S3 Ride Quality

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dickys3

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Hi Guys,

Picked up my S3 on Saturday and I'm really impressed.

I'll get pics up as soon as I can!

One thing that is bothering me is the ride quality when driving on normal town roads! Going over pot holes/speed bumps etc.

The ride seems really crashy, and I can see after a while this is going to get me down! The 8L S3's wern't like this!

Will changing the springs help? If i get a set of eibach springs, will this improve the way the car rides over bumps/pot holes etc? Will changing the springs make the ride firmer (i don't want this).

Cheers
Rich.
 
Tip: Always take a **** before every journey - makes you feel like you need a **** even when you don't!! - put 19's on and its worse.

I think the OEM recommended tyre pressures dont help, they are very high.
 
Congrats on your S bud. Awesome colour :icon_thumright: i might be abit biased

Whats your tire pressure set to? Lower profile's also aren't gonna help.
TBH, the stock suspension didn't bother me as much though.
 
*ace* said:
Congrats on your S bud. Awesome colour :icon_thumright: i might be abit biased

Whats your tire pressure set to? Lower profile's also aren't gonna help.
TBH, the stock suspension didn't bother me as much though.
Click to expand...

42PSi front, about 36 or 38 on the back from memory. Since the weather has warmed up in the UK the ride feels much harder, so the warmer ambient air temps must make the air denser???? It's firm, but its not a ball breaker.
 
Drive a new CTR and see if you still think the S3 rides hard!
 
PaulAr said:
Drive a new CTR and see if you still think the S3 rides hard!
Click to expand...

I bet a day in one of those would leave you feeling like you'd spent an evening at a Michael Barrymore pool party!
 
warrencox said:
Tip: Always take a **** before every journey - makes you feel like you need a **** even when you don't!! - put 19's on and its worse.

I think the OEM recommended tyre pressures dont help, they are very high.
Click to expand...

LOL! I think i'll have to install a portable toilet in the boot!

I think you hit the nail on the head regarding Tyre pressures! I checked them earlier and they were 42PSI front, and 37 Back.

I have now changed them to 38PSI front, and 30 rear! It makes a hell of a difference!

Cheers for the info.
 
Boydie said:
Its a hot hatch so what do you expect lol never mind the crashy ride and enjoy it in the bends!!
Click to expand...

I dont expect a hard crashy ride to be honest! For a car to handle well, nobody said it needs to have rock hard suspension lol!
 
mines on 19 s and imo is no different to oem 18 " wheels
 
Cheers guys for the comments.

Would changing the springs to something like eibach make it ride better?
 
eibach wont they only supply 2 springs !!
 
I got a black edition S3, not checked the Tyre pressures, not that I think they will make a massive difference if a little hard, though I rather have them a little harder than soft, it may save a rime and Tyre in a pot hole.

I would not say it is annoyingly hard, but firm is a word that comes to mind for sure, it is fine on reasonable roads, but when they get really rough it is a bumpy ride.

Though I guess as yours is so new you are still going really SLow, if you go really really fast the ride is quite smooth :)
 
humm i run mine at full audi pressure and it seems fine, if your is brand new, the dampers and springs could be still settling it?
mine is firm but car from crashy... tho i did come from a 12 year old alfa 156 which didnt have the best set up by a long way!!
 
Cant go along with this idea that because its a hot hatch it should ride like a shopping trolley....

I have a new A4 1.8T avant exec 160 s-line loan car at the moment and that rides like a steam roller !! makes my 3.2 feel like it has air suspension. Its so bad that on my regular run to work over the downs, where i could drive the A3 at 60 mph with one finger on the wheel, the A4 needs both hands because the bumps take the steering and send you straight off the road.
 
audi upgrades
I think ride on S3 is pretty good with stock to be honest. Had a go in a Mini Cooper S recently.............. jesus, now that was crashy , unbearable to be honest.
The state of our roads at the moment , anything other than a hovercraft will feel rough me thinks !!
 
NHN said:
Worked for me mate.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I hoped changing the springs would make a difference.

I'll see how I get on over the next few weeks and go from there. As I say, lowering the tyre pressures seems to have made a difference so will see how it goes.
 
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