I think my BC's are leaving a bit of comfort on the table. They are great when driving spiritedly, but when I want the ride smooth and comfy, only newer highways and interstates provide that. Looking at doing Koni Special's or just saying screw it and get a new KW setup. Even the wife has commented "can you fix that harshness over bumps." I replied 'yes" for about 4k. She gave me a raised eyebrow and said do it.
7
Anyone trade their mk7 for something more comfortable?
- Thread starter sjnbgti
- Start date
Kart17
Go Kart Newbie
- Location
- SE Michigan
- Car(s)
- '17 VW GTI Sport
Koni option is $600 + some labor or diy
mrmatto
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Jacksonville, FL
- Car(s)
- 2024 GTI DSG
And the rears are SUPER easy. It’s really just the fronts that are the big effort.Koni option is $600 + some labor or diy
DerHase
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Hampton Roads, VA
- Car(s)
- 2019 GTI Rabbit
Pair them with STOCK springs. I have 034 springs on now, and while it’s not downright awful like BCs or Misfortune Autos, they’ve lost a bit of their magic. Hoping that playing with bumpstops can help. The SAs are NOT meant for lowering. (I did not have intentions of lowering when originally purchased, I lowered so that I can try the 034 RCO ball joints).
Koni Sports (which I’m not a fan of, adjusting the rears SUCK) or Bilstein B6/B8 are the way to go if planning on mild lowering.
We have roughly 2.5in of useable bump travel at stock ride height. Lowering isn’t a great idea in general. I may be going back to stock or stock-ish springs myself.
Koni Sports (which I’m not a fan of, adjusting the rears SUCK) or Bilstein B6/B8 are the way to go if planning on mild lowering.
We have roughly 2.5in of useable bump travel at stock ride height. Lowering isn’t a great idea in general. I may be going back to stock or stock-ish springs myself.
mrmatto
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Jacksonville, FL
- Car(s)
- 2024 GTI DSG
Yeah Koni told me they don’t recommend lowering with the SA’s. Not sure if it’s the lowering or the higher spring rate, or both.
DerHase
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Hampton Roads, VA
- Car(s)
- 2019 GTI Rabbit
The shocks aren’t “height” sensitive, but the need to engage the bump stops sooner/harder to prevent bottoming changes how they react due to the added effective spring rate (bumpstops and springs combined).
Gray_Panther
Drag Racing Champion
- Location
- NY
- Car(s)
- GTi
My winter setup is 16”s with thicc tires. Like 205/55 thicc and the ride is very comfortable on my bilstein B6’s which are stiffer than stock. But my summer stock wheels makes the ride less comfortable but for me in a fun way.
Unfortunately I am, out of necessity, selling the MK7 for an Atlas due to family reasons. Comfort will be max level but the sportiness will be gone. Dat VR6 tho!
Unfortunately I am, out of necessity, selling the MK7 for an Atlas due to family reasons. Comfort will be max level but the sportiness will be gone. Dat VR6 tho!
Old Men Rule - there's a norticable difference between DCC Comfort Mode and non-DCC.
OP, I never measured exactly how much tires on our cars heat up from highway friction. I do know merely sitting in the sun heats them up. The side that in the sun was 2 PSI higher than the side in the shade. I can tell you one thing - when I replaced my PS4S's, they were worn in the center, which indicates they were always overinflated. The tire pressures from the manufacturers are I believe primarily for MPG. Even the GTI owners manual suggested lowering the pressures for comfort.
OP, I never measured exactly how much tires on our cars heat up from highway friction. I do know merely sitting in the sun heats them up. The side that in the sun was 2 PSI higher than the side in the shade. I can tell you one thing - when I replaced my PS4S's, they were worn in the center, which indicates they were always overinflated. The tire pressures from the manufacturers are I believe primarily for MPG. Even the GTI owners manual suggested lowering the pressures for comfort.
I thought of switching to a smaller wheel, but I didn't buy an R to downgrade its performance, and I highly value comfort.
KevinC
Autocross Champion
- Car(s)
- '19 Golf R, '21 M2c
Man your lowered R must have had a brutal suspension. My stock R is like a Coupe de Ville compared to my M2 Comp, both on stock suspension.
Agree with the comments about DWS06+ - I'm running them on my R, they're my preferred all season tire, really great all-arounder and good ride comfort.
victorofhavoc
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Kansas City
Suspension comfort is super subjective for sure. I'd take stiff springs over sway bar jostle any day of the week, but 90% of people are the opposite.
I have the dcc and with stock springs I thought it was "too comfy" and just bounced around without resettling properly. The bilstein b16 with metal top mounts I found to be absolutely brutal over potholes or expansion joists.
Your road conditions make a massive difference too. Here in the Midwest, even suv are popping tires and rims on potholes on the interstate. My gti with dcc is more comfortable than my wife's Q7 in a lot of scenarios.
OP, if you're looking for comfort, find something with an air suspension setup. They're super comfy.
I have the dcc and with stock springs I thought it was "too comfy" and just bounced around without resettling properly. The bilstein b16 with metal top mounts I found to be absolutely brutal over potholes or expansion joists.
Your road conditions make a massive difference too. Here in the Midwest, even suv are popping tires and rims on potholes on the interstate. My gti with dcc is more comfortable than my wife's Q7 in a lot of scenarios.
OP, if you're looking for comfort, find something with an air suspension setup. They're super comfy.
avenali312
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Mableton, GA
- Car(s)
- 2015 GTI
As the roads on my daily commute started to deteriorate, I started to look into a more comfortable path for my GTI. I was on stock dampers with EMD springs for most of its life, but they were starting to feel a bit harsh around 45k. I made the move over to the Koni Special Actives, stock springs, and DWS06+ tires (18"). It really transformed the car back into a nice, sporty daily. Does it ride like my wife's CR-V? No. Does it look like a rally car now? Yes. But I'll take it over a rough ride every day.
I just made the move from Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus Tires to the new Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 and I am shocked how much softer the Contis ride...
The DCC "Race" setting now rides like "Comfort" used to.... I can actually use "Race" now. Apparently tires make a huge difference.
Also like mentioned above, non-DCC cars are very harsh, my friend's GTI didn't have DCC and it felt like the "Race" setting or worse.... but now im wondering what tires he had at the time lol
The DCC "Race" setting now rides like "Comfort" used to.... I can actually use "Race" now. Apparently tires make a huge difference.
Also like mentioned above, non-DCC cars are very harsh, my friend's GTI didn't have DCC and it felt like the "Race" setting or worse.... but now im wondering what tires he had at the time lol
I run these tires as well, insane difference over everything else I have tried, Indy 500's, Potenza, Pilots... The only thing that gets me a little is the tires like to "groove hunt" a little at the imperfections in the road, kind of like a Toyo triple 8. I am ok with that though given that everything else is great.
Superfreak
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Denver
- Car(s)
- ‘19 M2C, ‘05 Taco
It wasn’t great with Eibach lowering springs, but yeah I was in comfort most of the time. 18s were better than 19s, but not a lot better. It seemed like the biggest difference was high speed bumps. The m2 is amazingly better at higher speed bumps. Still, it’s a stiff stock suspension so I have some ohlins coils and softer springs to make it a little less harsh.