mr_s81

I'd be interested in getting a hybrid fitted to my VRS. I know uprating the clutch and dmf would need done. But would there be any way of using the OE SMIC in the short term until the necessary funds were gathered to fit a FMIC? Or in the interests of reliability, does the clutch, FMIC and hybrid all need to be done at the one time? Cheers

Yeah, I think that's where I'm at at the minute. I think maybe having it all red would be a bit bland, and also removing the bump strips makes it more likely to get dreaded dents in the door! From what you're saving then, in your experience if the job is done properly there should be no issues with flaking. On that basis then, I definitely think I'll get the bodyshop to respray the existing handles and see how it goes. Cheers mate. I seem to be rather fickle and change my mind quite a bit. Sometimes I think the door handles looks ok and then other times I think it cheapens the finish on the car. If I'd bought a black one I wouldn't be considering colour coding the door handles/bump strips as it looks great as it is! PS I got it remapped about a week after I bought it. Drives lovely now!! Thanks - as I've said above, some money has been spent on the chipping already. I've also a whiteline rear arb lying in my garage ready to be fitted this weekend hopefully!

Is this the case for the 'basic' VRS model too, or does the thacham cat 1 only apply to the SE spec?

The blistering paint beneath the strips would be my biggest fear. I just couldn't afford a respray! After seeing the photoshops, I'd be inclined to agree with you on the plain-ness. The strip does "break up" the sea of red on the side of the car. Will maybe try colour coded handles and leave the bump strip. Local skoda dealer phoned me back regarding the handles. Eventually got quoted £200+ VAT for 4 new handles sprayed!!! Lol - I think not!!! :no:

Cheers! Have you any other pics of the car from different angles since you've fitted the springs? On my old Ibiza FR Tdi I went with springs without replacing the shocks before I went for coilovers, but even then, I found them much too hard. I would be concerned about doing the same with this! I like my comfort you see. Must be a sign of getting old!!

Not sure if they're primed or not?? Will ask when / if they phone back. Beginning to wonder if I'd be as cheap just letting the bodyshop paint the existing handles when my front spoiler is being done and sere if the finish on them lasts. I had spoken to the bodyshop about getting them painted initially and it was then that they raised concerns about how long the finish would last, given that the door handles aren't designed for being painted. But after speaking to KTP via pm about the colour coding of the handles he'd done. He said he has had no problems with paint flaking off in the two years since they've been painted. It's hard to know!

That ride height looks good to me!! In what ways is it better than the OE setup? Comfort/handling etc?

Loving the shine and stance on that VRS. Is that just on Eibach springs as suggested in your sig? Standard shocks? What's the ride quality like?

Just phoned my local skoda dealer there. £21.94+vat for each handle x 4 = £103.12 unpainted. :S They're to phone the body shop to see how much the painting will cost on top of that!

Didn't know that about the elegance model. Every day's a school day... I wonder when you say "not too much money", is your idea of "not too much money" and mine the same!!

I think you're right there. Not sure whether colour coding both the handles and bump strips would be sensible without seeing the handles first. The black strip (IMO) doesn't look too bad against the red. It's probably the handles that annoy me the most as I think it's strange having none colour coded handles on a car that was (correct me if I'm wrong)supposed to be the top of the range model at the time?!

Wow - big to all who've took the time to do this, I really appreciate it!! Not many sites about as helpful and friendly as this one! Looking at your pics I'm now not sure if I've overcomplicated things and given myself too many choices!! Doh!! At the minute, I think it's either - 1. Taking off the bump strips and colour coding the handles. 2. Leaving on the bump strips and colour coding the handles. What's your opinion peeps?!

Well that is another possibility I guess! Be nice to see what it looked like though! Also not sure how the paint on the bump strips might stand up to some numpty flinging a door on to them!? Would look awful if it started to flake off

As I've mentioned in the shiney pics thread. I bought my VRS on 29th December and since then have been thinking of doing minor things to try and personalise it a bit. After having seen some of the pics on this site, I notice that some of you are getting the door handles colourcoded and / or removing the bump strips? Would some kind slightly more competent IT person than myself, do a photoshop on this picture? If it was possible I would like three things. 1. A photoshop of the car with the bumpstrip removed and handles left as they are (black). 2. A photoshop of the car with the handles colourcoded and bump strip left on. 3. A photoshop of the car with the handles colourcoded and bump strip removed. I've the car booked in to a local bodyshop to respray the front bumper as the lacquer is starting to peel off in certain places. I'm also tempted by this colour coding malarky, but would like to get an idea of what it may look like before taking the plunge!! Any help would be much appreciated!! Thanks Ian

Same pics as in the exhaust tip thread, but hey, any old excuse to show them again! This was the car about 2 weeks ago. Bought it on 29th December and treated it to loads of de-tarring (if there's such a word) with Autoglym stuff. Then used Megs stage 1 paint cleaner, Megs stage 2 polish, Poorboys sealant and finally coated it off with Poorboys wax! First pic doesn't do the shine justice as the light was fading rapidly when I took it. The second and third pics were taken a bit earlier in the day so the shine is more apparent. Car has also been custom remapped and I received a new whiteline rarb in the post yesterday which is waiting in my garage to get fitted this weekend!