VWR Springs or Driver Gear Springs?

Just got a 2012 GTI and the first mod I am considering is new springs/sway bars.
(A tune would be awesome but not until I figure out how I'm not going to avoid voiding my powertrain warranty, which is a topic for another section). I'm not doing coilovers, because I'm not in it for the looks....although I concede some of the coilover/wheel packages on this site look badass. I'm trying to create what VW would do if they had a "even sportier suspension" package for the GTI, which provides a lot of handling improvement for minimum ride penalty and my conclusion after browsing all the forums for a while is that the answer is either DG springs or VWR springs (from APR), both of which everyone seems to say run fine with stock dampers. And then add sway bars, but not TOO MUCH sway bar. Street use only, no track.

If you read the APR site, it appears the VWR springs + sway bars + some light 18 inch, 8 inch wide wheels (I'm going to burn at least 1/2 the tread off my all seasons before doing this) would be quite the engineered improvement package, BUT

Grambles and others seem to swear by DG springs in a recent forum.

Also: I've read about every swaybar thread there is, and it seems like it's APR/Hotchkiss or H&R, OR the VWR bars, which are apparently Eibach. I like the VWR bars with VWR springs because I can tell a prospective future buyer......or some jackass service manager....."that's all VW engineered stuff under there" ....even if it's all Eibach. Am I willing to spend the extra money over Eibach to do this? Yes.

Some people seem to think the APR/Hotchkiss rear bar is too big for street use, but (I haven't done the calculation) maybe a hollow 27mm bar set to soft is the same as a solid 23/24mm bar like VWR, White line, etc. offer.

So. Staying on topic, knowing I am getting some kind of additional front and rear sway bars, VWR springs or DG springs? Or are VWR springs too new for anyone to know?

If concerned with ride comfort, don't get a 27mm rear bar by any means, regardless of construction.

DG springs I think someone said were better with spring rates, etc.

As to your service manager/warranty point - if someone was trying that hard to deny your warranty, they could still deny it based on the part #'s not be applicable/made for our cars. Keep that in mind , however no one has had any issues with the DG springs and warranty as far as we know.

The car is plenty stiff as is and pops wheelies into sharp curbs etc, I would get sways just yet. Get the DG springs and see if that works, then do other stuff if its still not stiff enough for you.

Thanks GunKata.

Understood on the warranty point....but it's going to be tougher for a dealership to scream about parts that come in a VW box....

Desert MVIGTI said:

Thanks GunKata.

Understood on the warranty point....but it's going to be tougher for a dealership to scream about parts that come in a VW box....

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not really. That's like yelling at a parts maker for purposely buying the wrong part and putting it on your car/house, etc, and then complaining its not working correctly. Again, highly doubtful you'd have any issues, esp since it does say VW on them, but still.. if a dealer or sales manager wanted to be a cockface to you, they could. Probality of that actually happening? very low.

maxtdi said:

The car is plenty stiff as is and pops wheelies into sharp curbs etc, I would get sways just yet. Get the DG springs and see if that works, then do other stuff if its still not stiff enough for you.

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I'd recommend 26mm front and 22 or 23mm rear to not affect ride quality. Best bang for your buck is the Tire Rack deal on the Eibachs with 26/23mm for liek $363. Can't beat that.

I run 27mm Hollow APR bars and they're perfect for a daily setup. Plus it has 3 settings for easy tuning for track days. The Driver Gear springs are tried and true.

I would love to try out the VWR springs and sways, it just so happened they werent officially released by the time I bought the DG Springs.

To each their own, but definitely read up about linear rates versus progressive spring rates. I wouldnt have done the setup I have currently if I knew the ride was going to be bad or the system wasnt well engineered.

Concur that "cockfaces" will not be deterred by much of anything

GunKata said:

I'd recommend 26mm front and 22 or 23mm rear to not affect ride quality. Best bang for your buck is the Tire Rack deal on the Eibachs with 26/23mm for liek $363. Can't beat that.

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Right. My guess is that the VWR bars are not composed of a "special engineered alloy" but are the Eibachs with blue paint. A question to ask the APR guys selling them for $599.

grambles423 said:

I run 27mm Hollow APR bars and they're perfect for a daily setup. Plus it has 3 settings for easy tuning for track days. The Driver Gear springs are tried and true.

I would love to try out the VWR springs and sways, it just so happened they werent officially released by the time I bought the DG Springs.

To each their own, but definitely read up about linear rates versus progressive spring rates. I wouldnt have done the setup I have currently if I knew the ride was going to be bad or the system wasnt well engineered.

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Grambles, you seem to be in the minority in terms of saying a rear 27mm bar is good for a DD, although that's the only diameter APR sells......you'd think they'd have multiple diameters if the 27 was super harsh for ride even on soft....maybe they just repave the roads a lot in your neck of Alabama?

Both DG Springs and VWR are linear....I'm sure it won't take someone too long to throw down for the VWR's and post a review....Agreed that I have never seen a negative DG springs review.....

Desert MVIGTI said:

Grambles, you seem to be in the minority in terms of saying a rear 27mm bar is good for a DD, although that's the only diameter APR sells......you'd think they'd have multiple diameters if the 27 was super harsh for ride even on soft....maybe they just repave the roads a lot in your neck of Alabama?

Both DG Springs and VWR are linear....I'm sure it won't take someone too long to throw down for the VWR's and post a review....Agreed that I have never seen a negative DG springs review.....

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Roads here in Alabama are some of the worst I've ever seen. No matter what suspension, its going ot be rough. The DG + APR Sway combo is tolerable over it. Keep in mind, even my wife's Camry has a rough ride on the city roads. Out towards the country, its smooth as glass.

With my front on Soft and the Rear on Medium I have no complaints. And I'm pretty damn picky about my ride quality having gone from Neuspeed/Bilsteins to ST Coils to DG Springs with Stock Dampers + APR Sways.

grambles423 said:

Roads here in Alabama are some of the worst I've ever seen. No matter what suspension, its going ot be rough. The DG + APR Sway combo is tolerable over it. Keep in mind, even my wife's Camry has a rough ride on the city roads. Out towards the country, its smooth as glass.

With my front on Soft and the Rear on Medium I have no complaints. And I'm pretty damn picky about my ride quality having gone from Neuspeed/Bilsteins to ST Coils to DG Springs with Stock Dampers + APR Sways.

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Yeah, you've dropped some coin experimenting, that's for sure. Where did you get your DG Springs?

Desert MVIGTI said:

Grambles, you seem to be in the minority in terms of saying a rear 27mm bar is good for a DD, although that's the only diameter APR sells......you'd think they'd have multiple diameters if the 27 was super harsh for ride even on soft....maybe they just repave the roads a lot in your neck of Alabama?

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You're making the classic mistake of comparing a Hollow core bar to a solid bar by just looking at size. Lots here seem to do this. There's another thread going on this with calculations, but in summary, the 27mm hollow is roughly equivalent to a 23mm solid. With the various pick-up points the APR is very DD friendly but can be stiffened up if needed for more aggressive tuning. I've been running them for months now on DG springs and the combo is as close to perfect as you'll get..(if you value a good combination of handling and ride comfort)

DGs fill the bill. They work. I've

VWR springs are softer. If you want to be a guinea pig, go for it.
But you've been warned.

Modshack said:

You're making the classic mistake of comparing a Hollow core bar to a solid bar by just looking at size. Lots here seem to do this. There's another thread going on this with calculations, but in summary, the 27mm hollow is roughly equivalent to a 23mm solid. With the various pick-up points the APR is very DD friendly but can be stiffened up if needed for more aggressive tuning. I've been running them for months now on DG springs and the combo is as close to perfect as you'll get..(if you value a good combination of handling and ride comfort)

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Endorsement noted. That is indeed what I'm looking for.