mk2 fabia vrs estate. itching to make changes

[gritdog88]

Ok, been a while since i have posted but still keep snooping around seeing what people are upto with their cars. To date, the only change i have made to car is internal light thanks to help from you guys.....now have a nice green glow.

i now have the itch to do more to the car though. Whether this is handling or performance....guess they both go hand in hand. The only problem i face is where to start. I see a lot of people trying different things, different makes etc so i'm kind of stuck. I'm not made of money either, so while i don't want cheap stuff that won't last or will damage the car, i would also like to try and keep spend to a minimum. The MOT is also coming up, so i guess if there are things which may get advisories or fail it could be an opportunity to spend a bit extra to start the modifications.

Hope to hear some replies whether this be from suppliers, garages, or people who just love to modify their cars. I'm based in Barnsley incase anyone suggests places to try

[Ally_bassman]

If I were you, the first mod to make would be a rear anti-roll bar, it will transform the handling.

 

Next would be some lowering springs/coilovers.

 

Next would be a remap/tuning box to eek out a little more power from the 1.4 twincharger.

[gritdog88]

Do you have any recommendations for manufacturers? Part numbers etc?

Are there different types of RARB for the estate? Same as springs etc?

[Ootohere]

Welcome to the forum.

 

Are all the things you might need checking while in Warranty checked and fixed under warranty if there are any.

Best see what is needed first and then spend on from that.

Extended Warranty if needed,

Change the Brake Fluid if not done, due at 3 years,

Fit Better Brake Pads if Pads are needed.

Are all the Tyres OK.

Is the Car Serviced, Oil & Filter & the Spark Plugs changed.

Is the Air Filter OK, or getting replaced.

 

Then the ARB, Springs, Bushes and anything else you can do while keeping a Valid Warranty.

Or just get a Remap and forget about having a Warranty.

 

Have fun doing what ever.

[Ally_bassman]

The H&R bar will be the one to go for. http://www.awesomegti.com/car/skoda/fabia2/h-r-rear-anti-roll-bar-25mm

 

Springs are different on the estate compared to the hatch, so make sure you get the correct ones, or you'll have a saggy rear end haha!

 

Again H&R are ones to go for IMO. Ebiach also do some good ones.

 

Like George said, make sure your engine and brakes are also up to scratch, a good clean air filter can do wonders on this engines. They get pretty much all their power from forced induction, so it makes sense to make sure the air flow is clean and unrestricted as possible!

Edited 1 May, 2015 by Ally_bassman

[gritdog88]

Cheers for advice will start to have a look.

Brake discs, pads and fluid were changed 12 months ago. Oil, Air filter, plugs changed 2 months ago. All standard though. Skoda return for gearbox oil done back end of last year

I have one year left on warranty so open to idea of re-map but see there are differences with boxes or proper ones if thats the right terminology.

[Sparkly]

I have my H&R Rarb for sale in the classifieds, close enough for you to collect.

Some say it is the best pound for pound mod you can get.

HTH

[Ootohere]

gritdog88,

 tell us about your Estate, there are not that many around,

do you know who had it before you, what colour, wheels etc?

 

Did you do the Brakes etc or were they done for you getting it?

[gritdog88]

Cheers sparkly, will try to find the post later when finished work.

goneoffski, its 2010, lime green, all i know about the wheels is that they are black.

Brakes were done as part of MOT last year. Got new discs and pads all round. I would post a pick but keeps failing when trying to do it on phone

[gritdog88]

Managed to attach a few pics but poor qual

[Ootohere]

Have a look in the Pinned Thread,

' vRS Register' at the top of the page, you might see it in there if a previous owner posted it there.

[gritdog88]

Have posted mine in the vrs register

Edited 1 May, 2015 by gritdog88

[gritdog88]

Ok, hope someone sees this, don't want to start a new thread and end up clogging forum.

Planned to do soon:

Change headlight bulbs to ultra h7's and front and rear indicators to silvertecs.....unless anyone has better reccomendations?

Replacement filter (ITG & Forge induction kits bit out of price range i think)

RARB anyone know the effect of 20 or 25mm?

Read about straight through center section for exhaust?? i presume this means removing a silencer which is in between back box and cat? Does this affect emmissions at all or just improve gas flow and make exhaust a bit louder?

After bit of saving:

Springs.....total beginner to this and apologies if being daft, but i take it 40mm is lower than 20? Or does the 40mm mean thats the gap, hence 20mm are lower? Also at what point have people found these cars to start catching on speed bumps etc? Are there really different ones for the estate? Someone mentioned ending up with back sagging if got wrong ones? Presume websites will state are for estate?

More saving:

TMC Tuning box

More saving:

read about 312mm brakes on front and 288 on back. But not found anywhere supplying these for my car yet. Or are they from a VW and just fit straight onto mine?

Hope someone can help and sorry if anything has sounded daft. This is my first time modifying a car.....only gone as far as air filters before. Also if anyone has any better ideas on changing order of planned jobs feel free

Thanks for your time

Gaz

[gritdog88]

Just remembered something else. Does anyone know of a link to a thread or have a list of things i should check with dealer? Heard about some recalls etc regarding breather pipes, ecu updates, engine replacements

i've personally been asked by skoda to take car in for them to change gearbox oil due to them saying the oil was causing short circuits

reason i am asking is because over last week, everynow and then under acceleration i hear a chatter/fluttering noise coming from the engine and a hesitation with the car, i immediately lift off and it goes away. Anyone else had this issue?

[Laars]

For the headlight bulbs, depending on what you are after. If you want brightness, go for Osram Night Breaker. If you want looks, go for Osram cool blue intense or Philips Diamond Vision.

If you want both, go for HID conversion.

 

Philips makes some quality Silver vision indicator bulbs as well.

 

Replacement panel filter = not worth it, save for something else or go for a proper induction kit.

Springs are not that expensive really. 40mm lowers 40mm, so it's lower than 20mm. Rear springs for the Estate are different than for the hatch.

 

You can remove the center silencer from the exhaust (between cat and back box) will not affect emissions, will not give gains, but will be louder (and lighter). Will need cutting and welding done.

 

Two most common campaigns are the ECU update and gearbox oil change. Check with the dealer do you need these done.

If they have been already done, they should be marked in the last pages of your service booklet.

Edited 28 May, 2015 by Laars

[Ootohere]

There are no 'Recalls'  on the car in the UK.

 

There is a Service Campaign, which is what they will have contacted you about.

So for no cost to you, and ask for a free courtesy car.

They Change the oil in the DQ200 DSG 7 Speed Twin Dry Clutch box from Synthetic to Mineral & update the Software.

http://skoda.co.nz/news/dsg-service-campaign

Same as this, but they probably will not replace the MCU.

 

Maybe while they are doing this, they can check if your car ever had the latest Software Update to the Engine ECU.

http://revotechnik.com/support/technical/14tsi-twincharger-engine-issues

Software Update for the CAVE engine is as mentioned here, and there is an Update available.

.............................................................................................

Maybe time that your car gets the Spark Plugs Replaced if they have not been done or you do not know there condition.

They might want to charge near £100 to do them, but since you are giving up a few hours to get the DSG Service Campaign done 

and they are being paid by Skoda,

ask for a discount.

..............................................................................................

 

If you have heated Seats, there might be a Service Campaign to change the Elements in them.

*Time to get your Brake Fluid changed at 3 years old, if not already done.' 

About £50 done at the Dealers while in for a Service, so maybe the same while they are doing Service Campaign work,

ask them nicely, after all you are taking the car in because VW / Skoda coc-ked up.*

EDIT.

 i see you had the brakes done with the new Discs and pads. post #9

 

PS

The Service Campaign Field Action on the DSG should be entered in the Service Book but often is not.

There should also be a Sticker in the Boot (Spare Tyre Well) beside the Cars VIN / Spec Sticker.

To show the work was done.

Edited 28 May, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[Ootohere]

Re Tuning Boxes on a CAVE engine,

TMC / Bluespark  or anyones.

 

Best for engine protection that before fitting a Tuning Box.

Be sure the Spark Plugs are all good before fitting.

 

Be sure the Engine is running the latest Skoda / VW Factory Engine Management Software.

 

Be sure the ECU has not already been Remapped to stage 1 or 2, (it can have been by the previous owner)

which you know for sure it is not when you have it running the very latest Factory Issue Software.

*Not all Stage 1 Remaps were good on the CAVE engine. eg REVO.*

 

Be sure your Insurance Cover allows the Fitting of a Tuning Box.

[gritdog88]

Thanks laars and goneoffSKI. Much appreciated. Will get in touch with a skoda dealer to find out if i need an ECU update as had the dsg bit done a bit ago.

Plugs should have been changed in last service earlier this year at dealer i bought car from....hopefully they did do it.

Has anyone any idea on the chatter/fluttering noise i mentioned? Could this be a car issue or is it something which i could be making happen with driving style etc?

[Ootohere]

I suspect you might have a misfire and that is why i am suggesting the spark plugs may need changing.

 

 

The Spark Plugs are not a Service Schedule Item at 3 Years and a Minor Service, but can be if that was at 40,000 miles.

Do you have Invoices showing the parts used at services?

 

If it was a Skoda Dealership that did the 2nd or any other service then the ECU Update should have been done.

& if the Car was Serviced after May 2013 at a Skoda Dealership the Service Campaign Work should have been 

done then. 

So if they Contacted you & you had it done fair enough, but really it should maybe have been done sooner.

Best take nothing for granted for what is done at Services, so check if the Plugs have been changed.

 

?? 

How many Miles has the car done?

Edited 28 May, 2015 by goneoffSKi

[gritdog88]

Ok then. As i said. It only happens every now and then and tends to be under acceleration.

I don't have an invoice for any of the two services iv had done since had the car but kicked off at the seat dealership i got it from as they said i could set up a service schedule for x amount per month, then for second year running said i was just going to get a oil and filter change. But the skoda schedule says on vehicles after 4 yrs, spark plug change and air filter. So i eventually got them to say they would do this aswell. What is making me wonder though is it doesn't look like the torx bits around the air box have been touched.....expected to see a bit of bare metal with the rust on them. Which then also makes me wonder about the spark plugs........but they have ticked in service book that they have done it

[Ootohere]

I see in the register you bought it in 2013, so fair enough if they had not done the DSG.

 

Ticked Service Books are not good enough.

Check the Air Filter yourself,

& some lazy sods that do change spark plugs just do 3 and not the one that takes more work to change.

 

I do not have a Service Schedule that shows Air Filter and Plugs at 4 Years on the Twincharger.

But we know they need done sooner than that commonly.

[gritdog88]

Cheers for advice. I will check the filter and attempt to check spark plugs. Hopefully not too difficult and will try to get photo evidence of bits to take back to dealer if find they haven't been done. Bought car in 2013 but its a 2010 car. CAVE engine.

will also e-mail skoda directly tomorrow if there is a contact e-mail instead of contacting a skoda dealer and hopefully find out what should have been done to car if they can tell

[Ootohere]

You need an Ignition Coil Remover or to be able to make one.

 

Not much Skoda Customer Services can tell you now.

You just need the Spark Plugs checked, and changed if need be,

and if the car is running OK then after near 5 years with a Good Clean Airfilter & Spark Plugs and 

99 Ron petrol you are sorted.

[gritdog88]

Ok so guessing its difficult to remove spark plugs then. Will see if i can get them checked. Although i took the air box off last nice and was glad to see a nice white clean filter in there so not as worried as i was previously.

Still waiting on a response from bickerton skoda as to whether there are any ecu updates etc and what the acceptable oil consumption is.

Has anyone used top gear performance in doncaster on hear for exhausts and remaps? Considering going through and having a chat about what to do to car but unsure as price they quoted for a remap seems very cheap compared to other places

[Ootohere]

Are you using Oil. ? you never mentioned that.

 Or are you just wanting to know about what is deemed acceptable?

 

The figure Skoda / VW give it as 'May use 0.5 litres 1000 km. (621 miles)  so 1 litre 1,242 miles.'  

Which is nonsense.  

They give that for all the Engines, 3 or 4 cylinder Petrol & Diesel 

& from 44kw-132-136 kw Twinchargers.  Even on 2 litre engines in other Models.

& then that is given in their words as 'According to Conditions of Use, Driving Style' etc, and 60-70 MPH roads in the UK is not where they can claim that High Oil Consumption is liable when just using as a Passenger Car, no towing or High Mountain Passes in High Summer.

 

Official Oil Consumption tests often show as 0.31 litres used in 1000 km.

 which is working out at 1 lire every 1,800 odd miles,

or 1 litre every 5 tanks or so of petrol.

People get action on getting this resolved under warranty if they have a Warranty.

 

Best to not think about a Remap unless you are certain your engine is all good,

find out why it has a Flurtter / chatter / hesitation,

is it only the Plugs ?, then see how it goes on the Latest ECU update, it might feel great.

Maybe your car has been Mapped already.

http://revotechnik.com/support/technical/14tsi-twincharger-engine-issues

Edited 30 May, 2015 by goneoffSKi