We've had the pleasure of driving our 2009 VW Jetta TDI for almost five months and 4000 miles, and while it's a great grocery-getter, it's about time we got serious with it. Up until now we've enjoyed its ridiculous torque, great mileage and capable handling, but we've grown tired of the many concessions to civility the stock car has; soft suspension, quiet exhaust and a 4x4-like ride height.
We've got big plans for Project TDI and probably the best place to start on the road to a better Jetta was uprated suspension.
Since the TDI is slated to be a street car that could see the odd track day, we wanted a suspension system that was supple enough for the street but up to the task for the occasional track jaunt.
After some hunting we decided KW Variant 3 coilovers would do the trick, even though they cost a considerable $2150. These top-rate suspenders offer three-way adjustability, stainless bodies and can lower the car over 2".
One feature that stood out was the KW's independently adjustable damping. When you tweak the 14-way adjustable compression, it won't affect the rebound. Admittedly, this is way more than a street car needs, but it's always nice to over-engineer a project in preparation for any opportunity that might arise.
When working on Project TDI, we took our time to re-acquaint ourselves with its suspension design. Although simple in form, the new independent rear is great in function. Taking our time, the installation took roughly five hours and, with the exception of an air gun, it was completed with regular hand tools. It was fun taking the wrenching out of a shop and onto a driveway; we did the build on jack stands with some friends and a few brews. Quite frankly, we can't think of a better way to spend a Sunday (OK, well maybe with Jenna Jameson, but that ain't gonna happen!). So read along as we head down the road to a betta Jetta.
While we didn't list them here, it's always a good idea to tighten all bolts to factory torque specs. And if you plan to do this job yourself, head to www.eurotuner.com for an expanded version of this step-by-step guide.