S4A4

I am finally going to lower my 98 A4 Avant Quattro from the original non-sport. The question I have is...Which kind should I get and is all that is really needed is springs. My wife drives it normally, so I don't want to make it too stiff. I can get a set of used A4 sport springs fairly cheap, or I could go to Eibach. I am told the Eibach will lower something like 1 1/4 rear and 1 1/3 front(or something like that). Which should I go with ??? If I go with stock sports, is there a difference between the rears and the fronts?

WClark

The factory supplied springs in the sport package or the sport springs (made by Eibach) in the Audi accessory catalog?

The factory sport springs are softer than the Eibach in the Audi catalog and lower form stock about 3/4" inch versus about 1 1/2" for the ones in the catalog.

In either case you will also want firmer shocks than stock. I recommend Bilstein sport.

As an alternative, given you will beed the shocks anyway, you can just get the Neuspeed-Bilstein shocks and set the perches down (about an inch from stock is max)

S4A4

I was referring to a used set of stock sport springs.
Are you saying as an alternative I can put the Neuspeed-Bilstein shocks on without springs? Also what does beed the shocks mean anyway. And - why would I want to also get the stiffer shocks. What will happen if I don't. My wife will be driving it mostly and I'll be putting on All Season tires on a set of Ronal RT's. I do not want a stifer ride bu all means. I want to lower it and not cause any damage to other parts when doing this.

WClark

Shocks that are a little over damped for the springs will firm up the ride some, but the combo is preferable to stiff springs and underdamped shocks. The latter results in a lot of excess wheel bounce over quick bumps and the car will ride like a pogo stick.

If you get firmer springs you will certainly want firmer shocks. The OEM shocks are not worth buying new or used in my opinion (my rear OEM sport shocks softened WAY up in 10,000 miles). Going aftermarket for the shocks opens up the possibility of getting perch-adjustable shocks and that makes the lower (firmer) springs an option rather than the only route. As it happens the regular rear Bilstein sport shock has multiple perches around the "stock" height, but the front is fixed at the stock height. The Neuspeed-Bilstein front has multiple perches.