A6 avant suspension

[billp]

Hello all
I have had my current A6 2.7tdi S line for about 8 months now and imo the ride is awfull (my TT had a better ride) Its a Le mans version with 19" wheels. (its the 3rd A6 I have owned but by far the least pleasant)
Can anybody suggest a way of making the ride more comfortable before I decide to change to another car.
Can the suspension be replaced with something more compliant?
Can the air suspension as fitted to the allroad be retro fitted?
thanks in anticipation
Bill

 

[brian.n]

Hello all
I have had my current A6 2.7tdi S line for about 8 months now and imo the ride is awfull (my TT had a better ride) Its a Le mans version with 19" wheels. (its the 3rd A6 I have owned but by far the least pleasant)
Can anybody suggest a way of making the ride more comfortable before I decide to change to another car.
Can the suspension be replaced with something more compliant?
Can the air suspension as fitted to the allroad be retro fitted?
thanks in anticipation
Bill

hi, i have the same complaint with my c6 a6 2.0tdi avant sline. ride is very firm on the country roads where i live!
i was told that H+R monotube coilovers in comfort version are good? also koni fsd dampers supposed to be comfortable, anyone any experiences of either?

 

[s3tle]

i would be thinking the 19" wheels are more the issue than the suspension? did you last A6 have 19"s?

 

[billp]

Thanks for the replies, I was begining to wonder if it was just me.
In reply to s3tle you're right the car has 19" wheels and my previous a^s had 18" so I am already considering changing to 18" with a deeper profile. Would love to know if anybody else has gone down this route
Cheers
Billp

 

[brian.n]

well mine has 18" wheels with 40 profile tyres and the ride is still very harsh.
dont think going to 18" will be a huge improvment for you.

 

[s3tle]

i really think the largest tyres that still offer real 'comfort' are 45/17, but then everyone has their own idea of comfort. I have an older A6 so can not advise on the suspension setup, i actually had my wheels+tyres changed today from pzero 235/45/17 to conti 235/40/18, i drove to and from the tyre place on the same road for comparison and it was apparent straight away the 18's gave a harsher ride. That said i drove an A3 with 18's and coilovers for years and never thought the ride was too bad.... or maybe it's just i was younger!!!

 

[Ricvifarho]

I had Koni FSDs fitted to my A6 Avant 2005 2.7TDI SE with 17" wheels, at 45k+ miles, and the FSDs made a big difference to body control and improved the ride. However had some hassle with residual knocking which involved eventually renewing various other parts of the front suspension bearings and bushes, but got sorted in the end....
Good luck!

 

[elan2s]

Have you checked the tyre pressures? If they are over inflated this will have a dramatic effect on the ride quality and dealers seem incapable of inflating tyres to the correct pressures.

I suspect however that it is the tyre/wheel combination that is at the route of the problem. I have a2.0 TDie which has the lowered sports suspension but comes with 17/55 wheels/tyres and the ride is fine, very similar to my old C5 1.8T Sport with 17/45s. When the A6 first came out Autocar ran a 3.0TDi Avant S-Line as a long termer and often commented on the ride quality wishing they had gone with the SE instead and that did not have 19" wheels so your problems will be that much worse.

It would be shame to have to change them however as the Le Mans wheels look so good on the car

 

[gizze]

I don't know who make the dampers for the S-Line set up but they really don't suit the poorer UK roads, the rebound on them is terrible, it make the car skip out over anything but the smoothest of surfaces.

I would look at changing the struts and springs, the wheels will be fine, even on 19's, I have tried the S-Line 19's on my SE and the ride was still subtle, in fact it was still a little too wallowy for my liking, but I wouldn't want the S-Line suspension, that is crashy and there isn't actually much more control either.

I decided to get an SE, change the springs for Eibachs and add the Votex kit, as much as I love the S-Line looks, the ride is not good at all.
My other car is an M3 and that is far more comfy and complient than the A6 S-Line which just isn't right.


Koni FSD's will give you far better comfort and still have some good control.