VW Sport Suspension: Upgrade & Lowering

Hello.


I would like to install a genuine VW Golf 4 sport suspension kit on my A3.

I'd like to know if this also affects the vehicle's height, or if it only impacts the driving characteristics.

Thank you for your answers.

The Golf sport suspension lowers the car by a little over 1 cm; I don't know if it's the same as on the A3. Assuming it uses the standard springs, it will lower the car by 1 cm. Be aware that the spring rates may vary depending on the engine (weight). Also, this will likely be difficult to get approved for registration and will probably be a bit more expensive than similar aftermarket parts available for purchase.

Hello, I can confirm that it's approximately 1 cm deeper.

That sounds good so far.

Since it's an original chassis, I don't foresee any problems with the registration.
1. You can barely see the 1 cm.
2. You can't tell from the outside that the car has a sports suspension.

Okay, no single-use items.

Thank you for your help.

Well, that's not entirely correct.
You can tell by the feathers that they have a different color marking, but that probably won't be noticed by anyone. Getting approvals from Volkswagen is also always a bit of a hassle.
Now, if my Golf is parked next to one without a sports suspension, you really have to look closely to see that it's lower. But I think that's okay.

Hello everyone!
Okay, this might be a little off-topic, but I always thought that you could install any type of suspension system in your vehicle because these components supposedly have a "General Operating Permit" (ABE) automatically, and therefore don't need to be registered separately.

Okay, in this case, it's a Golf suspension system that's going to be installed in an A3. While they share the same platform, the fine-tuning between VW and Audi, as well as the axle load distribution, can be different.
My statement actually refers more to modifications of the same type of vehicle, such as installing an "original" sports suspension in a Golf with a standard suspension, or an A3 sports suspension (original Audi) in an A3 with a standard suspension. Shouldn't there be no problems with that, or are there?

Regards,
Alex.

Hello, I agree that it doesn't make a difference whether you go to the TÜV (technical inspection) with a standard suspension or a sports suspension (they probably won't even notice the difference), but legally, you are modifying the suspension, which then usually needs to be registered. Otherwise, the operating permit may be invalidated.
If I'm wrong about something, I'm happy to learn more.

I only know about this from my first Golf. The Santa Monica wheels were only registered if there was a General Operating Permit (ABE) from Volkswagen. Since these wheels didn't have a KBA number (a German approval number), Volkswagen had to get involved. They said that a shorter steering rack was necessary due to a safety risk when turning the wheel fully at a certain speed. Since I didn't have a sports suspension at the time, the ABE still had to apply. Therefore, a shorter steering rack was required.


It ended with 16-inch Montreals, and the 17-inch ones found their way on eBay... I'm not a fan of bureaucratic arbitrariness.