changed the day I slammed into a pothole so hard I thought I left the front wheels behind. No joke. After that, the ride went completely soft, and cornering felt like I was driving a boat. It was time—suspension had to go.
And that’s when the coilover idea came into play.
I Didn’t Think Coilovers Were for Me
Honestly, I always thought coilovers were for the slammed-and-scraping crowd. You know, the guys with show cars and stretch tires. I wasn’t trying to be “that guy.” I just wanted my car to drive better and not feel like it was riding on marshmallows.
But after reading up on some builds and checking out what other Honda Accord owners were doing, it started to make sense. A bunch of folks said swapping in a set of Honda Accord coilovers made their cars way more fun to drive. Better control, tighter steering, less roll in corners. That got my attention.
I wasn’t looking to track the car or anything—just something that felt planted and not sloppy anymore.
Finding the Right Set (Without Draining My Wallet)
Shopping for coilovers? Man, that’ll take you down a rabbit hole real quick. There are dozens of brands. Some look solid, others look like they’ll snap in half if you hit a speed bump.
I didn’t want to go wild with some race-spec setup, but I also wasn’t about to trust my life to some sketchy $200 coilovers off eBay. After poking around a bunch of forums and watching way too many YouTube reviews, I landed on a decent set that people seemed to like for daily driving. Nothing flashy—just a solid option that fits the 1996 Honda Accord and won’t kill your back every time you hit a bump.
Honestly, I wasn’t trying to slam it or anything crazy. I just wanted it to feel better on the road—tighter in corners, less floaty, more confidence when turning. That’s it.
Install Day = Long Day
Let me tell you—installing coilovers isn’t the worst job in the world, but it ain’t quick either. Me and a buddy tackled it on a Saturday with nothing but hand tools and a floor jack. No lift, no air tools. Just elbow grease and a few curse words.
The install for 1996 Honda Accord coilovers isn’t too crazy if you’re patient. Getting everything lined up, torqued down, and adjusted just right takes time. We had to pull everything back out once to fix the ride height because it was way off at first. Lesson learned.
Also—don’t skip the alignment. Seriously. I drove a mile after the install and knew something was way off. Booked an alignment the next day and the car drove 10x better.
The Difference? Wild.
After a few days of driving, I couldn’t believe how much better the car felt. Body roll? Practically gone. It corners like a totally different car now. The steering is tighter, the car feels more responsive, and braking doesn’t make the nose dive like before.
I didn’t slam the car—just dropped it slightly for a clean look. The stance looks better, but more importantly, it drives so much sharper. It doesn’t feel like a 30-year-old commuter anymore. It feels like a car I actually enjoy driving.
And the cool part? People notice. I’ve had a couple random folks ask what I’ve done to it because it looks like it drives better now, too.
A Few Heads-Ups If You’re Thinking About It
If you’re considering Honda Accord coilovers, here’s some stuff I wish I knew going in:
- Not all coilovers are daily-driver friendly. Some are just too stiff. Look for reviews from people with similar goals.
- If you lower it too much, your alignment and tire wear might go out of whack. Camber kits can help.
- Dialing in the height and damping takes a few tries. You won’t get it perfect right away. That’s okay.
But honestly, don’t let that scare you off. Once it’s all set up, it’s totally worth the effort.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of ways to spend money on a 90s Honda—intake, exhaust, wheels—but swapping to 1996 Honda Accord coilovers? That’s the one mod that actually made the whole car feel new again.
If you’re still rolling on tired old suspension, this should be at the top of your list. It’s not just about looking cool (though it helps); it’s about bringing back that connection between you and the road.
My Accord used to be “just transportation.” Now? I actually look forward to taking it out for a drive. That’s worth way more than I expected.
