BQAD

My 2001 1.8T is currently riding on the stock sport suspension. I do like the ride quality of the sport suspension except for the excessive wallowing over big long bumps that makes the car feel like a boat. The car is a daily driver and is not likely to see any track time in the near future, but I do value good handling a lot more than most other performance mods. What I want to do is to lower it a little bit more (but not too much) and improve the handling as much as is reasonably possible while decreasing the ride quality as little as possible. I know these are not generally things that go together, I am just looking for the best compromise I can get. I don't want to spend a fortune either, let's say no more than $1500. I have already read tons of suspension posts and it seems that the H&R sport/Bilstein combo or the H&R coilovers are my most likely bet. I am looking for recommendations from people who have the same goals and have achieved them, but any useful input is appreciated. TIA.

AwdiA4

$500 for bils, @$200 for install.
I wanted to lower my '99tqms a little bit, but not so much that I bottom out on every driveway or plow snow in the winter. For about @$700, I and many have achieved that w/ adjustible bils and oem sport springs. I have a pic in my picposter 1 week after the install...

RKA

Ride quality will deteriorate. Get used to that, and if you can't, just replace the shocks with another set of OEM's, if you have more than 50K on your current set.

If you can accept that you'll lose some ride quality, H&R A4 coilovers are extremely well tuned for street use. This was my favorite mod on my A4. Ride quality did deteriorate a little, but handling was much better than stock (much reduced float, dive, squat). I only dropped the car 3/4" from sport height, which isn't a lot. You should know that the lower you drop the car, the softer the suspension will feel. So if you want a ride height close to OEM, you'll be making the suspension stiffer than if you dropped it an inch.

Prior to the above set up I had Eibach springs and Bilsteins. Comparitively, the handling was much better with the coilovers, and the coilovers didn't really result in any incremental ride quality issues. The bilsteins did a poor job of maintaining wheel contact imho. The car would skitter over bumps in the road, and the springs were too soft, and lowered the car way too much. As a result, my aftermarket wheels were coming into contact with the fender. I had this set up less than a year before I ditched it and got the H&R coilovers.

worcesterA4

how long have you been running this setup?

paul_858

Koni/Vogtland if you want to maximize comfort.

AwdiA4

6 months

BQAD

What perch are you on and how is the ride comfort compared to stock?

Silver Streakin'

to undulations in the road. I have not driven an A4 with Koni/Vogtland, though.

Sure, you give up some street comfort, but you will with any upgrade above stock sport.

My Statis Track Sports (sport valving) 600/750 coilovers go in tonight!

BQAD

Which version do you have? They show 3 on their site - regular, Ultra, and PCS.

You say they get softer when you go lower - why is that? Isn't it normally the other way around? Not that it matters I guess just seems odd. Also, when you say ride quality deteriorates a little, can you explain in what way? I can accept a little deterioration as long as it's not an annoying one.

AwdiA4

I don't track the car and I log 20-25k miles/year as a daily driver. Some other people with larger budgets or track junkies wouldn't run this set-up, but I couldn't be happier with it.