Suspension on A3 sline

[Mar4ix]

Hi folks, i am driving audi a3 s-line , 2008, 2.0 tdi, bkd engine. 

Fantastic car, love it .

I am using car goin to work , and occasionally driving down to country to spend my days off.

I do like sline style and comfort, it has stiff suspension, assume what is designed for sline.

I would like to make it softer, maybe bit higher and put thicker tyres (currently 225/40 r18), as roads where i am driving is not the best :(

Would non sline coil springs on front and back , and thicker tyres 45 or 50 make car higher and softer?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Trevor]

Hi Maris

I would personally go for the tyre option as this will instantly make a huge difference for not a lot of money or effort, see if you can get away with the 50 profile without it interferring with any bodywork/plastics.

It will affect the handling on corners so you will find a certain amount of roll into bends compared to the 40 profiles but its a good trade-off I think.

Cheers  Trevor

[Mar4ix]

Hi Trevor

 

Thanks for your replay.

Regarding tyres, i was thinking of to get 17 inch wheels with thicker tyres. That was actually my first thoughts and if i am still not happy with results would start reconfigure suspension. 

Plans to keep that car for at least another 5 years, so investment would pay off. (I have that car for last 4 months).

I am handy with spanners, so to do work is not a big problem. So far i did myself -replaced rear brake pads (one of pi s was seized on left side) and changed timing belt. Passed test with no problems. 

At the moment just asking , would regular audi a3 (non s-line) suspension would fit ? I would replace shock absorbers , planing get good gas shock absorbers. Is coil springs from sprtback (5 door) would be same ? Could get them new also. 

 

Thanks

[rbdazza]

try some 17s with thicker tyres first, try to match the overall diamter, there are websites that will calculate it for you so you ca get the correct tyres.

failing that, fit the SE springs. 

[rbdazza]

have to ask the obvious, why buy a "sport" to dumb it down to an SE?

[Mar4ix]

2 hours ago, rbdazza said:

have to ask the obvious, why buy a "sport" to dumb it down to an SE?

First of all, it was cheapest Audi a3 diesel, from 2008 at that time and place, wouldnt buy se version either. Probably just coincidence, i bumped in to s-line , price, condition, history was acceptable.

Second thing is,  i didnt know much about s-line that time , i didnt really like se models, but s-line, is just fantastic, at beginning thought it is just expensive badge, but now i know it is way more comfortable and way better looking car than regular se. My friend have se  model, i had kind of neutral attitude. 

On mine suspension is fairly tight, mileage is over 160 k miles, i believe shock absorbers probably is on the way out at that mileage ( no records of shock absorber change).

I do indeed like harsh swing in to road bends or crossroads, car holds road amazingly good, havent made her slide/drift yet, have no proper place for that. 

I think of changing wheels with thicker tyres and maybe shockabsorbers. 

I am use to sport ish car (few years back were driving skyline) , but it has realy hard suspension, forget about road sound (maybe some sound deedening stuff will have to fit). 

It is perfect for sport ish driving and enjoy driving, but driving in city on daily basis, on not the best roads, getting annoyed about feeling every manhole or hole on road surface.