Hi, unfortunately my '07 2.0 TDI L&K had the misfortune of being hit by an unmanned motorbike (yes it's true). It went in for repair last week and I've got a '58 2.0 TDI Jetta Sport. My question is how can the Jetta have a better ride than my Octy, they both have 17" wheels 45 profile tyres, but the Jetta has sport suspension. So how can this be ?

Slightly different suspension setup would be your answer I think. Perhaps a different damper rebound and spring rate?

You'd need to look at the spring and damper setup on each car, and then compare part numbers and setup.

Steve

my passat has the sports suspension and 18" wheels and its surprising how smooth and comfortable the ride is so i think its safe to say lowered suspension doesn't necessarily mean bone shaking ride

my passat has the sports suspension and 18" wheels and its surprising how smooth and comfortable the ride is so i think its safe to say lowered suspension doesn't necessarily mean bone shaking ride

Not trying to hijack the thread, but I do like the look of your Passat.

Must agree also its a fine looking car that Passat

Does the L&K have sports suspension?

If not, there's your answer.

My L&K hasn't got sport suspension but it just seems to crash and bang over bumps as the Jetta seems smoother even with the sports suspension.

My L&K hasn't got sport suspension but it just seems to crash and bang over bumps as the Jetta seems smoother even with the sports suspension.

MIght appear to initially be a daft comment but are you sure your transport chocks are removed?! I was at the local VW dealer yesterday looking at a Golf - we got chatting and he let slip that some had been missed at their PDI's and just two weeks ago they found some still installed on a car that was TWO YEARS OLD! (it had just been in for its 2 year service and it was noticed only then!) :eek:

The VW's definetly have a more fluid ride to them however - just a better engineered feel imo. Damper rate, rebound control and spring stiffness will all play a part in that.

Lee

IMHO the octy is over sprung and under damped.

IMHO the octy is over sprung and under damped.

100% agree with that comment - as standard mine was too bouncy at times.

I hope the chocks have been removed, its been in for 2 services since I bought it from new . Must admit I do prefer the Jetta, just as an overall thing, theres only one thing that puts me off, the boot lid, the boot is big but the lid/opening is quite small.

Do Koni offer FSDs for the L&K I wonder? :rubchin:

100% agree with that comment - as standard mine was too bouncy at times.

I second that, new car feels so much more stable cornering at speed than my vRS did and considering the vRS is designed more as the performance car, id expect it to be the way round

so deffinatly oversprung and under damped, with that in mind, id say change the dampers for some koni's. Id imagine if they fit the vRS they'd fit the L&K as theres not a great deal of difference in the suspension other than the springs

Guy's, many thanks for all the input, much appreciated. Now I've got to see whether to change the suspension on a 20 month old car, or buy another one

I dont think any of the Skodas have a great suspension setup, i find the Golf MK5 rides and handles much nicer than the Octavia. The Fabia II I have with 16" crashes about everywhere, but it does handle okay

I have seen in reviews that Skoda's suspensions are set the way they are so they can be used on rougher Czeck roads

I have seen in reviews that Skoda's suspensions are set the way they are so they can be used on rougher Czeck roads

:eek: I think I'd want the smoother, better damped setup on rougher roads!

I guess these are the areas that make the VW a few grand more expensive.

Lee

I'm actually quite impressed with the std ride setup on the Octy2 vRS, two weeks into ownership. It's certainly a hell of a lot better out of the box than a Fabia vRS. And I've adapted well coming from one that I had fitted with the Eibach/Koni FSD setup.

I'm quite fussy when it comes to suspension setups and it's likely I'll eventually plump for the same setup as I had on the Fabia, but it's running well at the moment

Steve

:eek: I think I'd want the smoother, better damped setup on rougher roads!

I guess these are the areas that make the VW a few grand more expensive.

Lee

When I recently tried the Mk 6 Golf SE1.4 TDI DSG with standard 16" wheels and the facelifted Octy 1.9 TDI shod with standard 15" wheels in my opinion there was not much to choose between them in ride quality, both good and if pushed I would say that the Octy just edged it.

Many road tests praise the Octavia for its ride quality, especially when on 15 &16 inch rims.

I'm actually quite impressed with the std ride setup on the Octy2 vRS, two weeks into ownership. It's certainly a hell of a lot better out of the box than a Fabia vRS. And I've adapted well coming from one that I had fitted with the Eibach/Koni FSD setup.

I'm quite fussy when it comes to suspension setups and it's likely I'll eventually plump for the same setup as I had on the Fabia, but it's running well at the moment

Steve

Being Stefano and having a VRS (although TDI), I tend to agree with Steve

I test drove (several times), Golf GTI, Golf GT TDI and Octy vRS. The GTI had a much harder ride on rough roads than the vRS (and the GT), and yet the GTI had 17" wheels, while the vRS had (the Oz std) 18". I think a lot depends on the fine tuning manufacturers do to suit their perceived market niche, as I don't believe there is really that much diffrence in the price/quality of the suspension components of the two diffrent cars.

That's why I always tell people to have a good test drive of any car they are considering buying, and preferably on the sort of roads that they mostly drive on.

Jettas in Australia are reknowned for handling really badly, especially on a not so perfect road, the Skoda setup here is different to elsewhere, and with the same components, Skoda have in most peoples experiences nailed it a bit better here than VW did. Funny seeing as both would have been setup by the same VW crew.

There's a video on youtube somewhere showing Skoda Suspension being tested.

I couldnt find it though

Like this?

Very advanced, I must say

well, what do you mean by 'better ride' actually??

smoother, more comfy, better cornering, better braking etc...??

i assume you mean smoothness, which, generally speaking, it does not make really sense to me...

having a sport suspension and getting a smoother ride comparing to a factory one...?? sport suspensions are meant to provide you with racing standards driving qualities, which are definately not that smooth....

My question is how can the Jetta have a better ride than my Octy, they both have 17" wheels 45 profile tyres, but the Jetta has sport suspension. So how can this be ?

Yes I know it doesn't make any sense but the Jetta does ride better than my octy. The octy seems to crash and bang more than the jetta, strange but true