I picked up a full set from [MENTION=6197]eddietorr[/MENTION] secondhand. Sorry for the bad news!
A quick search found some other car forums discussing increased ride height from Billsteins and most equated it to blown stock shocks or the higher pressure in the Billsteins (which you could definitely tell compressing them side to side with stock).
When I installed the Bilstein HDs on my factory springs (I did not want to risk lowering the car since I worked on EVERY SCCA Pro Rally I could get to at the time, and had to get down some VERY rough stage roads) in my '89 A2 16V GTI, they definitely raised the ride height over the factory struts/dampers by
at least a quarter to a half inch, if not more.
The factory (Sachs?) dampers were less than two years old (bought and owned this car from new), and
definitely were NOT blown out or leaking at all at that time.
The Koni Sports I installed on my '83 A1 GTI with the factory springs before this did NOT raise the car AT ALL over the factory ride height.