THE LOW DOWN

Were in a modern culture, were the lower the car the more "street cred" you get! Rows and rows of 5hitren paxo's, corsas and 106s litter the street with sump grating suspension set ups and a comical "I <3 speed bumps" sticker hmmm. But in real world this set up isnt really for every one! Why? because we dont like to keep changing the sump every 5 minutes the rear window covered in sparks as your exhuast shakes hands with the tarmac, or and we dont like a BONE SHATTERING ride! British roads are nothing special. There uneven, full of holes and not correctly water treated (basically the water should run to the sides were the sewer grills are!!) but its not. Am sure you have ended up driving on the wrong side of the road to avoid a flooded part of the road. But lets be fair to the goverment they dont get much money from road tax (these are my views and not briskodas) So in the real world what we want is something that hangs well in the corners, comfortable but doesnt look like a 4x4. So how does the fabia mk2 sports 15mm lowered springs compare to the standard set up. I know lots of people are debating on this with there non sport fabias please i emplore READ ON!

ITS LIKE DRIVING WITH STONES AS SUSPENSION

Now im 20 years old, and am sure people would put me in the boy racer camp. Due to my age, and am sure that chassis rubbing suspension set up appeals to me? And you would be right, i appreciate "a low as it can possibly can go stance" and some stretched staggered wheels. I think it looks wonderful. So the chance to have lowered suspension, retaining my warranty was a big thumbs up. Now ive been driving a fabia 3 with parking sensors, a centre armrest and in a lovely brown colour. But more importantly standard suspension! On the outside my sport sits a little bit lower (duh 15mm) but does it still looks very high? does it look sporty on mine? hmm! Not really no! Altho its an improvment its not exactly hot hatch low! But then the sport isnt aimed to be! So with that said how does the ride compare. One thing i noticed about driving the standard suspension set up was the body roll. I had noticed how the slightest pot hole (of which there is a lot!) the car would rock its weight back and forward, something that surprised me. AHHAHA i hear you say i bet that american bouncy suspension style made it seem like you were floating on a road made of silk with speed bumps made from cotton wool. Ummm NO! Again going back to this body shaking, it almost picks up more vibrations than the sport set up. Anyway your young i hear you cry i bet your more intrested in handling. Yesh. Yesh I am! I have some wonderful country roads around were I live, and ive often taken my car down there for a good session of high speed cornering. Which the sport is excellent, taking corners at confident speed with very little body lean (at least in the drivers seat) and you really have to push the car hard to get understear which no body really will, so that would seem that the sport suspension has it all? Yesh. Yesh it does. After mainy miles in mine i love the ride. I love the handling, am not a great fan of the stance but its a huge improvment over the standard set up. I took the standard car around my same country roads, and strait away i began to realise all was not well, so much so I stopped! My pants which were white at the time had an intresting brown tone to them at the end of the journey. The only way I can describe it is, as you go into the corner all the weight shifts from one side to the other and you get this horrible rock. Its very off putting for any type of "sporty" driving. Even on the motorway and dual carriageways it just didnt feel planted in the slightest. O and before anyone says both cars had the1.4 derv engine, so both weights at the front were the same. However for me I would like a lower look and stance so there for soon there should be a review of ether springs or coilys .

HOW MUCH IT COST ME

It came with my car :P

Should cost nothing higher than £200 from your main dealer £159.99 ive been quoted very much the same price as eibachs hmmm except you would retain your warranty.

GOOD AND THE BAD

+Looks alittle better but still sits to high

+More planted on high speed roads

+Big smiles when it comes to country roads

+Oddly feels more comfortable :confused:

-Not low enough

-You have to buy them over eibachs to retain your gold plated warranty

-In time lower springs dont help standard dampers but will 15mm make a diffrence?

OVERALL

4.5/5

Now I know thats a high score but trust me the set up is a huge improvment over the standard car, if you looking at buying a fabia and not sure about getting them in the options list, plead your dealer to throw them in and have the fit them, you wont regret it one bit!

P.S Missed my review on the PD160 intake find out my findings with it on this cracking little derv engine. And what seems to be the marmite opinion on BP ultimate fuel review all below, so catch up. Sorry if there is spelling mistakes....again!

http://briskoda.net/fabia-ii/my-review-bp-ultimate-derv-juice/154600/ - Fuel

http://briskoda.net/fabia-ii/my-revi...1-4tdi/154071/ - PD160 Intake

Edited 22 August, 200916 yr by TorqueXIsXCheap
Im a Tard

Another great review. I wish I had had the chance to buy the lower suspension when the car was new I got an exdemo 1.2. Think I must have got used to the lean/ roll a bit now as I dont seem to notice it as much either that or the suspension has settled down. I know when I first got it I thought it was going to fall over.

I wounldn't describe myself as a boy racer but there does seem loads of grip you just cant be too enthusiastic in the corners or your passengers get tossed around the car and start complaining; not good when your enjoying a good drive on a (very very rare) smooth road with lots of flowing corners. Only good thing is that the 1.2 is very light which seems to aid cornering. Really wondering if rear anti-roll bar and some SEAT cupra bushes would sort the handling a bit.

Interesting you should mention the ride I'm 22 and dont like to have my bones shaken out of my body. I can believe that the ride is better mainly because the body doesnt move so much. I was suprised that the SEAT Ibiza which is supposed to be really firm has a nice ride as well must be better body control.

Cheers mate for that

Intresting car choice for a 22 year old, always intrested to know why people go for the fabias over other more "youthful cars" Also in regards to ARB's awesome sarah is looking into getting them for the mk2 fabia's as that will go strait on my shopping list. Am also looking into if the 9N Polo's strut brace will fit on the fabia. Yer i know what you mean about the 1.2 ive heard its lovely and light up front which means you get a tad more overstear if you push it. Any plans for your car mate

Hi mate and yes another entertaining review:D

I as you possibly know have gone for the Eibach's and as you say the difference from stock in terms of handling is frankly off the map. Unlike yourself, at 46 boy racer and me are rarely used in the same sentence but I do believe wholeheartedly in lowered/modified suspension if you want your car to cope with a) British roads a spirited drive when in the mood, as the factory generic set up is well......not fit for purpose!

I have "done" the suspension set up on every car I've owned and will continue to do so.

A bit anal? possibly but a lot happier on the drive home:thumbup:

To be honest I think the Fabia is unbeatable for the price. I had the Mk1 Fabia which had some more expensive materials (inside door handles) but the Mk2 seems loads better in terms of space and features.

Did look at the Mitsubishi colt which was nice but the interior and quality were no where near the same level. Also didn't want the standard Fiesta, corsa, clio, 206 which seem the default choice. How come you chose yours?

Have had the odd moment when the back has felt a bit loose, mainly if you go a bit too quick on to roundabouts :P. 1.2 is quite a good engine its not quick but sounds good so always feel like its quicker than it is.

Done a few bits to the car mainly little mods. Done the sunglasses holder, sunshades, some soundproofing, underseat boxes, and few other bits. Just about convinced myself to get RARB and cupra bushes when i get some new tyres at the next service. Would love to have cruise control again but dont think it works with the control unit I have. It would be cool to have some sort of coming home leaving home lights but dont think it would be possible.

What other plans do you have for yours?

David

Hi mate and yes another entertaining review:D

I as you possibly know have gone for the Eibach's and as you say the difference from stock in terms of handling is frankly off the map. Unlike yourself, at 46 boy racer and me are rarely used in the same sentence but I do believe wholeheartedly in lowered/modified suspension if you want your car to cope with a) British roads a spirited drive when in the mood, as the factory generic set up is well......not fit for purpose!

I have "done" the suspension set up on every car I've owned and will continue to do so.

A bit anal? possibly but a lot happier on the drive home:thumbup:

Nah I agree mate its the way forward

To be honest I think the Fabia is unbeatable for the price. I had the Mk1 Fabia which had some more expensive materials (inside door handles) but the Mk2 seems loads better in terms of space and features.

Did look at the Mitsubishi colt which was nice but the interior and quality were no where near the same level. Also didn't want the standard Fiesta, corsa, clio, 206 which seem the default choice. How come you chose yours?

Have had the odd moment when the back has felt a bit loose, mainly if you go a bit too quick on to roundabouts :P. 1.2 is quite a good engine its not quick but sounds good so always feel like its quicker than it is.

Done a few bits to the car mainly little mods. Done the sunglasses holder, sunshades, some soundproofing, underseat boxes, and few other bits. Just about convinced myself to get RARB and cupra bushes when i get some new tyres at the next service. Would love to have cruise control again but dont think it works with the control unit I have. It would be cool to have some sort of coming home leaving home lights but dont think it would be possible.

What other plans do you have for yours?

David

Umm well ive got quiet a large shopping list, as am going to keep the car for a long time so my insurance goes down so I can get a golf gti

well first off would be a

Engine

exhuast

remap

intercooler

maybe a slightly bigger turbo from another engine

uprated clutch

Chassis

coilys or springs

anti roll bars

front strut brace

uprated brakes

some new alloys :P

Interior

Skoda DVD navigation tv thingy

uprated speakers

thats all i can think of for time being

i found a few places that sell 30mm lowering springs for the fabia, would i need to buy other parts aswell, shocks ect or should it be fine?

And would you think 30mm is too low or would it be fine in your opinion?

i found a few places that sell 30mm lowering springs for the fabia, would i need to buy other parts aswell, shocks ect or should it be fine?

And would you think 30mm is too low or would it be fine in your opinion?

There is a few threads with a couple of guys who have put 30 - 40mm lowering springs on, it sits alot nicer but its personal opinion. And a general rule of thumb is lowering springs can put excess wear on the dampers, so they would need replacing faster. Springs are the cheapest option in the short term, but in the long term its hard to say. This is what am toying with coilovers are more money but! It gives you a more controlled setup as you can adjust the ride hight yourself, Its a whole system so you dont have to worry about swopping your mangled dampers because of your lowering springs.