Stanced vs. Fitted Cars

"iLikeCarsAndSkiing" (iLikeCarsAndSkiing) 10/16/2013 at 13:26 • Filed to: None

5

47

Look at that....it's just perfect (maybe besides the spoiler which I just noticed).

Whenever I am looking through car builds on forums the term "fitment" and "stanced" are always used to describe a project. Now, I am not a huge fan of stanced/slammed cars. I am by no means saying that they are stupid or useless, but I do understand that the purpose for most of these cars is show only. Don't get me wrong, there are some sexy stanced cars, but I think cars with good fitment look equally as good or even better. They can look amazing, and usually do, but where they really exceed stanced cars is usability. You can drive them anywhere, track them, etc... With stanced cars you take them to shows, risk ruining fenders and wheels, show the car off, then drive it home. With fitted cars (Did I use that right?) you can produce a great looking show car without running the risk of damaging anything. What do you guys think?

In my opinion, this is a good looking stanced car:

Before anyone blows up on me for anything that may be wrong or false: I really don't know much about "stancing" cars, my opinion is based solely off of how they look.

EL_ULY > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:28

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confused by drifters

iLikeCarsAndSkiing > EL_ULY 10/16/2013 at 13:30

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Sorry, what are you saying? Drift cars only have 1 purpose, to drift, right?

Tom McParland > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:30

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I like things a little lower than stock but no too much...this I like

This I don't-

iLikeCarsAndSkiing > Tom McParland 10/16/2013 at 13:31

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In my opinion that e30 is perfectly fitted. I love it! The other one, not soo much

liquid_popcorn > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:31

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I like the uniqueness and creativity of a lot of the stanced cars (most of what features on Stanceworks is pretty cool to see), but stuff like extreme camber, stretched tires, and bosozuku don't really do it for me.

Nice fitment, on the other hand, is teh sex.

iLikeCarsAndSkiing > liquid_popcorn 10/16/2013 at 13:33

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I agree with what you say about the creativeness and uniqueness...never thought of it that way. Yes, most of what is featured on stanceworks is pretty cool!

EL_ULY > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:34

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just the whole tire stretched wheel nearly touching the fender, i automatically think stance car. Plus them being super low, JDM wheels, seats, and that cosmetic stuff.

Bird > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:35

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Go spend some time learning. There are great places to find info from the community like Stanceworks own forums. 'Fitted' I think is a term people created to get away from the negative connotations people apply to stance in general. Just like Meaty Stance etc.

What it boils down to, stance is about fitment. The type of fitment or ultimate goal may vary.

iLikeCarsAndSkiing > Bird 10/16/2013 at 13:38

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Ohhh wow that makes a lot of sense! Meaty fitment and just a little bit of camber is what I love.

Bird > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:40

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That's a personal favorite style of mine as well...

Party-vi > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:41

5

Boo and hiss on the M3 stancing. I can see a non-M E46 (and they often look great), but what sick sonofabitch takes an M3 and renders it useless by stancing it? :(

Grechosaurus > liquid_popcorn 10/16/2013 at 13:43

1

Like you said, stance is about creativity and uniqueness, and some stance cars are down right BEAUTIFUL.

I'm a huge stance guy myself (I drive a stanced/slammed Genesis), but I've come to realize that a car fitted properly, with wheels of the right size and offset to sit nice and flush with the fenders, and the right size tires - especially on the right car - can look WAY better than something slammed to the floor with -7 camber. Although I will always love the look of an extremely low car with crazy camber rolling down the road, nothing looks better/crazier.

iLikeCarsAndSkiing > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:46

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So ultimately after all of this I have learned the following: I do like SOME types of stanced cars. Stanced cars are not only show cars, but also an expersson of creativity and people who just want a cool and unique project to build. I do not like some of the unique builds people make, but I love the meaty tires with a little bit of camber on almost anything...

liquid_popcorn > Grechosaurus 10/16/2013 at 13:48

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Have any photos of your car? I'd like to see it.

Also, I haven't seen many cars around northern VA with crazy camber, but when they do pass by it's hard to miss.

BKRM3 > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 13:54

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That iND car is set up like a boss. I realize I am ridiculously biased in favor of any space gray metallic E9X M3, but I think this entire thing comes down to one question: are you modifying your car to be functional?

If your goal is to have the ultimate track setup, the end result is going to look an awful lot like that iND car - splitter with brake ducts, as much tire as possible with aggressive offsets, optimal suspension tuning (that car might actually be a bit TOO low, but maybe it's just that way for the picture), etc. Track cars generally end up looking awesome because the push the limits of functionality.

The only place that LSB E46 is trying to go in a hurry is the flat-brimmed hat store.

Different strokes I guess.

ColoradoTaco > Tom McParland 10/16/2013 at 13:54

2

I like them both. I wouldn't drive my car as low as the red one, but I like the way it looks.

What I really want is set of those OZs

Gasolinelollipop > BKRM3 10/16/2013 at 14:06

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"A bit too low" I don't compute.

Grechosaurus > liquid_popcorn 10/16/2013 at 14:09

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Sure!

Being on Long Island, we have a HUGE stance following, just about everyone and their grandma is trying to slam their civic (this is when it gets bad, when everyone tries to copy it and most cars are just done flat out WRONG and look horrible.)

Gasolinelollipop > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:09

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The only thing I don't like is when the wheel lip is sticking out beyond the tire edge. To me this is cheating the set up. A slightly rolled tire fitted to the wheel lip looks great. A wheel lip to the fender looks like you did it wrong. The grey E9x M3 looks great. The blue E46 M3 Looks awful.

Textured Soy Protein > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:18

1

I've always been annoyed by the explanation, "it doesn't actually have to work well as a performance car, it's just for show ."

To me, if you want to make something look silly (and looking silly can be fun!), don't start out with something that was meant to be fast and make it worse at driving fast. That blue M3 bothers me more than a donked out Caprice.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:32

7

Any M engineer who worked years on designing and fine-tuning the suspension of the E46 M3 would surely look at that car and curse the owner.

liquid_popcorn > Grechosaurus 10/16/2013 at 14:32

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Nice!

Also, yes.

Squid > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:33

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To me function > form. I don't understand why people like to stretch tires on rims so the rims stick out. I like my wheel lips not scratched and dinged up. Also I don't like blow outs so I think stretching tires is just stupid. The first time I saw a car with stretched tires was back in 06, I saw a CLK with chrome rims with little itty bitty tires stretched on them. I thought it was stupid then, and my oppinion hasn't changed one bit.

I also think camber is great for a potential increase in grip, but there is a limit where it becomes hurtful to the car and your wallet. If people like throwing away money on tires and crappy coilovers that ride like shit and will blow out or break because of lack of travel and being low, so be it. I just think they look like idiots.

Regarding the two M3's pictured above, the top one looks great but the bottom one is a waste of an M3. Hopefully it is just some douche who got the M3 body panels and did this to a 328. I just see an idiot who likes his suspension to either be: a.) nonexistent and basically static or b.) have his wheel lips crashing into his fenders and chewing them up and an extreme lack of steering lock.

BJ > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:49

3

I don't mind low cars, or even very low cars, but I'm not a fan of the stretched tire aesthetic and silly camber angles. I like it when things look like they're in order, when they're in the shape they're supposed to be.

The M3 in your first picture is nice and low, and a bit of Googling shows that it's the result of a serious project. Even if one doesn't like the look, the quantity and quality of work is impressive. And they have it with blue wheels, too:

Full details on the build, a "portfolio project" by IND Distribution, along with TONS of quality pictures:

http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthr…

BJ > ColoradoTaco 10/16/2013 at 14:53

1

I like them both, and for those who like the Audi down low, you must check out this incredible 80 on Speedhunters: http://www.speedhunters.com/2013/07/the-qu…

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:54

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It's the age old statement of "Function Over Form".

The whole idea originated from drifting in my opinion, but it has since been corrupted and twisted more and more until we get these cars that are completely useless in regards to their original design. Which is to be driven.

There is a huge difference between a car that is slammed, yet can go over speedbumps and attack a track with speed, and a car that is slammed, but yet can barely be driven due to fender rub, overstretched tires, extreme camber, etc.

04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. > 04sneaky - Boxers. Blowers. Bikes. And bitches. 10/16/2013 at 14:55

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I also must state that cars with airbags are about the only super slammed cars I would actually drive, since you have the ability to drive at whatever height you want.

ColoradoTaco > BJ 10/16/2013 at 14:57

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WOW.

PlayerWAN > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:57

4

I'm absolutely on the same boat. IMO, properly set up "fitted" Miata:

Versus stupid collapsed suspension "stanced" Miata:

Clear winner is the more functional one. Which also happens to be the most fun one.

Bob Loblaw Made Me Make a Phoney Phone Call to Edward Rooney > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 14:58

3

That E46 is completely undriveable. And even if it's on airbags, those wheels are far too large (plus the stretched tired bullshit) and you've taken something that was once a nice riding, competent handler into something that is absolutely neither.

Party-vi > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 10/16/2013 at 15:39

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LOL @ REAR SUBFRAME MOUNTING POINTS

Bird > Party-vi 10/16/2013 at 15:50

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I'd say the kind of sick son of a bitch that's put significant time, effort, and money into something they own, to make it something they want. We should stop those sick son of a bitches...

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 15:53

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There is a very simple "shoe test" I use on these types of cars. 1) While wearing a shoe, you should not be able to fit it in the gap between the tire and fender (a finger or two is needed though) 2) You SHOULD be able to fit your shoe in the gap between the bottom of the car and the ground. If you drop it on airbags at a show? I deem that okay. But when I see cars with barely a millimeter of ground clearance on coilovers and it's a civic hatchback I just shake my head in confusion.

ddavidn > Tom McParland 10/16/2013 at 15:56

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Wouldn't drive either but can appreciate the white one, and could still be friends with the owner of the red one.

Party-vi > Bird 10/16/2013 at 15:59

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Look I understand it's not my car and I get why they do it and I even respect the time and effort involved. I like cars with stance, I just don't understand why they did it to an M3 :/

Casper > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 16:00

1

I generally don't like things that suffer significant performance reduction for the sake of "style". As soon as tires are stretched, camber is excessive, or suspension travel is too low, it's bad. If all you wanted was an art piece, then learn to do art and make it from scratch. It's not art to ruin something that has a working purpose and anyone else can replicate.

Just because someone labels it art, doesn't mean it is.

Bird > Party-vi 10/16/2013 at 16:01

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You respect it, but call the owner a sick son of a bitch?

Party-vi > Bird 10/16/2013 at 16:03

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I was being facetious, but I guess that didn't translate via text on the web.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 16:16

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Neither stanced nor fitted cars are really my thing. I don't really think stanced cars look cool in the slightest, but that's just personal preference. If anything, I think they look neutered of their potential,

Fitted cars, or cars with proper geometry but low with very little suspension travel, are better. They're usually built to be monsters around tracks (or look like they're monsters around tracks), which is cool, but again it's still not really my thing.

My thing is street cars, and by street cars I mean any street. Including the horribly bumpy and potholed ones of my native England. Something like this...

...with a decent sidewall, good ground clearance and a fair amount of suspension travel is pretty much perfect. I can hoss it along roads that fitted cars would have to take gingerly, and stanced cars would have to avoid entirely. Point-to-point in the UK, on the roads I drive, I reckon a car with more compliant suspension would be quicker, despite the handling disadvantage.

I do like cars and skiing though. Good taste.

Manuél Ferrari > iLikeCarsAndSkiing 10/16/2013 at 16:41

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THIS is how an E46 M3 should be modified to look like, if it's going to be modified at all.

Menebrio > Tom McParland 10/16/2013 at 17:33

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That white E-30 is almost perfect (its still a bit to low for my taste though since roads here are shit). I would have fitted it with the same Oz rims but 16" wrapped with some Pirelli Scorpions or some kevlar equiped tire so I could still safely back-road hoon it.

Dailygaraged > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 10/16/2013 at 18:12

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"neutered of their potential"

Couldn't have said it better....That's great!

George McNally > Gasolinelollipop 10/16/2013 at 18:35

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Agreed.......absolutely no suspension travel at all

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > BKRM3 06/19/2014 at 08:38

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Someone just recommended my comment on this thread, so I read yours again. Laughed out load (again) at the hat comment!

BKRM3 > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 06/19/2014 at 10:31

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Hahahahaha dude I just did too! I had COMPLETELY forgotten about this. Sometimes I surprise even myself =)

PoisonApple > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires 02/27/2016 at 07:01

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My car is “fitted”, and by that, I mean there is a pinky fingers distance between the tyre sidewall and my guards. My wheels have an aggressive offset that would almost certainly cause my sidewalls to rub the sheetmetal if my guards weren’t rolled and slightly stretched. I flog the absolute shit out of my car at ridiculous speeds on absolutely disgustingly bumpy and windy Australian roads, and I don’t get any sort of tyre rub whatsoever. And I checked, with a little paint pen mark on my sidewalls. My coilover springs are also only slightly stiffer than stock, and damping set comfortably for horrible Australian roads. Think potholes deep enough to cause a moderately lowered car to scrape, and corrugations that will shake your rear view mirror off. Its actually less harsh of a ride than the overdamped factory Bilstein shock and spring combo, sticks better and is less skittish over mid corner bumps.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > PoisonApple 02/28/2016 at 17:54

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Interesting. I really muat spend more time in a properly lowered car to get some real-world comparisons. I've driven lowered cars, but not for any great length of time so i'd like enough time to really get to know thigs...