An ignition coil is one of the most important parts of a car’s ignition system. Its primary function is to transform the voltage coming from the battery to a much higher voltage required to create a spark in the spark plugs.
When a VW ignition coil goes bad, it can cause a series of issues. Although you might be able to drive your car, it’s best to replace it sooner rather than later to avoid long-term issues it could cause.
In this article, we’ll cover how the quality affects performance, what some of the most popular brands for a VW ignition coil are, and how to choose the right one.
How Does Quality of Ignition Coils Affect Performance?
Modern engines such as the VW/Audi’s TFSI and TSI models require high-quality ignition coils to operate smoothly. Some types of engines are more flexible when it comes to the quality of ignition coils, but the better the quality, the better the performance.
The VW ignition coil design has changed over the years as VAG group perfected its engines. That being said, one thing was consistent — the use of quality materials. Almost all modern VAG gasoline engines rely on their ignition coils working within a very tight spec where there is simply no margin for error. That’s why cheaper aftermarket coils simply aren’t a good fit for these cars.
Investing in quality ignition coils is a must if you’re looking for long term reliability. Cheaper coils might come across as a more affordable immediate solution, but you’ll be changing them in no time. Not to mention the fact that they may also cause other issues with your car.
VW Ignition Coil Selection – Popular Brands and Designs
If you’re looking for a VW ignition coil that will provide OEM performance, you’ll most likely come across manufacturers such as Delphi, Bosch, Beru and others. All of these are great options. Bosch is arguably one of the best manufacturers of ignition coils out there, especially for VW vehicles. Their selection of available models is pretty extensive. If you own a 2.0 TFSI engine, Bosch 0221604115 is arguably a great option for your car.
That being said, there are other ways to go about this. Genuine VW/Audi coils are always an option as well. Yes, they are more expensive than almost anything in the OEM segment, but they also bring the highest guarantees of quality. Many VW/Audi owners use Genuine Red Top ignition coils which were first installed in the Audi R8. Right now APR makes a version of their own, which is pretty decent all things considered.
One thing to note is that VW has gone from a naked ignition coil design to a sleeved design for some of their engines. Even though there aren’t many coils on the market that feature the obsolete design, you could still run into them. By using the car selection tool in our store, you’ll be able to completely avoid this entire issue as you’ll be presented with parts that are a guaranteed fit for your car.
Do Red Top Coils Improve Performance?
Speaking of Bosch R8 Red Top ignition coils, there’s quite a bit of controversy surround their use. Some say they improve performance, others claim that they are better than OEM. In reality, most of those claims are unsubstantiated.
What we do know is that Red Tops work better in built engines that are pushing a lot more power to the wheels. Other than that, they are about as good as the regular OEM for most daily driver applications. Still, there’s nothing quite like seeing four or more Red Tops looking pretty on a valve cover.
Bosch Ignition Coils
Bosch is a well-known manufacturer of auto parts and is considered the top brand to look for when you’re buying OEM parts.
Bosch uses only the highest-quality materials in building ignition coils. By constantly investing in research and development, they’ve managed to provide OEM parts not only for Volkswagen, but for Audi, BMW, and many other premium car brands.
The reason why many people choose Bosch and why so many mechanics recommend a Bosch VW ignition coil as a replacement is because you’ll get a great warranty, and a quality part for a pretty affordable price. A VW ignition coil is also very reliable if it came from Bosch.
Delphi Ignition Coils
Delphi has been in the ignition coil business for a very long time, and it’s no wonder why they’re one of the leading brands when it comes to OEM parts.
With more than a hundred years of experience in manufacturing parts for the ignition system, Delphi has been the catalyst for major changes and improvements in how modern ignition coils work. Today, with high-quality components and manufacturing control, Delphi is amongst the leading manufacturers of ignition coils amongst other automotive parts. If you’re looking for a VW ignition coil, you won’t be wrong if you choose Delphi.
How to Choose the Right VW Ignition Coil for Your Car?
Alright, so with so many different options on the market, how exactly do you choose the right ignition coil for your car?
There are a few simple rules of thumb. For one, stick to Genuine or OEM. That alone will sort out most of the VW ignition coil related issues. The second rule of thumb is to check the latest coil design for your engine and stick to that.
If you’re a fan of OEM stuff, and you don’t feel like paying the Genuine premium, Bosch will do just fine. If you can’t find Bosch, any of the other OEM brands will also do. As you can tell, making an actual choice isn’t all that difficult.
Give Your Car Premium Quality For a Premium Experience
Many people get tempted to go with more affordable aftermarket parts for their car once they see a difference in price between these parts and OEM replacement parts. The ignition system being one of the most important ones in the car doesn’t react well to low-quality replacements which is why only OEM replacement parts are recommended.
We’ve mentioned a few popular VW ignition coil brands that provide manufacturer-specific features, and you can find all of these at eEuroparts.com. Aside from an OEM VW ignition coil, you can find other parts for your VW or Audi – all you need to do is use our vehicle selection tool and pick a specific category of parts you’re interested in.
