Remap vs Suspension

[jdas03]

wondered what it considered the better change, a stage one remap or billstein upgrade?
what will change the car in the biggest way? bearing in mind most of our cars are hiting 8years or so old would suspension be the wise est move or would a remap with extra smiles per mile be the way to go?

 

[Lemon S3]

I vote remap!

 

[dela]

you said it yourself, the suspension would be the wisest move but personaly those extra smiles do it for me

 

[OllieH]

Remap is only few hundred quid, compared to £1k ish for suspension, maybe more if you get sway bars aswell. I would say suspension first, then it won't take long to save a few hundred for the remap. Gives you time to get used to the new handling before upping the power.

 

[jojo]

I did the remap first, but it was at like 35k miles, so the suspension wasn't too old, I also have Bilstein shock and Eibach springs on now. The remap is the biggest change and most smiles per £££ mod you can do to an S3. Suspension wise, it depends on how hard you drive it, and how much you enjoy chucking it about? I felt the standard stuff, when not worn, was adequate, but now it's all done up, I don't get to drive it hard on the open road with so much traffic about.

 

[jdas03]

Well i like to do the odd track day and found the standard suspesion quite wobbly sometimes, at least you are chucked into the edge of your seat. Some times even going round a roundabout does that. Doesnt handle as flat as perhaps id like! Not sure though need to find out how to check how worn my suspension is! been down a few potholes this winter!
for me its either revo +sps or billies and fit get some one i know to fit them for freeee! so similar pricing i guess.

I can imagine the push back in your seat is massively different with revo, i just wonder how noticable cornering is with billies as oposed to standard suspension whether the car handles flat or its only slightly better and the difference it will ake vs standard on the track!

 

[DPM]

It's a difficult one, a remap will be more impact straight away but it would be good to sort the handling out to enable you to get the power down.

Damian @ DPM Performance

 

[jdas03]

Thanks, it is a very difficult choice and one i have considered for a long time.
The other factor of course is i have the lowest power s3 - 210...
making the choice that little bit harder still!

 

[JS1500]

This is a decision I was in the process of making - which first, remap or suspension...

Turns out my local council made the choice for me; mysterious option 3 - replace 4 tyres ruined by potholes. Hoorah!
Bast*rds.




Think i'll end up getting the map done first and then Billies/Eibachs and ARBs before my yearly pilgrimmage to Fort William in June...
Hopefully.

 

[jdas03]

Haha yes the council nearly made the choice for me too! only front two tyres for me though! i bought budget tyres in the end so i didnt pay out too much, and suprisingly i am quite impressed with them, considering i went from pirelli pzeros they grip very very well!

So the decision is still on for me! :-(

 

[JS1500]

I'm sure whichever way you choose to do it you'll be happy with the results!

 

[<tuffty/>]

Its a poser isn't it... remap or suspension?...

I got mine remapped first then did the suspension after as seems to be the norm but in all honesty, the suspension upgrade gave me the better feeling of money well spent as while a remap gives you the thump in the back in a straight line, the feeling you get being able to carry that through a bend is much better... the S3 is neither fast or slow as standard buts its handling leave a lot to be desired.

How you drive plays a part obviously but my rat run consists of country lanes and B roads so the suspension upgrade made my drive to work more fun than the remap ever did...

<tuffty/>

 

[DJ_Troopa]

Defo remap!!!

 

[putang]

I got my remap about 18 month ago and just got my bilstein shocks fitted last week. The handling is so much better, i would say suspension first.

The bilstein dampers are the best upgrade i have done to my car

 

[jonny87]

always a tough decision as everyone else has said

if it were me id do remap first, the handling is pretty damn poo to be fair, but 210bhp trying to move almost 1500kg is even more poo lol

bear one thing in mind though, if doing remap it can bring underlying problems to the surface as a few recent threads have shown, so make sure the car is checked over as thoroughly as poss before upping the output

 

[A3Tom]

Suspension was done first on my A3, transformed the way the car drove..not just how much power it had.

Saying that all my bushes etc were in need of a change too so I kind of had to do it....but just went to town on it and changed the lot!.

T

 

[wnjuk]

Remap!!!

 

[MikeA3]

I went suspension first (billies, eibach & Neuspeed ARB's) and I feel that I can now use the standard power properly in the corners, next stop is the brakes to make it stop properly and then finally a remap at some stage (or maybe BT) is the route I'm taking

 

[jdas03]

Cheers for the advice! i have the brakes sorted as standards were pretty crap, still unsure one i will ponder on for a while longer i reckon!