Rieger Front & Rear Valences |
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What: Rieger Front & Rear Valences Why: I reviewed just about all of the front end bumpers for the Jetta. Initially, the "ricer" type bodykit was somewhat appealing. After a bit of flaming on VW Vortex in regards to a couple of the fiberglass kits I was looking at, I tried to find a number of real cars with the kits installed. Invariably, they all looked pretty bad. For several weeks, I explored all of the "VW Vortex Approved" valences and sideskirts. For the most part, they all looked pretty weak. They all looked like they were trying to be shaved, or they were big and guady; really, there was little improvement over the "ricer" type - they were just as ugly, only different. It was already pretty clear that most of the VW Vortex crew were either fairly young, and for the most part didn't know what quality really was in terms of taste, or they were older/more experienced and far too Eurocentric/Europhiles to objectively review the parts in question. Another unfortunate thing that came to light in regards to VW Vortex was that 90% of the population was on a pretty strict budget. They were use to these cheap cars they could barely afford, and the modifications they did were piecemeal and on the cheap. Taking advice from them part and parcel was becoming increasingly difficult, since the whole mentality at VW Vortex is essentially the same as the "ricer" crowd, just more elitist. VW Vortex, as a whole would obviously deny this, as they don't want to be lumped into that crowd, but to an outsider, which I was at the time, looking in, it was pretty clear there was very little difference between the two groups. Even a blind sow finds an acorn once in awhile, and I did eventually take their advice as to leaving the fiberglass "ricer" type kits alone. If for no other reason than fitment and prep work for paint would be a bitch - it would also double the cost in the long run. So - I expored the plastic/rubberized parts and finally settled on the Reiger front and rear valence, because it was accented the body, without completely distorting it. Distorting the body of a car isn't bad in and of itself, but the choices available for the A4 platform is not exactly limited, but it ranges within two small extremes - either hidiously garish and ricey or Eurocentric and fugly. The Rieger stuff seems to have struck a fairly good balance, so I went with them. What I would do differently: I would probably go with the GLI front lip. I'm not sure what I would do on the rear. The problem with the Rieger valences is they are a lot bigger than I expected from looking at the pictures. I have about 3" of clearance in the front, and I almost immediately cracked the lip on a curb. The GLI lip offers a little more clearance. The Reiger rear apron is big - unexpectedly so. I don't have any clearance problems, but I think it's just slightly too big and makes the ass-end of the car look overloaded. I would like to see a Rieger rear apron about 1.5 - 2" shorter. Where: Front - North American Motorsports |
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