In reference to your question about lowering springs. I have the Eibach Pro Kit springs on my Spec5. I paid around 200 dollars from TireRack and it was relatively simple to install them. You have to have the spring compressors or you will never get them back together. It's also safer to have them on when you are dissasembling your suspension to get the stockers off. After I installed them I did experience a noticable difference in the way my car handled. There was less sink when I was accellerating hard from a take-off. The are advertised at 1.2 for the front and 1.4 for tha back in inches lowered. I am sure I got more like 2 in the front and almost that in the back. I didn't get my car aligned after installing them and haven't had many problems with having the little bit of negative camber that come with lowering your car. I drive my car pretty hard and hit up the occational AutoX so the camber helps but tire wear in the rear is noticably slanted. I will be installing coilovers someday so I have more options for height and dampening. I am still using the stock struts and so far they have held up just fine with 15000+ miles on the OD.
As far as the stock Spec5 front tower bar is concerned, I was planning on modifying mine to attach at the firewall via two more arms and an attachment bracket. You are very right about most of the bars that are out there. The 3 point bar is the most effective. Once I get to that I will let everyone know. The stock bar isn't a solid piece, it's hollow so of course it's going to flex more than a solid one would. It came with the car so I'm not complaining.
