Mystery aftermarket suspension, ESP

Howdy. This forum is amazing and I've been reading for weeks as I take the plunge away from my '82 Mercedes 300D and into an '05 Mk4 Jetta TDI GLS wagon.

The car runs very low to the ground. About 4" clearance from the lowest part of the undercarriage (rear suspension component). Factory stats show 5.2" clearance, so I've lost at least an inch. I am planning to put a hitch on, go to snow/fire roads etc... so I really need all the clearance I can get.

I am trying to figure out if the suspension has been lowered intentionally or is just tired. The suspension on the car is not stock. There are Bilstein yellow struts up front and bilstein yellow shocks in the rear. All of the springs are black. There is a red stabilizer bar in the rear which seems to be aftermarket as it is connected to a drop linkage on both sides and rides very low to the ground. The dampening on all 4 wheels is very good, and the car rides great. At visual inspection all of the suspension linkages appear tight and clean. I am hoping this is just a case of tired springs.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I could read this suspension, markings etc... to determine if any lowering funny business has happened?

Also, quick related question - car supposedly has ESP based on it being a 2005 TDI GLS, but there is no disable switch on the dash and no indicator light comes on when you first start the car. I can not find the options code sticker that supposedly is found in the cargo area somewhere. Do I have ESP but just no disable switch?

Thanks!

I would check the p/n on the shocks to see if they are the bilstein sports or HD's. If they are HD's, I would get stock springs, shine springs or some sort of OE sports from H&R or Neuspeed. If they are the sports it's kind of a bummer for you as they are designed to be on lowering springs.

Realize, too, that the strut mounts compress a great deal over time and can result in a drop. While aftermarket springs could account for some drop, a new set of strut mounts could lift you quite a bit. If you are looking for greater than stock clearance, do some searching on this site for the metalnerd lift kit.

There are a variety of methods and combination of suspension/wheels/tires that will easily get you 2 inches and more.
You should be running a skid plate too.

If it came with ESP from the factory, you'd have the ESP button on the dash. ESP was, I believe, always an option and not standard with any TDI trim level.

Thanks all - very helpful. Pulled the wheels off today and alas, Bilstein sport all around. So, will I have to swap out the shocks/struts to get back to stock height, or can I just swap springs? Bummer. I am prob looking at $700 in labor alone based on local SF prices and my discussion with 2 mechanics today. With my full-time job I do not have time to do this work myself right now.

Also, one mechanic suggested getting used springs from a junkyard. This seems nuts, but he swore that on Mk4s they hold their lift. Does anyone agree with him or is this guy a joker?

Also, what would my chances be of selling the used Bilstein Sports once off the car, to offset some of the cost?

Save the old shocks someone will buy them. Wow, thats a lot of labor $$ to swap the shocks at SF prices. I'd take on every suspension swap I could get at 1/2 of that or $350.

DocMaddie said:

Thanks all - very helpful. Pulled the wheels off today and alas, Bilstein sport all around. So, will I have to swap out the shocks/struts to get back to stock height, or can I just swap springs? Bummer. I am prob looking at $700 in labor alone based on local SF prices and my discussion with 2 mechanics today. With my full-time job I do not have time to do this work myself right now.

Also, one mechanic suggested getting used springs from a junkyard. This seems nuts, but he swore that on Mk4s they hold their lift. Does anyone agree with him or is this guy a joker?

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You may want to look at the for sale section over at www.vwvortex.com. Dudes over there are constantly swapping out springs. Might find a low mileage pair that will hold up nicely.

Considering a new set of 4 Sports is $350 (on IDparts), I'd bet you could easily get $100-150 for used ones. Add the springs in, and you'd probably get closer to $200-250.

If you go with used springs, I'm fairly sure you need them to be from a TDI wagon. I believe wagons use different springs rates compared to Golfs or Jetta sedan and I'm sure that each engine option (2.0 gas, 1.8t gas, VR6, TDI) gets different rates as well.

^ new sports are closer to $600.

Howdy. Wound up ordering a set of Koni STR.Ts and Suplex OEM wagon springs from IDParts, got the Metalnerd 1" spacers and had it all installed at Moss Motors in SF, who were flexible in working with my modified setup. Now about to clean up and sell the Bilstein Sport damper set and Eibach lowering springs.

How much height did you gain?

Gained 3 or 4 inches total. Then went back to stock sized 195-65-15 Michelins (they had 205-55-15s) and gained another inch.

DocMaddie said:

Howdy. Wound up ordering a set of Koni STR.Ts and Suplex OEM wagon springs from IDParts, got the Metalnerd 1" spacers and had it all installed at Moss Motors in SF, who were flexible in working with my modified setup. Now about to clean up and sell the Bilstein Sport damper set and Eibach lowering springs.

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Konis STRTs are crap
The more expensive Konis are the only ones worth considering