What suspension setup for £500?

[glowery]

Hi all,

First post!

I just picked up my tornado red edition 30 (0465) last week and the first thing I'm going to upgrade/renew is the suspension.

Not to interested in lowering it a great deal, just want a good ride/handling for road use.

I've got a budget of around £500 which I'd like to include fitting if possible.

I was thinking of just getting new OEM shocks and uprated springs or can anyone else recommend a full uprated setup?

Thanks

Grant

[dan930]

Hi all,

First post!

I just picked up my tornado red edition 30 (0465) last week and the first thing I'm going to upgrade/renew is the suspension.

Not to interested in lowering it a great deal, just want a good ride/handling for road use.

I've got a budget of around £500 which I'd like to include fitting if possible.

I was thinking of just getting new OEM shocks and uprated springs or can anyone else recommend a full uprated setup?

Thanks

Grant

Maybe just over your budget,H&R springs & F&R arbs

[AJP]

There are some new VW Racing shocks available, better priced than Bilstein B8s.

Those with H&R springs should come in around or under 500 quid I think.

Info here:

http://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=106418.msg1032431.msg#1032431

[Mark_DF05]

As you can probably see from the link above I've recently upgraded to H&R springs and VWR dampers and the ride quality is great.

The springs were £130 off eBay and the dampers cost £370 from awesome gti. I also replaced the top mounts with S3/TT ones which were around £50.

I think VWR do a damper and Spring kit for under £500 but the drop on the springs isn't as much as the H&R's - depends how low you want to go though.

Eibach springs get a good review too and lower the car by the same amount as the H&R's(30mm).

Bilstein B8 dampers are a bit more expensive but if you look on eBay you can probably get them from Germany for around £400.

If happily recommend my setup, covered around 1500 miles now and absolutely love it, it's a good balance between comfort and handling and all for a reasonable price. I think all fitted and aligned worked out about £750

[AJP]

As you can probably see from the link above I've recently upgraded to H&R springs and VWR dampers and the ride quality is great.

The springs were £130 off eBay and the dampers cost £370 from awesome gti. I also replaced the top mounts with S3/TT ones which were around £50.

I think VWR do a damper and Spring kit for under £500 but the drop on the springs isn't as much as the H&R's - depends how low you want to go though.

Eibach springs get a good review too and lower the car by the same amount as the H&R's(30mm).

Bilstein B8 dampers are a bit more expensive but if you look on eBay you can probably get them from Germany for around £400.

If happily recommend my setup, covered around 1500 miles now and absolutely love it, it's a good balance between comfort and handling and all for a reasonable price. I think all fitted and aligned worked out about £750

I'll definitely be looking into the VWR dampers after reading your feedback in the other thread. I like the drop the H&Rs provide, so it's good to know the combo works.

[leericho]

If you talking coils I wouldn't bother, save up for a proper kit 
£500 will see front and rear arb's fitted if that's your thing, will tighten things up nice

[Adam.P]

S3/TT top mounts?
I need my top mounts replacing

[FJ1000]

I've got VWR springs and OEM dampers and I'm happy with the ride and stance.

Any lower and I'd be catching speed humps (of which there are millions in my area - south London/surrey).


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[glowery]

Thanks for the replies guys,

I've seen a set of B8's for sale which are local to me and read good things about them.

Could anyone recommend a good spring to pair them up with? Wouldn't want to go any lower than 20mm

[AJP]

I've got VWR springs and OEM dampers and I'm happy with the ride and stance.

Any lower and I'd be catching speed humps (of which there are millions in my area - south London/surrey).


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Just for info, my H&R springs (10mm or so lower than VWR springs) have always been fine over speedbumps. And they're good over fast compressions too, my ed30 front is unscathed so far.

I'd guess that things get a bit tricky past a 45/50mm drop. I'm really happy I didn't get coilovers, as I would inevitably have wound them down that far at least! Very happy with H&R springs.

[FJ1000]

@AJP - I think the speed humps in your area must be kinder than around me!

I can normally straddle the narrow humps and go over without a problem, however when the car has a few passengers I have caught the underside a couple of times.

Hence, I think if the car was any lower would cause issues.




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[glowery]

So I've managed to secure a set of MK6 B8s for a great price.

Now I just need to pick the right springs, I'm calling Larkspeed tomorrow but I've been looking at the following three...

Eibach Pro Kit 30MM
Eibach Sportlich 20/25MM
H&R 30MM

Has anyone got any experience of the 3, at this point I'm looking for a combination of ride quality and comfort. I don't want to go any lower than 30MM!

Thanks

[ROH ECHT]

Odd, those drop ratings...here in the states the Eibach Sportlines drop more than the Prolines do by 0.5". I know you cannot get H&R Supersports...but they drop about the same as Sportlines do. The H&R you are looking at drop about the same as the Eibach Proline kit does.  I have run both the Sportlines and H&R Supersports...the Sportlines were more comfortable.

Wheels are 18x8 et45...
Mine with Sportlines:


With H&R Supersports:


...and presently with Frankenstein set-up:

[JamieUK]

I run 40mm H&R springs + shortened droplinks - drives sweet and never had a problem with them or the height in 3 years

[glowery]

Ended up going with the sport lines, getting all fitted tomorrow should hopefully have it by Friday. Glad I've got for the sportlines since you guys are saying they're more comfortable!