Audi R8 - mag ride / Bilstein shocks

Audi R8 - mag ride / Bilstein shocks

Author
Discussion

OSHB47

Original Poster:

52 posts

51 months

Wednesday 12th August 2020
quotequote all
My garage tells me all 4 corners need changing due to leaking mag ride suspension on my 2009 R8.
Cost is ridiculous so I’m tempted to replace with conventional shocks, probably Bilstein coil overs. Has anyone any experience of this?
Thanks

PompeyReece

1,497 posts

90 months

Wednesday 12th August 2020
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Personally I don't have any experience but I know of many who have swapped. I'm sure they will chip in however from what I've read the standard springs are generally good but not as good as the mag rides however the springs are significantly cheaper and remove the leaking mag ride issue. Not heard anyone change to Bilstien shocks though?

I think I'd replace mine with OEM as I want to keep it stock but going the other way definitely isn't a bad thing.

What were they charging you to replace all four shocks with OEM?

Trev450

6,328 posts

173 months

Wednesday 12th August 2020
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I replaced mine with passive dampers from the R8 Plus. Came in at around £2700 including the KW delete module needed to prevent error messages. The ride is slightly firmer than the magrides but not at all harsh or crashy. The main benefit is you can expect them to last unlike replacement magrides that can fail again.

Give Ricky at RE Performance in Swindon a call and he will guide you through it.

Kananga

1,101 posts

157 months

Wednesday 12th August 2020
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Trev450 said:
I replaced mine with passive dampers from the R8 Plus. Came in at around £2700 including the KW delete module needed to prevent error messages. The ride is slightly firmer than the magrides but not at all harsh or crashy. The main benefit is you can expect them to last unlike replacement magrides that can fail again.

Give Ricky at RE Performance in Swindon a call and he will guide you through it.
I did the same and was very happy with the results. Sublime handling, and very nicely damped. Even for our rubbish roads here in the UK!

AstonExige

661 posts

108 months

Wednesday 12th August 2020
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Reviews seem good on these and you keep OEM functionality with the ability to switch between rides. It's the way I'd go if ever mine need replacing. And if you get another 11 years out of them it's worth every penny imo

https://nagengast.pl/en/produkt/audi-r8-shock-abso...

Trev450

6,328 posts

173 months

Wednesday 12th August 2020
quotequote all
Got 5 years and 22K miles out of mine.

gcpeters

962 posts

233 months

Friday 14th August 2020
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There is a place that can rebuild them as they are the same as fitted to the Ferrari 458

i cant remember who it is though, but google can biggrin


PompeyReece

1,497 posts

90 months

Friday 14th August 2020
quotequote all
gcpeters said:
There is a place that can rebuild them as they are the same as fitted to the Ferrari 458

i cant remember who it is though, but google can biggrin
Do you mean Nagengast in Poland? They are mentioned above in the thread - if not, is there a UK place that does them?

I've been told refurbished ones are not particularly reliable (as they are a sealed unit and have to be cut open and re-sealed to refurbish) and the opposite from others. I can't recall anyone posting on here with a story of "I've had the Nagengast units on for 4/5 years and they've been fine" though.


AstonExige

661 posts

108 months

Friday 14th August 2020
quotequote all
PompeyReece said:
Do you mean Nagengast in Poland? They are mentioned above in the thread - if not, is there a UK place that does them?

I've been told refurbished ones are not particularly reliable (as they are a sealed unit and have to be cut open and re-sealed to refurbish) and the opposite from others. I can't recall anyone posting on here with a story of "I've had the Nagengast units on for 4/5 years and they've been fine" though.
I've heard the opposite, apparently, the refurbed ones are seemingly standing up well. Haven't seen any reports of them failing early. Assume you have then?

Venturist

3,472 posts

196 months

Friday 14th August 2020
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I had mag rides replaced under warranty but if I had been footing the bill would have gone for something aftermarket and passive. Never understood the attraction of the mag rides in the UK because even the softest setting was a bit bumpy out on B roads. Certainly never wanted to use the stiffer setting!

Trev450

6,328 posts

173 months

Friday 14th August 2020
quotequote all
AstonExige said:
PompeyReece said:
Do you mean Nagengast in Poland? They are mentioned above in the thread - if not, is there a UK place that does them?

I've been told refurbished ones are not particularly reliable (as they are a sealed unit and have to be cut open and re-sealed to refurbish) and the opposite from others. I can't recall anyone posting on here with a story of "I've had the Nagengast units on for 4/5 years and they've been fine" though.
I've heard the opposite, apparently, the refurbed ones are seemingly standing up well. Haven't seen any reports of them failing early. Assume you have then?
Afaik, Nagengast have only been refurbishing the mag dampers for a couple of years so plenty of time yet for them to fail. lol.

PompeyReece

1,497 posts

90 months

Friday 14th August 2020
quotequote all
AstonExige said:
I've heard the opposite, apparently, the refurbed ones are seemingly standing up well. Haven't seen any reports of them failing early. Assume you have then?
I was told by a respected R8 tech that he's seen three/four sets fail within a few months of installing them and as such doesn't recommend them.

Same tech said he's converted around 50 cars from mag ride to coil overs.

AstonExige

661 posts

108 months

Friday 14th August 2020
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Venturist said:
Never understood the attraction of the mag rides in the UK because even the softest setting was a bit bumpy out on B roads. Certainly never wanted to use the stiffer setting!
I think passive suspension tends to be a stiffer ride than the soft setting on Magrides? When I was carrying out my research, the popular choice sits half way between the two settings? Compared to the Ftype and 1st gen Vantage, the Magride soft setting is noticeably softer, that's for sure. Bottom line, the roads in the UK are shocking (excuse the pun wink ) and any sports derivative is going to be "bumpy" on our B roads!

Kananga

1,101 posts

157 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
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I found the v10 plus was the perfect set up. Slightly stiffer than magride-soft, but very compliant and never crashy.

I’d recommend the set up highly and took comfort that it was all genuine Audi parts, etc.

Trev450

6,328 posts

173 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
quotequote all
Kananga said:
I found the v10 plus was the perfect set up. Slightly stiffer than magride-soft, but very compliant and never crashy.

I’d recommend the set up highly and took comfort that it was all genuine Audi parts, etc.
Agree with this entirely, and not only are the Plus dampers genuine Audi, they are of course correctly valved and sprung for the R8 unlike the cheaper aftermarket coilovers that tend to be more generic with their set up.


jakesmith

9,461 posts

172 months

Saturday 15th August 2020
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I have a v8 on non mag shocks, specifically hinted a car without the system to avoid exactly this issue
They ride well and the struts are £400 a corner. Maybe replace with them all round - cheap, OEM Audi

gcpeters

962 posts

233 months

Sunday 16th August 2020
quotequote all
PompeyReece said:
Do you mean Nagengast in Poland? They are mentioned above in the thread - if not, is there a UK place that does them?

I've been told refurbished ones are not particularly reliable (as they are a sealed unit and have to be cut open and re-sealed to refurbish) and the opposite from others. I can't recall anyone posting on here with a story of "I've had the Nagengast units on for 4/5 years and they've been fine" though.
nope it was some classic place in the UK, annoyingly i cant find it now as i was looking when my 458 shocks went..

Slippydiff

14,887 posts

224 months

Sunday 16th August 2020
quotequote all
gcpeters said:
PompeyReece said:
Do you mean Nagengast in Poland? They are mentioned above in the thread - if not, is there a UK place that does them?

I've been told refurbished ones are not particularly reliable (as they are a sealed unit and have to be cut open and re-sealed to refurbish) and the opposite from others. I can't recall anyone posting on here with a story of "I've had the Nagengast units on for 4/5 years and they've been fine" though.
nope it was some classic place in the UK, annoyingly i cant find it now as i was looking when my 458 shocks went..
Bell Sports and Classics ?

https://www.bellsportandclassic.co.uk/

OSHB47

Original Poster:

52 posts

51 months

Sunday 16th August 2020
quotequote all
Thanks all. Still waiting for formal quote but likely go route of OEM, perhaps Plus. It staggers me that this ridiculously expensive part is such a common fail. Are there any gen 1 R8s with magride fitted that have never failed? I doubt it...

Trev450

6,328 posts

173 months

Monday 17th August 2020
quotequote all
OSHB47 said:
Thanks all. Still waiting for formal quote but likely go route of OEM, perhaps Plus. It staggers me that this ridiculously expensive part is such a common fail. Are there any gen 1 R8s with magride fitted that have never failed? I doubt it...
Yes the garage queens. lol