# Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers



## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*Vogtland Coilover Review*
First of all, I apologise for the lack of pictures. Been busy lately and the weather was not cooperative for the past few weeks. I will take more pictures when I clean up the coilovers and apply some dry-lubricant spray on the threads.
I chose the vogtland kit due to their excellent reputation with the B5 chassis (what I came from prior to owning the A3). Vogtlands were always known to be slightly stiffer and valved better than other off-the-shelf kits. Unlike most other twin-tube-based coilover kits, Vogtland gives a true “German” tune . . . designed more with smooth winding roads in mind, whereas most other coilover kits are designed with a high degree of comfort in mind. 
This particular Vogtland kit uses their new rebound dampening adjustable shock. Other features include KW Inox shock housings, KW composite spring perches, Koni dampers and the new Vogtland VVS alloy spring 2 which are lighter in weight than traditional springs. I believe this kit uses linear-rate springs whereas several other kits use progressively wound springs.
Having put 8 days on this suspension and 300 miles, I can say that I absolutely love it. I’ve adjusted ride height & dampening about 8 times now and can say that I have it tuned to my driving environment. Over large bumps, you certainly feel the chassis flexing, but the suspension soaks up small bumps and road undulations quite comfortably. Float is mostly eliminated from the suspension, but could easily be dialed in with with some dampening adjustments. Squat and dive under acceleration and braking is greatly reduced and feels much more linear than stock (meaning that it doesn’t dive immediately and rebound quickly . . . more like the dive is very controlled and doesn’t throw you out of your seat). Turn-in is also greatly improved over stock sport. While not as fast-reacting as a high pressure monotube (i.e. bilstein / H&R), the twin-tubes of the vogtlands are certainly valved appropriately to offer competitive compression dampening over stock. 
Transitioning on winding roads is also very controlled. With the stock suspension, going through a set of right-left-right turns made it feel as if the chassis was being thrown uncontrollably and the weight transfer would cause the wheels to lose grip. With the Vogtlands, the chassis is kept in check and the tires planted firmly on the road. I’ve tested this out on the same winding roads in both wet and dry conditions and the Vogtlands have always kept the car stable and responsive.
*Ride Height:*
The stock sport suspension rides at 26”/26” ground to fender. Currently I have the vehicle riding at 25 5/8ths”/25.25” . The front has plenty of adjustment to go up and down . . . . where it sits, I can easily go 2” up or down. The rear, I am 2.5 revolutions from max height. ~1/8”. The rear could easily go 1.25” lower. I chose a very small drop due to the road conditions & for control arm orientation as well as the horrible dip located at the entrance to my driveway.
*Dampening adjustment:*
The front shocks have 1.5 rotations of dampening adjustment and are externally adjustable. I am currently at 5/8ths of a turn from full soft in the front. Amazingly, an 1/8th of a turn changes the dampening characteristics significantly. Originally I had the dampers adjusted at 3/4ths from full soft which was too stiff . . . I then backed it down a ¼ turn and it became too soft . . . an 1/8th of a turn produced the best result. 
The rear shocks have about ~1.8 rotations of dampening adjustment but are not externally adjustable. The rear shock has to be removed and the housing compressed in order to adjust the shock. I have the rear set at a 1 full turn from soft which is around 55-60% stiffness. 
*Disadvantages of the kit:*
The Vogtlands suffer from the same rear spring perch issue as all the other coilover kits . . . . the rear springs cannot be adjusted unless removed from the vehicle. Trying to turn the perch while on the car results in the whole assembly turning. The rear perch is the same KW perch found on most coilovers (KWs, HPAs, Eibachs, Weitecs / STSuspensions). Also, the springs are orange. While that might not bother some people, it bothered me enough to get the springs painted. As mentioned earlier, the rear shock dampening cannot be adjusted while on the car, but I’ve been able to disassemble and re-assemble the entire rear in 1.5 hours (including rear height adjustment). Finally, the front adjustments are easy, but the adjuster they provide with the kit is a bit too tall for the driver’s side adjuster. Height becomes an issue and it can be rather cramped when trying to adjust the driver’s side shock. Looking at Koni’s site, they offer a lower-profile adjuster which is only $3 . . . something I may purchase in the future. 
*Why you should buy this kit:*
You should consider the Vogtlands if you’re interested in a more performance-oriented coilover system (rather than just for looks). Quite a few coilovers on the market are designed more for comfort and creating a nice drop but don’t offer much performance gain over stock (*cough* HPA SHS). The Vogtlands offer significant adjustment in both front and rear perches, something the H&R coils do not offer. Also, the dampening adjustment allows for both comfort and performance settings with the turn of a knob, something you also will not get from height-only adjustable shocks. Since the Vogtlands use the KW Inox housings, you’re guaranteed a durable, corrosion-resistant coilover setup for those in salty eastern climates. 
Overall, I am very satisfied with my purchase. Other coilovers that I was considering were the Stasis Tracksports ($1895), KW Variant 2’s ($1495), and Bilstein PSS9s ($1,495). I ultimately decided between the KWs & Vogtlands due to corrosion-resistance, price and construction . . . and eventually decided on the Vogtlands based on price and reputation. 
I purchased the Vogtlands from www.purems.com. [email protected] shipped them out the same day and I received a tracking # the very next morning. I’ve never been let down by their customer service and Mike has been very helpful in providing advice on how to properly setup the suspension. 
As I continue to adjust the suspension and try out different settings, I will update the thread with pics & more comments. 
Dave
*Pics:*


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## navsnipe (May 21, 2005)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (crew217)*

Great detailed write-up. Are you still using an anti-sway bar along with the Vogtland kit, I believe you had an H&R rear unit?


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (navsnipe)*


_Quote, originally posted by *navsnipe* »_Great detailed write-up. Are you still using an anti-sway bar along with the Vogtland kit, I believe you had an H&R rear unit?

Yes I currently have the H&R 22mm sway bar on the car as well. I'm considering removing it for purposes of experimentation and putting the stock bar back on just to see how much of a difference it makes and if I could setup the suspension to dial out more body roll, but time is always limited and the weather on the east coast is already getting pretty wet. 
With the suspension, REVO & tires, I'm starting to realize that I really need some form of a brake upgrade to make the car complete. Confidence with the stock brakes is not there when I'm hitting a hard set of corners or braking from high speeds. Not sure if I'll be going with Redstuffs or spending more on Carbotech Bobcats or even upgrading to a stoptech BBK. $$$ is certainly a matter as the coils have pretty much drained my budget for the rest of the year








Dave


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## n828cl (Feb 12, 2006)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (crew217)*


_Quote, originally posted by *crew217* »_Not sure if I'll be going with Redstuffs or spending more on Carbotech Bobcats or even upgrading to a stoptech BBK.

Heard anything about the Eurospec kit?
http://greedspeed.com/applicat...olf_V 
$200 cheaper than Stoptech, without the occasionally finicky removable bridge. However, I've not seen any reviews of it yet. I'm also looking for an upgrade for the rears, which are overloaded in the 3.2.
- Chuck


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (n828cl)*


_Quote, originally posted by *n828cl* »_
Heard anything about the Eurospec kit?
http://greedspeed.com/applicat...olf_V 
$200 cheaper than Stoptech, without the occasionally finicky removable bridge. However, I've not seen any reviews of it yet. I'm also looking for an upgrade for the rears, which are overloaded in the 3.2.
- Chuck

I haven't heard anything about the eurospec kit, but probably won't go that way if I'm going to spend $$$ on a BBK. I'd be able to get stoptechs at around that price anyways so it isn't worth it for me to go for a kit that I'm not confident with. With stoptechs, you also get a wide variety of pad selection and it's fairly easy to find replacement rotor rings.
Dave


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## cwash36 (Jun 29, 2005)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (crew217)*

thats a nice write up dave. glad to hear that you are happy with the kit. now that the weather has cleared up how bout some pics







. im starting to wish i had dampening capabilities with my KW v1 set up, as now that im used to the improved handling after almost a year on them, im not completely satisfied


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## yam (Jul 18, 2005)

Awesome write up. Congrats on the mod.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (cwash36)*


_Quote, originally posted by *cwash36* »_thats a nice write up dave. glad to hear that you are happy with the kit. now that the weather has cleared up how bout some pics







. im starting to wish i had dampening capabilities with my KW v1 set up, as now that im used to the improved handling after almost a year on them, im not completely satisfied









Weather is still crappy, but I took these just for you. The front is purposely set higher than the rear due to driveway issues.








































































Dave


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## judgegavel (Apr 26, 2002)

Looking good Dave. Is there no place else to take pics in Ithica than that parking Garage, I think you have shots on every level.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*Re: (judgegavel)*


_Quote, originally posted by *judgegavel* »_Looking good Dave. Is there no place else to take pics in Ithica than that parking Garage, I think you have shots on every level.

There are more places, but that garage is less than a mile from my house and it was just starting to rain after i pulled out of the carwash.








Dave


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

*Re: (crew217)*

what what what. he actually has an A3 never seen pics of it before








that aside, good review KW makes a great product lineup for sure.


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## cwash36 (Jun 29, 2005)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (crew217)*


_Quote, originally posted by *crew217* »_
Weather is still crappy, but I took these just for you. The front is purposely set higher than the rear due to driveway issues.
Dave

Sweet Dave it looks off the hook! Red is hawt! Nice photos too. it souds like your like me, you take your mods in moderation (im pinching pennies after buying the intake, vf eng pend. mount and jsp ssk) still getting used to that mortgage thing







I saw that you said bbk next? dont laugh but im still not chipped







im going to get chris to do me ( that didnt come out right) as soon as i can afford the dp so i can get stage2, and save myself a trip back to him


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## judgegavel (Apr 26, 2002)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (cwash36)*

Chris its a crime your not chipped yet, get to it.


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## crew219 (Oct 18, 2000)

*Re: (ProjectA3)*


_Quote, originally posted by *ProjectA3* »_
that aside, good review

is that a compliment?
*heart attack*


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## ProjectA3 (Aug 12, 2005)

*Re: (crew217)*


_Quote, originally posted by *crew217* »_
is that a compliment?
*heart attack*

why yes, yes it is! getting out heart starting paddles CLEAR ZAP


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## RED WHIP (Dec 10, 2005)

*Re: Review: Dampening Adjustable Vogtland Coilovers (crew217)*

Great review!


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## A32Have (Jun 5, 2006)

Did you do the install yourself? If so how long does it take and where can I source the torque specs?


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