Thread: Lowered cars YUK !

Why do people lower their cars and i dont mean factory S/Sline lowering.

Returning from a fishing trip the other night i came up behind a lowered RS4 and i mean as low as it can go, turning onto the housing estate roads i nearly ran over his roof as he slowed down for the speed ramps and humps.

He must have been taking these humps and bumps at a max speed of 2 mph.

What is the point of having a motor this low and solid, i mean an RS4 as well.

Every glitch in the road you have to be careful and dentist costs must be through the roof as your fillings are rattled out.

It's a personal thing especially with the addition of coilover suspension.

You can have it as high or as low and as had or soft as you like, personally my car is lowered 40mm with the added weight it's a bit of a fat slag and suspesion drops more! but the handling look and general driving feel to the car is much better and tighter.

Standard suspesion is ok but it's designed for comfort, not handling. As your an owner of a 1.4 A3 i don't expect you to understand.

Originally Posted by evomaster3000

As your an owner of a 1.4 A3 i don't expect you to understand.

Yeh an A3 1.4 which i use to take me fishing and the commute to work My other motor is a 08 S3 which the wife uses So there Knobhead

evomaster you have an overweight 1.9tdi not like you know about handling

I hate excessively low cars. imho anything more than a 40mm drop causes more problems than it solves. Usually as mechanical grip is reduced and handling reduced as the suspension and steering geometry is sent out of kilter.

It's a personal thing though. I don't mind sacraficing a bit of ride comfort for a more sporty drive but don't want a car that shakes my fillings out. Years ago I borrow my brothers old E plate Ford Orion 1.6i Ghia that was lowered 60mm. It looked daft and was the most uncomfortable thing ever as it bounced you from the seat even when driving over a cats eye.

The problem is that some people are ignorant to the fact that low does not equal good handling.
"Race cars are low...they corner well, don't they?"
Yours is not a race car...and your suspension has as much in common with a race car as you do with Angelina Jolie.

It's ignorance...
Some of the worlds best handling cars are neither super low, nor super hard.

The world is full of people who buy a set of cheap-ass coilovers and dump their car in the weeds...and think it handles. It doesn't.

Sadly, nowadays it seems to be a (Chav) badge of honour to have your car so low your wheels scrape. Good idea...
They then moan when they hit a bump mid-corner and crash...or rip the sump off and it costs them an engine.

I can understand lowering a car to reduce the centre of gravity...as long as you re-engineer the suspension to try to retain it's purpose...and set the chassis up accordingly.

Just dumping them in the weeds doesn't do it for me either.

Do you have any idea how many forums I've wanted to write something that blunt on?

Where's the clapping hands smiley?

My car is scraping the floor, it looks good and i love how it handles. Fair enough it may handle better if i raised it up a bit but then i would lose the look i was going for. It's not practical but who cares. Apart from you lot.

With all due repsect to you Jim you don't sit on here and waffle on about how great it handles. You chose to go that low and that was your choice to make.

I was more getting at the numpties that just get a set of cheap n cheerful coilovers as they are a buzz mod fit them up without having a clue, dump the car into the weeds then bleat on about how great it is without actually having any understanding of the kit they've paid out for.

Originally Posted by evomaster3000

As your an owner of a 1.4 A3 i don't expect you to understand.

Originally Posted by TFSI

Yeh an A3 1.4 which i use to take me fishing and the commute to work My other motor is a 08 S3 which the wife uses So there Knobhead

Mainly lowering their cars are for show and handling. If you have less space below your car you will have less drag. basic principle why F1 is so lowered. Aerodynamics.



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My A3 1.9Tdi is lowered 30mm all round with uprated dampers - it's not stupidly low and it handles a LOT better. Trade-off is comfort but that's not something I care about

Originally Posted by KarenCaren

Mainly lowering their cars are for show and handling. If you have less space below your car you will have less drag. basic principle why F1 is so lowered. Aerodynamics.

But an F1 car has about as much in common with a road car as it does with a bicycle

Yeah they have more in common with an F2 car

I'd rather not look like I am driving a monster truck

In my opinion, standard suspension or not, speed ramps should be taken at a slow speed anyway to avoid potential damage

I totally agree that lowered cars look so much better my A4 is lowered a good 40 - 50mm and I wouldnt have it any other way before it look like a monster truck and thats with 19"s

Matt.

Originally Posted by dummi

evomaster you have an overweight 1.9tdi not like you know about handling

I'd just like to say it's not been designed for handling.

And I'm currently studying a degree in road and race car technology, so i probabily know more about handling and generally most aspects of cars than the average joe.

Originally Posted by evomaster3000

As your an owner of a 1.4 A3 i don't expect you to understand.

Originally Posted by TFSI

Yeh an A3 1.4 which i use to take me fishing and the commute to work My other motor is a 08 S3 which the wife uses So there Knobhead

I think you'll find the correct sentence is:

My other motor is a 08 S3 which the wife uses So there Condescending Knobhead

Cant stand lowered cars, only reason I stuck eibachs on mine was for comfort not the drop, oem springs were to bouncy, but I hate it when the wheels that dont sit equally in the arch, just think looks stupid IMHO

ESS has made very good points aswell

who's bothered if someone lowers there car, if it makes them happy leave them to it.

nice to see some posts against massive drops! there are sometimes ways around some of the problems for track day users or racers. for example repositioned ball joints to move roll centre and moved rack or rod ends to dial out bumpsteer.
MSA minimum is 3 inchs clearance (that is for most club race cars) i've seen road cars lower than that for sure !

Originally Posted by KarenCaren

Mainly lowering their cars are for show and handling. If you have less space below your car you will have less drag. basic principle why F1 is so lowered. Aerodynamics.



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That is not the case at all. drag depends on frontal surface and the shape of the car, not how low it is to the ground.

If you are lowering a car it will have very littel effect on drag. You can not get a road car anywhere near as low as an F1 anyway due to the complete difference in shap size, suspension so on....

The only real efect on aerodynamics will be the change in the ground effect, which as I say will be negligable.

I have to say tho I like the look of some cars when they have been lowered, and if the suspension is set up correctly then there will be an improvement in road holding and handling. What alot of people dont realise is when they change the wheels and suspension they are changing the geomerty of the suspension, which cna cause problems. Camber gain and castor angles and tow are words alot of people who change their suspension dont even know....

This thread is quality, allways brings out the old grumpy keyboard warrior types. Same applies to this, why did you buy an audi? why did you buy that shirt your wearing now, why this why that, coz you fricken want to and coz you can. Excuse me while I just pull my Farahs upto my nipples a bit more.....thats better.

If done the right way it can help with cornering, my Supra was lowered slightly and had quite a harsh ride, however it stuck to the road (when dry) very well. Others lowered theirs further and yoiu kept reading about them smashing up their bumpers on road bumps or hills, but that was there choice really, they were going more for looks.

The S-line now is a lot easier on my back and head lol (and the missus is a lot happier now I'm not bouncing her around), the car doesn't feel as stable due to body roll round corners, but is a better ride for a daily driver. I'd probably not go harsher for a good while.

Horses for courses...

I have lowered mine 40mm, because it looks much better IMO, and also handles alot better than the standard suspension, Im no expert by any means but I know what I know...If people want to lower their cars that is up to them, why should anybody else care?

my car is lowered by 25mm an inch in olde money
my bro said when he had a wee prang the car was like an old sofa with the roll during the fighting to regain control on standard suspension.

Originally Posted by APL TDi

What alot of people dont realise is when they change the wheels and suspension they are changing the geomerty of the suspension, which cna cause problems. Camber gain and castor angles and tow are words alot of people who change their suspension dont even know....

This is very true, my Camber is way out now, and I get inside tyre wear, there's a few ways to fix it, but i just live with it!

It's not like i do high mileage and need good tyre wear! 20's scrub themselves out anyway, and it's cheap rubber so hardly the best!

12k to a set, thats 2 years mileage! Do me fine lol.

It's only dropped 40mm prob 50 because of the weight.

I hate stupidly low cars, i also dont like the look of bags, but as many people have said, each to their own..

I think a car on standard suspension looks too high, the perfect look/stance for me is where the arches are sitting on or just about the tyre, comfort of the ride may be ****, but i prefer looks over comfort tbh..

Personally i'd have handling over looks any day of the week!

Has anyone else noticed the decline in chaved up saxo's on the go these days?

My guess is most of them have ended up on their roofs in fields due to bad handling...

Lol 1.6 Ghia 60 mil could'nt stop laughing at that post.

Nice one.


[quote=Years ago I borrow my brothers old E plate Ford Orion 1.6i Ghia that was lowered 60mm. It looked daft and was the most uncomfortable thing ever as it bounced you from the seat even when driving over a cats eye.[/quote]

one of my mates trimmed his springs down years ago he had an orion 1.6i it was totally on the floor hahahaha but when 5 people sat in it , it was that low it was in hell ...he bust his engine to lol .....funny

This thread should be called, 1.4 engines in an Audi - YUK

i had a run in with an 8L s3 and an e320cdi down one of my favourite b roads.

the s3 was silly low and he just couldnt carry speed anywhere and the diesel merc was all over him.

at the only decent overtaking point on the road both the diesel merc and my in my old golf passed the s3, he had given up because of the bumps..

Originally Posted by evomaster3000

This is very true, my Camber is way out now, and I get inside tyre wear, there's a few ways to fix it, but i just live with it!

It's not like i do high mileage and need good tyre wear! 20's scrub themselves out anyway, and it's cheap rubber so hardly the best!

12k to a set, thats 2 years mileage! Do me fine lol.

It's only dropped 40mm prob 50 because of the weight.

so your doing a degree in road and race car technology and your happy your tyres have less contact with the road than normal??? good tyre wear indicates well set up suspension i would say more contact, more grip, better handling

i prefer a softer set up on a car as you get tons more feel of whats happening and better weight transfer. good handling is nothing to do with low and stiff

I'm going to lower mine, mainly to annoy some of you guys! I've always lowered my dubs, coils, sport kits and springs etc. I used to have a slammed 1967 beetle, Its a pain to drive but looked beautiful!

the avant will be less slammed and more comfortable around 30-40mm though mainly for looks on the split rims tbh.
Matt

For what its worth, i say 30-40mm drop. I like to see the arches sitting on the top of the tyres. Looks slick n tidy.

As soon as your wheels drop under the arches GO & BUY A BASEBALL CAP & WALK WITH A LIMP because your a full blown chav !!!

I'm pretty sure that everyone on here realises that there are 2 main camps when it comes to modifying cars. 1) Tuning and handling and 2) Scene and Looks.

Sometimes, but very rarely, they do cross over. However, the modified scene is very personal and we probably shouldn't slate other peoples ideas of what's better, looks or handling.

Originally Posted by Ess_Three

The problem is that some people are ignorant to the fact that low does not equal good handling.
"Race cars are low...they corner well, don't they?"
Yours is not a race car...and your suspension has as much in common with a race car as you do with Angelina Jolie.

It's ignorance...
Some of the worlds best handling cars are neither super low, nor super hard.

The world is full of people who buy a set of cheap-ass coilovers and dump their car in the weeds...and think it handles. It doesn't.

Sadly, nowadays it seems to be a (Chav) badge of honour to have your car so low your wheels scrape. Good idea...
They then moan when they hit a bump mid-corner and crash...or rip the sump off and it costs them an engine.

I can understand lowering a car to reduce the centre of gravity...as long as you re-engineer the suspension to try to retain it's purpose...and set the chassis up accordingly.

Just dumping them in the weeds doesn't do it for me either.

What he said.

Plus you need to consider this:-

Overall reduction in time taken to complete a closed circuit in a car of fixed power output is directly proportional to the amount of money spent on the five most important performance factors. These are in order of importance:

1. Professional instruction
2. Professional instruction
3. Professional instruction
4. Professional instruction
5. Professionally set-up suspension

Originally Posted by KarenCaren

Mainly lowering their cars are for show and handling. If you have less space below your car you will have less drag. basic principle why F1 is so lowered. Aerodynamics.



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