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Comments
Kumho Ecsta 712 for my 17" wheels were $78 each.
The springs and shocks make a lot more difference in cornering than I was expecting, even though I already had the swaybar. The car now corners almost perfectly flat.
I even broke the tail loose a bit hugging a turn last night.
I priced tires at the BJ's, and Sam's Club. The 15s are alot cheaper. I just had to replace a tire due to bubbling, and it only cost me $66 out the door. Better than $1-- for the 17s...
H&R Sells "OEM" Sport springs, that drop the car something like .5". This is ok to use with factory shocks.
When lowering a car, it's the shocks that make the difference almost more than the springs. When you get race springs or sport springs, you need a shock that is properly dampened to match the rate of the springs. This keeps the car from "bouncing" and vastly improves your handling.
The rear sway bar is the best bet for cutting body roll without doing anything else. Even with my car with Bilstein sports, H&R Race, H&R front sway, once I added the rear sway, it transformed the car. Since the springs are progressive, they have to compress a bit first before they get stiff, so going into a corner there is that initial lean until the springs compress. The rear sway bar stiffens up the chasis so there is barely any lean to begin with. I loved taking corners in my GTI, it was perfectly neutral and always went where I pointed it. (OK, great tires help a lot here too!)
The factory sport suspension is 10% stiffer than the normal suspension. It also drops the car 10mm. Factory sport shocks are also gas pressurized, unlike the non-sport ones which are air. Also the sport suspension has 2mm thicker front and rear sway bars.
And just for kicks, since you guys saw a lowered GTI 1.5", here is mine dropped just a wee bit over 2". Man that was a fun car..... drop will look the same on a jetta, because the wheel wells are cut the same.
- Anthony
I tried to edit out the orange light with photoshop, but there is only so much you can do. :P
I am about to get a Neuspeed 1.1bar as well as a Eurosport exhaust, and already got a new DV on the way from a GB.
Love the TT wheels, BTW!
the red Jetta i could live with - but not where i have to drive. there is no way to get the car up over a curb or anything! well, there is, but not without hurting/scraping it. here where i live, people don't know how to drive, and you often have to take at least one wheel over a curb to get in your turn lane so you don't miss the light. i would feel bad doing that in the red car.
It sounds like you really abuse your car.
You should buy a truck. :P
I was up there over the summer for a baseball game with some friends. Got lost on the way back, ended up driving through the ghetto of Baltimore, some of these bumps I hit, I thought it was the end of my car. Luckilly the TT wheels are forged! Mind you I had 4 people in the car at this time, so it was VERY low. Sometimes the back wheels would rub inside the wheel wells. Cool...
"just scrolled back. that silver VW pic is typical of the "look" i don't like, personally. all that big wheel, and bottom scraping spoiler ground-effects stuff. the difference between VW and Honda is the more refined shape/subdued style of VW's. whoever did that to that poor silver GTI should have bought an Integra! i don't think the classy body shapes of the VW's take well to all that added junk. my opinion of course."
Uh..... Integra? Those are european VW bumpers, a rieger front lip, and factory Audi wheels. Super smooth, IMO.
"Trying to get in on a GB for the Pro-Kit.. do I need the dampers or can I use my stock ones (since they're 'sport' already)? Thanks!"
You need the pro-kit dampers. It'll make a world of difference.
Anakin, your drop looks great. Looked lower than when I had the sports on my car.
Stay off those curbs though..... :P
Thanks for the advice on the dampers, I thought as much. I am gonna just do a rear sway (Neuspeed or Autotech) and leave it at that for now.
In fact, my wife commented during that trip that she would not want to live on a dirt road because her car would get burried in the mud during mud season. I reminded her that is why I have the 4X4 truck.
Jettas should stay on the pavement 8-)
BTW... we were attending the annual Maple fest where guests are welcome to observe the gathering of sap from the sugarbush and the boiling into Maple syrup We took home several gallons of Maple syrup still warm from the pan. There is noting like the sweeet smell of 100 gallons of maple sap being boiled.
if so, I'll probably skip that option, although they sure look better!
drive the two back to back. totally different worlds.
Also, the 17s don't reduce stability in the rain, someone was talking through their behind because their head knows better...
also - i replaced my climate control filter, all by myself. just used a screwdriver. putting the cover back on was tricky - but other than that it was easy. the filter was FILTHY. we shall see if it helps me stop sneezing
I took my car in for an oil service yesterday. I asked them if they'd swap out the coilpacks while I was there. "No sir, we can only replace defective ones."
I must have jinxed myself, because when I started the car this morning, it sputtered, and the check engine light came on. :P
So, tonight I get to have my car towed back to the dealership.
Oh well. At least it happened at home and not on the freeway. Egad!
This doesn't sour me on the car... it's a known issue and they have a recall out for it. Aside from this, I have been quite happy.
I'm having the car towed to a dealership 15 miles away instead of the one 2 miles away. Good service is worth the extra trip.
"Here is your loaner"
"You car will be done tomorrow."
This is why I drive a little extra to go to a good dealership.
On another note, I am now driving a HOT 2.0 4dr white Golf GL. Yee ha.
Actually it's not bad. The 2.0 is just more... gradual than my 1.8T.
On a different note: My Dad just bought a new Nissan 350Z and brought it over last night for me to drive. It is a 6 speed...and it is sweet.
they fixed my rattle. it was my back seats. they fold down and where they hook together, there is a rubber stopper, and it wasn't stopping the metal parts from rubbing. 2 second adjustment, and it is fixed. i still am taking it back though - i want the foam out of the rear doors - makes me nervous.
Honestly, if my Jetta had been reliable, I'd contemplate just getting another one. Oh well, VW's loss.
I'll give the seats one last thorough cleaning and try to strip off as much lint as possible before putting the wet okoles on. Once I do that, it'll be easy vaccuuming from now on.
I'll take some pics once I get it all set up.
1) Jack
2) Squat
I'll be using duct tape.
Stupid linty velour. @*#&$@*#&(@$!!!!!!!
God, I am soooo glad I got the factory leather when I bought the car.. :P
I went to the auto wash and used the coin-op vaccuum and was like "Why the heck isnt' the lint coming off?!"
Never seen a material like this. It's incredible.
Anyway, I got leather because I needed the lumbar support. Also have grown really accustomed to the heat.
However, if I were you, I would consider the H&R "OEM" style springs. They ride at stock height, but you can have them installed at your choice of shops, and probably end up paying hundreds less.
My dealership, as nice as they are, were charging around $500-600 for the VW/Eibach setup (including install)
I paid a shop $350 to install my springs, shocks, and struts, AND do an alignment.
So you might want to scope out your options.
Secondly, I wouldn't take my car to a stealership for work like that if my life depended on it.
Third, aren't you suppose to wait 1000 or so miles before getting an alignment after you get new springs installed? That's what I always heard...
Vocus, how many miles are on your car?