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stuartm

A2OC Donor
I said I'd be back when I sold my TDI 90 last June, and now that we are returning to England (Bristol this time), it's time to get another A2. Once again I did what you should never do and bought a car unseen and untested as I live in Ireland; this time off ebay a couple of weeks ago. It's a 1.4 Sport petrol; I fancied the purest, lightest version of this brilliant concept this time around. It's Pine Green, a fabulous colour once it's polished, with interior coded N0E/YL, but I don't know what that's called.

I flew over to Manchester to pick it up last Tuesday and drove it from Stockport to Bristol before flying back to Dublin and driving home to Ennis that evening. A long day. The A2 will wait in Bristol for our return in the new year when I can start some project work. It was a good test drive getting it there. Mechanically all seems as described. Interior scruffy to put it kindly, so I'll be on the lookout for carpets, seats and of course switches. Just about all of them. A couple of serious scratches (disclosed on the ad), one on the door so that can probably best be replaced, but the other on the left rear quarter panel. I'm looking forward to repeating some of the things that worked so well on the TDI 90 Sport: Spidan springs/Reflex shocks were a revelation, although on 16" wheels and a lighter front end this one doesn't start from such a low point in crashiness.

Nice to be back; I've kept an eye on the forum in the meantime.
 
Nice to hear from a fellow diesel-to-petrol convert. I switched to petrol myself this summer, due to mounting obstacles with diesel emissions, and despite still missing the TDI turbo torque I am in love with the petrol lightness, smoothness and quietness. As you said, perhaps the closest to the initial, lightweight concept design.
 
Welcome back stuartm. Were the Spidan springs a different height to original? Many folk think the Koni FSDs are the shocks to have, how do the Reflex shocks compare? I too need to improve the quality of the ride in my car (1.6FSI) so I'm wondering what to do.
 
Welcome back stuartm. Were the Spidan springs a different height to original? Many folk think the Koni FSDs are the shocks to have, how do the Reflex shocks compare? I too need to improve the quality of the ride in my car (1.6FSI) so I'm wondering what to do.
As far as I could tell, there was no difference in the ride height -- I've just checked the type I bought: 49515. (The shocks were E4998). I only changed out the front, following advice I'd read on here. I can't speak about a comparison between Koni FSDs and the Reflexes as I only experienced the latter, but the change in refinement from standard was amazing, even noticeable driving away from the garage where they were fitted, which happened to be up a potholed gravel road. Having read about the corrosion issues with the FSDs at the time and more particularly the company's response to the problem, I figured I'd try my luck with the alternative.
 
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Thanks, they sound ideal and look cheaper than FSDs. How did you find getting to the top of the driver's side strut? I've read it's a hassle moving the brake fluid reservoir.
 
Ah, sorry, I wasn't involved in the work, I just dropped the car and the box of parts at the garage. I didn't get any complaints though about any difficulties. (Changed the top mounts and the drop links at the same time)
 
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