[200q20v] Bilsteins and boots

[hah at srv.net]

>I had new Bilsteins (HD) installed less than a yr ago - the front boots 
are
>now badly torn. Don't Bilsteins ship with new boots that are yellow? I 
know
>the shocks are yellow and thought I saw boots included in the box. The 
boots
>on their now are black and look a million years old.

I don't think any of the Bilsteins I have received (9 units = 2 full cars + 
1 warranty replacement) arrived with boots. Shocks are yellow, all my boots 
are approx. a million years old as well - except the one matching the new 
bump stop on the replaced GTI rear. I suspect old boots of allowing grit 
buildup on top of shock, killing the seals and mashing the bump stop into 
little tiny pieces - causing me to drive the Audi for several weeks while 
the GTI was up in the air waiting for warranty turnaround.

HTH
Henry Harper
http://www.srv.net/~hah
1991 200 quattro, 112k, Bilsteins, dead a/c
1988 GTI 16v, 217k, one Bilstein newer than the other three, cold a/c