MKVI suspension

I have had my '15 Jetta TDI "S" 6M for almost 3 weeks (1300+ miles so far and still on the second tank of fuel!) and am starting to look into suspension upgrades. I have seen VWR and DriverGear (are they one and the same?) mentioned as being stock strut/shock compatible. Anyone here have these springs?
I need real world, honest opinions from some of the local experts, so let me come right out and offer thanks to anyone who offers same.

My reason for posting is that I have found a semi-local set of 2013 GTI struts/shocks and springs for a very reasonable price and have an opportunity to jump on them if they are going to be a better solution than the above mentioned, "stock replacement" springs. Feeling like I need to be quick so no time for endless searching...
Looking for a mild drop (no more than 1", and stock strut compatible sound$ like a winner!), to be followed by larger sways and some reasonably sized wheels/tires next year is the current plan. This is to be my daily driver, as well as my daughter's car when she get her license in a few years, and slammed/tucked/poked/stretched is not what I am after.

Full Disclosure:
The budget will not allow for a full replacement suspension at this time and to be honest, I may be too old for any more lowered cars (my "toy" is on coilovers as have been many others in the past 33 years of driving). Mild, yet noticeably improved is what I am after.

TIA

What are you actually trying to accomplish? Actual handling improvement? Or reducing understeer feel? Most people only do the second. Or try to get a better a stance.

If you are just trying to tighten up the feel and reduce understeer, then that is all you are going to really do with the ideas you have suggested. The ride will also be harsher. It is tough to beat what the VW engineers put on the MKVI setup to begin with. ESPECIALLY if you want this to be a daily driver. Even more so since you are going to be handing the car over to another driver. Again even more so since she is a NEW DRIVER!

The OEM suspension is engineered to be SAFE, comfortable, and good handling. If you let a competent race driver in the car, its amazing what can be done with the stock suspension. When you drop the suspension and put on bigger sway bars, you start to quickly degrade the wet handling characteristics of the stock setup.

Here is some excellent info that applies to all Jetta suspensions, since they are all pretty much the same.
Handling Thread
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=133342

I know this isn't the option you want to hear, but the car actually handles well for being so safe. It just FEELS like it doesn't. I challenge you to set up an autocross course, log some times and then after you have improved the suspension see how much better you actually do.

If you are still committed to spending a bunch of money fixing your problem. I would suggest just a shock/strut setup and better tires, no sway bars, and no lowering springs. Larger wheels won't help much and can reduce your accel times/mpgs if you increase the inertia of the wheels. Typically larger diameter wheels do this because they are heavier and larger. If you get a lighter and larger wheel, then you might be in business. At that point you are just trying to reduce sidewall flex.

Thank you for responding, and thanks for the link! I just got through reading all 16 pages and am a bit bleary eyed. My original post was hasty as I wanted to get it out there and was hoping for some overnight responses that would allow me to use some rare free time today to get things straight. Any and all factory parts will be retained for re-installation when my daughter gets the car 4 - 5 years from now so safety for a novice driver will be the same as it is today.

My basic goal is improved feel. I understand diminishing returns when hard numbers are concerned, and my brief experiences thus far have shown that the car has good overall grip even in stock form. Unfortunately, it does not "feel" all that special so I thought I would see if relatively inexpensive changes might provide that. Let's call the goal more MINI Cooper than Minivan.

My question is focused on stock parts (from a 2013 GTI) and whether or not there is any improvement to be had, or if they will even work on my car? I found a set that are local, cheap, and fairly low mileage so I figured that if anyone had tried this and could offer observations that would be great. The other thought was to replace the springs (keeping my factory shocks/struts) with what I have seen referred to as "VW approved" and "similar to GTI/GLI".

16" or 17" tires on the lightest wheels I can find/afford will be part of the mix at some point. To that end, is there anyone out there on better tires and stock suspension that can offer some notes?

I am not going to track or autocross the car, although I have done both over the years. This exercise is merely in hopes of quicker response and more of the "feel" of the aforementioned Cooper, all while reaping the benefits already baked into the car.

Making the Jetta feel like a Mini Cooper might take a bit of work... they are just completely different cars (I'm talking older Mini's here <2006, not the new, bloated ones!).

Different springs and struts will make a huge difference in feel and feedback. Replacing front suspension bushings with stiffer options will make a difference in the steering feedback. Neither of these will increase your ultimate grip or cornering ability on their own (as you already know).
Front/Rear sway bars also make you feel like you are cornering better due to less body roll.

I wish I could tell you how the MK6 Jetta will perform on GTI springs, but I really don't know. I can tell you that H&R Sports made a big difference in the handling of my car (with OEM Shocks).
Going from 16 --> 18" wheels also tightened things up, but I wish I had 17's. The much much better tires that came along with the 18" wheels are what really made the biggest difference, but then I do take my car to the track.
Adding an underchassis stiffener (like a Unibrace) helped to just tighten up the overall feel of the car as well.



Take baby steps, change something and see how you like it. You have a "weekend toy" already so you know the drill

I realized that I responded to you brokencrank, but the electrons seem to have gotten lost during the transfer a few days ago.

chaoscreature, hit the nail on the head with everything.

Definitely make changes one at a time, too many people put on shocks, springs, bushings, wheels, tires, etc all at once. Definitely drive a few hundred miles between each change to decide how much of a difference it made. I would suggest...

1. Change to a better tire. You can switch to 17s at the same time if you like, but do your best to get a lighter wheel than the stock 16s for best benefit. This will reduce unsprung mass as well as increase sidewall stiffness. You will reduce comfort however. Tires are of the best bangs for the buck and will greatly improve stopping distance.
2. Larger rear sway bar. The GTI or GLI will probably work since you have an IRS unlike earlier MKVI Jettas.
3. Switch to Koni Sport Struts and Shocks.
4. Switch to Driver Gear Springs, I wouldn't do this before the struts and shocks and most owner's report that the OEM struts with lowered springs reduce the life of the OEM struts. I have not done this, so bear in mind, not my experience, just reading on the forum.

Good luck and post up what you try!

an interesting read ...

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=133342

I linked that earlier, and OP said he read all 16 pages, so I think he's more informed than the average TDI member already!

MKVI Jetta and Golf suspension components are not interchangeable. Spring sizes and rates are different, and strut and shock attachments are different.

Unfortunately the MKVI Jetta Sedan has been neglected by the suspension aftermarket. Koni and Bilstein seem to have struts only. There are some other inexpensive coilover kits out there. Your best bet may be to find some take-off components from a GLI.

IndigoBlueWagon, correct me if I am wrong. The OP has a 2014 Jetta, which might change things. But I have (maybe incorrectly) assumed that since the Jetta went back to the an IRS in 2014 that the suspension became the same as the Golf in terms of mounting.

Agreed that the spring rates are not the same, but I thought the only real problem mounting was a different spacer for the rear shock with the different rear suspension from 09-13. Even still that has been an easy fix for those looking for pre 2014 Jetta aftermarket suspensions.

I just looked at the Koni catalog and called our rep about this. Their info is confusing at best, but it seems possible that MKV front and rear dampers may fit 2014 and later Jetta Sedans. Koni is going to call back with confirmation. If that's the case the MKVI Golf items the OP has will fit.

So I have a Golf, not a Sportwagen, so my experiences might be different but I do have VW DG springs on the Golf. It is about a 1" drop, not too severe, just enough to take some of the wheel gap out. Ride quality is the same, I didn't notice a decrease in ride quality until I put 18s on.

To answer your question about VWR vs DG, they are not the same springs. I think the VWR springs drop the car a little further, if I remember correctly from all the reading I did the VWR springs are progressive rather than being linear. I don't remember whether you can keep the stock struts with VWR or not, but you definitely can with the DG springs.

The rear shock applications are a little confusing. The GLI shocks will fit the rear of the Jetta Sedans. Bilstein has a more complete cross-reference catalog than koni.
I used the koni sports designed for mk5/mk6 golfs but had to add reducer bushings. Shock length was perfect for my twist beam and should also work with the IRS. See below:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=440474

For clarification, the car is a 2015. My responses to a few of your replys are in bold:

IndigoBlueWagon said:

MKVI Jetta and Golf suspension components are not interchangeable. Spring sizes and rates are different, and strut and shock attachments are different.
Not what my budget minded approach was hoping to hear, but glad to know nonetheless!

Unfortunately the MKVI Jetta Sedan has been neglected by the suspension aftermarket. Koni and Bilstein seem to have struts only. There are some other inexpensive coilover kits out there. Your best bet may be to find some take-off components from a GLI.

Click to expand...

Not in a rush (was in a hurry if the local GTI takeoffs would have worked) so I will look around for GLI takeoffs.

dirtysouthjacket said:

IndigoBlueWagon, correct me if I am wrong. The OP has a 2014 Jetta, which might change things. But I have (maybe incorrectly) assumed that since the Jetta went back to the an IRS in 2014 that the suspension became the same as the Golf in terms of mounting.
2015 with IRS

Agreed that the spring rates are not the same, but I thought the only real problem mounting was a different spacer for the rear shock with the different rear suspension from 09-13. Even still that has been an easy fix for those looking for pre 2014 Jetta aftermarket suspensions.

Click to expand...

I figured that the spring rates from a GTI would be lower than for a comparable GLI, but at $150 for springs, struts and shocks, is it worth a try if they physically bolt up?

chaoscreature said:

The rear shock applications are a little confusing. The GLI shocks will fit the rear of the Jetta Sedans. Bilstein has a more complete cross-reference catalog than koni.
I used the koni sports designed for mk5/mk6 golfs but had to add reducer bushings. Shock length was perfect for my twist beam and should also work with the IRS. See below:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=440474

Click to expand...

I will ultimately go new, and have to believe that the parts can be sourced...it may just take a bit longer and obviously cost more than my 'buy a set of local GTI takeoffs' plan!

IndigoBlueWagon said:

I just looked at the Koni catalog and called our rep about this. Their info is confusing at best, but it seems possible that MKV front and rear dampers may fit 2014 and later Jetta Sedans. Koni is going to call back with confirmation. If that's the case the MKVI Golf items the OP has will fit.

Click to expand...

Thank you for looking into this....anxiously awaiting confirmation! I have not purchased the parts yet but am going to contact the seller shortly.

Thank you to all for offering help/information!

This might help you make a decision.