Lowering Springs - are they worth it?

[JWvrs25]

I am looking to possibly lower my car on lowering springs, don't want to go really low just want to make the arch gap look less

Its a standard fabia mk1 hatch

 

I have been looking at AP springs I don't want to spend too much money really but wondered if there were any benefits to spending a but more ie eibach springs.

Will lowering springs make the car handle better/flatter in corners?

will the ride quality be significantly affected - not too bothered about more firmness but dont want it to be crashy and horrible to drive over long distances

How much should it be lowered - 25mm, 30mm 40mm??

 

Advice greatly appreciated

[@Lee]

AP lowering kit from DPM

 

https://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/

[JWvrs25]

AP lowering kit from DPM

 

https://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/

the kit for my car comes up as a 30mm front and 35mm rear lowering

is that not a bit strange?

[vRSAnt]

If you aren't planning to keep forever, hardly worth it IMO.

Having done this in hindsight it does feel a bit like trying to turn a Fiat into a Ferrari....

but I will add for its merits it does feel more like its handling on rails with the lower springs - very confidence inspiring and transforms the character of the car.

Cosmetically closer to what it feels like it should be too.

 

But, for comfort and clearance, I'm going back to standard.....I'd rather drive the car in a similar way to a regular tdi and suffer the extra body rool etc.

More recently as the Fabias now my 2nd car it really ought to be the more comfortable one as its currently the least sporty of the two!

Just doesn't add up for my 130K 10 year old car to cost an extra 175%+ on insurance for just this "mod".

 

Hence I have some HR springs (40mm?) for sale in very good condition coming off the car if you are interested ! Edit: for vRS.

Edited 20 October, 2016 by vRSAnt

[JWvrs25]

thanks for the advice

Insurance is something to consider as i bet that would be more.

Mines a non VRS so your springs wouldn't work unfortunately 

[wja96]

Bear in mind that the vRS is already dropped 10mm

the kit for my car comes up as a 30mm front and 35mm rear lowering

is that not a bit strange?

Not really. The vRS is already dropped 10mm so the springs for a non-vRS have to drop the extra 10mm and making the car sit down at the back reduces squat under acceleration.

[wja96]

And also remember that unless your dampers are set up for a soft ride, so it could be a bit interesting if you don't change those too.

And if the dampers have been on the car a long time (potentially since new) then they may not take kindly to suddenly being permanently forced to sit an inch lower than before.

But they'll probably be fine.

[vRSAnt]

thanks for the advice

Insurance is something to consider as i bet that would be more.

Mines a non VRS so your springs wouldn't work unfortunately 

 

I guarantee it will be more expensive mine was approaching 200% which is ridiculous but then I do get some fairly cheap standard quotes, and more hassle, plus some places like axa wouldn't even touch you !

 

Keep it standard mate, its a car not an oil painting, and how it operates it more important than how it looks IMO and you will save a pretty penny on insurance longer term too.

 

or buy my springs if you like ( but on yours will be slammed as will be a 50mm drop effectively lol)

[vindaloo]

A simpler possibility is to fit a Whiteline rear anti-roll bar. That will tighten up the handling somewhat without the expense of lowering. Insurance hike is likely lower too.

 

You could also look into uprating the front ARB to the VRS one.

 

J.

[JWvrs25]

A simpler possibility is to fit a Whiteline rear anti-roll bar. That will tighten up the handling somewhat without the expense of lowering. Insurance hike is likely lower too.

 

You could also look into uprating the front ARB to the VRS one.

 

J.

I'm not too bothered about the performance gains from lowering it, purely cosmetic. At the end of the day is a 1.2 so not really worth upgrading for performance. Its surprisingly good fun on roundabouts with decent tyres in the dry tho

[vRSAnt]

Don't bother then, cosmetics is a very fickle reason to go through all that hassle and cost and no one is really going to be looking ( sorry just being honest ).

 

Thats why I'm changing back, I'm maybe growing in maturity of outlook and value overall ride over compromise for looks/improved handling.

The handling really is good, but only as good as say my octavia is as standard and that rides better and is sportier still.

 

Have you tried the cheaper oem route, maybe try and get some vrs standard springs ( that should be sportier), rather than costly aftermarket stuff that may not be that suitable to all roads. ( the standard vrs spring is a better compromise if you have any value of comfort ).

I threw my originals away as at the time people were struggling to sell theirs for £20 (error) and I was right in the middle of a house move too so couldn't hassle even with waiting to see if someone wanted them for free, but since replaced with some others I bought for the same, they are very low value used market.

 

When I changed to lowered I immediately noticed the deterioration of road comfort ( despite having newer shocks at the time ), although handling is like a go kart so its horses for courses.

Edited 24 October, 2016 by vRSAnt

[JWvrs25]

Cheers for the advice, im probably not going to bother with lowering springs then, especially as im not planning to keep the car that long

Will the standard VRS springs fit the non vrs shocks on the front, and make it sit the tiny bit lower than the standard car?

what about the rear?

[vRSAnt]

Check the pics of side pics of say Fabia 1.4MPI to vRS.

I have no doubt they would actually fit, but how suitable they are depends, what engine is it ? I don't think this mentioned yet.

There is 1.9SD, TDi ( which are probably ideally matched to vRS on engine weight).

 

But there are then lighter engines which may not be as weighted for the springs like the 1.2 at the worst case of difference in front end weight (so worse case is you will be oversprung, so won't be as comfortable or suited to the car which is used to the movement and support of a much heavier engine).

Not sure the weight of the 1.4 Mpi or 16V to compared ( you could google their kerb weight in each engine specs case?).

 

Its been asked before and that went to AP

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/394161-mk-1-fabia-vrs-springs/

 

Pity, the ETKA mirror sites were up until recent but stopped working. You could look at the various suspension codes and it would tell you what they were fitted to ( which could be useful in your case).

 

I wouldn't bother personally but each their own. For this being the biggest mod, and the insurance being min 150% more expensive its just not worth it.
Having dropped the original suspension its not half as bad as I was worried about either tbh, if I then sell my original springs and spiders wheel for at least some part of what I payed I will be happy as the standard car isn't so bad.

[vRSAnt]

Theres not a lot in it mate, I wouldn't bother personally.

 

Instead lower if you must with required proper kit weighted for your model - but its not for everyone, and not nessarily suited to country (or cheaper insurance!).

Perhaps more for the "youth" and the extremely committed!

Makes you feel quite a bit faster in corners ( which kind of makes up for the hassle, well a bit.....) but its the rest of the time I can't stand so much ( real driving not staring at the car)

 

 

 

Edited 26 October, 2016 by vRSAnt

[JWvrs25]

Phoned insurance today and they want £140 for lowering springs so definitely not going to bother, cars not worth it really either tbh and i would probably get annoyed with the harder ride after a while

I'll find some other modifications to do

[vRSAnt]

Good call dude, thats the brain doing the thinking there rather than the heart

 

Wish I'd saved the effort some 30k miles ago and not allowed my heart to rule my head on this, although I suppose it was worth it to see what the fuss was about and did pimp my experience with my Fabia which was more important how I felt about it until I got the Octy and now it kind of balances things out a bit more.

 

This should now more my comfy / easier driver on local roads, with good economy but by no means boring