H&R or Vogtland coilovers?

[Audi newguy]

Debating between H&R and Vogtland coilovers.
H&R because of past experience and heard good things.
Vogtland because price point is better and also heard good things.
How do you guys like your H&R and Vogtlands? Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated.

[Tek4ever]

Can anyone also answer how difficult this project is to do yourself? I myself was thinking of buying the Votlands to help make the new OZ Ultraleggeras sit nice. Yes, I bought the lightweight wheels incase I run into Lugi20, b00st, or zona on a road...I must pull on them!

[VZWalex]

I heard it was a pain if you dont have the right tools ...

[colonelburke]

Yeah, there is another thread somewhere where a few of the folks chimed in that did it themselves and said they would pay someone next time. Might be a good idea to let someone else do the heavy lifting on this mod, I know I will.

[felondnb]

It's a big task & unless you have the tools, I'd say do what you do, earn your money and then pay someone else to do it. Mine are being fitted today by the local grease-monkey

[Mello]

I have the H&R's and was very surprised how little the ride changed from stock. I expected a little bounce but they are great. They were even too low the first attempt we tried to dial in the height, like tucking tire front and rear, and they still were very solid w/ no bounce.

There is a good write up on a4mods.com (I think that's where I got it) that goes through step by step process of installing co's w/ pics.

Oh, and def pay someone to do it unless you have a lift and air tools :)

[Lugi20]

Can anyone also answer how difficult this project is to do yourself? I myself was thinking of buying the Votlands to help make the new OZ Ultraleggeras sit nice. Yes, I bought the lightweight wheels incase I run into Lugi20, b00st, or zona on a road...I must pull on them!

Hahaha! Its on!

[EuroB6]

i had both HR and Vogtland..i prefer the Vogtlands. The ride is smoother and adjustability is the same as well. Plus, PureMS has the Vogtlands for a good deal right now. Jump on it and you wont be dissappointed.

[cam]

ive been hearing alot about the vogtlands, and i might pick up a set to replace my current setup, unless i can find a good deal on a tein ss setup.

but the install isnt bad at all, if you have someone working with you it shouldnt take more than 2-3 hours from the time you jack the car up to the time you take it off the jack stands. ive done suspension twice on my s4 and it just keeps on getting easier.

[ZONAWILDCATS4]

Yes, I bought the lightweight wheels incase I run into Lugi20, b00st, or zona on a road...I must pull on them!

Haha...I'm convinced that the only way to increase performance on these cars is to do the lightweight stuff (wheels, tires, brakes, battery) in conjunction with the mods...i.e. ecu, exhaust.

If you could shave off 100 lbs or more and have the mods...no doubt you would pull.

as far as H&R vs Vogtland...I've heard great things about both, don't think you can go wrong with either.

[Audi newguy]

Thanks for all the feedback. Probably go with the Vogtlands.

[Stevelev]

My Vogtlands (from Startup Racing) are awesome. I recently did an initial review (here) and just spent the day at the track. These coils are definitely under rated and the instructor who drove my car remarked several times that he was impressed with how well my car handled. Also, several people commented on how the car appeared to handle. I'll be following up my initial review with info from today but can say that I was surprised as I assumed that my very compliant ride would ultimately mean my suspension would be too soft for the track.

Here's a quick pic from today ...

[80020vr6]

I don't own a S4, but on my A4 the Vogtland's ride extremely well. I got mine from PureMS and couldn't be happier. The ride is better than stock with little to no bounce. The adjustability is a breeze. I had my dad in the car awhile back and he said it was the smoothest ride he has ever experienced. My vote is Vogtland.

[aalipio]

did anyone get the adjustable dampening vogtlands? debabting on h&R co but would pay a little more to go with vogtlands for adjustable dampening...

any input?

[DTMB7S4]

Had H&R coilovers on my 911 964 C2 and they were excellent. Far different than the current S4 coilovers. Went with Stasis MS Coilovers on my S4 as I wanted something close the the H&R's on my C2. I must say the Stasis MS coilovers are by far the best I have driven. They rival the best, JRZ, Moton's ect. If you can swing it they are probably far better than the other two you are looking at. I would also guess they weigh substantially less than the others making the react faster, hence why they feel much better on the road. And yes, my car is a Daily Driver.

[howsyouraspen]

did anyone get the adjustable dampening vogtlands? debabting on h&R co but would pay a little more to go with vogtlands for adjustable dampening...

any input?

When talking to GMP when I ordered my Vogtlands (which like everyone says are fantastic, rides far better than stock) I asked them about the adjustables. Basically you need to pull the struts from the car, as well as take them apart to actually adjust the internal valving/dampening. IIRC. So the actual term of "adjustable" is not at all like PSS9's or a set of TEINs which I believe are also adjustable rebound only with a simple knob on the base of the shock body. That was the game changer for me. It wasnt worth the price. And I didn't want to do Bilsteins due to better reviews on the Vogtlands vrs PSS9's. But I have heard good reviews about H&Rs too. But I would def go with Vogtlands.

[AudiS4ComeCME]

I have H&R on my car currently. They came installed when I bought the vehicle so it wasn't my decision. I'm not impressed to be honest with you. I had an 01 A6 with Vogtland coils prior to owning my S, and granted the suspension systems are a bit different; the A6 rode like a complete dream. I would not hesitate to buy Vogtland again. Hope this helps.

[black01s4]

I had both H&R and Vogtlands....currently on Vogtlands and love them alot more than the H&R's. Personal opinion the H&R's are overrated for some bouncy crap. My first B5 S4 had H&R already installed and had them removed due to being frozen and 2 of them blown. Bought a newer set of H&R for my second B5 S4 and absolutely hated them. Bought a set of Vogtland's for my B6 and I am in love with the ride height and the way she rides. Super comfortable and not bouncy at all. More and more people I know are drifting away from H&R's and going Vogtlands! Vogtland's FTW!!!

[SCuattro NYC]

My H&R's ride like sh*t.

[howsyouraspen]

I had both H&R and Vogtlands....currently on Vogtlands and love them alot more than the H&R's. Personal opinion the H&R's are overrated for some bouncy crap. My first B5 S4 had H&R already installed and had them removed due to being frozen and 2 of them blown. Bought a newer set of H&R for my second B5 S4 and absolutely hated them. Bought a set of Vogtland's for my B6 and I am in love with the ride height and the way she rides. Super comfortable and not bouncy at all. More and more people I know are drifting away from H&R's and going Vogtlands! Vogtland's FTW!!!

I too have heard of a number of H&R sets blowing out also.

[aalipio]

Ugh. Really wanted to go w/ H&Rs but thanks to all of your input. I think I'm going w/ team Vogtland!

So is it worth to pay a bit more for adjustable dampening?
Or will the non-adjusting suffice for daily-driving comfort and sporty driving?

Vegas roads are pretty crappy...

[LJH]

Just to make the decision more difficult, I put Voghtland on my B5 S4 and was not terribly impressed, it seemed they were under damped on the rebound, not sure how the B5 S4 units are tuned compared to the B6/7 though. I have to say that I am sticking with the stock suspension on our B6 S4, combined with the H-Sport RS4 bars I find it a pretty perfect combination of handling and comfort. If and when I go C/O's I am going with the V3's or the Stasis motorsport (cheaper) one.

Cheers,
Jim

[SeKKeY]

I run hr coilovers on my b7 and they are fine. I had vogtlands on my b6 a4 and those were good too.

[crabpot]

I too have heard of a number of H&R sets blowing out also.

Never heard this before ... ran them on my MK5 for four years with no issues. H&Rs are what I will end up getting for my B7 as well.

[howsyouraspen]

Never heard this before ... ran them on my MK5 for four years with no issues. H&Rs are what I will end up getting for my B7 as well.

Don't get me wrong I think H&R make great products. I just remember reading a few posts the past few years of blown shock issues on their coils.


http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-H-amp-R-Coils

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...mp-r-coilovers

http://forums.audiworld.com/showthre...1489007&page=4

[SCuattro NYC]

My shocks are blown, not even 15k miles on them. Every bump is exaggerated. Can't wait to get these off.

[aalipio]

My shocks are blown, not even 15k miles on them. Every bump is exaggerated. Can't wait to get these off.

H&R?! That suuucks! How are your roads?

[SCuattro NYC]

H&R?! That suuucks! How are your roads?

H&R man, totally disappointed in their coilovers. Roads here suck, HARD. I avoid all the bad roads at all costs, taking longer routes and wasting more gas in the process, but even still, the shocks blew. I feel as the ride wasn't as stiff as it is, the shocks would've survived a lot longer.

[crabpot]

You know they will replace the blown struts ...

[SCuattro NYC]

You know they will replace the blown struts ...

It's not an easy process. Downtime isn't an option.

http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...-H-amp-R-Coils

[aalipio]

Argh! Ya, roads in Vegas are crap as well... That being said I guess I'll stay away from H&R based on all the feedback from b6 s4s :(

Recommend adjustable dampening on Vogtlands?!

H&R man, totally disappointed in their coilovers. Roads here suck, HARD. I avoid all the bad roads at all costs, taking longer routes and wasting more gas in the process, but even still, the shocks blew. I feel as the ride wasn't as stiff as it is, the shocks would've survived a lot longer.

[Skyler@Achtuning]

In these situations we recommend purchasing replacement components from the manufacturer and shipping the old components in for warranty analysis. This minimizes downtime and labor expenses but can tie up funds for a while during the inspection period. Once the warranty is approved a credit is issued for the replacement components.

[Axel-]

In these situations we recommend purchasing replacement components from the manufacturer and shipping the old components in for warranty analysis. This minimizes downtime and labor expenses but can tie up funds for a while during the inspection period. Once the warranty is approved a credit is issued for the replacement components.

But what if the warranty isn't approved for whatever reason? Then the manufacturer that just screwed you over just got your business again (which most people wouldn't want to give if they've had a bad quality experience and a denied warranty claim). I have no idea what H&R's warranty process is like and for all I know, they approve 99% of them. I'm just looking at all the possible outcomes.

[Amsterdamned]

But what if the warranty isn't approved for whatever reason? Then the manufacturer that just screwed you over just got your business again (which most people wouldn't want to give if they've had a bad quality experience and a denied warranty claim). I have no idea what H&R's warranty process is like and for all I know, they approve 99% of them. I'm just looking at all the possible outcomes.

And how does it compare to Vogtland's warranty process?

Skyler, in your experience do you see more issues and more warranty work being done on H&R or Vogtland kits?

[SCuattro NYC]

tie up funds

That's the hitch.

But what if the warranty isn't approved for whatever reason? Then the manufacturer that just screwed you over just got your business again (which most people wouldn't want to give if they've had a bad quality experience and a denied warranty claim). I have no idea what H&R's warranty process is like and for all I know, they approve 99% of them. I'm just looking at all the possible outcomes.

This. If you buy the replacement shocks, you'll be looking to replace them in another 15-20k miles, at which point you'll hate H&R, and hate yourself more for buying ANOTHER set of shocks from them.

[Skyler@Achtuning]

And how does it compare to Vogtland's warranty process?

Skyler, in your experience do you see more issues and more warranty work being done on H&R or Vogtland kits?

Hard to say as our Vogtland sales overall are much smaller than our H&R sales (we've carried H&R for many years and Vogtland for only a couple of years plus H&R has many more applications available than Vogtland) Other than the work we did to correct an issue with a bad batch of rear shocks for B5 A4/S4 Vogtland GT kits that were sold by Startup Racing after we purchased that company I have only had 1 request for Vogtland warranty for a rattle. This request was pretty recent and is still in process as far as I am aware. Our H&R warranty inquiries are very infrequent considering the volume of kits sold over the years, I'd say maybe 2-3 people per year inquire about H&R warranty coverage out of thousands of kits we have sold.

The warranty process between H&R and Vogtland is very similar. One difference being that H&R tends to maintain higher stock levels, this is a plus as it allows for replacements to be sent out without delay. If parts are not in stock at either company they would have to be brought in from Germany.

But what if the warranty isn't approved for whatever reason? Then the manufacturer that just screwed you over just got your business again (which most people wouldn't want to give if they've had a bad quality experience and a denied warranty claim). I have no idea what H&R's warranty process is like and for all I know, they approve 99% of them. I'm just looking at all the possible outcomes.

This may be a possibility in some circumstances, I believe several years back we had a customer with a broken height adjuster (rear adjustable perch) that was not approved for warranty as H&R believed the failure was caused by attempting adjustment with too much load on the suspension. Other than that we (or our customers rather) have not had any denied claims.

For reference purposes (this applies to warranty claims for everything not just coilovers) it's always best to keep a copy of your receipt or invoice, if the product was installed then also keep copies of the receipt for installation (noting mileage) and make sure to record serial #'s if applicable.

[howsyouraspen]

Argh! Ya, roads in Vegas are crap as well...
Recommend adjustable dampening on Vogtlands?!

I don't have any experience with the adjustable Vogtlands other than what NGP told me. And from what I've searched, not a whole lot of people advertise them or offer them. But if you don't mind pulling them from the car, disassembling them, and compressing the shock to rotate the valving to change rebound dampening. I didn't think the added dampening feature was worth the hassle. Better off just going with a set of KW V3's, or Stasis if you want the adjustability.

[aalipio]

I don't have any experience with the adjustable Vogtlands other than what NGP told me. And from what I've searched, not a whole lot of people advertise them or offer them. But if you don't mind pulling them from the car, disassembling them, and compressing the shock to rotate the valving to change rebound dampening. I didn't think the added dampening feature was worth the hassle. Better off just going with a set of KW V3's, or Stasis if you want the adjustability.

All that to adjust dampening... Umm ya I'm good! Hahah vogtlands are sounding real good right now! Thinking vogtlands for the s4 and Suspension techniques for the a4...

The next bump up in price and quality from vogtlands would be what?! Kw v1?

[Axel-]

The next bump up in price and quality from vogtlands would be what?! Kw v1?

Last I checked, they didn't make v1's for the B6/7 S4. Only v3's.

[aalipio]

Last I checked, they didn't make v1's for the B6/7 S4. Only v3's.

Ah yes, correction v3s.