Went out to the car last night and as I was getting it got an almighty "BONG" noise. Instantly guessed it was a coil, and lo and behold found half a coil sat in the nearside front coil. Balls. Here are the photos of the section that broke off (it's from the top of the spring):

You can see that the coil has failed to due to corrosion, which is a bit crap. Skoda must use cheapo springs. The other crap thing is that because the spring snapped at the top, the top of the spring is now bigger than the spring cap, and the top of the spring is sat on the body of the car now.

My cars suspension is totally standard, and I don't carry massive weights. I guess it was just a ticking time bomb with the poor quality spring steel.

The problem is that I need the car on Wednesday night, and I have no tools with me here! So I'm hoping Skoda can sqeeze me in before Wednesday. Anyone know how much changing both front springs should cost? I'm guessing about £100-150 labour and £100 parts.

Or, I leave it 2 weeks, and get it transported 230miles by the AA to my dads, where I can fit some coilovers in a weekend.

It's just making me cry inside a bit that the spring is digging into the underseal on the body! I want it fixed now!

If anyone wants to drive to Huddersfield to help me feel free! I need a trolley jack and some spring compressors, oh and some springs! I'd pay well to have my car back.....

Anyone know the part number for front vRS hatch springs please?

Mine went the same a few months ago, Weitec Hicon GT coilovers sorted it-never looked back!

It looks like they are getting to that age now, and it will be more frequent

D'Oh! if you were closer I'd help (one handed of course) but I think Huddersfield is too far (is it??)

Or, I leave it 2 weeks, and get it transported 230miles by the AA to my dads, where I can fit some coilovers in a weekend.

The AA won't do that. Recovery is an option at their discretion if a local repair is not possible, and in any case relay isn't an option if you're at or within ¼ mile of your home address. Your vehicle must be in a roadworthy condition immediately prior to the breakdown. Also you cannot refuse a repair and insist on recovery, and you most definitely are not entitled to a 230 mile recovery just to be able to fix your car at your convenience. Well you can, as long as you're prepared to pay for it. Don't be too surprised if you're refused. The best you'll get is a local tow to the nearest approved garage, or destination of your choice providing it's of no greater distance..

Once upon a time you'd have got away with it, but both the AA & RAC have tightened up the rules a lot in recent years to cut down on service abuse......

Are you sure you want coilovers? Now the springs have settled down I'm finding even the H&R/FSD setup quite harsh on the poor roads i have around me.

Are you sure you want coilovers? Now the springs have settled down I'm finding even the H&R/FSD setup quite harsh on the poor roads i have around me.

Yeah good point, I'm guessing coilovers will be pretty harsh on the old hind quarters!

It's annoying that the only other option is FSD's with H&R's. I mean it's a good option, but just a shame there isn't more choice.

Fingers crossed on Skoda sorting me out before Wednesday. Ideally I'd get them to fit some H&R front springs for me, if I could get them in time.

Gah, stresserama!

Well the only other springs specific to the vrs are the Cobra springs and there are even some with 4k on them for sale in the for sale section. I would get new top mounts too, you don't know if the bearings are bad and may have helped cause the spring faliure.

Anyone know the part number for front vRS hatch springs please?

Sorry to hear of your problem, anyway as requested :-

1J0 411 105 AJ (coil spring for sports type running gear)

Colour coding :- 1 violet paint mark, 4 yellow paint marks

NB: The above is what is on the front of my car (vRS standard suspension set up).

Good luck

Peter

Sorry to hear of your problem, anyway as requested :-

1J0 411 105 AJ (coil spring for sports type running gear)

Colour coding :- 1 violet paint mark, 4 yellow paint marks

NB: The above is what is on the front of my car (vRS standard suspension set up).

Good luck

Peter

Thanks for that info, really great to know as I want to confirm that Skoda will pick the correct springs for my car. Heard lots of stories with them fitting standard 1.8T springs!

Rang Skoda at 8:30 this morning and they say they can sqeeze me in tomorrow which is good news. Just waiting on a price now.

I'll make sure they replace the strut top bearings too.

I'm tempted to get onto Skoda about the spring breaking, as it really shouldn't happen. I mean yeah it's 7 years old, but still it's not normal for them to snap due to corrosion. Plus, it's a fairly serious issue in terms of safety. What if the spring had snapped while I was cornering hard in the wet at 60mph?! Something involving pain would happen I'd guess!

Cheers to everyone for your help so far, some great info coming through

Sweet jeebus!!

Skoda want £350 for both front springs fitted (1.4hrs labour per side, £68+vat per spring)!

Or £175 for the passenger side only!

I've decided to just get the car back on the road, so I can drive to the airport and back, then fit coilovers on my return. So I'm being a true bodger and getting just one side done! I appreciate the handling will be terrible, and the car will look stupid, but atleast I'll be rollin'!

Next job then..... what coilovers/springs to go for? I'm leaning towards coilovers as I have some future plans for the car and want that element of adjustability.

Sweet jeebus!!

Skoda want £350 for both front springs fitted (1.4hrs labour per side, £68+vat per spring)!.

I thought these would be around that price. Not cheap those springs and shocks. Also really need to get the bearing and top mount done as probably a bearing seizing would of caused the break to the spring.

I've decided to just get the car back on the road, so I can drive to the airport and back, then fit coilovers on my return. So I'm being a true bodger and getting just one side done! I appreciate the handling will be terrible, and the car will look stupid, but atleast I'll be rollin'!

How far is the airport, if close may as well drive as it is if only need to do journey once or twice. To get one side done seems a waste and also you will be paying out when you are going to end up probably replacing the other side later on. Plus I doubt they would have them in stock so to fix by Wednesday would be pushing it.

Next job then..... what coilovers/springs to go for? I'm leaning towards coilovers as I have some future plans for the car and want that element of adjustability.

A set of coilovers would set you back nearly that much so worth looking into(Weitecs Hicon GT's) Which is the best option for price and handling. obviously KW's are top notch if you wish to spend up to a £1000. You can set the Weitecs / KW's to standard ride height and they would be around same comfort almost as Koni FSD's.

I choose coilovers to allow for future modding and have ability to lower/raise as desired.

If Coilovers are harsh for you and you like the standard type comfort then your only option is FSD's with either standard springs(waste as yours are broken) or H&R's which lower approx 15mm and a great combination.

Cheers for that Bowders. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go for the Weitec Hicon GT's now. Found them for £488 both at Jabba and EuroPerformance. You know of anywhere cheaper?

I'd like to set them to near standard ride height if that's possible, maybe a bit lower on the front.

The problem is that I really can't drive the car how it is. The top of the spring is digging into the body and it's not even parallel to the strut now, as it's not on the top spring cap. So I'm really not happy driving it. I've got to drive from Huddersfield to Colchester, then to Stansted, then the same again in reverse! So it's a fair trek!

Skoda have it all sorted regarding the right parts and doing it tomorrow morning. I've weighed up trains, hire car and repair. Trains won't get me home at the time I need, and hire car is a no go, so a pricey temporary repair appears to be my only easy option.

I'm gonna give GSF a buzz now to see how much a vRS spring is from them, as £78 seems a tad steep!! I just want any old spring (vRS specific) to get me back on the road!

I'm a desperate man!

Are you sure you want coilovers? Now the springs have settled down I'm finding even the H&R/FSD setup quite harsh on the poor roads i have around me.

Yep mine are the same, there's no way i could have coilovers on the crap roads round me too!

Cheers for that Bowders. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go for the Weitec Hicon GT's now. Found them for £488 both at Jabba and EuroPerformance. You know of anywhere cheaper?

£488 will be your best quote as Weitec, KW don't allow for distribution discounts anywhere. You may get free delivery but most places will not have in stock and order direct from the manufacture depots.

I got free delivery as a customer cancelled order for a set of Leon Cupra R ones(slightly harder poundage but same setup) 1020Kg verses 1000kg for the VRS.

Got the car back today from Skoda with my one new spring fitted, and £174 lighter!

The car looks and drives fine, which surprised me! But anyway, I'm back on the road which is the important thing.

Probably going to order some Weitec Hicon GT's from DPM Performance tomorrow. Just need help with a few questions (http://briskoda.net/octavia-i/strut-shock-replacement-rebuild-information/151000/).

Thanks alot for all your advice on this guys

Just to check:

You aren't going to drive it around for too long with one new spring on it are you?

My car's handling is off because I am doing just that...

Just to check:

You aren't going to drive it around for too long with one new spring on it are you?

My car's handling is off because I am doing just that...

Nope, fear not! It's just literally to get me back on the road for my holiday. Once I'm back I'll have the time and kit to replace everything properly.

Sweet jeebus!!

Skoda want £350 for both front springs fitted (1.4hrs labour per side, £68+vat per spring)!

Or £175 for the passenger side only!

I've decided to just get the car back on the road, so I can drive to the airport and back, then fit coilovers on my return. So I'm being a true bodger and getting just one side done! I appreciate the handling will be terrible, and the car will look stupid, but atleast I'll be rollin'!

.

Why not hire a car to get to the airport and another on your return. I do this regularly and it tends to be cheaper than the cost of airport parking. Saves you getting half a job done on your car just so that you can then get the proper job you want as soon as you return.

Gah!

Skoda mechanics have yet again proved themselves to be complete monkeys.

Copperslip all over my brake disc surface and wheels. Greasy hand prints on both arches where he's bounced it up and down. Dipstick left hanging out after their "frree vehicle check" (the irony).

Most annoying of all though, they snapped off the little pressed metal bracket that holds the wear sensor wiring connector for the pad wear sensor. Having snapped it off, they zip-tied the wire to the brake hose instead. Fair enough, but bloody tell me or admit to it and explain what you've done and order me a new one. I know it's only a small, cheap and almost pointless part, but it's the principal of it.

Reminds me why I do everything I can DIY normally.

Reminds me of why I do most of the work myself.