I've got a mate who races an 800bhp evo and he started off with a 306 gti6, reckons it was awesome round the track and beat lots of more expensive machinery and would recommend one as a track car!

Having seen some of the little French cars going around Combe at the weekend I can see why people rate them, they were keeping up with some much faster machinery. There was a little 106 screaming round

yes but the 106 was running over 300bhp lol

yes but the 106 was running over 300bhp lol

Well there was that

imo recon that actually shows the 106 doesn't have good handling/traction, cos with 300hp in a 106, his power-to-weight ratio should have enabled them to thrash others, not just keep up ~power to the wrong end no doubt being the fundamental problem.

The older generation Peugeot's chassis are quite well engineered, but as other have said, french quality is poor.

he was thrashing pretty much everyone

"Having seen some of the little French cars going around Combe at the weekend I can see why people rate them, they were keeping up with some much faster machinery. There was a little 106 screaming round"

You mean the engine was screaming around, in a cloud of smoke, going nowhere, then it innevitably fell out of the bottom of the engine bay and crushed a small squirrel who had been dazed by the smell of liquified onions and garlic you had used as coolant

hehe :p

Rather have an octavia VRs and be a REAL MAN!...

on topic..... just pricing up parts!

The FWD/RWD debate could probably go on till the end of time! Personally I think RWD cars are better at delivering big power, but FWD cars are better in the twisties.

It always depends so much on the car as a complete package though, and most of it comes down to the driver.

One thing all the Touring Car drivers agree on though is that the FWD cars have the advantage coming out of the corners. Since the car is being pulled around the corner rather than pushed, you can get on the power 2.5 metres before the RWD cars can.

I think my car handles pretty damn well with the Weitec coilovers, and new OE bushes/joints/bearings all round. I spent the weekend blatting up and down Snake Pass and Winnats Pass, and climbing up and down to Holme Moss. The car was freakin' glorious! It really sticks to the road and gives you loads of confidence to chuck it about.

P.S. When we went to the 'Ring, we took 8 cars and 3 cars crashed. ALL of those 3 cars were RWD!

Ok i need to clarify some parts.. as cocking this up will cost a fair bit of dosh if the parts dont fit.

Audi TT front wishbones and ball joints: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUDI-TT-1-8-180-225-TURBO-FRONT-SUSPENSION-WISHBONE-ARM-/280077204820?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4135e6fd54

Audi TT front wishbone bushes: Apparently the Audi TT standards last longer than the Super pro aftermarket ones for only £6 more per bush.. is the performance any different front getting standard to super pro? (link please)#

ARB link?

Rear ARB link?

and i cant find a steering rack for the life of me...

What aftermarket suspension everybody using?

Ok i need to clarify some parts.. as cocking this up will cost a fair bit of dosh if the parts dont fit.

Audi TT front wishbones and ball joints: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/AUDI-TT-1-8-180-225-TURBO-FRONT-SUSPENSION-WISHBONE-ARM-/280077204820?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4135e6fd54

Audi TT front wishbone bushes: Apparently the Audi TT standards last longer than the Super pro aftermarket ones for only £6 more per bush.. is the performance any different front getting standard to super pro? (link please)#

ARB link?

Rear ARB link?

and i cant find a steering rack for the life of me...

What aftermarket suspension everybody using?

You don't need the TT front wishbone bushes if buying those wishbones in the ebay add as they have them already fitted.

You also do not need to get superpro bushes as the TT is a better option as it is a solid bush compared to the VRS voided bush. The Front wishbone has 2 bushes Front and rear of the wishbone. It is only the rear bush that folks generally replace with a superpro one, as the VRS one as mentioned is poor. So don't bother wasting your money for a superpro rear bush and keep the TT one that is already in that one.

A TT rack or S3/Golf R32 one(as all the same for the year of car you have)is a good idea but not completely needed. You will benefit from a better turning as the VRS is 3.5 turns lock to lock as apposed to 2.6 on the other racks mentioned. Depends if you are going to like a tigher turn in.

Also I would consider the common parts to replace first like RARB to add , stiffer suspension, as if you increase your turning you are going to waste the effects by causing more wallowing on your std suspension IMO anyway..

the tt rear wishbone bush is def better than the vrs one as said, the only bush that is worth looking at however is the superpro/whiteline castor correction bush, that IS a big improvement over the standard vrs or tt bush and help correct the alignment issues with the vrs.

The superpro/whiteline bushes are poly bushes and will last longer than the stock VAG rubber bushes.

In my opinion its a real requirement if you are going to the effort of changing all the other suspension parts over, as it will really help towards transforming the handling of the car.

As i plan to keep this car a while.

Im looking at the stiffer suspension first then ill move onto the wishobones and ARBs, Steering rack.

After 94k (my cars mileage) springs tend to loose their 'spring' as it were. Are people just replacing the springs or the whole lot shock and all?

In my opinion Shocks will last forever unless theyre rusted or leak?

Just springs the way to go?

A lot of people myself included are running weitec hicon gt coilovers, excellent for the money. I wouldn't just replace the springs as you may find you'll need to replace the shocks a few months down the line.

Rule of thumb with skoda suspension components (springs/shocks/arbs) = they are under-spec

You've got to remember, VAG high-command ordered that the vRS should not out-handle the Golf GTi

Same principle is roughly true with other like-for-like models across the VAG range.

Since you're fitting the wishbones, its worth spending the $ and getting a decent set of coilovers, or a decent quality match spring/shock setup.

As i plan to keep this car a while.

In my opinion Shocks will last forever unless theyre rusted or leak?

Just springs the way to go?

Think that opinion is slightly flawed with these cars and perhaps generally. As mentioned the VRS is under damped and sprung in std form let alone wanting to drive more spirited and in control.

If you change just springs your under damped shocks are going to die quicker and will not give you the rebound to support the stiffer springs.

Buy a good comination of Spring and shock like Koni FSD's and H&R springs or as others mentioned common set up these days is coilover like the Weitec Hicon GT's. very good results with those.

I am slightly biased after owning those Weitecs and for me not up to the mark (my car is very low though). not enough rebound on them to stop bump stop crashing when on very low setting.

Anyone want a decent set then let me know. As I will be going for something stiffer.(belive it or not)

IMO you'd be hard-pressed to better a set of KW v3. May cost big $, but worth every single penny

~ I've experienced KW match spring/shocks, weitec hicon gt, KW v1 and KW v2 on the Octy's as comparison

IMO you'd be hard-pressed to better a set of KW v3. May cost big $, but worth every single penny

Totally agree, had the KW3's on my old Mk1 Octy vRS and together with a Neuspeed 28mm adjustable rear ARB, they totally transformed the handling of the car.

Audi S3 top and bottom strut braces also help.

Ok census is to get the full set, full coilovers all around are obviously expensive as hell.

how far are you lowering the car by generally?

and what geometry issues am i going to face with lowering the car and sticking the audi TT wishbones and ball joints in?

Anybody got a link to the Rear ARBs and Front ARBs as im havign trouble finding any

Thanks

Andy

Edited 13 April, 201115 yr by Milkybadger

Upper and lower S3 braces from the dealer:

Upper strut brace 8L9 805 629 A

Lower brace 8N0 199 403 B

Bolts for lower brace N 104 679 01

Captive nuts N 909 147 01

Upper and lower S3 braces from the dealer:

Upper strut brace 8L9 805 629 A

Lower brace 8N0 199 403 B

Bolts for lower brace N 104 679 01

Captive nuts N 909 147 01

Spot on thanks buddy i can sort some prices out..

Ok census is to get the full set, full coilovers all around are obviously expensive as hell.

how far are you lowering the car by generally?

and what geometry issues am i going to face with lowering the car and sticking the audi TT wishbones and ball joints in?

Anybody got a link to the Rear ARBs and Front ARBs as im havign trouble finding any

Thanks

Andy

Full coilovers are generally not as dear as a shock/spring combination for the VRS but not cheap. £450 upwards, unless you get the cheaper JOM,AP,FK items.

how far to lower is a personal choice, but anything over 30mm and not much suspension is going to give a good ride. The VRS is already approx 25mm lower than the normal Octy. Shocks with H&R springs will typically lower the car by 15-20mm.

A lowered car will benefit from the TT wishbones/Hubs etc as they will make the suspension angle better than the VRS setup and keep the wishbones at a more neutral balanced level. You will certainly need 4 wheel laser alignmnet after fitting that lot to ensure castor/camber is set correctly.

RARB look up, Neuspeed,Whiteline, Eibach etc for either Skoda or Golf MK4 as you will not see one probably listed for VRS. The Golf MK 4/Seat Leon/Audi A3 one is the one to get as floorpan is the same as ours.

FARB look for VRS/Golf R32/Seat Leon Cupra R/Audi TT/S3 as they are the same hook up/drop link as ours.

Thanks for the help ill get on it :p