Which suspension setup to go with

[chaz20vt]

Hi there after some advice really I'm looking to buy new suspension setup I'm currently running fk street coilovers which i don't rate at all there a harsh ride and the car doesn't handle great with the current setup so i was looking at a spring shock combo iv seen the bilstein B12 kit but it's nearly £700 posted as where the koni strt kit is arpund £460 posted and the Weitec kit is around £480 posted but what kit will be better quality from the koni strt kit and the Weitec kit?
These are the kits I'm looking at
Weitec by KW 20mm/15mm Ultra GT Lowering Springs & Shocks Suspension Kit S3 8L 1.8T Quattro 01/99> - £481.50 : The premier online mail order VAG suspension and performance specialists. We offer a wide range of all the best branded suspension and per

Koni 25mm STR.T Lowering Springs & Shocks Suspension Kit S3 8L 1.8T Quattro 01/99> - £465.00 : The premier online mail order VAG suspension and performance specialists. We offer a wide range of all the best branded suspension and performance parts f

Or this is a AP kit but that's cheaper again
AP 30mm/20mm Lowering Springs & Shocks Suspension Kit S3 8L 1.8T Quattro 01/99> - £290.70 : The premier online mail order VAG suspension and performance specialists. We offer a wide range of all the best branded suspension and performance parts for

Any opinions people. ...

 

[Sean_S3]

Of those 3 I'd say the Koni kit . I had the Weitec kit on my previous S3 and found it to be too soft and very similar to standard suspension. Got KW springs and shocks with 20mm drop now which feels more planted.

 

[chaz20vt]

Where did you find your suspension kit Sean_s3 ??

 

[Sean_S3]

The Weitec kit I bought from DPM Performance , the KW kit I have now came fitted to the car. I think the Koni kit looks good , maybe speak to DPM and see which kit they suggest.

 

[chaz20vt]

I'm hoping Damien will post his opinions in this thread dpm don't list a kw kit

 

[MUSH]

I got my KW kit from Damian. Its excellent

 

[chaz20vt]

What sort of price was it? ?

 

[MUSH]

Same sort of figure as the weitec kit you've listed above mate.

 

[chaz20vt]

Dpm don't seem to list it anymore wonder if they can still supply it??
How is the ride quality on your kw kit and how does it sit (looks wise)

 

[[Dave B]]

Only fools would pay £700ish for the B12 kit.....I paid noticeably less than that.

 

[chaz20vt]

Did you? Could I ask where as the cheapest i can source it is £660 posted

 

[chaz20vt]

Iv just spoke dpm and the kw kit is now weitec made by kw which is this kit
http://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/ap-...sion-kitbr-s3-8l-18t-quattro-0199-p-8225.html
Is this the kit you have mush? ?

 

[chaz20vt]

Iv just spoke with awesome gti to and they recommend this
http://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/ap-coilover-suspension-kitbr-s3-8l-18t-quattro-0199-p-5061.html
What do you think

 

[kwistof]

Iv just spoke with awesome gti to and they recommend this
AP Coilover Suspension Kit S3 8L 1.8T Quattro 01/99> - £450.00 : The premier online mail order VAG suspension and performance specialists. We offer a wide range of all the best branded suspension and performance parts for all VAG vehicles at the bes
What do you think

I've had those on my motor for about 1 and a half years now....if I had to choose again I would have waited another month and spent that bit more to get KW1s as I think my APs are in need of a refurb now- which is typical as the 2 year warranty run out very recently!

 

[DPM]

If you're wanting a springs and shocks kit then I'd say the Weitec by KW Ultra GT kit is a very good option and one of the best all round kits on the market.

Damian @ DPM Performance

 

[JoeeS3]

will you be selling your fk suspension chaz?

 

[chaz20vt]

I've had those on my motor for about 1 and a half years now....if I had to choose again I would have waited another month and spent that bit more to get KW1s as I think my APs are in need of a refurb now- which is typical as the 2 year warranty run out very recently!

What's the ride quality like with them is it harsh and crashy atall?

 

[chaz20vt]

If you're wanting a springs and shocks kit then I'd say the Weitec by KW Ultra GT kit is a very good option and one of the best all round kits on the market.

Damian @ DPM Performance

Thanks for that Damien i did speak to you earlier I'm just unsure of what will be tje better ride quality and looks

 

[chaz20vt]

will you be selling your fk suspension chaz?

I will be when i decide what other kit ill be running

 

[JoeeS3]

I will be when i decide what other kit ill be running

if you just pm me when you've sorted it all out then i'll have them off you

 

[chaz20vt]

That's fine still got to source a kit I'd be happy with first

 

[kwistof]

What's the ride quality like with them is it harsh and crashy atall?

A lot less harsh and crashy than I was originally expecting them to be (I read so many stories about coilovers being super hard and crashy) but once I had the car fully poly bushed it all felt so tight and has given me a lot of confidence in the corners since it's all been fitted.

I don't find mine to crashy or harsh but then again I also don't have them at a stupidly low ride height. When I had them fitted I had it set up for fast road use as opposed to park and pose lol

 

[chaz20vt]

Could you post a picture of what your ride height is like for me please
Did you have standard suspension before these were fitted?
I have my front wishbones poly bushed with Powerflex bushes

 

[S3Milky]

i am in the same boat as chaz here! wouldn't pay the value in scrap for the "fk street" that are on my car at the moment. on the arches it made the car, well like a merry go round but less fun, back end just wanted to let go all the time. at a the highest (i think -25mm) the car kind of behaves..so if you are running it on the bump stops raise it for the time being!! make best of a bad situation! defiantly helped me, looking at going back to struts. again on the fence between the weitec gt and the koni street, but i'm guessing both kits will ultimately be very similar and a improvement on the fk's.. out of interest how many of you guys are running adjustable tie arms??

 

[JimS3]

I have had weitec coilovers, then H&R springs, then Koni springs, but now have Eibach Pro Springs with the Koni Str.t shocks and it's by far the most comfortable setup, and the ride height is spot on and even front and back.

the koni Str.t shocks are very similar to the sport shocks, but not adjustable and valved between the medium and soft settings of the sports.

 

[MUSH]

Iv just spoke dpm and the kw kit is now weitec made by kw which is this kit
AP 30mm/20mm Lowering Springs & Shocks Suspension Kit S3 8L 1.8T Quattro 01/99> - £290.70 : The premier online mail order VAG suspension and performance specialists. We offer a wide range of all the best branded suspension and performance parts for
Is this the kit you have mush? ?

mines the KW kit mate, but lets face it theyre the same company so the weitec by KW is KW...
The ride is very comfortable for daily use yet a little firmer so gives good confidence in the twistys. Id highly recommend the kit and DPM. Damians a good guy, he'll see you right. Mines sits like this on 18s...

 

[chaz20vt]

What height in mm are your springs then mate as that sits nice

 

[chaz20vt]

I have had weitec coilovers, then H&R springs, then Koni springs, but now have Eibach Pro Springs with the Koni Str.t shocks and it's by far the most comfortable setup, and the ride height is spot on and even front and back.

the koni Str.t shocks are very similar to the sport shocks, but not adjustable and valved between the medium and soft settings of the sports.

I believe that the koni strt kit comes with H&R springs now
So you'd recommend the koni strt kit would you? ?

 

[JimS3]

I believe that the koni strt kit comes with H&R springs now
So you'd recommend the koni strt kit would you? ?

If it comes with H&R springs then I would say you get some decent kit for the price.

The Eibach Pro springs are more comfortable for a daily driver, but the H&R springs were pretty good too.\
I had a H&R spring snap which is why I changed to Eibach, but I did hit a pot hole hard.

I paid £149 for the Eibach Pro springs and £269 for the 4 Str.t shocks, so £418 total. (Plus new top mounts and bolts etc.).

 

[chaz20vt]

If it comes with H&R springs then I would say you get some decent kit for the price.

The Eibach Pro springs are more comfortable for a daily driver, but the H&R springs were pretty good too.\
I had a H&R spring snap which is why I changed to Eibach, but I did hit a pot hole hard.

I paid £149 for the Eibach Pro springs and £269 for the 4 Str.t shocks, so £418 total. (Plus new top mounts and bolts etc.).

Where did you purchase these from at this price?

 

[JimS3]

Where did you purchase these from at this price?

Shocks from here:

Front @ £75 each, Back @ £57 each.

Motorsport World - Performance Car Parts Mail Order

Eibach springs from:

VW / Audi / Seat / Skoda - Performance Tuning

Cant see the springs on the TSR website any more though.

 

[chaz20vt]

Thanks for that I'll look for Eibach spring somewhere else what mm are your springs mate
And just to check you find this kit not to harsh or crashy?

 

[chaz20vt]

Buying them separately does work out a little cheaper as you say 75x2 for the front dampers and 57x2 for the rear dampers and Eibach spring are 178 so that makes it £442 instead of £465 which saves me £23 ....
I wonder if the likes of dpm or awesome would match this as I'd rather buy from either of those really

 

[MUSH]

What height in mm are your springs then mate as that sits nice

Mines the 20/15mm kit

 

[chaz20vt]

That sits really nice like that....
I don't know what to do now I'm swaying towards kw kit or koni strt kit

 

[JimS3]

Buying them separately does work out a little cheaper as you say 75x2 for the front dampers and 57x2 for the rear dampers and Eibach spring are 178 so that makes it £442 instead of £465 which saves me £23 ....
I wonder if the likes of dpm or awesome would match this as I'd rather buy from either of those really

Worth asking. If u don't ask you don't get!

Think it is a 20mm drop, you want the Eibach pro kit, not the Sportlines.
The sportlines lower 50 odd mm and on my mates golf are bone shaking.

The Eibach pro springs are the most comfortable after market springs you will find, defo not crashy.
I run them on my golf daily diesel too, lovely ride.

Heres a pic of the front arch with Eibach, sorry don't have the back and I'm at work at the mo.

 

[chaz20vt]

And that's on a standard 17" wheel?

 

[JimS3]

Its on 18" RSTT wheels, but the arch gap to tyre will be same with 17s.

 

[kwistof]

Could you post a picture of what your ride height is like for me please
Did you have standard suspension before these were fitted?
I have my front wishbones poly bushed with Powerflex bushes

Yeah I had standard suspension before I had the AP coilovers fitted.

Here are a few pics with my 18s I use for summer and my 17s for winter.

It's pretty much as low as it can go with the standard rear tie arms- any lower and I'd need to buy adjustable ones.

 

[chaz20vt]

And you find the ride quality good with these?