MK5 Golf GTI suspension refurbishment

[colesey]

Yeah, sounds like you have been dealing with the same sales guy 😂 He got pissy with me that I took Josh’s word over his. Go figure.

Another option to consider is the Relentless coilovers, they seem well liked though I am happy with the Racingline.

[gixerben]

yeah, may go VWR, they do come in at great price.. Cant be dealing with sh*tty attitude when spending good money on a suspension kit.

[gixerben]

Any views on the V1 KW coilover set-up?

[bobby_fodge]

Had kw v1 coilovers on my mk2 and I loved them, sporty firm but still comfy on rough roads.

[Bodyboarder81]

Pretty much been said by others ....

Although I did get a full refund and they even agreed to buy me a single damper unit , which was good of them , I’d never ever deal with the salesman again ... I was sworn at , hung up on and his telephone manner in general was disgusting . The actual boss was very helpful on the other hand .

I spent an absolute fortune trying to diagnose the problem and this was one of the reasons I fell out of love with the golf , which was unfortunate, as it was a great car !

My advice .... get the b12 kit with eibach arbs . For the money it was a very very good road set up !

[gixerben]

thanks Josh for the feedback, will take your opinion into consideration 

[Bodyboarder81]

I’ve managed to get over selling the golf though 

[pudding]

@pudding I have been reading your great view on the VWR kit as I was tempted for my Pirelli. Like you I'm not a big fan of super low (getting old!) and what to asks your views on other kits.

Id like improvements over standard, maybe with a slight drop but nothing that will interfere with xenon levelling and wing fouling when giving it the beans!

Was tempted with an Ohlins kit (2nd hand kit on ebay) but still very good money for something that gets used for 2k a year.

all view welcome 

Glad you found it useful 

From one oldie to another, I can tell you the VWR kit has quite a plush ride on general day to day to duties.   Where it fell short for me may not affect other people, but for me it was the unpredictable transition from supple to firm, particularly through bumpy corners.  This can often be attributed to progressive rate springs but it also felt like the dampers weren't tuned properly for the stiffer of the two rates.  The overall rates were too soft for my style of driving anyway, so I needed to upgrade.

My style of driving is basically to not slow down at all when approaching a corner.  I'm a fast in, fast out kind of driver 

It's no secret VWR rebrand existing components and slap on a hefty profit margin.  I noticed orange paint under their quick blow over of black, so god knows what dampers they are, or how long they will last.  I prefer to buy a known entity.

It's a good kit for the money, but it's lack of travel and soft spring rates may catch you out, depending on your roads.

It's a shame Josh had a bad experience with the Ohlins, not helped by the utter throbber on ebay.  I bought mine through an authorised dealer and have had nothing but great times with the kit on the roads    It is a very noticeable step up from the VWR kit, but then so it should be for 4x the price     Their approach is very different to the norm.  90% of suspension makers simply copy the OEM damper dimensions and dial in damper and spring rates based on maths.   Ohlins dial the dampers in after a minimum of 6 months testing on the road, based on feel, not computers.  It's why they only have a handful of kits in their catalogue 

Anyway, suspension is highly subjective and it's difficult to know what to recommend without seeing your roads and driving style.   Maybe Josh's recommendation of the B12 kit is a good starting point.  I personally feel the VWR kit is too soft 

[gixerben]

Thanks Pudding, I thought that the kit would be a generic shock for the money, orange paint you say probably a Koni item!!??

I had a H&R cup kit on a MK4 golf running 18" and the ride was as hard as a whores heart!

While its not my daily I would like to retain some comfort, as stated before arch contact and xenons hunting for level is a no-no.
I just want to dial out some of the drive on the brakes and to improve high speed stability. Coming from Sports bikes I tend to drive a bit like a bike slower in fast out, corner dependant of course..

[Bodyboarder81]

Don’t get me wrong the ohlins are sensational..... I’ve had my set of the S2k for a couple of years now and love them ! That’s why I bought another set for the golf but just didn’t work out . I’ve since been told by a number and of people that ohlins are very difficult to deal with when it comes to issues ect . When you are spending big money it’s not what you want in the back of your mind if things don’t go to plan . I also think that although they are very good they don’t offer 4x the gains of said other kits available that do a very good job .

I’m also in the market for suspension for my z4m coupe at the moment and looking at the kw v3’s

[pudding]

Thanks Pudding, I thought that the kit would be a generic shock for the money, orange paint you say probably a Koni item!!??

I had a H&R cup kit on a MK4 golf running 18" and the ride was as hard as a whores heart!

While its not my daily I would like to retain some comfort, as stated before arch contact and xenons hunting for level is a no-no.
I just want to dial out some of the drive on the brakes and to improve high speed stability. Coming from Sports bikes I tend to drive a bit like a bike slower in fast out, corner dependant of course..

Yeah I did think that.  Koni's budget dampers just happen to be orange    The OEM dampers are SACHs and last a long time.  I can't see the VWR kit putting in the miles to be honest.  I had Koni Yellows back in the day and they were awful for lifespan.

The MK5 platform is VEEEERRRY different to the MK4.  You can run surprisingly stiff setups without them rattling your teeth out, primarily because the body shell is so much more rigid, and good suspension needs a solid foundation to work properly.

Where are you based?  If you're local to me (East Anglia) you are welcome to have a drive of mine.  Your wallet will take a bashing afterwards though 

[pudding]

Don’t get me wrong the ohlins are sensational..... I’ve had my set of the S2k for a couple of years now and love them ! That’s why I bought another set for the golf but just didn’t work out . I’ve since been told by a number and of people that ohlins are very difficult to deal with when it comes to issues ect . When you are spending big money it’s not what you want in the back of your mind if things don’t go to plan . I also think that although they are very good they don’t offer 4x the gains of said other kits available that do a very good job .

I’m also in the market for suspension for my z4m coupe at the moment and looking at the kw v3’s

Thankfully I've not had any issues with mine over several thousand miles, but when the time comes, I will be dealing with a UK suspension specialist, not Ohlins!

As for the VFM of the kit, I guess it depends what your priorities are.  If you want a decent ride with good handling, it's definitely at the more forgiving end of the spectrum compared to similarly priced kits from Bilstein, AST, H&R et al.  Ohlins are pretty much the market leader in the bike world.  I wish they would branch out into mountain bike forks and shocks like Fox Racing have done.  Fox are another epic brand of damper, really really good.  No road car kits though.

How are you finding the Z4M?  Great car!  Often overlooked.  I had a soft spot for the Z3M coupe back in the day, but the 5 speed box and the super twitchy E30 rear end put me off.   I had KW V3s on my Corrado and they weren't all that, imo.  Rubbish damper tuning and pretty unsophisticated ride.   Very robust and long lasting though. Things may be different on the Z4 platform though.

[gixerben]

Agreed, Ohlins is top draw kit, I purchased a rear shock for my gsxr1000 and it transformed the back end, better feel and less tearing of the tyre on the track. Would love it on the Pirelli

[pudding]

A few of my bike mates really rate them as well.   After ending up in a ditch during my CBT test way back in 1999, and failing on the U turn, that pretty much put the decider on my bike career     Shame really as I love bikes, but they just don't seem to agree with me.

As for the Golf, the Ohlins setup makes very rapid A-B progress ridiculously effortless.  It's like Koni FSD, but a lot better.   Some of the smaller lumps and bumps that troubled the OEM and VWR suspension, you don't even feel with the Ohlins.

[gixerben]

Öhlins are the business, I passed my direct access and went out and bought a fireblade..

6 months later moved onto GSXR 1000’s with Öhlins and power commanders, track days and a few GSXR 600 club races before having kids and hanging up the leathers!

Miss the bikes madly and hanker after a BMW S1000RR.. all those rider aids, I’d give Rossi a run for this money after my antics on the Gixer 😁