K04 Econobox | Take Two

[sebastianjbauer]

Decided to give in to my OCD, and swapped out the AWE gauge with the New South Performance one. Looks SO much better.

[sebastianjbauer]

And here is the final verdict on the BSH mounts:

• dogbone stays in
• engine mounts come out

The NHV had definitely improved over my initial review, and it was probably 80% better than when I first installed them. That said, it was still 100% worse than stock.

We did a lot of trial and error this morning (BSH engine mounts/stock dogbone and OEM engine mounts/BSH dogbone), and found that the OEM engine mounts combined with the BSH dogbone still provides a crisp shift feel, while eliminating the dreaded transmission slop and wheel hop. And now that the dogbone is broken in, the ride comfort truly feels comparable to stock. I am obviously missing the "planted" feel of the engine, but honestly, I am so relieved to have my car back to a place where I'm not driving down the street constantly pressing on all interior trim pieces to figure out where the worst rattles are coming from. Add to that the fact that I can hear the intake and the spool of the K04 again, and I'm a very happy camper.

I really did give the BSH engine mounts the old college try, but frankly, the ride quality and cabin comfort deteriorated so significantly that I was no longer enjoying the mechanical benefits. Again, this is my impression only, and for the way I drive my car -- daily driving and occasionally scaring the **** out of an M or S type of car -- it was simply not worth it.

[veedubman91]

thanks for the good review on the mounts, glad you are happy with how your car feels now.

[DRedman45]

I think you are the only person i have heard of that was unhappy with the awe boost guage....i do like the center piece that holds the needle on the NSP guage, but my awe doesn't bother me haha

[evosky]

interesting comparing the two gauges ... the NSP is definitely more readable at a glance and the design matches the OEM gauges

[sebastianjbauer]

I think you are the only person i have heard of that was unhappy with the awe boost guage....i do like the center piece that holds the needle on the NSP guage, but my awe doesn't bother me haha

I never said I was unhappy -- I just said the NSP looks a lot better. The AWE gauge is a great product, and truth be told, the movement is smoother. But aesthetically it loses. The NSP flows nicer with the rest of the interior.

[sebastianjbauer]

Valentine One hardwire complete. Now she's truly back together. And so begins the waiting game for when the stock clutch goes, at which point I see a South Bend clutch and Peloquin limited slip in her future.

[nick0188]

And here is the final verdict on the BSH mounts:

• dogbone stays in
• engine mounts come out

The NHV had definitely improved over my initial review, and it was probably 80% better than when I first installed them. That said, it was still 100% worse than stock.

We did a lot of trial and error this morning (BSH engine mounts/stock dogbone and OEM engine mounts/BSH dogbone), and found that the OEM engine mounts combined with the BSH dogbone still provides a crisp shift feel, while eliminating the dreaded transmission slop and wheel hop. And now that the dogbone is broken in, the ride comfort truly feels comparable to stock. I am obviously missing the "planted" feel of the engine, but honestly, I am so relieved to have my car back to a place where I'm not driving down the street constantly pressing on all interior trim pieces to figure out where the worst rattles are coming from. Add to that the fact that I can hear the intake and the spool of the K04 again, and I'm a very happy camper.

I really did give the BSH engine mounts the old college try, but frankly, the ride quality and cabin comfort deteriorated so significantly that I was no longer enjoying the mechanical benefits. Again, this is my impression only, and for the way I drive my car -- daily driving and occasionally scaring the **** out of an M or S type of car -- it was simply not worth it.

Do you notice a difference with the whole dogbone mount instead of just the insert? I'm wondering if the rest of it is worth it because it looks like to insert is the only "mechanical" advantage (which I already have).

I think you are the only person i have heard of that was unhappy with the awe boost guage....i do like the center piece that holds the needle on the NSP guage, but my awe doesn't bother me haha

I think the AWE gauge has the same gauge as the CIM kit. And I don't llike mine at all. It does flow nice with the interior and lighting is nice, but I hate the responce time of an electric gauge. I've had all manual gauges before and I will probably replace it at some point with one.

[sebastianjbauer]

Do you notice a difference with the whole dogbone mount instead of just the insert? I'm wondering if the rest of it is worth it because it looks like to insert is the only "mechanical" advantage (which I already have).

Yes, the whole dogbone is definitely smoother than just the insert, but also firmer. I think it has to with the stiffer bushings of the dogbone, and its overall design vs. the OEM one. It's a really great combination, in my opinion.

[sebastianjbauer]

Öhlins Road & Track DFV Dampers, coupled with Neuspeed SofSports.

Discuss.

[Steven85]

You know, I was pleasantly surprised. It was the S-Tronic version, so it had the 210hp TFSI, mated to a 7-speed DSG gearbox.

It's nimble, has a solid steering feel, and is definitely no slouch. The Quattro drivetrain and the numerous electronic bells & whistles (including a lane alert system which alerts you and takes over the steering controls when you veer out of your lane), make it feel like a much more expensive, high-end vehicle. The interior is also extremely well appointed. All in all, a great car. Not one I would ever be in the market for, but definitely a nice "compact" addition to the SUV landscape.

My only complaint was that the winter tires were rated at 210kph, so I did not endeavor to find out where she tops out.

I was reading this post, and thought to my self, sounds like if it had adaptive cruise, you could literally sit back and read a book on a highway trip...

[sebastianjbauer]

I was reading this post, and thought to my self, sounds like if it had adaptive cruise, you could literally sit back and read a book on a highway trip...

Funny... I thought the exact same thing as I was driving. It totally freaked me out at first, since I had no idea it was activated. I actually tried to see how far I could drive without touching the wheel... after about half a mile, there is a chime, and MFD message asking the driver to take control of the car again.

[Numbersix]

Öhlins Road & Track DFV Dampers, coupled with Neuspeed SofSports.

Discuss.

Nothing to add, but I'm intrigued...

I take it you didn't get the FSD's and SofSports out of the old car?

[Steven85]

Funny... I thought the exact same thing as I was driving. It totally freaked me out at first, since I had no idea it was activated. I actually tried to see how far I could drive without touching the wheel... after about half a mile, there is a chime, and MFD message asking the driver to take control of the car again.

That is too funny...

Anyways, car looks great, just how I would mod my car (if I ever get the money flowing again), nice and clean stock exterior, with nothing but performance mods.

[sebastianjbauer]

Nothing to add, but I'm intrigued...

I take it you didn't get the FSD's and SofSports out of the old cars?

I didn't. It would have ended up being two full suspension installs, and I didn't have the time (nor the energy after the accident) to do it myself. It didn't make sense financially -- would have ended up costing more than buying and installing the same set-up again.

As you know, I loved the FSD/SofSport combination, but after having done some research into higher-end suspension, it seems like Öhlins are as good as it gets. Unfortunately they don't make a coilover for our cars, but the 30-way adjustable dampening, coupled with the high spring rate of the SofSports, should make for a very livable daily driver set-up, while still holding its own on the track.

I initially wanted to stick with the stock suspension, and maybe just add a rear sway bar, but after some very spirited driving this weekend (and some planned track days), it's pretty clear that I need to upgrade.

As before, I'm not interested in lowering the car significantly. My only interest is having the best handling set-up possible, while maintaining a close-to-stock ride quality as possible.

Anyways, car looks great, just how I would mod my car (if I ever get the money flowing again), nice and clean stock exterior, with nothing but performance mods.

Thanks so much.

[Branman]

Slap some koni coilovers on that baby and call it a day. You can set the specific height you desire and the ride quality is like no other coilover setup out there. I am running konis and a 24mm h&r rear sway and my car rides and handles amazing.

[sebastianjbauer]

Interesting. I may consider that, but in the meantime, I'll do a little more research into the less discussed world of suspension... such as Öhlins, AST, and the like. I rarely ever see these discussed here, so it's like learning about a whole new subject. Pretty cool what's actually out there for our cars, when you venture off the beaten path.

[absoluteczech]

you have me intrigued about Öhlins, you should PM that one dude that knows everything about racing and suspension (forgot his username) he'll probably tell you just leave the car alone and get koni yellows w/ stock shocks

[sebastianjbauer]

you have me intrigued about Öhlins, you should PM that one dude that knows everything about racing and suspension (forgot his username) he'll probably tell you just leave the car alone and get koni yellows w/ stock shocks

You mean pyce? That's serious business right there, but a good idea. Wish me luck.

[sebastianjbauer]

Well... having found absolutely NOBODY who has run the Öhlins Road & Track DFV Dampers coupled with the Neuspeed SofSports (or much else for that matter -- there was one guy who paired them with Eibach on a MKV), I decided to be my own guinea pig.

Not sure yet when I'll have time to do the install, but at first glance, these are without a doubt the highest quality suspension components I have ever touched or laid my eyes on. The machining, fit and finish, and attention to detail are unmatched in my opinion. Almost bummed to install them, since they're so nice to look at, but how they actually feel is the important part.


















And here are the trusty Neuspeed SofSports that I'll run them with.

[niix]

Those look nice.

[Numbersix]

Where did you source those? I've looked online to no avail...

[sebastianjbauer]

Where did you source those? I've looked online to no avail...

I called Öhlins USA directly and they got me in touch with Performance Shock, Inc., who are their largest NA distributor, and also happen to be a 40-minute drive from my house, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma. I picked them up this morning in person, but they would definitely be able to ship. They've also got a lot of other high-end goodies... Moton, Penske, AST, etc.

If you call 'em, ask for Beau.

[BlauBug99]

Those look awesome. I love that it looks like you can adjust the dampening while on the car. The Koni shocks used by my KW V2s on my '01 were adjustable up front, but had to be removed to adjust the rear. Which means the rears might as well not be adjustable.

I'm taking a similar stance, no pun intended, as you. I'm over the whole slammed riding on bump stops thing, but I would like a little less gap while retaining comfort and adjustability. I'm currently leaning towards the Bilstein PSS10 since it looks like you can adjust all four corners while they're still on the car.

[sebastianjbauer]

Yes, I did confirm that they are fully adjustable while installed, on the ground, with wheels on. Pretty exciting.

I thought about the PSS10s, but by all accounts, these will be more comfortable during daily-driving duty.

Can't wait to get them on the car.

[absoluteczech]

TedEd was the username


those look niiiiiiiiiice

[NotLowEnough]

Well... having found absolutely NOBODY who has run the Öhlins Road & Track DFV Dampers coupled with the Neuspeed SofSports (or much else for that matter -- there was one guy who paired them with Eibach on a MKV), I decided to be my own guinea pig.

Not sure yet when I'll have time to do the install, but at first glance, these are without a doubt the highest quality suspension components I have ever touched or laid my eyes on. The machining, fit and finish, and attention to detail are unmatched in my opinion. Almost bummed to install them, since they're so nice to look at, but how they actually feel is the important part.

Jealous. Very nice.

[wayneGTI]

HIGHLY interested in how you feel about this setup for daily driving once you have them installed.

While I'd love to get rid of a little wheel gap, more important to me is ride quality and still being able take a road trip in the GTI with my wife & daughters... and not make them hate my car. A second close to that is trackability.

[sebastianjbauer]

HIGHLY interested in how you feel about this setup for daily driving once you have them installed.

While I'd love to get rid of a little wheel gap, more important to me is ride quality and still being able take a road trip in the GTI with my wife & daughters... and not make them hate my car. A second close to that is trackability.

I'll post my impressions here. As for the wheel gap, I'm thinking it should be identical to the Koni FSD with the Neuspeed SofSports.

For comparison purposes, the photos below are of my old GTI with the FSD/SofSport set-up:







As you can see, the result was a nice, even wheel gap all around. I never scraped in my driveway, which is steep, and never ever bottomed out on anything, even with three passengers in the car.

[Numbersix]

That's just what I'd want in terms of stance.

OK, it's up to you to get these installed and then let everyone who is interested take your car on a spirited drive to ensure this combo is thoroughly evaluated.

[sebastianjbauer]

Hahaha. Okay. Sounds good!

[absoluteczech]

the sofsports look good. no front rake which a lot of springs do do you remember what the fender to ground measurements were by chance?

[sebastianjbauer]

do you remember what the fender to ground measurements were by chance?

Unfortunately I don't, since I never measured them... I'll make sure to do so on this install (after they settle).

[absoluteczech]

Unfortunately I don't, since I never measured them... I'll make sure to do so on this install (after they settle).

ive been playing with the idea of getting rid of my coils. going back to something more comfortable. neuspeed sports or sofsports have been on my list.

[Aw614]

I'm still on the fence on whether to get DG springs or the sofsports, plan on just pairing them with Koni Yellows. I think the sofsports are a bit firmer than the DG springs.