# TTS Magnetic Dampers questions



## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

These came standard on the TTS

I test drove one recently and tried the button next to the S Tronic shifter

Although a short test drive, I couldn't really feel any difference.
How do you know it's working, what should it be doing when active ?

I've seen some with advisories or some changed dampers. I'm led to believe these are expensive; what are the options for each shock and costs?


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## E.L.Wisty (Sep 19, 2018)

I can't speak for the TTS but on the 3.2 I find that turning them "on" has the effect of killing much of the understeer, which is good, but at the expense of making it a bit jittery on mid corner bumps or poor surfaces. Someone who takes the car a lot nearer the limit than I do (and who has a TTS!) I'm sure can give a better view.


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Audi Magnetic Ride (AMR) is technically very cool, but in practical applicaion, quite limited IMHO. I have it in my 3.2 Roadster and unless you plan on some aggressive Alpine mountain driving or high speeds on the a-bahn, it's an option most can live without. Plus, it's stupid expensive to repair with it fails. For the every day driver, it's probably not worth it.

You can read about it here and look for a demo video on YouTube.

View attachment SSP 381 Audi TT Coupé ´07 - Suspension System.pdf

If you want to know more about the various options and features of the TT, spend some time reading through the SSPs which you can find here -

https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1755145
.


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

thanks both

those who have replaced it, what are the options or is it an audi only part; or are there non audi stamped oem quality equivalent; as trying to size up the cost


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

Worth a read -

https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... &t=1876763


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## R77C (Feb 1, 2019)

p1tse said:


> thanks both
> 
> those who have replaced it, what are the options or is it an audi only part; or are there non audi stamped oem quality equivalent; as trying to size up the cost


You can only get the actual magnetic ride shocks from Audi. I just replaced my two front ones; around £620 per corner fitted including Top Mounts (the top mounts are £50 each).


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

R77C said:


> p1tse said:
> 
> 
> > thanks both
> ...


That's what I thought, it's an Audi only part with no third party oem type
so over a £1k for each axle!

Are the shocks interchangeable front and rear?


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## r_turner01 (Sep 12, 2018)

For that kind of money you could fit top quality coilovers etc with mag ride delete kit!


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

I wander what all the mag ride owners are doing, as with age, wear and tear; I assume many will require attention

getting it deleted is an option, but a shame not to keep as oem feature


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## R77C (Feb 1, 2019)

p1tse said:


> I wander what all the mag ride owners are doing, as with age, wear and tear; I assume many will require attention
> 
> getting it deleted is an option, but a shame not to keep as oem feature


Even with the poor UK roads my RS had it's first Mag Ride damper (nearside front) go at 63K miles. The other three dampers are perfect, with no knocking or leaking. I don't think that's tooooooo bad. When you consider plenty of BMW and Merc 19" wheels are very prone to cracking, which are around £600 a corner let alone the cost of the tyre then it's quite similar. (let's ignore some of the wheel welding repairs that can be done as I haven't made my mind up about that yet haha!)

I had a cracked alloy on my old SLK55, my Dad has gone through three cracked BMW wheels on a 3 Series Coupe and a 5 Series estate.


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## E.L.Wisty (Sep 19, 2018)

Similar story here. Just had an MOT advisory that the nearside rear has a slight misting of oil and so may be on the way out - 64K and 11+yrs old.

I'll probably keep it stock unless anyone can convince me coilovers will make a significant improvement to handling (TBH I'll probably keep it stock anyway).

Do they *have* to be done in pairs?


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## HAWKS (Mar 31, 2018)

I remember reading about 2 companies that refurb your own mag ride shocks, but i dont remember the price or a repair time.?
Anyone know the costs for refurb?


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## Danny1 (Sep 2, 2010)

You also need to consider how old and tired your springs are and any of the other shocks that are going to be worn out even if they are not "gone" yet. Why anyone would replace them with OEM parts is beyond me and I can only assume people are scared with stories on old cars with cheap coilovers etc or dont understand what they are and can do. You can get great coilovers which include all 4 springs and shocks, fitted for the price of 2 front shocks, why would you make your car have uneven worn suspension for no benefit other than a button that no one presses more than once lol.

You can also set them to same height as OEM so dont have to worry about height or looking different or you can lower it and make the car look more aggressive etc, all bonuses with no negatives.


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

@ Hawks - The only company I am aware of for refurbishing OEM shocks is Nagengast in Poland. I seem to remember it was around 250-Euro per shock. Probably worth contacting them directly to get a quote.

https://nagengast.pl/en/about/


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## nick2000 (Oct 14, 2018)

Danny1 said:


> You also need to consider how old and tired your springs are and any of the other shocks that are going to be worn out even if they are not "gone" yet. Why anyone would replace them with OEM parts is beyond me and I can only assume people are scared with stories on old cars with cheap coilovers etc or dont understand what they are and can do. You can get great coilovers which include all 4 springs and shocks, fitted for the price of 2 front shocks, why would you make your car have uneven worn suspension for no benefit other than a button that no one presses more than once lol.
> 
> You can also set them to same height as OEM so dont have to worry about height or looking different or you can lower it and make the car look more aggressive etc, all bonuses with no negatives.


I am in the keep it OEM camp, but I'm not adverse to coilovers. On another car I have BC racing coilovers which are not the cheapest but less than KW's etc ... The ride and handling was transformed but the old struts were toast.

So I do get why your pro coilovers, but another factor is resale. Although some people would see it as a bonus to get coilovers with their TT, I would imagine an amount would be put off by mods. When I got my TTS I wanted an unmodified car and mag ride. Its not a night and day adjustment you get and some roads mag ride works better on its sport setting by being better 'damped'.
Although I do wince when I hear the cost of the replacement shocks.  Its crazy, but not as bad as the cost for R8's .....

If your car is a keeper, and I don't know the answer to this - but assuming you got say 70K out of some OEM shocks - would even premium coilovers last anywhere near this ? I would be surprised if they did.


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## E.L.Wisty (Sep 19, 2018)

Nick, good post.

My TT is not one of the models that get heavily modded and it's hard to see a mod appealing to a buyer of it. When I look for cars I avoid modded ones like the proverbial.

I have nothing against the idea of coilovers, especially if they are going to make a big improvement to the handling - though I don't, myself, have enough experience of what kind of difference they would make to my car, how they would behave under various road conditions, for me to say "whayhay, must get myself a set of these babies!" If I'm being honest I probably drive like a granny these days anyway  

Generally speaking I like stock - that's just me - but it doesn't mean I wouldn't make a change if it was a nice improvement. I am not interested in lowering the car but appreciate the point Danny made that coilovers don't have to mean lowering. Also his good point that old shocks and springs may be performing suboptimally even if they haven't let go altogether! Though past experience says a lot of that will be down to bushes anyway.

It does go against the grain to disable that button though - when I look at my dash I do like seeing that full set of buttons (heated seats, MR, TPMS)!


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## Danny1 (Sep 2, 2010)

E.L.Wisty said:


> Nick, good post.
> 
> My TT is not one of the models that get heavily modded and it's hard to see a mod appealing to a buyer of it. When I look for cars I avoid modded ones like the proverbial.
> 
> ...


The button stays there and even still lights up


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## SwissJetPilot (Apr 27, 2014)

I know nothing about these, but found them referenced on another forum -

_iSWEEP ECS CancellerThe iSWEEP ECS Canceller prevents the error light from turning on when the factory equipped electronically controlled suspension system - AUDI Drive Select, AUDI Magnetic Ride, VW Adaptive Chassis Control (DCC) is removed._

http://isweep-tuning.com/iSWEEP-ECS-Can ... _2129.html


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