AP Coilovers... any good?

[slix]

So I've finally decided in a few months to get some coilovers for the ed30, and seen these for around the £400 mark. I take it these are a mid ranged choice?

Also to anyone with a lowered ed30.... do you run into problems with the front valance hitting things as it's a lot bigger than on standard GTI'S and golf's and I'm worried I will come up to speed bumps in the road and the valance just slams into it lol. 

[pudding]

My standard ED30 hits things!  Good luck after lowering it 

[xs2man]

I had AP coils on my 4motion about 7-8 years ago.  They were a fine mid-range coilover.  Certainly more comfortable than the cheap "hot-tunning" ones that were doing the rounds at the time.  And better than the FK's and all that.  I think they were on a par with Weitec at the time.

[Damian @ DPM]

Good quality kit for the money and owned by KW so backed up by a massive brand.

Damian @ DPM Performance

[Dan648v]

I've run AP's on mine for years, no rear adjusters in and fronts almost all the way down. I always get compliments on how they handle 

[AJP]

KW also do the ST coilovers, which are a step up from APs and basically what Weitec used to be.

Usually hear good things about AP though.

[slix]

Ok thanks for replies.

And yeah my standard ED only scrapes the valance on fast run ups to slopes etc. Was gonna go for a spring and shock kit but if I find that I don't like it or its too low there is no adjustment.

I've run AP's on mine for years, no rear adjusters in and fronts almost all the way down. I always get compliments on how they handle 

Do you have any trouble driving day to day etc?

[Sulley91]

Had AP coilovers on my Leon cupra r no complaints from me slix

[grey golfster]

My standard ED30 hits things!  Good luck after lowering it 

Me too!
No way I'd go lower

[slix]

If I sit them at roughly the same height as stock, maybe a cm or so lower, it should massively improve the handling right? In theory as the dampener will be better and rebound not as bouncy as stock springs and shocks.

And can also go lower as and when I want to as well as doesn't take long to alter height.

I didn't want just springs in case I wanted adjustability in the future and saves having to change it all again.

[AJP]

If I sit them at roughly the same height as stock, maybe a cm or so lower, it should massively improve the handling right? In theory as the dampener will be better and rebound not as bouncy as stock springs and shocks.

And can also go lower as and when I want to as well as doesn't take long to alter height.

I didn't want just springs in case I wanted adjustability in the future and saves having to change it all again.

If you don't want to go too low APs are probably a good choice, I don't think you can get a mega drop out of them as coilovers go anyway.

For reference, I'm down about 30mm on H&R springs and even at that mild drop it's certainly more composed in the corners, and there's no rubbing or any issues like that, so if you aimed for a similar drop on coilovers you should get a good result.

Just a word of warning regarding adjustment though, if you decide to adjust the height a while after getting them fitted there's a fair chance the collars will be seized on the threads. It's good practice to keep the threads clean or protected somehow. I had a seized collar on a set of Weitecs and I had to order a new collar, cut the old one off etc. Probs best to get the height spot on when you fit them and leave it at that.

[slix]

If I sit them at roughly the same height as stock, maybe a cm or so lower, it should massively improve the handling right? In theory as the dampener will be better and rebound not as bouncy as stock springs and shocks.

And can also go lower as and when I want to as well as doesn't take long to alter height.

I didn't want just springs in case I wanted adjustability in the future and saves having to change it all again.

If you don't want to go too low APs are probably a good choice, I don't think you can get a mega drop out of them as coilovers go anyway.

For reference, I'm down about 30mm on H&R springs and even at that mild drop it's certainly more composed in the corners, and there's no rubbing or any issues like that, so if you aimed for a similar drop on coilovers you should get a good result.

Just a word of warning regarding adjustment though, if you decide to adjust the height a while after getting them fitted there's a fair chance the collars will be seized on the threads. It's good practice to keep the threads clean or protected somehow. I had a seized collar on a set of Weitecs and I had to order a new collar, cut the old one off etc. Probs best to get the height spot on when you fit them and leave it at that.

Thanks. And the coilovers I had on my mk4 about 6 years ago were up and down quite a bit as I liked playing around with the height etc.. they also had a helping of grease to stop them getting seized.

And I've seen on ebay you can buy coilover sleeves that zip over the threads and spring. Are these any good?

[bikergeorge]

Copper slip and denzo tape to stop the threads siezing up

[ED30Matt91]

I ran AP coilovers on my Fabia vrs for 3years with no problems, adjusters out on the rears from day one and fronts 3threads from the bottom.

Defiantly a good choice if that's your price range, I'm looking to buy a set in the next few weeks for my edition 30.

[slix]

What are the sumps like on the mk5? Much chance of damaging it on bumps? Or are they a bit higher up than the mk4?