My Polo has rusty springs and leaking rear shocks and my MOT is due on 20/04/26 : (

I currently run 40mm lowering springs and G-max shocks, which are now obselete

I need a new kit.

My options seem to be

Bilstein B12 (46-192189) - around £680, but is on back order till May (as out of stock at Bilstein)

ST performance (ST23280001) 40mm drop . £522. Lead time unknown

H&R cup comfort (40846-1) 35mm drop, ?G40 only? £496.56. 2 week lead time

H&R cup comfort sport (31012-1) 60/40mm drop £496.56. 2 week lead time

AP Performance around £286.94 40/30mm, on back order 4-6 weeks

I'd love a B12 kit as I dont want to go crazy low, but I can't wait that long. Has anyone got any experience with H&R or ST?

I've got a 2F GT, it's got Bilstein B2s on the front with standard height springs, and the cheapest oil filled kit i could find on the back, standard ride height. I find that setup quite adept and dealing with washboarding, trenching and potholing on local roads. The standard tyres ride quite supple over holes and broken road surfaces, and tend to compliment the overall setup. I've got plenty of ground clearance for speed bumps of an unregulated height that will clobber the undercarriage of a lowered car. My steering rack bushes are suffering a bit.

Edited 6 March Mar 6 by mr brightside

H&R cup was used by Marc Crox on his Huey Polo. Good but a bit too soft for track.

Saf was also a fan of H&R

https://www.clubpolo.co.uk/topic/93726-mk23-suspension-kit-guide/#findComment-1892029

How about using the H&R cup shocks

K48-1004-01 rear

P48-1005-01 front

with replacement springs from losuspension.co.uk?

And do think about some G-laderseite ARB blocks for the castor. Also in that thread.

I think mine is FK or KW. Yellow, cheap so not actual Koni. Lowering Bonrath camber adjust top caps and 5mm rear spacers for wider track spring clearance with the summer alloys. Can't believe has lasted this long (14 years?), but beginning to be bouncy on the dreadful roads.

Edited 6 March Mar 6 by dvderlm

I used to run the AP Performance, and now I run the H&R. I'm ditching the H&R in the near future to go back to the AP. The H&R are stiff over bumps and soft in the corners. The fit of the H&R's was poor as well. I had to run the 2p trick in the strut and space out the top with tape. Non of that was needed on the AP's.

It's all personal opinion but that's mine anyway.

On 06/03/2026 at 21:40, dvderlm said:

I think mine is FK or KW. Yellow, cheap so not actual Koni. Lowering Bonrath camber adjust top caps and 5mm rear spacers for wider track spring clearance with the summer alloys. Can't believe has lasted this long (14 years?), but beginning to be bouncy on the dreadful roads.

Evo STVW03 dated 06.03.16.

So 10 years (driven for less than that).

Bought new TA-Technix cheap yellow lowered 60mm front shocks for now from Mecatechnic, and they are the same, just dated April 2026.