Although rob_e has written extensively on PistonHeads and briskoda forums I thought I would add my thoughts too for those looking to change their standard suspension.

I originally looked at getting the eibach springs and either keeping the standard shock absorbers or going with the Koni FSDs. I have had eibachs on previous cars (with standard shocks) and been very happy with them.

To be honest, the driving force for me to change the suspension was aesthetic purposes – i.e. “the look”. I drive mainly motorway to work and when not at work I more often than not have our 3yr old daughter in the car so I wasn’t really looking for something that would enable to push on a bit more on B-road blasts or anything. Just something to reduce the gap between arch and tyre.

I decided, after searching and researching thoroughly on briskoda, that the size of drop I would get with the eibachs just wouldn’t be enough. I seen images of a couple of MK2 octavias with the eibachs and although there was a noticeable drop I wanted more. I was also mindful of perhaps upgrading to some 19” alloys in the (hopefully) not too distant future so while I didn’t want the sills scraping off the tarmac I wanted a good 30mm drop.

So, after some discussions with rob_e on the forum and by private message, as well as reading his PistonHeads blog, I decided to go for the Weitec GT coilovers.

I purchased these from JKM after confirming my chassis number + the axle weights (which are on a sticker on the B-pillar on the passenger side). They arrived around 9 or 10 days after ordering, great service and Kate kept me informed all the way through.

I got the coilovers fitted by Hypertech Performance in Bonnybridge (near Falkirk) on Saturday 5th March. Car was in for almost 4 hours and they charged me just shy of £200. I have to return this Saturday for final ride-height adjustment and wheel alignment, to give the springs some time to settle but initial impressions on the ride height are pretty good – at the time of writing (a mere 30’ish hours after fitting) the front is still sitting a few mm too high but the back seems pretty spot-on. Which is fortune, as there isn’t much adjustment left on the back.

Unfortunately on the way home after fitting I got stuck behind every slow-moving vehicle known to man – learners, tipper trucks, a mobile crane, a tractor, even a caravan!

I had a bit more chance to experience the coilovers today and my worries about a distinct deterioration in the ride comfort are unfounded. Sure, it isn’t as comfortable as standard but isn’t so marked as to be like a ‘night and day’ comparison. Put it this way, I always drive scanning the road for potholes etc & I don’t feel I need to be more careful now that the coilovers are on. I hit a pothole on the way home from work this afternoon and I can’t say it felt any worse than before. The road leading to my house has 4 anti-speed ‘pillows’ and the car again feels fine when mounting them.

What is noticeable is the complete lack of body roll. There wasn’t a huge amount before but now there appears to be almost none. Comment on the road-holding will be made after the alignment is done in a few days time but to say I am happy (so-far!) is accurate!

Now for a couple of pictures – these were taken with my mobile phone on Saturday around 6pm, just as it was starting to get dark. I’ll post some better pics up in a few days once i’ve had the chance to give the car a wash etc. The pics also show my recently-fitted colour-coded front grille surround + superskoda honeycomb grille insert which I am glad I bought.

Skoda 5th March 2011 by oobster, on Flickr

Skoda 5th March 2011 by oobster, on Flickr

Here is a ‘before’ picture for comparison:

Skoda 12th Feb 2011 by oobster, on Flickr

Nice review. Glad you've found the right setup for you

Looks good that, and the grille and honeycomb look great.

Nice write up.

Car looks great

Car looks perfect to me. Sadly insurance/company car limits me to Skoda accessories only so the Eibachs are the only root.

Nice review, i'll be sticking to the Eibachs and Koni FSD's then a full set up done at Pro Grip in Bonnybridge.

Looks excellent-the grille is a good very good job too.

Personally I dislike mudflaps, but so what...

Car looks great, makes me toy about going the coil over route again, but think it'll be the eibach route

at the end of the day. Mine only an old oil burner anyway. :-(

Nice review, i'll be sticking to the Eibachs and Koni FSD's then a full set up done at Pro Grip in Bonnybridge.

Good choice for alignment. Got mine done there last year after having the saw toothing issues on the rear tyres.

He used his own settings have have to say they made a huge difference.

How low have you got them adjusted in the picture?

Unsure. When the car was up on the ramp they measured the distance from the wheel centres to the arches, then fitted the coilovers with a 20mm drop. They measured the drop BEFORE they took the car down off the ramps, so it would have settled slightly once down off the ramps and has probably settled a few mm more since last Saturday.

I will get proper figures when I take the car back for a wheel alignment check this Saturday. I also (maybe) want the front dropped another 5mm still.

Damn that looks good. I think sitting on the deck improves the looks of the FL no end.

I know you're often round and about the same places as me Oobster, do you ever drive the M74 towards Glasgow?

There's a section just after the M8 cut off, level with the crematorium in Uddingston. As you're driving along the M74, you pass under the flyovers onto the M73, road's really smooth and good there, but just after that point, in the right hand lane, the road surface is really rippled, not potholes, but like crinkled up. If you go over that at 75-ish it's a real work out for the dampers. Just wondering if you've any experience over that bit on the Weitecs? Long shot i know but i figured you're local so it's possible

The factory dampers when new handle this really well, but after only 8 months they we're absolutely average over that spot, really 75 was too fast, didn't feel totally in contact with the road. Just interested since i'm not going to be staying on factory dampers for 8 months this time around and i'll get an upgrade, trying to figure out coilovers vs springs & dampers.

Edited 10 March, 201115 yr by Mute

Unfortunately not Craig, my usual journey to work is via Junction 3 of the M8 (Bathgate) to Junction 5 (Airdrie).

I work in Bellshill, so if you want to have a wee drive in my car at lunchtime or whatever then no problem. I work Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and sometimes a Saturday or Sunday.

Ok i shall assume they are set at the highest setting then i believe the weitecs are adjustable from -35 to -65mm drop

Ok i shall assume they are set at the highest setting then i believe the weitecs are adjustable from -35 to -65mm drop

Where did you get that information?

The info I have from KW is that the lowest they can be set is 335mm (centre wheel to the arch) which by my maths equates to about a 40mm drop. Looking at the adjusters I estimate i could take it back up to stock ride height if i wanted, in fact I may do that next winter if we get snow again.

Mines currently -35mm so I could go another 5mm if i wanted.

TBH its perfect at this height - any lower and you'll scrape speedbumps and generally make the car unusable in the real world.

I ran mine for about a month at -45mm and that was too low. It did look good, but it wasn't practical at that height.

-65mm would be insane and undrivable IMO.

Heres mine at -45mm:

Got my info from here

http://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/weitec-hicon-gt-coilover-suspension-kitbr-octavia-1z-19tdi-20fsi-rs-20t-fsi-20tdi-rs-20tdi-fwd-0903-p-3510.html

Hi Oobster, thanks for the review. Just to check with you - what is the product model number for the Weitec Hicon GT? Is this the model that has a fixed damping rate? I wonder if Weitec is planning on the Hicon TX plus for the vRS?!?

Btw, is it JKM Motorsport you are referring to?

Edited 11 March, 201115 yr by Greyhound

It is JKM Performance in Portsmouth:

http://www.jkm.org.uk/performance/index.htm

Yes, I believe it is the ones with the fixed damper rate, although the damping seemed to be pretty good. Hard enough to help almost eliminate body roll, and soft enough to soak up the potholes reasonably well.

I don't know the product number, but i'll check the box tomorrow morning and post back up.

Unfortunately not Craig, my usual journey to work is via Junction 3 of the M8 (Bathgate) to Junction 5 (Airdrie).

So i guess we can safely say they pass the pot hole test at any rate

Car looks top notch. Best colour too!

Just need the wheels powder coating now

Took the car in this morning(through the snow!) to get the wheel alignment done. Didn't bother getting the ride height changed (for now) but the distance from the wheel centres to the wheel arches are 345mm at the back and 350mm at the front.

Hi Oobster, thanks for the review. Just to check with you - what is the product model number for the Weitec Hicon GT? Is this the model that has a fixed damping rate? I wonder if Weitec is planning on the Hicon TX plus for the vRS?!?

Here is a pic of the side of the box I got mine in:

It is worth bearing in mind that the spec (as I understand it) differs depending on front axle weight (which is on a small sticker at the bottom of the passenger-side B-pillar) so although the part number on the box would suit a 2010 petrol DSG VRS Hatchback, it MAY not be the same part number for a diesel/estate/manual etc.

It is worth bearing in mind that the spec (as I understand it) differs depending on front axle weight (which is on a small sticker at the bottom of the passenger-side B-pillar) so although the part number on the box would suit a 2010 petrol DSG VRS Hatchback, it MAY not be the same part number for a diesel/estate/manual etc.

Thanks mate! Really helpful information cuz mine is a 2009 petrol DSG FL VRS Hatch which I believe should be similar should weight the same as yours.

Regarding height adjustments, get 3 other folks that weighs like 'rocks' to sit in the car, drive it around to condition the dampers! This will help in getting accurate height measurements when adjustments are made!

I read in your earlier post that you have a 15mm spacer in the rear. Just curious, what is the rationale for that?

Just to make the rear wheels sit flush with the wheelarches - the front wheels sit fairly well out but the rears sit in a wee bit which i didn't like the look of.