Raising the Driveway

I finally got the new 18" feet on last night, and I think they're looking pretty good. It took me a long time to find something I liked and could afford. Most of the wheels out there for sale scream "pimp" or "rice" with lots of chrome and shiny bits. I looked at BBS wheels which are pretty common among Audi enthusiasts, but they're well above my price limit and I actually think they're a bit ugly. The O.Z. Ultraleggeras are silver rather than chrome, have a nice open look, and they're far lighter than the stock wheels. The gas savings from having lighter wheels and lower profile tires should pay for the wheels in no time...

There are only two problems with the new wheels. The brand-new finish is perfect of course, so I'll live in fear of the first scratch. Secondly, the car now cries out to be lowered a little. Something about having nice wheels accentuates the unattractive gap between the tire and the fender. I have two obstacles to overcome before lowering the car, though. The first is that I need to save up some buckaroos. The second is that I need to raise the driveway. The short little driveway we have goes up a hill and into the barn, creating an angle that makes clearance a problem. As it is right now, the gravel in the drive has settled so much that I'm already occasionally touching the board on the edge of the floor. I can't go lowering the car by an inch until I jack up the driveway at least an inch and a half or more. Who would've thought that improving the suspension on the car would require a load or two of gravel?