mkIV suspension - help required from newbie!

[AllanBrownie]

hi guys i am new to this Golf lark, having previously been a Pug nut (230bhp 205 Mi16) and then owned an M3 Evo for 3 years before getting banned. I'm back with a Mk4 Golf GTI 1.8 Turbo. Its a great solid car but needs more poke, hence i'm going for the APR chip to get up near 200bhp hopefully.

Anyway, my problem is with the Eibach springs i have just fitted. I have 19" wheels fitted with 215/35 Toyo's. Gap was too big between arch and tyre so went for Eibach Pro Kit springs, "up to 40mm lower" they said plus i had to be careful with having bigger wheels? Anyway, fitted them and there's still a gap!  yes they still need to bed in and may drop further slightly but still, expected a slam look! Can i go lower i.e. Sportline kit or can u recommend any other springs?? I was surprised, went to pick car up and i was like eh have you actually fitted the springs?! It DOES handle better but just expected a noticable visual difference, i want it lower!! Will i get driveshaft problems though? I've seen plenty Golfs looking lower than mine!!

Thanks for any advice - very much appreciated!  Fancy the Sport Line kit (50mm?) but concerned about problems.

Other planned mods are : APR chip/induction kit/Milltek exhaust for hopefully the guts of 200bhp. 312mm Tarox front discs/pads. Medium tinted windows ... and then try and leave it alone

[Phil_M]

You can get FK highsport coilovers at a very reasonable price now, then you can adjust them to what ever height you like, but you will prob have to change your front arb as well to avoid driveshaft rubbing.

Phil

[GolfGL]

At work our eibach book states only 30mm lowering but eibach are known to not look as low as other brands like koni, H&R etc.

[GazB]

I would'nt bother with springs if you want it slammed, do coilover and then you can go as low as you want really, within reason.   The only problem is the increase in cost

[Ivor Mk4 Turbo]

Hiya, mate.  Welcome to the forum.  I'm a bit of a pug nut myself.  I've had a 309 GTi, 2 x 1.9 205 GTi's & 2 x 306 GTi-6's.  That 205 must have flown.

As said above, if you go lower, then you might need to uprate the ARB's as they may foul the driveshafts.

200 bhp is easibly attainable with these cars.  Which variant have you got?  Engine code should be on a sticker in your spare wheel well (along with your paint code).

Check out this thread for possible gains >>> http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=40194.0

[AllanBrownie]

Thanks Ivor.  Mine is an early MkIV - Oct 98 S plate so guess its the throttle cable one.  Awesome said they'd do the APR chip for £375 which should take me just short of 200bhp.  Hopefully with the Milltek and a decent induction kit i should breach the 200 horse mark with shed loads of torque - this should be enough to satisfy me .. for a while at least!  Although after that its big bucks for another decent hike in power so i'll be stuck with 200bhp i reckon.   

Paid decent money for the car, but its a total minter, unmarked, full history and only 45k miles on the clock.  It was miles better than all the later examples that i looked at. 

Think i'll go for the Eibach Sportline springs and uprated front ARB to ensure no fowling.  I'm happy as it is at the moment in terms of handling but the Pro Kit has not dropped it enough and am getting fed up of people saying "nice wheels but it needs lowered" - it IS feckin lowered you cheeky scoundrels!

[New Duncan]

Yep, I've done the Peugeot's - 405 Mi16, 309 GTI very good handling, and used on occasion the 205 GTi 1.6 and 1.9's. Apart from the re-worked 16v 1905 alloy unit by Peugeot, and the standard 1598cc 8 valve Peugeot engine, I thought the standard 1905cc actually a Citroen BX unit a bit of a dog, at 5000 rpm plus it sounded like a load of scrap metal screaming around in an old galvanised water tank. Camshaft Jitter was terrible, plus piston slap. For how long did you get 230bhp - 12 months ?  then rings, burnt oil like mad, and then a head leak, steam early on from exhaust on cold start, then dry (piston) liners falling down. At 135bhp the engine was a dog, at 230bhp it must have been a nail  bomb !

Talking Golf, Hey, how much did you give for the S plate turbo ? sounds like a very lucky bargain.

How much are you spending on all the mods ? you got a budget in mind.

I'm looking to take my standard AUM a 2001/2 model year turbo to around a 190bhp, I only want the extra pull for the open road, I don't want to spend any on exhaust systems or suspension. I'll have to power-up in a straight line ha ha. But then I have the BM for corners. 

I'm spending quite a lot of money just bringing the car up to spec at only 48k miles. All Discs shot, lousy tyres, sump damaged but serviceable, pads worn, black oil, the normal semi-mineral gunk, plastic base cover under engine torn off, inner front inner wing liner NS split, change all fluids, list goes on.  Car looks sweet on top, very sweet indeed and drives very well at normal speeds- but beneath the surface

I don't think the build quality on the MKIV quite lives up to VW's reputation ! But then I'm new to the marque; Look under your car at just 5 years for signs of corrosion. We shall see.

You guys here look after your motors, but a load of turbo jerks just hit the gas till it stops, or brake fade........... .

Good luck Allan.

[Ivor Mk4 Turbo]

You might want to look at sport cats as well, Allan, as the stock cat is very restrictive. - Not sure about them MOT wise, though, you'd have to ask the supplier/manufacutrer.