What brand are the standard shocks on a Audi coupe B3

[IHK 11]

Hi i was just wondering if anybody knows what brand the standard shock absorbers are on a 1990 Audi coupe 2.3e B3. Ive researched this and all i can find out is that they are mcpherson struts. I think mcpherson is the actual suspension design but i could be wrong. Does anyone know what brand the standard shocks are or if not what would be the best shocks to buy for a comfertable ride and reasonable handling? Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!!! Ian

[Magnet]

Hello Ian,

Great to hear you are the custodian of an earlier Audi. I think the answer to your question ( apart from the McPherson being the design bit) may be rather academic, since you could find that the current availability of various brands is limited by who still produces aftermarket ones for this 22 year old car, rather than allowing a fair degree of choice. 

Its always a bit of a toss up between opting for whatever new-old-stock ones are still about - with the increased possibility of seals etc. deteriorating over time, or going for manufacturer’s current stock where available.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

p.s. Incidentally,  I guess you are aware that the car could satisfy the requirements for being insured on a cheaper agreed value Classic car policy if it isn’t your sole means of transport. 

[IHK 11]

Hi thanks for replying. Its not so easy to find the exact original parts but there are still a good variety of parts available. It is quite an old car now being 30 years old last april and gets a lot of good comments off people in petrol stations or whenever i go somewhere. I want to try and keep it fairly original as its a good look. I just want to fit a shock absorber that will last and give the car a comfertable ride without being too hard. My girlfriend has a 1993 audi coupe 2.3e B4 and that has koni shock absorbers and the ride is surprisingly comfertable. I may go for those.                                         Youre earlier question about cheaper car insurance.   I have managed to insure the car really cheaply as its now a classic and it is only used as a second car and is more a labour of love. I use a Bmw e46 as my daily driver! Thanks again Ian!!!

[Magnet]

Thanks Ian,

Seems like you are well equipped to decide on available shock absorbers.

re. insurance - so is the car insured on the all important agreed value basis, since it sounds a nice example? 

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[IHK 11]

Hi Gareth ive given a value i think the car is worth but the insurers didnt say whether they agreed or not. I think its something they dont really like to do. I dont think money could replace the car to be fair as the car holds a lot of sentimental value to me. I bought the car when i was quite unwell after having kidney failure 8 years ago and i started off by doing little jobs on it then gradually bigger ones in improving the car. I had a transplant 5 years ago and have made a full recovery but found working on the car a huge distraction and a huge help in my recovery as part of my journey so it means a lot to me. Its like a piece of history. It would be better to have an agreed value to be fair. Its something i need to look into really. Thanks Ian!!!

[Magnet]

Hello Ian,

I’m really sorry to hear of your issues and appreciate your sentiments, and I wish you ongoing improvement. 

Perhaps I shouldn’t have mentioned about agree value and classic car cover, but it’s not uncommon for enthusiastic owners of ‘modern classics’ to be unaware that they can indeed get cover which will guarantee a pay out value in the event of the car being a total loss. I appreciate the car is ‘priceless’ to you, and it’s sentimental value is high, but sometimes it well worth trying to cover that sentiment and hard work as best one can. 

If your current insurers are simply listing the value you give them, then you don’t have an agreed value, and in the event of it being a total loss, it will be valued as any other car of a similar age - probably just scrap value. 

There are plenty of Classic car brokers about and I wouldn’t set out to single out any - but I could if it helps. I do not have any connection with Classic car insurance other than I have had such policies for over 40 years. 

Just a thought.

Kind regards,

Gareth. 

[IHK 11]

Hi Gareth thanks for your kind regards. Im totally fine now and ive been quite fortunate in many ways. I feel that the car was something very positive to come out of the whole experience and im really happy that its in quite good condition and always something i can make better. I should get an agreed value to be fair as most insurers probably would want to pay scrap value if anything did happen to the car which would be quite sad. If you have any names of good insurers you recommend that would be much appreciated Thanks Ian!!!

[Magnet]

Hello Ian, 

I understand where you are coming from, and a project can be very rewarding - well that’s an excuse I’ve used since I had hair, and that’s a long time ago! 

Classic car brokers include, Footman James, Lancaster, Haggerty, Adrian Flux, Peter James Insurance - and more. I’ve used the latter over the last 8/9 years or so, and you should find that get-you-home breakdown cover will be included in the premium, which is always a reassurance, since some normal breakdown schemes limit the age of the car. 

You mention your girlfriend with a similar eligible car, and you could find it might be advantageous to have both on one agreed value insurance policy - if at the same address. Annual mileages will generally be limited to 3K, but can be extended if necessary. 

Perhaps worth a thought when the time is right. 

Good luck and kind regards,

Gareth. 

[IHK 11]

Hi Gareth thanks for the names of those brokers. Thats really helpful. I remember having a reasonable quote from Adrian Flux in the past. Ye that would be a good idea to insure the 2 Audis together and it would make sense as my girlfriend and i both live together but just not married yet. The B4 audi isnt up and running yet. We bought it about a year ago. The car had been standing for 10 years and the guy who owned it just never got round to fixing it as he had other projects but my girlfriend fel in love with it so i had to buy it and i liked the idea of us both having the same car although one is a B3 and the other a B4. We got the car running after fitting a new radiator and it sounded pretty good until it just cut out and theres been no spark since. The coil and coil module are both fine as we tried them on my car. Its good having 2 similar cars for testing parts. Its got a brand new battery, rotar arm, distributor cap, spark plugs and ht leads but still no spark. Ive done a lot of research and believe the crank sensor which i think is located on the gearbox or the ignition pulse sensor also known as hall sender or eye of the distributor which is inside the distributor is the problem but while we have been trying to get a spark the intank fuel pump went. My girlfriend fitted a brand new bosch pump as she fitted one in my car about 2 weeks before hers went and knew she could do it as my car runs fine since she fitted it. When the new pump was fitted in her car it primed as it should but after not being able to do anything on the car over the winter it stopped priming so we took the pump out and it looked rusty. We cleaned it up and put fresh petrol in the car but although the pump looks ok and is not rusty it still doesnt prime so weve got 2 seperate issues now of no spark and no priming of the pump. Were changing a lot of sensors and weve got a new pump, housing and wiring so if we can get it priming hopefully its just the no spark we need to work on. Once we get it running we hope to find some original 15 inch wheels and possibly a full respray. All good fun tho. Hopefully one day we will have 2 very tidy classic Audis!!! Sorry for the long story but these old cars give us a lot of enjoyment! This is the part inside the distributor which may be the no spark cause. Thanks Ian!!!