"coilover" what does it mean

Hi all,
I have seen some people on vortex saying silly things like ground control coilovers aren't coilovers, they are adjustable spring perches.
Well, the traditional definition of a "coil over" simply means that the coil is installed with the shock absorber/strut right through the middle of the spring, and the spring perch is installed on the shock/strut body rather than on the frame or a-arm etc. (The definition may not even require that the perch be on the shock/strut, on this point I am unsure.)
What does that mean? that means your stock a1 and a2 etc. comes STOCK with coilovers.
Now, aftermarket coilovers have come to be known as such because often other marques of cars in the racing arena replace stock suspension types, i/e leaf springs, torsion springs, separate shock / coil spring mounings, with a suspension of the coilover type, thus they are going "to coilovers." Which, in this case is a clear change and easy differentiation from stock. This is not the case in the VW world.
So, technically, aftermarket setups are "adjustable coilovers" replacing your stock "non adjustable coilovers"
I'm not saying people shouldn't call the adjustable aftermarket stuff simply by "coilover." What I am saying, is that technically, everything from stock to full race is a coilover so to say one style of adjustable coilover is any more or less a true coilover than another, really shows ones lack of knowledge on the use and origin of the term.
As always, I could be way wrong and welcome any corrections or observations one might have.
take care,
Steve
P.S. i dont have a lot of experience with a3 and a4, but would guess they have coilovers stock at all 4 corners as well.
EDIT: clarified different stock suspension type descriptions.



[Modified by jester69, 2:22 PM 2-8-2002]