Imported S3 Suspension

[Banwell]

I suppose everyone except me already knew this - but...

Imported s3's even with the 225 engine my 2002 have the old 210 engine suspension.

If you paid £££'s to UK dealer rather than an importer you would have got the extra 20mm lowered suspension that started life as the S-line on the TT.

Gmbh parts and labour to put right likely to cost £800ish (new Gmbh front damper and new springs all round).

Plus you won't be able to fit any RS4 18inchers until it's done either /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Has anyone got any opinions on the Gmbh or Koni/ H&R suspension ?

 

[DuncS3]

Banwell I think you are a bit confused mate

I have factory fitted 18" RS TTs but no lowered GmbH suspension

Who told you the suspension had changed? The lowered GmbH is a factory fitted option - it isn't or wasn't standard on 2002 MY cars

PS MY car is a MY 2003

Who told you this - a UK dealer?

 

[DuncS3]

..also your post assumes that anyone who imported an S3 MY 2002 didnt get a UK spec car...

 

[Banwell]

AMD.

Went down today to fit some RS4 replicas and was told it would look silly on the higher - but still sports suspension.

Apparently its a UK thing. A lot of the import TT's are coming with the slighty higher supension. It you look on UK tt forum there's quite a bit on it - seems like it's also happening on imported S3's too.

 

[DuncS3]

sorry but AMD are telling you ******

 

[Banwell]

You can still fit the 18inch Rs4 wheels though.

How've you found your car handles?

Personally I've found it get scary at high speed on A roads - get your line wrong and there's not much room for correction.

 

[DuncS3]

I think the car handles okay but I will know more after a couple of trackdays that are coming up- honestly what AMD are telling you is utter ****** and I'm dissapointed they would say such a thing.

Are you sure they werent trying to get you to upgrade your suspension?

GmbH suspension is an optional extra in the UK - there has not been a single report of any non UK spec S3s on this forum or any others ever

I think AMD know their stuff, but I think Audi know more.

 

[Banwell]

Apparenty you should only be just able to slide your hand under the wheel arch. I can get my partial clenched hand under there which can't be right. When I picked up the car I was suprised at how high it was on the wheels.

Are you saying that your car has the new lowered suspension - as stated on the current audi website as being an additional 20 mm lower, and mentioned in EVO's review of the 225 in their June 2002 issue?

I thought the 225 car had engine struts, and extra lowered suspension as well as power increase? Mine I believe has everything but the even lower sports suspension.

something did occur to me though - a red warning tag on the seats said something about remove suspension blocks - maybe it's never been done on my car?

 

[DuncS3]

no my car doesnt have the lowered suspension

There is a bit of a gap between the wheels and body of the car but I can assure you that there is a 20 mm lowered suspension kit for the S3 but it is not standard on UK or 'imported' cars

The diffs between the 225 and 210 is always a bit of mystery and has been debated many times on the old AS.net site, but mostly people feel its an ECU change and something else in the engine (not sure what though)

Alledgedly different bearings were used on your car if you have factory fitted RS TTs (like me)

 

[Banwell]

Thanks for the advice.

I am still unsure what to do though - I want those RS4 wheels. Maybe AMD have had this problem mainly on TTs.

I was probably going to lower the suspension anyway.

Apparently the Gmbh additions aren't as harsh as the H&R / Koni replacements. I am booked in for next week so I'll let you all know what happens.

 

[DuncS3]

It was an issue on TTs because after the S-Line, Audi made the 20 mm lowered suspension standard on UK TTs, but the S3 hasn't had htat issue because it has never been standard...

Now we have that confusion out of the way /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gifactually be very interested to hear how you will get on with the GmbH suspension (thats what you are getting right)?

Was discussed on the old AS.Net but thats all lost now. Was considering getting it myself but was hoping for someone to write up their thoughts on it.

For the record I will admit that my car looks like it needs lowering to me

 

[Banwell]

I'll keep you posted and maybe put up some pics if my old picturetrail account is active.

I'am definitely getting Gmbh stuff though - AMD will let you book the car in through Wayside Audi in Bucks who then outsource the work to them - that way (hopefully) your warranty isn't invalidated.

 

[DuncS3]

well if you are not to far away you could try and make the Windsor meet end of the month - sure there will be a few people interested in the suspension

 

[ColinM]

I'm afraid you are confusing the issue with the TT. The lowered suspension is not standard on UK or "imported" cars. Sounds like your source is trying to perpetuate the value of UK supplied cars with another story.

 

[DuncS3]

Colin where were you when I needed you!

Actually John, maybe you should check at AMD because someone there is giving out the wrong information according to mr Banwell?

 

[AL_B]

[ QUOTE ]

How've you found your car handles?

Personally I've found it get scary at high speed on A roads - get your line wrong and there's not much room for correction.

[/ QUOTE ]

My S3 is also MY2003. I believe I have the standard S3 suspension and I have the Avus alloys.

I find the handling terrible in the wet, car just wants to understeer all the time. Car is ok in the dry, perhaps slightly too much body-roll, but I guess its a compromise between comfort and handling.

I'm so ****** off with the wet handling I'm seriously thinking of:
1) Getting some Toyo's or Goodyear F1's and/or
2) Getting a stiffer rear anti-roll bar, which should reduce understeer. Unfortunately, Eibach don't do one for the S3 (according to AMD).

AL

 

[Foggy]

I looked into this a little before I bought my RSTT wheels because of the rumoured differences between S3's supplied with and those with standard Avus.

I spoke to Trevor at Aston Green in Slough about this.
He confirmed that they had had a bulletin about older TT's that wouldn't be covered by warranty if RSTT's were fitted.
He said they had heard nothing about the S3. I asked him to check for me so he got in touch with Audi UK Technical.
They confirmed that they would honour any warranty claims on the my S3 ( collected April 2002) because anything that needed to be done to whatever components was done to post TT S-line models.
As for for the suspension, I believe all that was done was just tweaks, make it stiffer and the like, not drop it.
The engine had changes to the way the valves are operated IIRC

 

[amoffat]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm so ****** off with the wet handling I'm seriously thinking of:
1) Getting some Toyo's or Goodyear F1's and/or

[/ QUOTE ]

Al, you have always been ****** off with wet weather hadnling /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif I have not really had an issue with it, I actually love the amount of grip that I have in the wet. If I go too fast on slippy tarmac I will get understeer, but its no that apparent /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

I would have thought that there was more body roll on your 1.8T than your S3? I think the weight factor has a lot to do with the roll, what about some new springs?

 

[AL_B]

Moff,

Yeah I know I have. Maybe its my driving, maybe I'm going into bends too fast or hitting the power too early. But I don't think I am. Front end just tends to slide about all the time.

Oh yeah, certainly more body roll on the A3. S3 does feel like its rolling too much though, but on the road (according to Drystone) the car looks to corner really flat. I guess it just "feels" like its rolling too much.

I will consider suspension changes after I've tried new tyres and/or anti-roll bar. According to "How to make your car handle" by Fred Puhn (a good book by the way), tyres and anti-roll bars are the first things you should try.

Personally I think its the tyres. In the dry the car feels really well balanced, and plenty of grip.

AL

 

[Domus]

I too am not a fan of the potenzas in the wet, however I can't wear the damn things out at the same time /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif What with shredding them two at a time, I put both new ones on the front, only to shred the N/S one a few weeks later. A few months after that my wife ripped the same one in a pothole. Just after that the O/S one was worn. Now I have just renewd the N/S one due to wear. One day I will have to bite the bullet and buy all four. Toyos or Eagles? that is the question.