Greetings from Scotland, UK!
I have a 1999 A3 T Quattro with 66000 miles on the clock. I am wondering whether it would be worthwhile replacing the shock absorbers. I don't really want to upgrade or lower the suspension, I am just thinking more in terms of improved handling, safety, etc.

My questions are
1. When should shock absorbers be replaced?
2. What with? (same or improved units)
3. What difference is it likely to make?

Thanks

Moved from A3 forum (Sorry!)

Originally Posted by qfrog Z6U on 2005-05-25 03:00:04
In Reply to: When to replace shock absorbers (dampers) posted by Bad Dave on 2005-05-25 00:30:45

1. when the car handles sloppy or the dampeners are leaking.
2. same... oem is expensive on audi, usually more than upgraded aftermarket koni or bilsteins.
3. a dampener is an engergy absorber of sorts, the springs are there to allow the suspension to flex/travel and provide resistance to weight transfer. The dampener is there to smooth out the process of a weight shift or absorb the shock of road irregularities. Without dampening a car bounces very badly till the up/down energy of the car is turned into heat by the spring or wind resistance or tire sidewall absorbs it. A functioning dampener provides a compression resistance and an expansion resistance which turns the bounce of the car into friction between nitrogen atoms or oil being squeezed in cylinder through a valve(s) by a piston.

Stiffer dampening is going to help with weight transfer to some point... all suspension upgrades are like this, suspension is ultimately about balance. You need springs of XYZ rate for use with dampeners of whatever rate. But a better set of dampeners will reduce nose dive under heavy braking and the propensity of the car to lift the nose during heavy acceleration a tad.... they will also aid in reducing body roll during slalomn type manouvers.

So far, I've spent a good chunk of change on suspension upgrades on my A4. I lost some comfort but the car makes up for it in soo many other ways every time I drive it.

I'm sure April Verdegirl or any of the others who are more experienced in audis can correct me on the forementioned info.

-Phil

Wow! Great answers. Thanks!
I am not even sure if the car handles sloppily. It feels OK to me but I may just have got used to it worsening gradually. Is there a mechanical test that can be performed? I have tried compressing down and releasing each corner of the car and the shocks seem to settle quickly.