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plug: if you are in the DC area and are looking for a car, check in with Jessica at Audi Tysons. The whole process was no pressure and solid service (which is far than I can say for some other dealers in the area).
Cheers,
JorgeGortex
Completely agree. Jessica is the tops. Very patient, professional. Obviously her goal is to sell a car, but no pressure.
Well, as an update to the ownership of my car, she is still going strong. Yesterday I added some toys to her and it made a huge difference:
034Motorsport Dynamic+ rear sway bar, front strut brace, and transmission mount.
The difference in how the car handles after install was amazing and immediate. The car felt more planted, more confident, and more capable without any noticeable decrease in ride quality in any drive mode. I took the car out on a local highway for a short ride after install and hit a familiar bump that usually bounces the car rather jarringly (family joke each time for my 6yo- "3-2-1-BUMP!" "Yay!"). Yesterday the car seemed to suck up the bump with more grace and less jarring. I cruised down a 90-degree sweeping offramp signed at 25 doing 52, and car just felt glued to the ground. It wasn't the car that felt skittish, but just the slightest sound of squeak from the tires instead (they weren't very warm and I drive all-season tires). The clunk I've experienced from the trans (usually going from P to D) at times has disappeared. The best part may be that the steering precision seems more exacting and confident. I turn the wheel and it goes, at any speed. It just feels tighter. "Confidence" is the word that keeps coming back to me when I think of how it feels.
So, if you are considering the purchase(s), I'd tell you to go for it. I did all the work myself since I've got the tools, but I can tell you it would be much easier doing it on a lift. I rolled the car (one end at a time) up on ramps and it was doable, but certainly not as easy as it could have been. Make sure you have an impact wrench and a propane torch handy as the factory nuts on the rear sway bar end link bolts were not coming off by hand or impact wrench alone. Once they broke free they came right on off. Those two bolts killed an hour for me as a gathered the needed tools together and got back to work. The trans mount- it took more time to get the car raised than to do the job (10min). The strut brace was easy and done in less than 30min, just taking my time not to rush and mess something up.
All in all a great project and it makes the car even more fun to drive! Cheers.
034 Strut brace 034 Rear dynamic+ sway bar
Last edited by JorgeGortex; 03-10-2019 at 05:42 AM.
Reason: typos
Virginia is a police state, I wouldn't risk it. But I have to agree -- either center mount it properly or take the risk. IMO The asymentrical license plate location is not doing the grille or car any favors.
I agree re: police state. A few years ago I was on a Thanksgiving trip from NYC to Nashville in a rental with my daughter and she was driving 2 mph under the speed limit. A cop pulled her over. It turns out we had a radar detector on the dash! He admitted following us for a few miles and that she was a safe driver, but the anti-radar detector law was the law. I asked if we put it in the trunk for the rest of our trip through the state would that be OK. He said we were lucky he did not confiscate it. I felt bad since it was mine, not hers - so I paid the fine.
I agree with the OCD guys that the off-center plate looks odd. To me it seems not very aero-friendly with the large gap at the outside top of the plate; wouldn't be surprised if it moves at higher sppeds and makes a sound as well.
I agree re: police state. A few years ago I was on a Thanksgiving trip from NYC to Nashville in a rental with my daughter and she was driving 2 mph under the speed limit. A cop pulled her over. It turns out we had a radar detector on the dash! He admitted following us for a few miles and that she was a safe driver, but the anti-radar detector law was the law. I asked if we put it in the trunk for the rest of our trip through the state would that be OK. He said we were lucky he did not confiscate it. I felt bad since it was mine, not hers - so I paid the fine.
I agree with the OCD guys that the off-center plate looks odd. To me it seems not very aero-friendly with the large gap at the outside top of the plate; wouldn't be surprised if it moves at higher sppeds and makes a sound as well.
Wow, that's the type of harassment that breeds disrespect for the police and I am usually very pro-police but this stinks.
034Motorsport Dynamic+ rear sway bar, front strut brace, and transmission mount.
Did you happen to install each of them separately or all at the same time? Just curious if you had any comments on which had the biggest impact/best bang for the buck?
Did you happen to install each of them separately or all at the same time? Just curious if you had any comments on which had the biggest impact/best bang for the buck?
I installed them both at the same time. I think the strut brace helps sharpen the steering and helps it track better where you point it. The sway bar controls the body roll and you can feel that as well, and the trans mount... no clunk whatsoever after install. So, I feel they add up to quality bang all around.
09-04-2017, 01:28 PM
