I know it's a bit of a piece of string, but I'm probably going to replace the front shockers and am wondering how long the OEM springs usually last.

The rear of the car has new shocks/bumpstops, but original springs and the front has original shocks and springs.

They don't look obviously rusted, but you can only see a small amount if the spring and I did note that front spring that's sat in the strut cup is covered in mud etc, where that's obviously built up.

So are the springs likely to be worn out and dead or likely to break over 100k miles, or is there another 100k miles in them still?

At the moment the shocks and top mount bearings would get changed. Is it worth doing the whole top mount, or just the bearing. Do I need to use new bolts for all of these and finally is there anything else I should change?

I can't easily see bump stops on the front of the car.

I'm just trying to get it all straight in my head, because two shocks, plus 4 springs, plus bump stops starts to add up and at that point you're not a million miles away from the price of a B12 or similar kit, which includes the springs and dampers/struts and has integrated bump stops in the front.

I've had original springs on cars with a very high mileage, no issues, and I've also had a spring break on a car with about 30k miles on the clock - go figure.

Tbh if they are not sagging, then there's no reason to replace them. They don't "wear out" as such.

The rear of the car has new shocks/bumpstops, but original springs and the front has original shocks and springs.

They don't look obviously rusted, but you can only see a small amount if the spring and I did note that front spring that's sat in the strut cup is covered in mud etc, where that's obviously built up.

If you still have the original springs on the rear then the bottoms of the springs are likely to go some time soon. Both mine had gone at 53k miles (Dec 54 plate) earlier this year. If I was you I'd do the rears as a matter of course as they rot at the bottom where they sit in the cup and are caked in crud. It is possible that they are already cracked but you haven't noticed it. I only found out that one had gone by a loud 'boing' sound one morning. On inspection both had gone but I had only noticed the failure of one.

On your other subject of alignment - you are in Wilts right? There is a great guy in Bristol that does 4 wheel alignment for arounf £40 plus 1 or 2 adjustments and a £10 for each subsequent. PM me if you want his details

HTH

My front springs lasted to 150K before one went boing!

Jet wash the upper spring and take the wheel off to have a look, a little bit of rust is ok as ive been showerd with rust while jacking up to check them in the past and sure enough when I had a closer look the springs had barnacles on them like something that came off the titanic.

You were right with the 'length of string' approach Mark...

What mileage is the car on now? I would generally factor 100k+ for springs, but as plenty have found - some just decide to go 'ping' one day.

Jet wash the upper spring and take the wheel off to have a look, a little bit of rust is ok as ive been showerd with rust while jacking up to check them in the past and sure enough when I had a closer look the springs had barnacles on them like something that came off the titanic.

There is no obvious rust, and looking at the rears I can't see any rust there either. I'll take a closer look at the spring cups and holders.

Bearing in mind the cost of 4 springs and economy dampers for the front is about £300, would people do that, or would they go for a B12 kit at a spot over £500?

Due to the knackered bushes (See other thread) I can't remember how it felt on OEM suspension and if that was good enough or not.

I guess it probably was, but last thing I want to do is pay a couple of hours to change the front shocks and then pay a couple of hours to change the springs on them again in the following year.

I'm obviously going to need new top mount bearings as well, but that applied for either route.

You were right with the 'length of string' approach Mark...

What mileage is the car on now? I would generally factor 100k+ for springs, but as plenty have found - some just decide to go 'ping' one day.

Car is aproaching 110k miles, and probably had an easy life with motorway for the first 80k and a harder life with weaker shocks and bushes on poor country roads for about 20k of that.

Like I said it's just a case of what's better to do.

I'm kind of minded to think that OEM springs and shocks with new bushes everywhere that hasn't been changed, would be the same price as the B12 kit fitted and might give a better ride than B12 and only thr front wishbones.

Edited 1 August, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

Personally, I wouldn't put any money into renewing standard suspension parts.

To me, £200 more for better dampening and body control from the B12 kit would be money well spent.

You're right to consider the additional labour of having to re-visit the issue. It's a tricky one, but nobody has a crystal ball. With that in mind, I'd renew with the B12 setup and be done with it. You know it's sorted then

Personally, I wouldn't put any money into renewing standard suspension parts.

To me, £200 more for better dampening and body control from the B12 kit would be money well spent.

You're right to consider the additional labour of having to re-visit the issue. It's a tricky one, but nobody has a crystal ball. With that in mind, I'd renew with the B12 setup and be done with it. You know it's sorted then

Figured you say that.

I've started a B12 GB thread to see if there was any interest a few days back, but not much there.

Did you go with a B12 set up in the end or something else? If so what's it like ride wise?

if your car has done more than 100k and you are changing the shocks I would change the top mounts, bearing, and bumpstops as a minimium,

you can probably get away with reusing the bolts if they are not too rusty but hayes manual normally tell you to get new ones.

Am I becoming predictable?

I'm on FSD 4090s and Eibachs. When I come round to the next Octy, I'll go B12 I think. Ride and dampening are pretty good at the moment, but I don't think this damper/spring setup is as well suited to the Octy, as this combo was on the Fabia.

There again, road condition has deteriorated to such a degree in 4 years, that it could well be that factor that is to blame!!

Am I becoming predictable?

I'm on FSD 4090s and Eibachs. When I come round to the next Octy, I'll go B12 I think. Ride and dampening are pretty good at the moment, but I don't think this damper/spring setup is as well suited to the Octy, as this combo was on the Fabia.

There again, road condition has deteriorated to such a degree in 4 years, that it could well be that factor that is to blame!!

The roads around here are atrocious. Cut lines where utility companies have done "work" and just left a badly filled trench. Pot holes, worn surface so you're going through to a previous road surface and uneven surfaces.

One corner even has a combination of a trench, series of holes around it, and a surface change part way around the corner from quite grippy and rough old surface to a smoother newer surface.

I can't help but think that's going to be deadly if it's not fixed properly. I really do wish they'd sort the roads out, as I think I'm going to have to replace a pair of tyres due to what looks like cracks on some of the tread blocks. Never had that before on any tyres, including previous sets of these, so I can only imagine the poor road surface has stressed the tyres somewhat more.

I'll have to have a look at the B12 kit, maybe just get the alignment checked and see if I can't get somebody to do it cheap/free the first time or give me a second one discounted based on the fact that it'll need doing after the suspension.

Edited 1 August, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

There is no obvious rust, and looking at the rears I can't see any rust there either. I'll take a closer look at the spring cups and holders.

Bearing in mind the cost of 4 springs and economy dampers for the front is about £300, would people do that, or would they go for a B12 kit at a spot over £500?

Due to the knackered bushes (See other thread) I can't remember how it felt on OEM suspension and if that was good enough or not.

I guess it probably was, but last thing I want to do is pay a couple of hours to change the front shocks and then pay a couple of hours to change the springs on them again in the following year.

I'm obviously going to need new top mount bearings as well, but that applied for either route.

Car is aproaching 110k miles, and probably had an easy life with motorway for the first 80k and a harder life with weaker shocks and bushes on poor country roads for about 20k of that.

Like I said it's just a case of what's better to do.

I'm kind of minded to think that OEM springs and shocks with new bushes everywhere that hasn't been changed, would be the same price as the B12 kit fitted and might give a better ride than B12 and only thr front wishbones.

Personally id just leave them as they are as I said before ive seen springs in really bad condition still intact! Unless of course you just want to upgrade and lower the car, the dust guard has the bump stop at the top of it.

Hmm, just top mounts, bearings bump sts and shockers would be a lot cheaper.

Can always do b12 down the line and it'd leave money for the rear bushings.

Prob £100 for all the parts for that with Eco shockers.

Had a jetwash of the struts and took most of the mud out of there.

The springs themselves don't seem rusty at all. Guess I can always polish them and give them a couple of coats of colli 476s hey Steve

So this now changes the options to go all out for the B12, or just do the dampers.

Both would get new top mounts/bearings and also bump stops. Hmm that's less easy to make the B12 add up with that price difference.

Had a jetwash of the struts and took most of the mud out of there.

The springs themselves don't seem rusty at all. Guess I can always polish them and give them a couple of coats of colli 476s hey Steve

So this now changes the options to go all out for the B12, or just do the dampers.

Both would get new top mounts/bearings and also bump stops. Hmm that's less easy to make the B12 add up with that price difference.

How did the rear springs look? My fronts were nice and shiney like yours. So were the rears - that is apart from the last 1.5 coils at the bottom that sit in that cup. This is where they take the punishment. You can't really see it unless you jack up the rear and remove the wheels and get a torch in there.

Edit: I'd love to lower mine - I do a lot of camping and travel down some pretty narrow stoney country lanes when out hill walking so lowering is not an option. Plus the state of local roads is horrendous.

Edited 2 August, 201213 yr by Golf-Fiend

When I looked at the rears they were all shiny too, but then I'll have to check the lower couple of turns more carefully.

One advantage of the rears is that they can be done without taking everything apart, unlike the fronts.

Well just have another look and there isn't a pile of mud built up in the bottom on the cup that holds it.

Felt all the way down and also felt through the hole upwards and I can't feel any rust on the bits of spring I can get to.

Does that sound to other people like they're ok, or just me?

If you really want to save some coin then I have a complete set of VRS shocks/springs from my old TFSI

FWIW, I can get the two VAG economy front shocks, no springs, genuine everything new to fit it Mounts, bumpstops, bearings, bolts, dust covers etc), the VAT and fitting for £320 or I can pay £820 for the B12 kit, new parts at the front as above and fitting.

I can't think that I can justify that, even with the possible benefits.

Much as I'd love to go B12, when I look at the fact that the springs are ok at the moment, then that difference becomes £500, which would pay for all the rear bushes and other things that might come up in the future.

TBH, OEM suspension with good bushes everywhere, is probably a lot better than B12 + worn rear bushes.

B12 + new everything would be great, but with other things on the cars, dumping £1000 on suspension for a 7 year old car, is probably a bit much.

If you really want to save some coin then I have a complete set of VRS shocks/springs that have come off my car with 42K

All in good nick.....£90!

Am I correct in thinking the weight of the VRS is different to the Elegance and as such won't the spring rates be incorrect?

If not that could be interesting, although since the rear shocks are new anyway, it might not be worth it anyway.

Edited 3 August, 201213 yr by cheezemonkhai

As far as fitting that suggested vRS setup Mark, just check the axle weights for yours, on the passenger door jamb. Then compare them with the same weights on the vRS they came off.

If the values are the same, then there won't be an issue with spring rates.

I would skip the VAG economy front shocks and get some Bilstien B4 OEM replacements shocks instead

I would skip the VAG economy front shocks and get some Bilstien B4 OEM replacements shocks instead

Why do you say that?

The bilstein OEM B4 are expensive for what they are IMHO and the VAG Economy look to me like they are monroe rather than sachs from a bit of digging. The B4 only come with a 2 year warranty also, so are they really that much better that they're worth 2.5 times the cost?

The OEM/B4 route still leaves me needing to consider springs based on their condition too.

The only question I have with the B12, would be can I use the OEM bump stop, as thinking about it, the built in ones will only stop the damper, not the springs.

Any thoughts appreciated.

I have been doing a bit of digging on the Bilstein B12 and the bilstein RRP is about £610 Euro for the Octy II, which when converted to GBP at travellers rates (so less favourable for the customer) this works out at about £500.

I've curious to find out why there is this discrepancy, because as an EU company, they have to sell to all EU states, without discriminatory pricing.

Bearing in mind most people in the UK ask for about £600 before discounts and will come down to about £550 after discounts, you have to ask where the extra went.

If you look at the EU sellers, you find you can get the B12 kits even cheaper there.

Rip off britain again perhaps, or is there something else at work that I'm unaware of?

Who have you talked to in the UK Mark, re the B12 setup?

Just wondering if we can point you in the direction of anyone else