Gti6/VTS Front Shocks/Springs

[MY95]

Hi all
Looking to sort out the front suspension on my 306 HDI, currently has GLX standard shocks/springs on the front and a GTI6 Rear Beam, as the GTI6 springs make the HDI sit higher, would I be better off going for GTI6 shocks with 30mm springs or Xsara VTS standard shocks and springs which should sit about right I think ive read?
What do you guys think?
Cheers

[zx_volcane]

whats the budget?

eibach springs are super if you can afford them - not aware they vary for engine type, and sit and look well on my zx. not much of a drop.

i wasn't aware gti6 springs would make a hdi sit higher than oem tbh. is the engine weight that different?

[MY95]

Few threads on the gti6 engine and box being heavier so sits lower than a lighter HDI would, when you think the GTI6 are 1215kg and HDI 1155kg with all the extras the engine and box has to be slightly heavier anyway.

Would have thought the eibach springs would have to be different for different engines/stiffness settings?
Budget is B4/Eibach 30mm (£180 new), max £200 budget, is a daily so wouldnt go coilovers or anything too harsh, also looking out for nearly new items similar on eBay/ the forum etc.
Cheers ZX.

[zx_volcane]

absolutely cannot fault eibach paired with b6/8 for a daily - cruises over speedbumps, and handles brilliantly.

id be tempted to go pug oem shocks (not sure on price) + eibach if on budget. not ehard good things about recent b4, but not had a problem in the past. ran them on the other zx for ages now with some random -40mm springs.

our daily estate is on zx 16v volcane springs and shocks and is also a very nice ride - similar i imagine to gti6 / vts setup

[MY95]

B6/B8 are over £100 a shock nevermind adding the springs into the equation, so a bit out of my budget really.
Would be the ideal, but B4s seem to be the way to go I think, or Sachs or something? Had sachs for 3 year on it now in GLX flavour and they have been spot on! Pug ones are similar price to b6s, springs are £80 a spring I think (which isnt cheap!) Trying to find the zx ones now new must be a nightmare! Heard the Xsara Setup was a good upgrade.

[powerandtorque]

OE Xsara VTS springs do work quite well on a 306 HDi - I ran them on my last car and liked them, although I'd have preferred them to sit a touch higher.

[MY95]

How much lower than standard are we talking powerandtorque? Very tempted by the VTS setup as setup would be cheaper, comfy enough compared to GTI6 setup?

[Toms306]

I'm sure you've asked this about a hundred times now...

For cheapness, Xsara VTS shocks and springs are ideal, nice ride, good height (roughly 25mm drop iirc) and very cheap.

Best springs I've had were Eibachs on GTi shocks, but they don't come cheap, I was lucky to get some a few months old.

[BiG K]

Look into getting KYB Ultra SR. Meant to be half the price and about 80% of the performance of B6/B8!

[powerandtorque]

How much lower than standard are we talking powerandtorque? Very tempted by the VTS setup as setup would be cheaper, comfy enough compared to GTI6 setup?

Height wise they're around 35mm lower I'd guess - certainly seemed lower than 25mm, although that's comparing it to the ludicrously high Meridian spec springs.  To put it into perspective it was low enough that I couldn't get my trolley jack under the subframe without first either putting a scissor jack under the sill to lift it a little or driving the front up onto a couple of bits of 2x4.

Comfort wise, I never had any complaints and I was doing 20k+ miles a year.  A couple of others on here drove that car and liked it.  Typically it's dampers that determine comfort though rather than springs - I ran mine with Skip Brown Bilsteins (basically re-valved B8's) which were firm but never crashy.

[Toms306]

Part of the drop is to do with the shocks, B8s are shorter for lowering springs iirc? VTS shocks are slightly shorter than Meridian shocks but maybe higher than your B8s?

[powerandtorque]

I thought that the spring pans were in the same position and it was just the damper stoke that was different, to stop the shock bottoming out when run at lower heights.

Quite happy to be proved wrong though as I don't know if I ever put the two side by side to compare the spring pan position.

[MY95]

Thanks for all the comments guys, Toms this is my 2nd or 3rd time not 100th
Xsara VTS sounds a bit too low for me, GTI6 B4's/Eibach 30mm sound like the nuts on a budget!

[Mattcheese31]

Vts are conservative mate, it's the setup I had on my xud, I'll try and dig a pic out

[Toms306]

Thanks for all the comments guys, Toms this is my 2nd or 3rd time not 100th
Xsara VTS sounds a bit too low for me, GTI6 B4's/Eibach 30mm sound like the nuts on a budget!

If you're bored, look for pics of my Moonstone 5dr HDi DTurbo (now Toselands), that was on VTS's, not sure if he changed them since though.

The high mileage China 3dr DTurbo was also on VTS's until sold.

The china estate workhorse was on Eibachs.