After much umming and aahing, finally decided to lower my Avant. It's been three days of joy. I never expected the handling to improve as much as it has; was out yesterday behind my brother's S3 testing some of Jhb's finer bends and I must say that given past comparisons with said S3, the A4 is now a lot more capable in the twisty bits.

So it went from big 'n bouncy to taut and direct in two straight hours! And, of course, gained impressive new aesthetics! Who needs Extreme Makeover...

I am a little concerned though about the harder ride creating creaks and rattles in the cabin. Anyone experienced this?

Andrew, nothing in life is free! The suspension that a car comes with as standard is meant to suit the typical driver. It is therefore a compromise between comfort and handling. If you want better handling, it is quite easy to achieve (that is why H&R, Eibach, Bilstein and Koni are in business for) but the downside is that you have to be careful over bumps and yes, it does cause more rattles and creaks than a standard suspension would but I won't change back to a standard suspension because my car rattles a bit more - the better handling is worth it!

Couldn't agree more Gandalf... This car's transformation is unbelievable, and I daresay worth the few noises in the cabin it may create. That's what a CD player's for eh?