I have the german JOM shocks on my 86 golf, i had them all set at 30 threads up form the bottom , dropped the body down a good 3-4 inches. Its hard to get a jack of anykind under there now.
never bottomed out while driving. ride is compairable to an M3 or a truck, just a little stiffer.
I have a(unusually) high curb while pulling into my driveway, everyonce and a while when im front heavy, ill scrape a little metal on the front frame (also always scrape the bumper on the M3)
I would assume (and we all know what happens when one assumes) that the closer to stock setting you keep it, the less stiff it should be, also give it a month or so to break in, cause they are stiff when you first run them.
Okay, thank you, that's a good start. Sounds like the JOM's would suit my preference for stiffness. You do mean a little stiffer than the M3/truck, right?
The assumption should be incorrect by the way. Changing the height on coilovers changes the position of the spring, but not the preload, so the ride should be the same regardless of position. The only gotcha is if you are using a variably valved shock and you raise or lower into a different valving. Now my question becomes: How much adjustment is available above the spring seats the way you sit? Is there room to move the seats up 3-4"? If so, I'll wind up dropping the five bills on the JOMs locally. FWIW, I was dragging the middle of the car (little crossbar under the rear seat?), and didn't like the thought of being high centered on a speed bump!
Sometimes I wish I was rich and could buy $2000 bilsteins, sway bars, nice wheels, a paint job, new windshield, fix all the rust spots/holes, new door seals nice seats bla bla.......but what fun would that be? 
I'll be into this one for 10 grand by the time i'm done, a little at a time, and all labour including body and paint mine, not counted in money spent. Seems a bit silly on a maybe $2000 car, but it's what I like, and the 10g wouldn't buy me anything I'd like as much, so it makes sense. Well, it makes sense to me anyways.

I sure would like to pull the car into the shop for a week, have it painted while I prep the engine etc., and hit everything all in one slam though, instead of picking at it as I have funds and find stuff cheap. I was thinking that I'd build my own strut bars, and MAY do something in the way of my own rear sway bar as well. If I do the sway bar thing I will post pics.