My R32

[_Tom]

I ran ap's on a bora and they were great.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Yup, i was more than happy with my AP coilovers, although i would also recommend fitting a Whiteline/Superpro Anti-Lift kit whilst its all apart.
The combination of the two made for a far sweeter handling car imho!

 

[Slammed172]

Update:
Well I had the DSG and Haldex serviced at the ever brilliant APS in Brackley a few weeks ago, if you a in the midlands and have a VAG, then I 100% recommend this place other than Midland VW, but they are more north midlands than south.

It's only done a few 100 miles since as I've been away but in that time with the advise of CS.net I have bought some AP coilovers.

Worlds worst quality pic below.

So I'm dropping off the car tomorrow back at APS to get these fitted.

Pretty excited as every car I've had the last few years I've just lowered them on springs but this time I thought I'd get coilovers as it's not much extra and the dampers are over 10 years old. Ever since I bought the S3 I wanted to lower it but I never got round to it so this time I'm doing it from the off.

The last time I had coilovers fitted to a car was around 8 years ago when Fred was fitting them on his drive outside his house pre-BTM days.

 

[leedsboy]

Had AP's on my old 8P A3, they were spot on for the price, just cheaper KW's really.

 

[Slammed172]

Had AP's on my old 8P A3, they were spot on for the price, just cheaper KW's really.

Yeah some great reviews.

The R32 is like a boat and is certainly no track car, so cannot justify spending twice the price on KW's or Bilsteins personally.

 

[leedsboy]

The metal adjusters/collars on the fronts of the AP's are so much better than the shitty plastic ones that KW use on theres as well!

 

[Silent_Scone]

Looks well, carbon lip on the rear bumper is very subtle too.

Certainly a car any petrolhead has to own..

Not surrrre

 

[Christopher]

PMSL.

 

[Slammed172]

Ha ha, each to their own. I do kinda think it though, IMO. Much like an M3...

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Its usually the folk that have little experience of them that slate them.

 

[Cookie]

Have owned both the greatest car in the world and R32. R32 is still decent when compared to it. Sure it's not a track car, but who really spends their life on a track?

 

[Scrooge]

I certainly enjoy driving @Cookie 's R32 than the M3 he had with the spastic gearbox.

 

[Christopher]

Its usually the folk that have little experience of them that don't end up in hedges.

Agreed. Although I like the Mk5/6 way more than the older ones. They do sound nice though.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

They still understeer faster than any Clio and sound better for it, Turner.

 

[Christopher]

They still understeer faster than any Clio and sound better for it, Turner. :wink:

I'll give you that, I've never driven a later one but the Mk4 I drove was like a very musical bus.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

FLOL!!!

They do drive very differently i agree! The mk5 drives better but i prefer the mk4 looks wise! Another car that the masses have now realised will never be produced again and f**king sky rocketing in price for good ones!

 

[leeds_182]

Looking at APs for the cupra. Will be
Interested to see what you think of them.

 

[Scrooge]

Looking at APs for the cupra. Will be
Interested to see what you think of them.

Had them on my Mk4 platformed seat. Were a little stiff but not crashy, coupled with NS2r tyres, poly bushes and rear anti roll bar the roundabout speeds it did was plain scary. Out of all the clios I've driven I think only one could do B roads as quick as I used to.

 

[Slammed172]

Update:
Had a bit of nightmare in some respects.

Car went in for coilovers and I opted for new ball joints at the same time and also 2 new CV boots as both were split. First phone call was they found swarf in the CV boot and that it was making a clicking noise. So replaced that CV joint. The next day, it happened to the other, so 2 new CV joints, bit of an unexpected cost, but has meant a delay of 2 days.

Not collected yet as still waiting on O/S CV joint but should be collecting tomorrow.

In the mean time I asked for some photos while it was there of how it was say, so here it is. Not 100% sure on height, but I know it'll settle another 5 - 10mm and it's always difficult to tell through photos.

 

[MarkCup]

Nice...

 

[Sir_Dave]

Car went in for coilovers and I opted for new ball joints at the same time and also 2 new CV boots as both were split. First phone call was they found swarf in the CV boot and that it was making a clicking noise. So replaced that CV joint. The next day, it happened to the other, so 2 new CV joints, bit of an unexpected cost, but has meant a delay of 2 days.

I had similar problems when changing mine, although that was very much caused by user error ...
http://www.cliosport.net/threads/r32.650221/page-16#post-9506182
Looks similar height wise to mine at the front, although yours is a little lower at the rear.

 

[_Tom]

Looks great although I'd either drop the front a touch more or raise the rear. ( Like Daves above)

 

[Slammed172]

I had similar problems when changing mine, although that was very much caused by user error ...

Yes, I remember reading this.

Although, the NSF was clicking/knocking slightly before I dropped the car off, but I guess that was accentuated once lowered due to driveshafts being under a little more strain. They also managed to pull apart the OSF and re-grease and the noise has gone, so only the NSF CV joint was changed in the end and OSF just got a new boot.

—

I've now collected the car and went the long way home through the twisty A/B roads.

Really impressed with ride quality, pretty much like OEM if not better, felt like the OEM suspension was quite hard for a standard car. From that point of view it's a massive plus. Seems to hold the road really well and turn in is really nice. Again, it's no track car but it's nice to put your foot down around corners and it to feel stable for a big heavy lump of a car.

Ride height 100% needs adjusting, the OSR seems lower than the NSR and the front needs to come down a bit I think as I'm sure it won't settle as much as I'd want.

It's no bad thing that it needs adjusting as APS would have never got it bang on perfect height without me being there and also they have offered to adjust and re-align FOC which is good.

Think that is about there is all to say, probably won't upload any more pictures but will do so in around 500 miles time after it's settled and been re-adjusted.

 

[J333EVO]

Nice car. Our R32 has been serviced at APS for the last 4 years now.

I found replacing the front consol bushes to solid AUDI ones rather than standard (tired at 40,000miles) voided VW ones made the front end much more precise. I've got my own press and was a really easy job to do. On a ramp in a garage an hour tops.

Another easy mod to make the front end more pointy is by fitting 2008-2014 AUDI TTS front brake discs which are 5mm smaller in diameter 340mm V's 345mm, but a useful 2kgs lighter, 10.1V's 12.1kgs,
reducing unsprung weight. Both cars use the same brake disc and an added benefit of slightly smaller diameter disc is pads run up to the edge rather than sit inside it making a lip as the disc wears down.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Is there anything ClioSport can't help with lol??

 

[Slammed172]

Thanks @J333EVO , great information !
Would definitely do the discs, although unless I keep the car for "future classic" purposes, the current discs will easily last the life of my ownership.

I was going to go down the bush route, but once you change one bush I feel like you have to do them all, so I didn't want to go down chasing bushes.

—

Another update, ish.

Lowered the front down today another 10mm. I think it sits perfectly now, will get some photos tomorrow.

One thing I noticed is that on the front side to side there was a difference of 2.5mm, do you think this was on purpose (driver/GB/engine offset)? Or sloppy installation? I also noticed that one of the collar locking gubbens was missing and that the other side, it was not tightened, just sitting loose in the collar, could the heights have changed from these lockers not being tight? Or do they not do much?

Went out for a blast after dropping it down some more to make sure it wasn't scrubbing and I only got a little hit when turning hard left at speed while going down a slight dip. So pretty happy with that.

 

[Slammed172]

Couple of blurry, dirty pictures from today to show how it's sitting now.

 

[Sir_Dave]

That looks great!! How are you finding it compared to the Ed30 & S3 out of interest?

 

[_Tom]

That looks great now! Sitting perfect.

 

[Slammed172]

That looks great!! How are you finding it compared to the Ed30 & S3 out of interest?

Thanks.

Completely differently car as you know. S3 was the best out of the them all, but it was twice the price of the R32. The ED30 was in-between price wise but had all the bad bits adjusted (New suspension, R32 brakes and a Remap) so is hard to directly compare. I know you didn't get on with your ED30, but with the bits I changed, it made a hell of a difference. Although when at 300BHP it did cry for AWD.

R32 for noise. S3 for the place (read cabin) to be and performance and ED30 for looks.

But one striking thing between them all, the R32 is slow as hell, but then again it could be because N/A and perceived performance.

That looks great now! Sitting perfect.

Thanks, I'm happy with it now, just need to get it re-tracked and it'll be reet.

 

[Slammed172]

Well, thanks PhotoBucket for ruining my thread.

Anyway, the car is going up for sale, so here are my last photos of it pending sale. I'm happy I've owned one, but it was never going to stay forever, although it still might if I don't sell as it'll be sitting in the garage appreciating hopefully...

 

[imprezaworks]

Lovely

 

[Smiffyboy1990]

That does look flipping marvellous. Not 'fast' in the modern scheme of Hot Hatches but you buy an R32 for that Engine and Noise. Nothing quite like it and nothing like it ever again.

 

[leedsboy]

Lovely

Agree. Nice that!

 

[Sir_Dave]

Looks stunning!
Feel free to pm with the for sale info/price etc

 

[Cookie]

Good luck with the sale! Mine is going up today