Lowering on a budget...

[Rachael]

So bilstein b12 would suffice?

Don't need different shocks or anything?

[Veee-dubber]

This has turned into a healthy debate I've had coilovers (good ones) and never once felt the need to adjust them so given the fact I can't afford them again I'm opting for springs... Don't have the dollar for a b12 kit... Advice on good spring set ups? :)

[Janner_Sy]

This has turned into a healthy debate I've had coilovers (good ones) and never once felt the need to adjust them so given the fact I can't afford them again I'm opting for springs... Don't have the dollar for a b12 kit... Advice on good spring set ups? :)

You can make the B12 kit out of separate parts.  

Get some H&R or eibach lowering srpings.  Then when you have some more money saved up add the Bilstein B8 dampers and you then have a Bilstein B12 suspension kit.

So bilstein b12 would suffice?

Don't need different shocks or anything?

Bilstein B12 is just a suspension kit which incorporates both lowering springs and uprated B8 dampers.

[Veee-dubber]

This has turned into a healthy debate I've had coilovers (good ones) and never once felt the need to adjust them so given the fact I can't afford them again I'm opting for springs... Don't have the dollar for a b12 kit... Advice on good spring set ups? :)

You can make the B12 kit out of separate parts. 

Get some H&R or eibach lowering srpings.  Then when you have some more money saved up add the Bilstein B8 dampers and you then have a Bilstein B12 suspension kit.

So bilstein b12 would suffice?

Don't need different shocks or anything?

Bilstein B12 is a suspension kit whcih incorporates lowering springs and uprated B8 dampers.

[Veee-dubber]

Sounds like a plan to me! Any difference in the H&R/Eibach springs at all?

Out of curiosity how much are the dampners? Cheers all!

[Janner_Sy]

Sounds like a plan to me! Any difference in the H&R/Eibach springs at all?

Out of curiosity how much are the dampners? Cheers all!

Spring wise probably not much that would be notable.  You'll no doubt be happy with either option.  Daniel GTI has his H&Rs for sale at £100.  Thats a bargain.  B8 Dampers are about £450 ish iirc

[JoeDarKa]

Im going to have my springs up for sale in a few months aswell, H&Rs 

[DanielF]

Sounds like a plan to me! Any difference in the H&R/Eibach springs at all?

Out of curiosity how much are the dampners? Cheers all!

Spring wise probably not much that would be notable.  You'll no doubt be happy with either option.  Daniel GTI has his H&Rs for sale at £100.  Thats a bargain.  B8 Dampers are about £450 ish iirc

I've changed my user name on here so I'm not Daniel gti anymore just thought I would tell you just incase you tried to find me :)

[sub39h]

Fk highsports can be brought for less than £300

Buy nice or pay twice.  The GTI is a great handling hatch.  Fitting pump coilovers like JOMs or FK is fine on something that is crap as standard, but it just begs belief that people would do it on a GTI which is essentially a high end hot hatch.

I don't understand why anyone fits coilovers if they aren't going to track their car. It's not as if you'll want to adjust your offside front settings for that uphill bend on the way to work.  

For road use and/or 'image' I'd just fit high quality (VWR/H&R/Eibach) lowering springs.

I say this to many people.  Too many guys ask about lowering their cars and the first response is always stick coilovers on!!!!  Coilovers ruin the daily ride.
I partake in trackdays but after my experience of coilovers on my own cars and in others i still prefer my current non coilover setup.  Its so much more usable on the road where it lives 99% of its life.

TFSI_Mikes Cupra is an example of this.  His car is immense and on a smooth circuit id bet its unbelievably good and not much would stick with it at all, but on the road its horrific.  I think even he is considering moving away from his KWs to the ASTs which seem to handle the road/track better

i disagree with this. you're welcome to a ride in my car, and i think you'll probably agree. my ride is stiff, but it's more comfortable than the OEM S-Line suspension i had

[black-a4]

I've had a bit of experience with both and I'm currently running eibach sportline springs on stock dampers on my GTI.

Obviously every chassis is different, I had a VW Polo 9n3 on eBay special coilovers, then KWv1 coilovers and then finally on eibach sportlines with stock dampers. The polo was best on eibach sportlines in terms of comfort and driving feel in my opinion (but the KW's werent far off).

I went again with eibach sportlines on my GTI and have found them great for fast road driving on my 18" monzas.
However a friend has a mk6 GTD on 19's and FK coilovers. This is noticeably more comfortable than my car around town and is far lower than mine with lower profile rubber.

I'm probably going to buy an Ed30 or mk6 GTI at some point later this year and will definitely consider a mid range coilover or the b12 kit. Only thing putting my off springs and shocks again is that my sportlines at the moment seem to lower the car fractionally more at the back. If I had coilovers obviously I could tweak this - it annoys me at the moment each time I look at it side on!
 

[Veee-dubber]

Sounds like a plan to me! Any difference in the H&R/Eibach springs at all?

Out of curiosity how much are the dampners? Cheers all!

Spring wise probably not much that would be notable.  You'll no doubt be happy with either option.  Daniel GTI has his H&Rs for sale at £100.  Thats a bargain.  B8 Dampers are about £450 ish iirc

I've changed my user name on here so I'm not Daniel gti anymore just thought I would tell you just incase you tried to find me :)

PM'd :)

[Mk5 GTian]

From a labour costs perspective, it will be considerably cheaper to save up and get the dampers, anti-lift kit and springs done at the same time. As someone else has said, you'll only need to pay for 1 alignment. This is what I'm doing, and getting the brake upgrade done at the same time. Also only one visit to the garage.

[Veee-dubber]

Very true indeed, bloody nightmare putting the car in the garage at the best of times.

I bought my brake upgrades today funnily enough! gotta get them on this weekend the joys....! This is why I want to lower it so badly as I need my new alloys for clearance and i'm nooo way putting them on without lowering the car!

this month = 4 new rubber bands, new brakes all round, powder coating, shocks and tax is to come.... The joys of motoring!!!

[Eccie]

How about a couple of bags of coal in the boot 

[GNJ_Motorsport]

Or keep the money in the bank, and save another 300 and then go for a Bilstein B12 Sportline kit which includes Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs.

this is what i'd do

X3  

X4   sweet talk Graeme @ GNJ motorsprt on here

You make me sound easy  

My opinion on suspension is....

If you want a nice ride with a drop suitable for everyday driving with a big improvement in handling and are not massively fussy about the ride height then get a full fixed height suspension set up (Bilstein B12, H&R Cup, Weitec)

If you want to lower the car but not spend a great deal of cash in the process then get a spring kit (Eibach Sportline, H&R, Weitec, AP)

If you want to lower the car a lot then get some mid range coilovers (V Maxx, FK)

If you are fussy about a gap in the arch, want a decent ride for everyday and drive in a more spirited fashion more often then get a good coilover kit (AP, KW V1 Inox, Weitec Hicon GT, Bilstein B14, H&R Monotube)

If you are all the above and do the odd trackday then get a coilover kit with adjustable damping (KW V2 Inox Line, Weitec Hicon TX)

If you are a full on petrol head who spends many a weekend chucking your GTI round a track and going on driving weekends to deserted stretches of road then get a top end coilover kit (Bilstein B16, KW V3 Inox Line, KW Clubsport)


Not everyone will agree with me but the world would be a boring place if we all thought the same. I never advise people they need the latter unless I think it is necessary.