[nickg123]

Hi there!

First of all i'd like to say well done for putting together such a good forum, it took me a while to find but so far there's been nothing but good advice and some great deals going on.

I have a few questions that some of you can hopefully solve for me:

Firstly i'm now sharing my Girlfriends Mk4 2.0 GTi (2003), it's under VW warranty but i just wanted to know how this would be effected if i was to either put some lowering springs on, or maybe go for Coilovers?

Are they likely to void the warranty if i start modifying it??

Also, if we go for 18 or 19's, how much should the car be lowered by to not look stupid and boat like? Would a 50mm drop be ok, or would it be too harsh a ride??

Hope you can help,

Thanks guys!

 

[oxford]

I have H&R lowering springs on the standard 2.0 GTI shocks, although imporved it is still bouncy. I would suggest getting some new dampers at the same time if you go that way!

Good luck!

 

[nickg123]

How much did the springs lower your car by? Did you go for the 50mm springs??

Coilovers would be ideal...... but i just don't know where i'd stand with warranty etc

 

[oxford]

I got the -35mm ones and it dropped the car a good deal, looks fab!!

Warranty wise, i am not sure... you could ask them?

 

[zel]

Technicaly any modification made to the car will void the warranty and trust me dealers do their upmost best to get out of any warranty claim if they can...

Changing the suspension will be a very obvious modification which they will pick up on straight away

Quote: posted by nickg123 on 08/02/2005 10:54:17

Hi there!

First of all i'd like to say well done for putting together such a good forum, it took me a while to find but so far there's been nothing but good advice and some great deals going on.

I have a few questions that some of you can hopefully solve for me:

Firstly i'm now sharing my Girlfriends Mk4 2.0 GTi (2003), it's under VW warranty but i just wanted to know how this would be effected if i was to either put some lowering springs on, or maybe go for Coilovers?

Are they likely to void the warranty if i start modifying it??

Also, if we go for 18 or 19's, how much should the car be lowered by to not look stupid and boat like? Would a 50mm drop be ok, or would it be too harsh a ride??

Hope you can help,

Thanks guys!

 

[nickg123]

Zel, good point you've made there.... if nobody knows for sure i'll give them a call to see what they say. I would have thought the Warranty would only be Void if there was a failure on the Suspension or something, surely the other parts are still covered?? (Engine etc?)

How about Wheels? That shouldn't matter should it??

 

[Stevoraith]

Quote: posted by nickg123 on 08/02/2005 11:51:36

Zel, good point you've made there.... if nobody knows for sure i'll give them a call to see what they say. I would have thought the Warranty would only be Void if there was a failure on the Suspension or something, surely the other parts are still covered?? (Engine etc?)

How about Wheels? That shouldn't matter should it??

I'd say you're spot on there mate. I had warranty work carried out when I had 18in alloys and a -30mm drop, but I think I'd have had a problem if it was a driveshaft or something else which could have been suspension related.

 

[Richard W]

Quote: posted by nickg123 on 08/02/2005 10:54:17

....i just wanted to know how this would be effected if i was to either put some lowering springs on, or maybe go for Coilovers?

Don't just fit lowering springs, the std shocks will rapidly deteriorate and will need changing anyway.

Fit a good kit (matched springs and shocks) and the handling will improve enormously.

Quote: posted by nickg123 on 08/02/2005 10:54:17

Are they likely to void the warranty if i start modifying it??

Not just warranty, any mods like this will also have to be declared to your insurance company.

Quote: posted by nickg123 on 08/02/2005 10:54:17

Also, if we go for 18 or 19's, how much should the car be lowered by to not look stupid and boat like? Would a 50mm drop be ok, or would it be too harsh a ride??

IMHO don't go chasing numbers when lowering, a good matched kit such as Eibach or Koni will lower the car and improve the handling, if it's lowered too much it can screw up the geometry which'll mean it may look 'slammed' but it won't handle corners or bumps....

 

[nickg123]

Thanks for that - so lowering springs = bad idea in general?

I'll keep a look out for some deals on Suspension Setup's, i just don't want to kill the ride of the car as my Girlfriend would go mental + she likes to take speed humps at 30mph lol... not really but i just don't want it to be uncomfortable.

I know that the Insurance company need to know, but my concern about the warranty is that it's pretty good piece of mind should anything go wrong, i just don't want to be left with a massive bill if say the Water pump fails just because i changed the suspension....

I think i'd best give them a call to be sure!

 

[Chris]

I lowered my 1.6 when i had it (seems an age ago now), and it has the same suspension setup as the 2.0. I fitted 30mm Eibach springs, and it felt fantastic at first, really firming it up, and radically reducing body roll. However, once the honeymoon period is over, you soon realise the shortcomings.

The standard shocks are very very poor, and as such cannot cope with the stiffer shorter springs, and it creates a very bouncy nervy ride over undulating roads or sharp changes of direction. Within 5k i could feel the effect it had taken on the bushes and shocks, they were considerably noisier, bouncier and harsh. All in all, while under ?200 fitted sounded a great deal, it wasn't - and i would recommend anyone thinking of doing it to think again.

In future, should i ever lower another car, i wouldnt even think about it without getting dampers at the same time.

 

[MikeP]

Quote: posted by Chris on 08/02/2005 14:50:32

I lowered my 1.6 when i had it (seems an age ago now), and it has the same suspension setup as the 2.0. I fitted 30mm Eibach springs, and it felt fantastic at first, really firming it up, and radically reducing body roll. However, once the honeymoon period is over, you soon realise the shortcomings.

The standard shocks are very very poor, and as such cannot cope with the stiffer shorter springs, and it creates a very bouncy nervy ride over undulating roads or sharp changes of direction. Within 5k i could feel the effect it had taken on the bushes and shocks, they were considerably noisier, bouncier and harsh. All in all, while under ?200 fitted sounded a great deal, it wasn't - and i would recommend anyone thinking of doing it to think again.

In future, should i ever lower another car, i wouldnt even think about it without getting dampers at the same time.

I second that, as the same happened with Borat, which was roughly the same time as Chris got his done... your shocks won't last 2 minutes! []

 

[oxford]

This has got me thinking, my car has become very bouncy recently Chris, the "honeymoon" period is nearing an end (H&R lowering springs fitted) in the summer last year....

However I am looking to buy a mini cooper S in less than 6 months... What should I do?

Buy some used or new koni dampers for example to go with the H&R springs or go back to stock? or get sell the springs and get a cup kit.. Money is tight at the moment, and even more so because of a possible change of car.

I love the ride I am getting at the moment, but the dampers are not rebounding as quickly as they should...

What can I do?

 

[Richard W]

Quote: posted by nickg123 on 08/02/2005 14:18:54

...so lowering springs = bad idea in general?

No, lowering springs are a good idea. Chris and Mike are spot on, change both springs and dampers. The main thing to remember is that dampers not springs have the most influence on handling and ride. Yes a car does look better lowered, when changing the springs make sure the dampers are matched to the length/rate of the spring otherwise the following could happen...

Hard spring/soft damper - ride is very crashy, still bounces like a pogo-stick

Soft spring/hard damper - Bounces too much but ride still feels harsh

Lowered spring/std damper - damper is operating outside it's usual 'resting state' so accelerated wear and still bounces....etc etc

Some of the cheap kits simply add some spurious springs to a set of dampers, they don't actually improve much - a set such as Eibach/Koni/H&R/FK etc will be matched and give definite improvements to the car. I'm not suggesting that you be extravagant, just don't cut corners 'cos it could cost in the long run!

HTH

R

 

[oxford]

Richard... what do you recommend I do? See above?

I think I should replace the dampers, but with which ones? best price possible perhaps even used ones? - dont want to cut corners, but want a deal.

I love the H&R springs, any good combos they go with? - bear in mind I could be selling the car soon.

 

[Chris]

Depends on what mileage you do Oxford, but if i was in your shoes, i'd just leave it as is if you aren't keeping it more than 6 months. Pointless spending money on it, just sell it as it is mate. (thats what i did with mine!)

 

[oxford]

Not really doing much to me honest, every other weekend around 150 mile round trip.

Other than that around 15 mile drive to work.

See what you mean, will cost a fair bit and at no gain of mine.... The next owner can do the modding []

 

[nickg123]

Hmmm you guys are doing a good job to convince me!

I'm going to start looking around at Coilovers, i think that way at least i can get the setup changed as and when i get fed up with it etc.

If i can get an FK set reasonably cheap i may as well go for it!

Can any Garage fit Coilovers? Or am i best to go to a specialist? Just that i'm awawre they need setting up and probably won't be from the factory........

 

[oxford]

You should be fine at a local garage, but dont go to kwick fit or something like that! Get some background of the company first tho.

I would buy coilovers.. when you come to sell the car, slap the original shocks and springs on and sell the coilovers on their own! You really wont loose much!

 

[nickg123]

flip it lol, coilovers it is then! (when i can afford them)....

Thanks for all the advice & ideas guys, will keep you updated!

 

[Richard W]

Quote: posted by oxford on 08/02/2005 15:11:03

Richard... what do you recommend I do? See above?

I think I should replace the dampers, but with which ones? best price possible perhaps even used ones? - dont want to cut corners, but want a deal.

Chris is right - drive carefully and put the money to the next car!

nick - sorry, I think coil-overs are a waste unless you're actually going to change the ride height regularly, same with adjustables, unless you're actually going to use their full capability regularly - i.e. track work or shows - then 99% of the time a good kit will do exactly the same job for considerably less cost. If you are intending to do track work then you'll want ARBs and bushes doing too.......