Re: [now] opinions...please read (was [A2] suspension needed)

[Shawn C Meze <skerocdriver@juno.com>]

On Mon, 9 Jul 2001 13:07:38 -0400 Eric L Ellis <elf16v@juno.com> writes:
>Before I start this, please note that I'm not singling Mark out to be
>rude. His statement just seemed like the perfect one to respond to.
>
>> Mark Peele wrote:
>
>> I've heard nothing but bad about HOR . . .


Yes you are. Your like, holding as gun to his head, leave him alone. Poor
Mark. :)



>I think that's part of the problem. A few people have had a bad
>experience with a product and have justifiably voiced their opinion. 
> The problem begins when the opinions of one, or a few, become 
>the gospel to the masses.


This happens SO much. 
Then there are the people who have (and -IVE- done this in years past so
im not innocent of this charge. Ive only realized my errors and simply
stopped doing it.) installed ONE part and its the best one in the world.
Example: Someone might install a set of Borbet wheels and swear they're
the best wheel in the world. 
There are alot of aftermarket parts choices out there for VW's. The only
real way to have an opinion of anything is to try many of them and pick
one that works for you. Most of the time they all work just fine. Little
difference if any. Eh.



>I have HoR springs on my Scirocco and they've performed perfectly for 
>~6 years now
>6 of my friends run HoR springs with either Bilst. or Tokico and no
complaints
>Alan Hoglen had HoR springs w/Bilst. Sports and couldn't stand them, 
>but by looking at them I think they were the wrong application. The rear
>springs sat too high and the fronts didn't properly fit into the perch.
>Alan's a little bitch though.


>From what ive heard and seen for myself, it appears that the older HOR
springs worked well. For whatever reason, the newer (well, newer than 5
years) HOR springs are junk. (again, seen and heard this.) The reputation
of HOR springs on the net is not good and not just for A1 applications.
Also consider that ALOT of owners really don't know shit. I mean, really.


I cant tell you how many VW's I see that have really bad upper strut
bearings and the owner don't even know it. Blown shocks and they swear
the car handles like its on rails. This too must be taken into
consideration in the world of good/bad parts.

Im not a big supporter of Autotech myself. I got issues with them so I
don't buy parts from them. (Unless I have to. I prefer NOT.) 

Example, I bought a HOR G-grind cam. Lifetime warranty. People told me
the lobes go flat pretty easily. I figured, for $100 I don't mind
replacing the cam every 3 or so years. So I bought one. 

I installed it and performed the break in procedure well beyond the
required limits to be sure its broke in properly and hopefully it gave me
a little more time with the cam in the car. 6 months later the cam went
flat in the #3 intake lobe. I had moved in this time and couldn't find
the receipt for the cam. They claim they don't have ANY receipt info
records of any kind so I was unable to warranty the cam. Great customer
support. They could tell me my credit card number but couldn't tell me
what I bought with it. 

POTTER CAN!! So that's why I do ALL my business with him and him only for
the most part. 

So, eventually I found the receipt and its all sitting there. don't care
to get another definitely-gonna-go-flat-cam again. Ill spend a little
more and get a better cam from a better company. KENT, NEUSPEED whoever.
Just not HOR. 



>I have the Autotech 28mm rear sway bar. It went on nice and easy and 
>has lasted for 4 years now. Perhaps all I've heard about the ill fitting

>ones was operator error and/or a not so straight Scirocco.
>2 friends run the same sway bar and have 0 complaints.


I have never heard a complaint from the rear Autotech swaybars. Its the
front swaybar brackets that are the issue. (This is my main reason for
not doing business with them.) They are weak and break fairly easily.
instead of fixing this problem they make you buy another set which will
break. Then another til you get wise and buy their "beefier" brackets
which will last longer, but will still break. Then you get on the
internet and find a set of brackets that don't break. (forget from where,
doesn't matter I don't need them.) To me this is ludicrous. 

I know I don't want to worry about the swaybar brackets breaking while in
on the track. Nor do I want to be changing them between runs. I realize
most people don't race. (well, not legally anyways.) So this isn't an
issue. For me, it is. Ive had the front 22mm swaybar on my Scirocco since
ive had it. I bought the swaybars used and bolted them up. I broke one
heim joint but I knew it was old and needed replacing. Since ive replaced
both heim joints its been great and trouble free SO FAR. (knock on the
wood thing, dontchyaknow.) 

The rear swaybar brackets were old and they bent soon after I installed
them on the car. I bought a new set and haven't had problems with them
either. This worries me because they've been on the car for a long time
now. (since 95? ouch!) Considering the car gets driven extremely hard on
the track and sometimes the street, they're holding up great. 


>On the other end of the spectrum, I have seen the old style Neuspeed
>springs go to sh!t after less than a year on more than one occasion. 
>Was that long ago enough to make them H&R? I don't know for sure, but I
>suspect it was possible.


My Neuspeed race springs (H&R on my 84'.) have softened up since they
were new. So have the Neuspeed road race (H&R) springs that are currently
on my 82. They don't sag tho. 


>Bottom line: I can appreciate those with experiences, good or bad,
>voicing them. If you truly think that ALL HoR tech springs are crap
>because you've had bad ones, testify! (but i'll show you 7 cars in 8 
>that will prove you wrong)


I know that if im in the market for a product "X" and 4 people tell me
with hands on experience that they have had problems with product "X" I
will get something else. Im sure there are alot of happy owners of the
product. Like everything american, I want the best product I can find for
the money and the only way is to listen to what owners have to say. From
there one has to decide for themselves. 5 people say it sucks and 2 say
its great, go from there. They opinionize, you opinionize and there's
their answer, right? don't be hurt because people disagree with your
choice for parts. I see and hear people loving the "wrong" parts all the
time. that's fine by me because ill be thinking about those "great"
(-snicker-sneer-) parts while im passing them.  :)

Look who's being a chatty Kathy today.... 
buh-bye!


Shawn Méze
86' Jetta GLi 8V       84' Scirocco 8V           88' Corvette -SS 30-
82' Scirocco GTi -FSP 54-     79' "Project FSP Scirocco"
The Fastest, Quickest, Cleanest and best looking Scirocco in all of San
Diego!
http://www.Geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/1308/index.htm

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