VW Golf GTI Diesel Modding advice (2003)

[Chris5044]

Hello guys,
Aside from the S2.
My run around car is in need of suspension and brake upgrade and I might consider chip tuning her. Thats about it really.
Just after a bit of info on these points If you guys care to share / know pls:



1. Suspension.
I saw these on the bay and wondered what you know about these?
JOM COILOVER SUSPENSION KIT
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JOM-COILOV...item1e8e6d29f7

Ive read in this forum that quite a few people like this and it seems effective for the price. Its just my run around wagon, but feel it needs better handling from stock and esp at high speed.
Forum link:

http://forums.thecarlounge.com/showthread.php?5023097-JOM-Coilovers

2. Brake upgrade. I'm thinking about porsche brakes in red. Is this easy to do and will it fit with 16inch wheels that the car has as standard? Or would it need 17's?
What would I need to make this happen? ie fabrications? pipes? etc


3. Chip tuning... would simply chipping her be fine for her? It should be running 150bhp standard and chipping should bring it to 195bhp..
I heard that these can have weak cams, so if true - id replace them with uprated ones.. though the source isn't 100%. Is this true or fine? what do you guys know?


Thanks in advance guys!!

[Monkeymagic]

JOM coilovers are cheap rubbish mate. If you get some decent shocks and eibach lowering springs and save yourself the aggro. Replace front lower arm rear bush for solid ones from a TT this gets rid of a lot of the slop. I would also Poly bush the rear axle and tighten the back end up, many people swear by fitting a RARB to neutralise the handling a little.
As for brakes I would think audi TT front set up would be cheap and more than adequate.
I will guess that your engine is a ARL 150 hp variant. The cams can suffer from wear, thought to be due to the longlife servicing offered on the ARL. Inspect the cams if they look fine then they are. I have driven a number of 150 hp models including an anniversary, why do you need more power on a road going diesel, they go very well in stock form.

[Dift]

As above... also, if you do intend to remap the car, budget for an uprated clutch.

You may get lucky, but more than likely, you will suffer from clutch slip, and end up driving around the increase in power your remap has provided (no WOT at low revs).

[Chris5044]

Thx guys!! hmmmm

[saltinot]

I've got a 2001 ALH, so the earlier engine, with Bosio injector nozzles which add @25hp. German market H&R springs with Bilstein sports make it a hoot on back roads and a fun commuter. I'm planning the TT brakes on mine, just waiting for a cheap set to appear. I've toyed around with the idea of ARBs, but I don't want to go too far since it is just my daily.

[Monkeymagic]

Also people do the smf conversion to handle extra power. This quite simply makes the car un drivable.

[Chris5044]

ok thx, how much better is audi tt brakes? compared to standard vw golf brakes? as the golf's are pretty damn poor .

[Monkeymagic]

tt brakes will be up to the job. They fitted them to the Anniversary with 150 tdi lump and they suit it perfectly

[Chris5044]

Hey Guys!! I know I've been away for awhile. Been travelling and doing lots of festivals and moving around a lot and lack of funds. Though hopefully lookign at getting s2 back on road again. But in mean time. My daily driver the mk 4 golf gti tdi 150. I'm looking at getting eibach lowering springs (30mm ish) and bilstein shocks. Now my biggest concern is multi-story car parks, driving off road like on some tracks or grass sometimes (as ive gone to festivals etc) and speed bumps.

Has anyone had this setup or ride height on a diesel golf 150 (2003) before? and can offer advice or their experience? This car is my practical car , but I also like the car to be able to handle better too.

What's your 2 penny's?

[Monkeymagic]

You will still have a sensible ride height which is useable on today's roads. I run eibach springs and Monroe shocks on "dads taxi" my Vauxhall Zafira SRI it's still perfectly useable. Even on a big car like a Zafira the shocks and Springs transformed the handling.
Make sure you replace the top mounts st the same time as they deform over the years.

[Chris5044]

Thank you buddy! Really appreciate the help and advice. Hoping for some more views or exeriences to drop theirs in .. might just go ahead and jump into it in the deep end though its my practical run around

[Monkeymagic]

You won't regret doing the eibach springs snd bolstering shocks a tried and tested sensible suspension mod. The original shocks will be loose etc. You will really notice the difference. I ran the same set ups on mk2 mk3 and mk4 golfs and loved it.

[Monkeymagic]

Bilstein even