Spring differences OSS vs non-OSS

Early this morning I enquired about ordering a pair of SPIDAN 49546 rear Springs from prinz-autoteile.de whose details are within these 'spring' posts. I'II give credits later.
Before 9am I had an email from them asking for a firm order with full shipping details, address and contact details as the items were available for immediate dispatch with a quoted price including carriage of Euro 89.96 (£80.42 Paypal conversion rate). The Euro payment by Paypal was sent and the springs should now be on their way.

Will keep you posted!

Thanks to member vkx2451 for the link to www.prinz-autoteile.de Many thanks Jonathan, you saved the day!

My Monroe Reflex equipped car has rear springs that have almost rusted through, so I've also ordered a pair of Spidan 49546 springs from Prinz. Mine were 83.94 so the price seems to have dropped a little. £72.95 overall, so not bad at all really. I'll update this one once they arrive and with impressions of how the car feels with them fitted. It'll leave me with a little mismatch as I'm running the original SE springs at the front, but I don't think it'll make a huge difference hopefully..
 
Ok, these are now fitted. An easy job that only took an hour to do both sides. Replaced the rubber mounts top and bottom at the same time as the originals were almost non-existant! The car feels more 'planted' on the road than before and is more stable. Ride height is the same as before. Steering still feels a bit vague and wooly, but I think this is possibly due to worn wishbone bushes and/or balljoints or possibly a worn steering rack, although I understand these rarely wear even at starship mileages.

Still, another little job done...
 
From what I've read, the build quality of the Bilsteins is the best of the three, certainly on the outside. I went for FSDs for the reasons I've explained above. The Bilsteins don't have the same frequency-dependent nature and are allegedly quite firm, if the reviews I've read are to be believed. Given that I was predominantly chasing an increase in comfort over the OEM setup, I decided against them

Hi there, I find myself now at the stage where I have to make a decision on front suspension. I read your posts with interest....and like yourself my primary aim is improve ride comfort (ie not having to wince every time I hit a tiny pothole - I should explain that my top mounts have gone and at present it's like driving with suspension parts made from fine bone china!); as I already believe the handling is fine and does not need improving.
Now I'm told the Koni FSDs will raise the front so I'm curious as to how you fared using them with standard size springs and not a compensating Weitec jobbie.

Cheers -Simon
 

So.....just to clarify.....even though I have a TDi (without sunroof) when using Koni FSDs I need the 49527 springs that are meant for the petrol model (the engine weight of the TDi balances it out) - I just wanted to check as on the 2nd or 3rd page of the link you posted you list all the Spidan springs available and their measurements, and the correct version listed for TDi is 49515 - assuming then now that this is for TDi's with non-FSD shocks?
Thanks again
-Simon
 
So.....just to clarify.....even though I have a TDi (without sunroof) when using Koni FSDs I need the 49527 springs that are meant for the petrol model (the engine weight of the TDi balances it out) - I just wanted to check as on the 2nd or 3rd page of the link you posted you list all the Spidan springs available and their measurements, and the correct version listed for TDi is 49515 - assuming then now that this is for TDi's with non-FSD shocks?
Thanks again
-Simon

You've understood perfectly. :)

Tom
 
I am just about to forward payment for the front Spidan 49515 to complement the Spidan 49546 rears received last year together with Bilstein B4 shockers, bump stops, dust covers and front top bearings from Prinz-Autoteile in Germany as before. I'll report back when fitted which will probably be around Easter. My car is a 2001 A2 tdi 75 SE with OSS which will also have a new injector wiring Harness fitted together with a TUNIT engine chip recently bought off Ebay for the 3 cylinder tdi A2 engine. The wiring harness has not failed but the fitting of the chip will necessitate the unplugging of the 12-plus year old harness so it would seem an opportune moment to replace it.
 
I am just about to forward payment for the front Spidan 49515 to complement the Spidan 49546 rears received last year together with Bilstein B4 shockers, bump stops, dust covers and front top bearings from Prinz-Autoteile in Germany as before. I'll report back when fitted which will probably be around Easter. My car is a 2001 A2 tdi 75 SE with OSS which will also have a new injector wiring Harness fitted together with a TUNIT engine chip recently bought off Ebay for the 3 cylinder tdi A2 engine. The wiring harness has not failed but the fitting of the chip will necessitate the unplugging of the 12-plus year old harness so it would seem an opportune moment to replace it.

Yes I will be interested to hear. I fear, however, my bearings will not last out the month so mine will be done before April. I also have almost certainly decided on Koni FSD shocks - I want that ride comfort. Nuts, that's a point about dust covers etc....I'll ask TOM if they are required....
 
You've understood perfectly. :)

Tom

Tom, kindly indulge me two further questions. 1) Are the Koni FSDs a sealed unit or do they require the fitting of dust covers and bump stops (like meriafel said below with his Bilsteins)? 2) I don't want to change my rear springs if poss as they were replaced last May to pass the MOT. Now I'm not sure what type they are but I'm hoping they will be compatibale with the FSDs.
I can see that awesome-gti have the shocks in stock and 123spareparts have the springs and top mounts/bearing sets so......based on your answer to the questions above I will decide very shortly whether to buy the parts and attempt the work myself......or.......pay Vince at Stealth to do it (even though he had never heard of Spidan springs when I spoke to him last)
Best -Simon
 
I am just about to forward payment for the front Spidan 49515 to complement the Spidan 49546 rears received last year together with Bilstein B4 shockers, bump stops, dust covers and front top bearings from Prinz-Autoteile in Germany as before. I'll report back when fitted which will probably be around Easter. My car is a 2001 A2 tdi 75 SE with OSS which will also have a new injector wiring Harness fitted together with a TUNIT engine chip recently bought off Ebay for the 3 cylinder tdi A2 engine. The wiring harness has not failed but the fitting of the chip will necessitate the unplugging of the 12-plus year old harness so it would seem an opportune moment to replace it.

Also 123spareparts.co.uk have all these parts in stock so why order from Germany?

EDIT: I just read another post by you that stated you had to get a refund from 123 - what happened? I'd be happy to order from prinz but I cannot read German too well, and so far have found no Spidan springs on their website.....and am not sure which odd german buttons I'm clicking

EDIT 2: Found them, under Fahrwerk ›› Federung ›› Fahrwerksfeder Serie - what a wally, I should have known!!
Oh and they were out of stock!
 
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Hi Simon
I have just had my A2 tdi90 (non oss) fitted with front Spidan springs and Koni FSD's by Tony A2cars in Miltons Keynes(Hotstuff) on this forum last week.
Big improvement in ride, so far very happy, only driven 300miles.
Regards Terry
 
Hi Simon
I have just had my A2 tdi90 (non oss) fitted with front Spidan springs and Koni FSD's by Tony A2cars in Miltons Keynes(Hotstuff) on this forum last week.
Big improvement in ride, so far very happy, only driven 300miles.
Regards Terry

Hi Terry, did they fit the 49527 Spidans? Thanks for the input. I'm in St Albans, so MK is nearer to me by than Stealth by about 20 miles, but I have already come to an arrangement with them re: fitting. Just need to order the Spidans myself now.....
 
Thought I would share the receipt from last year when I ordered my SPIDANS and total cost. They were fitted by Awesome GTI and yes I did drive all the way from Glasgow!!!

Item number: ERSA-VERSAND
Order number: 15933660
Item: Delivery charges within UK
Number of pieces: 1
Unit price: 3,50 GBP

Item number: ERSA-5-5350914A (Delivery in general within 5-8 working days)
Order number: 15933661
Item: SPIDAN - Coil Spring 49527
Number of pieces: 2
Unit price: 37,08 GBP

Item number: ERSA-5-5350915A (Delivery in general within 5-8 working days)
Order number: 15933662
Item: SPIDAN - Coil Spring 49546
Number of pieces: 2
Unit price: 42,90 GBP
------------------------------------------
Total gross: 163,46 GBP
 
Also 123spareparts.co.uk have all these parts in stock so why order from Germany? Curious

123spareparts.co.uk promised to supply me last year and accepted payment.....failed to supply and eventually returned my money. Prinz-Autoteile.de are a more professional supplier who keep their promises. I wish you luck with 123! with Koni and their corroding FSD's highlighted on the A2OC.
 
I also had problems with 123spares, their system allowing me to order springs which were shown to be in stock but not available.

Cheers Spike
 
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123spareparts.co.uk promised to supply me last year and accepted payment.....failed to supply and eventually returned my money. Prinz-Autoteile.de are a more professional supplier who keep their promises. I wish you luck with 123! with Koni and their corroding FSD's highlighted on the A2OC.

Warnings noted thanks - I'll research if Koni have an improved reputation before proceeding. Btw Prinz seem sound; they offered to order the springs if I need them

I also had problems with 123spares, their system allowing me to order springs which were shown to be in stock but not available.

Cheers Spike

Noted, and cheers. Will avoid them
 
Prinz-autoteile thanked me this morning by email for my overnight Paypal payment. They also give IBAN and BIC ref. no's.

I speak no German whatsoever and apologized for the fact on my order.
My contact was with [email protected] who phoned me at 5pm one evening with a query in perfect English.
Well worth our support.
 
Prinz-autoteile thanked me this morning by email for my overnight Paypal payment. They also give IBAN and BIC ref. no's.

I speak no German whatsoever and apologized for the fact on my order.
My contact was with [email protected] who phoned me at 5pm one evening with a query in perfect English.
Well worth our support.

Cheers, I'll send him an email.
FYI you have sufficiently seeded doubt in my mind about the Koni shocks.
 
One of my sons is an F1 design engineer in Woking and some years ago fitted the yellow adjustable Koni shockers to his Passat Sport Estate. The yellow paint came off in just over a year virtually as a 'toilet roll'. Beneath was an even coating of rust which I believe was present when they were painted. Koni were not interested and would not replace them. Instead he bought Inox KW adjustables. Superbly designed packaging and very attractive shockers. In less than a year the piston shafts became scored and corroded. KW asked for their return for inspection but would not supply replacements claiming that the bump stops had scored them. My son asked if I still had the old OEM Bilsteins we removed from my ten year old Passat Sport Estate that we replaced with identical Bilsteins. Too late as I had dumped them. He had to buy and fit new KW's to be able to send the originals back via the UK supplier.

After considerable delay and several e-mails to the supplier, KW refunded one half of the cost of replacement less their carriage charge!!
(My Passat's OEM Bilsteins had not leaked in ten years neither had the casings rusted nor piston shafts corroded.)

The rusty condition of the Koni FSD's comes as no surprise and Koni should be ashamed of the lack of durability of their product that risks the lives of both Koni customers and other road users.

Re. my current order for Bilstein B4, Spidan etc from www.prinz-autoteile.de I received an email this afternoon from [email protected] stating that as he was going to be in Coventry for a few days he had looked how far we were from Coventry as he would have delivered the order personally. Quite an extra-ordinary offer!
 
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