As per the title is it worth searching for a used S3 with DCC. I have read it makes for a good drive. Can you alter characteristics sport and comfort mode ? 
Is it better to fit Koni Special active Shocks on standard springs instead, depending on cost?
Have read the DCC cost of replacement  is high. Would never have expected to have problems on say a 5-7 year old car with low to average miles. 
Believe DCC is standard on L&K spec so may have no choice as you get it anyway. 
Any thoughts/experience from members welcomed 
 

Edited 21 January, 20233 yr by gav_is_con
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17 hours ago, gav_is_con said:

As per the title is it worth searching for a used S3 with DCC. I have read it makes for a good drive. Can you alter characteristics sport and comfort mode ? 
Is it better to fit Koni Special active Shocks on standard springs instead, depending on cost?
Have read the DCC cost of replacement  is high. Would never have expected to have problems on say a 5-7 year old car with low to average miles. 
Believe DCC is standard on L&K spec so may have no choice as you get it anyway. 
Any thoughts/experience from members welcomed 
 

L&K estate here.

DCC is useful. I run mine in Sport suspension mode & Normal throttle / steering modes for most of the time & switch to Normal or Comfort suspension mode on bad road surfaces or, when I have passengers who don't like the harder setup. When I'm on my own I often run it in DSG Sport mode which tightens everything up & provides extra throttle response & holds onto the gears a bit longer. Good fun when you need the extra umph to join a motorway etc.

 

It's subjective, but I have to say that in Normal & Comfort mode & on certain types of road the car can feel a bit "floaty" & "wallowy" which is why I keep mine in sport damper mode most of the time. I have to be careful going over certain types of road humps when in Sport mode because there's not much give in the suspension. Too fast & you can find your head hitting the roof lining! There is a Custom mode where you can choose the combination of suspension, steering & throttle settings you want.  

 

The Superb is not designed for cornering on it's door handles. It's a spacious comfortable cruiser. Of course if you have the 280 then it can surprise the boy racers if needed in a straight line but even with DCC it's not the best handling car out there due to it's size & weight.    

 

As far as I know (others with more knowledge please feel free to jump in here) the aftermarket variable / active damper kits by Koni are designed to replace factory fitted DCC equipped car dampers so I assume they cannot be fitted to non-equipped DCC cars. Koni probably offer a different kit for non-DCC cars. Of course there are other non-adjustable spring / damper kit options out there for non-DCC cars.

I guess it depends on whether you want or can find a DCC equipped car at the right price. As you say L&K models had DCC as standard - at least my 280 L&K did. 

The purists would probably go for a non-DCC car & change the springs, shocks & anti roll bars to achieve the results they want. For what I need the standard DCC options are fine. 

 

If it were me I would see if I could find a DCC car at a dealer & request a test drive & see if the DCC options give you what you want.

 

There are quite a few threads on the forum about replacement shocks for DDC & non DCC cars. The search bar up top is your friend. 

Hope this helps. 

The DCC is useful, I use sport for out of town driving on rural Scottish main roads, and in town I sometimes use normal for the bumps. IMO comfort is too wallowy.

 

As to longevity, not great as far as the fronts are concerned. I had to replace one at about 75,000 miles as it had pumped all its oil out! The other side has been on “light misting” for the past few MOTs. Around £500 a side, fitted.

 

You can get Bilstein Damptronic B4 or B6 for about 1/2 the cost, and they can be overhauled, unfortunately when I had to unexpectedly replace mine, you couldn’t yet get Bilsteins but I think they are now available.

I have never had DCC but I do have Koni SA and Golf R/Kodiaq stabilizer bars. Mine had raised suspension for bad roads (PPD).

 

Install standard Lesjofors springs and those mentioned by KONI SA. The change has been important, especially due to the stabilizers, the front one is complicated to put on but the rear one is easy and you can put it yourself (there are many second-hand ones on ebay or car scrapyards).

 

I know and it has happened to me, quality problems with some shock absorbers and then the brand is not responsible.

 

If they come out good, they work well, they don't eat up the bumps and are soft at low speed nor do they get hard at high speed. They are better than OEM but The best thing about KONI is their marketing department.

As mine's a L&K, I have DCC, but I prefer to run mine on normal except if I'm on the motorway or a long section of dual carriageway, such as the A40 from Abergavenny to Ross-on-Wye, when I'll run it in comfort mode.  Being in my 70s, I'm not usually in a rush to get anywhere and these settings suit me fine.  I've tried sport once or twice, but it's too firm for me and SWMBO's rotund and sensitive backside!

I've got a L&K Estate 280 and have upgraded to B16's with DCC. My ride height is lower than the Sportline version about 10mm.  I keep them mostly in comfort its the best to soak up most of the imperfections in the road, Normal can be a bit firm/uncomfortable if the road is bad.  The best shocks I would say are KW's as they their comfort and performance levels are amazing.     

Prefer the various different natures of vehicle the different settings gives. it’s not an all out racer by any means but a very competent mile muncher and does a decent b-road blast if needed. 
Would probably change to aftermarket shocks when needed especially given the chance of leaking at some point. I’d def go for DCC if the option is budgetable

I think it’s also worth bearing in mind that the DCC is not just about selecting between comfort, normal and sport - ie 3 fixed levels of damping. The DCC system constantly modifies the damping level according to the suspension movement etc as detected by the 3 suspension position sensors, and possibly g sensors, speed, power, cornering etc. If you look at the current going into the dampers on VCDS while (someone else is) driving, you can see that the current (which controls the damping) is constantly changing (unless the road is completely smooth). So there is computer controlled instantaneously varying damping. Which may or may not be better than fixed hydro mechanical damping, who knows?! But it should be!