lowering a new but not new new beetle

[Danny8]

hi guys, this is my first thread apart from in the newbie area so be nice. ive spent a couple of hours searching and reading and still felt i needed to ask here.

the car is a 2002 beetle.

before i go further ill say that coilovers are not an option.

want it to go as low as possible and ive read some issues about the front sway bar causing issues if you try to go to low.

from what ive found i have 3 easy choices.

eibach pro kit with an estimated drop of 30mm for $350 for the set

h&r list three part numbers which will i think all fit the beetle
29489-3.....29489-2....and 29489 for $460 a set

the other option is low king springs for about $300 a set.

the question i have is....

is there any difference in quality from the euro stuff to the kings? does anyone have first hand experience of which will be the lowest?

will any one brand be stiffer or affect ride comfort over any other?

i have king super lows in my corolla so i understand how stiff the ride can be.

what do you guys think?

[BrianS]

why are coilovers not an option?
you are looking at springs only which will lower by 30mil ish. thats not super low by any means, and also when coupled with the stock dampers the ride wont be fantastic anyhow.

[OZChris]

On a previous car (not a Beetle), I had tried King and Koni springs - as you mentioned the Kings were stiffer and less compliant. I am considering doing the same of the wife's Beetle, so please keep us posted on where you end up.

[dylan8]

30mm is not low. chances are your car has already sagged half of that from stock...
Hottuning coilovers from the guys on the forum or bags if you want low.
also any lower then 40mm id suggest looking at new struts.
other option for a small drop (0-30mm) would be getting your original springs or a set of mk4 gti springs reset.
Sway bar will generally cause you a problem at a 40mm drop. you can get longer end links, better designed sway bar, new bar and links, or delete it all together.

[Danny8]

cheers for the replies so far guys.

the struts will be replaced with shorter ones when these ones wear out.

coil overs arent an option because its for the better halfs car and she wont get them ive already tried. haha.

i think i might go for just the cheapest ones i can find and see how it looks, can always get those reset if it still sits too high.

doesnt have to be a lowrider but dont want it to look like a 4x4 either.

dont get it for another 2 weeks anyway so will update with pics when i decide what to do.

[noone]

She wants the suspension to not be adjustable? with the Mk IV, the difference between coilovers and spring shock combo is the spring perch can be raised / lowered. Thats about it. Obviously some more expensive systems have shock adjustment, but basic ones are set.
On the rear, the rear coil does not sit over the spring, there is a rear spring seat for height adjustment (normally taken out to get it lower).

Cheap spring / shocks will be less comfortable than reasonably priced coilovers. If you want to go low, coilovers. If you want to go really low, bag it.

the $ is strong against the US, have a look on ECS tuning. There are HUNDREDS of posts on here and Vortex on suspension, so have a look around.

[OZChris]

+1 on the coilovers My problem is that I cannot go too low on my wife's Beetle due to the inlaws driveway.

[dylan8]

prob wont need shorter struts for that sort of drop. More just something to suit the springs rating etc.