how low to go???

[joshW]

I have a 97' a3 1.8ts and im planning on lowering it soon as it looks too high standard.ive got 18" RSTT wheels and i want to get rid of most of the arch gap. I was thinking of goin for coilovers to get the perfect ride height but havent got as much money to spend as i hoped, so was thinkin of fixed height kits instead to save money.

So i was wondering how low you would suggest ,which kits you would reccomend and if people could post up pics of their cars lowered so i could see how low it will be.

cheers
josh

 

[Grant]

If it ain't scraping... it ain't low enough!

 

[elucidate]

I lowered mine approx 50mm, you can get two fingers gap inbetween wheel and arch it looks ok.

 

[Wookie]

Well, here's my A3 lowered 35mm on H&R springs and standard dampers with 18" wheels and I don't think its enough. It was already lowered when I bought it, if I'd done it I'd probably have tried to go for 50mm with dampers.

 

[SyA3Turbo]

Steve thats an awesome colour!!

Low looks good but bad for the underside with bumps and scrapes (especially on britains roads /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif )

 

[joshW]

i agree that colour is wicked!! but that deffo aint low enough!! on my old Mk4 polo i was about 75mm,i had to be careful on speed bumps but it wasn't too bad! so im used to driving careful(i know just about every bump in the road within a 10 mile radius of my house haha! i want to be low, i just wondering if 50mm is going to be low enough.

if you had the choice between fixed height and adj. damping or vice versa which would you go for?

cheers
josh

 

[Ess_Three]

[ QUOTE ]

if you had the choice between fixed height and adj. damping or vice versa which would you go for?

cheers
josh

[/ QUOTE ]

If you want to dump it in the weeds, and have it so that it's sooo bad to drive that you only ponce about in it...wind it right down and ignore the damping...it'll be so bad to drive that nothing you can do to the damping will help anyway!

If you want to drive the damned thing...lower it...but go canny...and play attention to the damping rates...then you can tune the chassis to get it spot on.

Ideally...you'd want both...unless you are lucky enough to have absolutely perfectly damped dampers from the box (like Bilsteins on an S3 for example)

It's a trade off...get it too low and it will loose any handling it ever had. But not low enough, it looks bad.
you need to find the point where it looks good and doesn't compromise the handling by going too low.

 

[joshW]

yes i totally agree!! i love driving! and want my car to handle as best it can, thats why i want adjustable damping! and i dont want it to be undrivably low just low enough that it looks wicked!! also will i get any rubbing problems?

i have been offered FK silverlines brand new for £350, now i know they dont have adjustable damiping but its a very good price and i dont have much money at the mo.
only thing is, they are for a Mk4 golf so would these fit my A3 or not?

cheers
josh

 

[elucidate]

after much messing about, this seems to be about as low as you can go whilst still retaining handling. 18" wheels.

 

[Wookie]

[ QUOTE ]
agree that colour is wicked!! but that deffo aint low enough!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Cheers, its called Beere Pearl, I do agree with it not being low enough though, but it'll have to do for now! Plus where I live the roads are terrible!

 

[Markb]

[ QUOTE ]
I have been offered FK silverlines brand new for £350

[/ QUOTE ]

Where from?

 

[joshW]

A guy had bought them for his s3 but they didnt fit, and they are still in the box. so i personally think it is a good price but think i would prefer adjustable damping.
anyone have the FK silverline kit? how is the handling?

josh