Which suspension is best

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Sarahnjon

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Hi

I am looking to getting the A3 sportback in sport trim, we test drive a sports suspension yesterday which was great, but my question is would it get ruined on speed bumps, pot holes etc?

thanks in advance
 
There's no answer to this question, it's all down to personal preference. The only way to decide is to test drive them all!
 
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I drove the sport and the s-line. The sport I felt was a good balance between comfort and handling but the s-line was absolutely terrible, all boils down to personal preference really.
 
I have sport suspension and pot holes aren't a problem, compared to hitting smaller ones in my old Fiesta Zetec S, where it made your teeth chatter!
 
cemerson said:
There's no answer to this question, it's all down to personal preference. The only way to decide is to test drive them all!
Click to expand...
There is, because the question was ""would [sports suspension] be ruined by speed bumps, potholes etc...". It wasn't a "which is the best suspension" question :)
 
As said above, it's all personal preference but, FWIW, I find the Sport suspension a very good balance and more compliant than the Sport suspension on the old 8P.

S-Line suspension is a waste of time in my view. It's just harder which makes it feel more "sporty" but doesn't actually help in any way at all. Too many people equate the firmness of the suspension with handling when in reality this is rubbish and there's far more to it than that. In some conditions, more compliant suspension can produce better handling and roadholding.

Get the Sport unless you're an old woman, in which case the SE is there for you :D
 
As one of Vertigo1's old women, I went for SE. But you tested Sport and thought it was great, so get it! Don't second guess yourself too much.
 
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The s line is a sporty car though and on SE suspension it has huge arches which ruins the look i personally think.
 
At least with the SE suspension I guess I could lower it at some point if I really felt I needed too. I only had the opportunity to test S-Line with sport suspension and with the way the roads seem round here and 18" wheels, I played it safe.
 
MA3RC said:
The s line is a sporty car though and on SE suspension it has huge arches which ruins the look i personally think.
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That is a valid school of thought but the height change is only half an inch so not what I would call huge and I would suggest no one would notice the different with a casual glance. Anyway, this has all been argued out many times before and, since the OP is looking at a Sport not s-line it's not really relevant.
 
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As another of the old women I opted for the non-sport suspension on my S-line. I had two S-line cars with S-line suspension (an A4 and an A3) but no opportunity to deselect the suspension when I bought them in the past. I think the SE suspension is a marked improvement. I live in a rural area and the road surfaces aren't great - I don't feel the spine shattering jar nowadays that I used to on the S-line suspension.

Neither do I get the 'huge arches' look. Given the difference in height is so small and the improvement in comfort so great I know what I'd opt for again (SE).
 
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I agree. I had an A4 Cab S line which was great, but the suspension was harsh.
I now have the A3 S line Cab with suspension deselected option and the ride is much better and it holds the road the best of any car I have ever had.

Redgrouse said:
As another of the old women I opted for the non-sport suspension on my S-line. I had two S-line cars with S-line suspension (an A4 and an A3) but no opportunity to deselect the suspension when I bought them in the past. I think the SE suspension is a marked improvement. I live in a rural area and the road surfaces aren't great - I don't feel the spine shattering jar nowadays that I used to on the S-line suspension.

Neither do I get the 'huge arches' look. Given the difference in height is so small and the improvement in comfort so great I know what I'd opt for again (SE).
Click to expand...
 
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So if someone put Eibach Pro Kit springs on a Sport would you choose oe Sport or oe S line dampers ?
 
My test drive was with on an S-Line on Sports suspension and it was fine over speed bumps and pot holes, plenty of compliance. However I came from an X5 which is pretty stiff.

The 17" wheels on the sport have enough tyre sidewall to take the sting out of pot holes.
 
My wife has the most comfortable Audi A3 money can buy. It is an SE with 16 inch tyres.

We both hated the Sport suspension and 17 inch sports tyres we test drove.

We were well aware of the comfort issue, as her old car was very a comfortable Golf Match and my car is a very uncomfortable Golf GTD.

Please read some reviews. They all recommend the standard SE suspension. (Except the 1 review that was comparing the A3 to a GTI:wacko:)

Though a lot depends on the roads you drive on, the way you like to drive and the cars you had previously.

It is very hard to be objective on a test drive in a shiny new car.

Get a 24 hour test drive. Drive all the roads you drive regularly.

If Audi cannot get you a car with SE suspension to test drive then go drive a Golf SE. Though - for some reason - I think the Golf was even more comfortable than my wife's A3 SE. The Audi seems a bit firmer.
 
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arad85 said:
There is, because the question was ""would [sports suspension] be ruined by speed bumps, potholes etc...". It wasn't a "which is the best suspension" question :)
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Look at the thread title again!

Also, it's still down to personal preference. What one person thinks is fine might not be the same as what someone else does.
 
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I went for the 18inch rims on an SE suspension and find the wheels fit the wheel arches perfectly, doesnt look to high or out of place as the 18 inch rims cover any noticeable gaps. Best of all the ride comfort is excellent so you get both good looks and ride comfort in one package; something you would expect from a premium brand at a premium price.
 
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As I have said before - if there was no issue, then why do Audi offer a choice of suspension?

My wife once said - I want this car to drive, not to sit and look at.
 
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Daz Auto said:
As I have said before - if there was no issue, then why do Audi offer a choice of suspension?

My wife once said - I want this car to drive, not to sit and look at.
Click to expand...

Mmmm, I'm thinking Audi offer a 'choice' not a fix for issues. Same as colours, models and engine sizes. Thankfully we are all different what suits Peter doesn't suit Paul.
So just like people have already said it's your choice and only you can make the decision, so go test the different suspensions and make your choice.
But whatever you pick can be ruined by how you drive over pot holes and speed ramps!
 
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... but you have to be aware of the comfort issue before you can make the correct choice.

On the roads I drive, I have a real issue with how uncomfortable my GTD is. I was slightly aware that there may be an issue so I specified adjustable suspension. I was not fully aware of how unsuitable sports suspension and 17 inch tyres are for the roads I drive on. I just expected my new car to be as comfortable as the last Golf. But you are right steeve, ultimately I made a bad choice when I ordered the car.

I think ride comfort is an issue that people need to be made aware off. Don't expect as I did, that just because it is an VW/Audi, that it will be comfortable.

There are other people on this forum who have admitted that their cars are not as comfortable as they expected. One guy even sold his A3 and bought a Golf as he found them more comfortable.

My wife was going to buy a Golf SE even though she wanted an A3. Because the Golf SE was considerably more comfortable than the sporty A3s we tested.

steeve, I'm really interested to know how are you are finding the mag-ride on the S3 compared to the A3?
 
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arad85 said:
Do people not bother actually reading anything other than that? The question about what it needs to be best for is in the first post.

No attention to detail these days :)
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I interpreted it as meaning would it (the ride) be ruined by sports suspension. But yes, maybe the OP meant would the suspension be broken by potholes etc, though that seems a strange question. Maybe the OP can clarify?
 
snakehips said:
I interpreted it as meaning would it (the ride) be ruined by sports suspension. But yes, maybe the OP meant would the suspension be broken by potholes etc, though that seems a strange question. Maybe the OP can clarify?
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Unlikely to break the suspension, but might destroy the tyre and/or damage the alloy.

As someone here pointed out - how do you know if a car is fitted with S-line suspension? Answer: drive over a pothole... if the alloy cracks then you have S-line suspension :)

Design Disasters: Three Ways Cars Are Getting Worse - Forbes

A pothole more the size of a cauldron appeared from beneath the bumper of the Ford van I was following several car lengths behind onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway.

The driver ahead slammed on his brakes and swerved to avoid it. He failed—and so did I.

But where the van’s beefy tires shrugged off the impact, the low-profile rubber on the 18-inch wheel of the Audi A5 I was driving just buckled.

When the right front rim violently struck bottom, it felt and sounded like a shotgun blast. A bag on the seat next to me leapt into the air and spewed its contents all over the passenger footwell. Still rolling forward, I found myself in the middle of fast-moving traffic on a busy New York City highway, a $180 front tire tugging at the steering wheel as it quickly deflated.

This ordeal—which I muddled through by limping home on a flat that miraculously stayed intact and on the rim—is the unfortunate result of what some car designers and engineers call progress.
Click to expand...

It wasn’t until driving an Infiniti G25 sedan recently that it struck me how truly stupid this trend toward larger wheels is. The G25 has 17-inch wheels with tires that have only half an inch more sidewall than the Audi A5’s.

What a difference that half inch makes.

Sure, the steering was sharper on the Audi, but the Infiniti’s slightly taller tires easily absorbed holes and bumps in the pavement that I would’ve had to dodge in the Audi. For the peace of mind taller tires bring, I will gladly give up the minor improvement in steering feel on a daily driver.
Large rims are overrated on cars used for everyday transport. In fact, to me, they’re a liability that costs more money and causes more stress than they’re worth.

Go for the 20-inchers if you’re getting a Corvette or Ferrari. Otherwise, I recommend avoiding all the pricey wheel and tire upgrades available on so many regular cars.
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Yeah, yeah, I know... the suspension setup and make of tyre may be making as much difference as the alloy size.
 
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All this talk of suspension vs comfort has got me thinking. The 3 main things which contribute to ride comfort are suspension, wheel/alloy size and make of tyre. Which makes the biggest difference?

My thinking is this...

1. Suspension.
2. Wheel/alloy size.
3. Make of tyre.

I know from my experience that changing the make of tyre (Bridgestone to Goodyear AS2) made the car much quieter and slightly more comfortable. Changing my 17 inch summer tyres to 16 inch winters makes the car even quieter and noticeably less jiggly. But ultimately the suspension has to make the biggest difference. My wife's A3 on SE suspension is far more comfortable than my GTD will ever be - even fitted with the same size wheels.
 
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Daz Auto said:
All this talk of suspension vs comfort has got me thinking. The 3 main things which contribute to ride comfort are suspension, wheel/alloy size and make of tyre. Which makes the biggest difference?

My thinking is this...

1. Suspension.
2. Wheel/alloy size.
3. Make of tyre.

I know from my experience that changing the make of tyre (Bridgestone to Goodyear AS2) made the car much quieter and slightly more comfortable. Changing my 17 inch summer tyres to 16 inch winter makes the car even quieter and noticeably less jiggly. But ultimately the suspension has to make the biggest difference. My wife's A3 on SE suspension is far more comfortable than my GTD will ever be - even fitted with the same size wheels.
Click to expand...

Very much this. The suspension makes the biggest impact upon comfort. The wheel size makes an impact on the handling aswell as comfort but not so much as the suspension does.
 
arad85 said:
Do people not bother actually reading anything other than that? The question about what it needs to be best for is in the first post.

No attention to detail these days :)
Click to expand...

If I can tempt you down from your high horse for a moment, yes I did read both, and my post is an answer to, and applies to both questions. The only way to be sure if you are going to be happy with a certain suspension setup over potholes or whatever it is, is to try it in that situation. No amount of what other people think is going to help in that situation, everyone has different expectations and requirements.
 
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a3_phil said:
Hmm, it's a start but we could do with a nice square side profile shot.
Click to expand...
 
It's also a reasonable even gap from front to back.

My current car (Mondeo) on it's standard springs is pretty low at the front but looks like it has a boot full of helium at the back. Never really understood why.
 
Sorry but I have to disagree. The rear doesn't look too bad but the gap at the front is quite obvious and looks a little silly IMHO. There's more gap than tyre. Each to their own though and if some find the tradeoff worthwhile for the additional comfort, fair enough :)

EDIT: It might actually be the colour - I think the white emphasises the gap a little more.
 
I'm sure white does.

Whether on totally flat ground too.

Just a tad too high all round.
 
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