Canadian_A4

Thanks a bunch!!

GTakacs

Front:
- <B>8E0 411 105 CK</B> Coil Spring (2x)
- <B>8D0 412 131 F</B> Helper Spring (2x)
- <B>8E0 413 031 BH</B> Gas-Filled Shock Absorber (2x)
- <B>8E0 411 309 B</B> Front stabilizer bar

Rear:
- <B>8E0 511 115 DP</B> Coil Spring (2x)
- <B>4B0 512 131 B</B> Buffer (2x)
- <B>8E0 513 033 G</B> Gas-Filled Shock Absorber (2x)
- <B>8E0 511 409 AF</B> 18mm Rear stabilizer bar

That should do it, just take this list to your dealer and be prepared to be hurt. It is going to cost money, but I think if you don't want some heavy drop this OEM sport setup is the best.

a4ordable

I am in the same boat as Shaolin. How much would you expect to pay for the parts and install labor to convert Non/sports to an equivalent sports set-up. Do you recommend instead just buying an aftermarket shocks/springs combo. I wouldn't mind a slightly firmer ride than the std. sports suspension but I don't the car much lower than a std. sports set-up. TIA

GTakacs

I think the 1BE sport suspension is a great compromise of ride height, stiffness and comfort. There are people who like to drop their cars to the point where the smalles speed bump causes issues as well as mounting 18"-19" wheels on their cars, I am not one of them. I think 17" is nice and the OEM sport suspension will give me what I need. You will get as many different answers/opinions (they're really opinions, not answers) to this question as the number of people who visit AW. To each their own.

As far as price goes, I'd say you can expect to pay about $1200 at your local dealer for all the parts listed above, but you can definetely try to bargain with them, try to shoot for 10-15% over cost (about $800 or so)

a4ordable

I think a lot like you. I want better handling, but I want it for the real world and I don't want the car look it was bought at boyracer, inc. What do you think about upgrading to the sports suspension and 18" wheels. Will ride quality noticeably suffer or will handling noticably improve. Thanks again

GTakacs

That is exactly what I would do. I guess it's a bummer now that you didn't get the sport package in the first place but you can always remedy the situation with a little money and effort.

Just go and test drive an A4 with the OEM sport suspension and check to see if its handling would match your needs. I can only tell you what I have experienced on the short test drives that I took the cars for (I don't even have my A4 yet, it's in the order bank) and comaring it to my wife's VW Jetta GLS 1.8T.

Compared to the Jetta the stock A4 suspension is already tighter but it is a lot more sluggish (both had the slushbox Tiptronic). The sport OEM felt like it was on rails when I compared it to my wife's Jetta. It is a clear winner in my book no wonder I opted for it on my special order. I'm pretty sure the 1BE will be all <b>I</B>'d need.

As far as the 18" goes, I think that's pushing it and I don't think there is any added benefit other than looks. It will ride rougher but I think the 17" already gives plenty of handling. At first I thought the 15" looked good when compared to a 14", now I find 16" pretty small and 17" to be a good size. I guess the more you get used to it the more radical size you want to go to. Right now I'm rolling on 15"s (cheap *** Plymouth Neon) so for me the 17" will be pretty good once I get my A4.

Canadian_A4

that I'm in Canada should it?

GTakacs

Nope, Part numbers are international, they're all the same.