Since the purchase of my 2008 Forester XT my main complaint and one of the only for me has been the way the car handles. Compared to my 2002 Subaru WRX, this car has a lot of unwanted body roll. I figured that it would, but I did not realize how much it would effect how the car handles. After trying all the basics swaybars, ALK and numerous bushings the body roll was better but not where I wanted it.

While complaining one day to my friend Mark of MSI/DMS North America, he mentioned that he had a set of DMS 50mm coilovers laying around and I should give them shot because I would be surprised. Initially I was a little hesitant to take him up on the offer as my favorite street suspension for Subaru’s for the last few years has been the KW Variant 3’s, a suspension I had every intention of using on my own car when it was time to upgrade. Since this was my car and not a customers car, I thought why not and a couple weeks later I had a set at the shops door.

The first thing I noticed when taking the coilovers out of the box was there very heavy duty design. They look very stout and able to withstand some abuse. Knowing that I wanted a more softer ride for my daily commute I opted for the 225lb front single progressive spring and 180lb rear progressive spring. I coupled all this with a front set of DMS camber plates and the OEM rear mounts.

Once installed, adjusted and aligned I took the car out for a drive around town to see about the ride quality and overall performance. The first thing I noticed was the ride quality. The DMS 50mm coilovers soaked up all but the largest pot holes with ease. When driving down the street or over bumps, the coilovers remained fairly quiet even with the solid front mounts. Overall ride quality was much better then I expected considering these coilovers are designed as a aggressive street or entry level track suspension.

Next I was off to my favorite back road to see how well these coilovers performed. I could tell instantly in this situation this is where these coilovers perform best. My body roll is all but eliminated and the car handles like a dream and is on par with my old WRX. Not only does the car feel more planted and agile in the corners, it is easier to control at its limits. If you are more performance orientated, from street to rally use, DMS offers a wide variety of spring rate options for these coilovers.

One of the features I like most about the DMS coilovers aside from there overall performance is the ability through DMS to easily source any replacement part needed for the coilovers. This makes repairing a shock in the event of a blow out or some physical damage, a lot more convenient as some suspension manufacturers do not offer a complete list of replacement parts for sale.

Overall I am very happy with my DMS 50mm coilovers. Do they ride as good as a set of KW variant 3’s? No, but they are very close and are better suited as a entry level track or aggressive street driving suspension. If you are looking for a coilover system from DMS for daily driving, the DMS 40mm will be your better bet. If you do a fair amount of track days and drive your car every day the DMS 50’s are a fantastic suspension that will do double duty for you with no problems what so ever.