Lowering Options - MK2 Fabia vRS

[skodavrs30]

I for one cannot understand why anyone exceipt race track days guys would want to change the skoda handling as all road tests ive seen give the vrs fabias good handling for normal uk roads.

I had a peogeot 205 gti and the standered car handling was fantastic it stuck to the road like glue and yet people mucked about with lowering kits and ruined a good car.

[Ootohere]

Have you been driving one yet on normal UK roads?

 

Location location location,   what is a normal UK road,?

Some Hill roads and great driving roads have wonderful surfaces, few potholes, while other areas require, clearance,

articulation, compliant Suspension.

 

The Video road tests on the SEAT, Skoda & VW are a testers opinions, and thats OK for them,

why does the Ibiza need according to them, firm suspension, because it is a 3 door with 'Sporty' looks,

the VW the Best handling, because it is the most expensive, and Skoda the one they would buy, 

The other 2 are actually heavier, on different tyres, and the 2013 Ibiza has updated suspension.

 

Estate has a different rear overhang, different rear suspension in spring rating, and basically a different balance to a hatch.

(which has 25kg of possibly un-necessary weight bolted to the rear crash bar.)

 

For me standard height works, but that does not necessarily mean you need standard 'budget' suspension as fitted by Skoda, 

you can have better springs and dampers.

But a ARB happens not to suit me.

 

george

 

[sharkrider]

this is mine on eibachs, 20 mill front 15 mill back ...

 

[Ally_bassman]

Lovely! Thank you, better get some ordered!

[mrburdon123]

Sharkrider, got the race blue version of your motor and after the eibach springs.

Two things, how's the ride compared to standard? Would new\uprated shocks help/be worth fitting when changing the springs? And do you have the part numbers of your eibachs to give me piece of mind that iv orders the right ones and not the hatchback version.

Any help would be appreciated.

[sharkrider]

just make sure its the fabia 5J estate you order for, and all will be well!

 

 I would be tempted to go with this..

 

Make Skoda Model Fabia (5J) Estate / Combi / Station Wagon RS 1.4 TSI Year 10.07 - On Chassis code (5J) Part no E10-79-006-10-22 Lowers Lowers Front 20 mm & Rear 15 mm Kit consists of 4 Quality Springs Front & Rear Notes Without levelling control. Excluding 4WD.
TÜV-Approved

 

 

the ride is firmer, but not too harsh or crashy , (but then I prefere it that way, some people dont like how hard the standard car is! I find the stadard car wallowy! lol..) you only really notice on speed bumps and poor roads, if you have good quality roads its fine... be aware it will NOT go up kerbs, the front is too low (I have taken to reversing into car parking spaces )

 

they are working fine with my standard dampers, but the best thing you can do (by all reports I've read!) is match them with bilstien B8 dampers this apparently gives an awesome setup, so I will be going for them in the future, but they are very expensive! they are a recomonded match though (by eibach, and bilstien!)

 

the eibachs do reduce pitch and roll, but I also have an H&R RARB, and that by FAR outdoes the springs in improving handling, it basically makes the car much flatter, put together they work very very well

 

I would reccomend them on looks alone personally , considering how cheap they are if you dont mnd the ride standard, i doubt you would have much complaint with the eibachs on

Edited 5 February, 2014 by sharkrider

[mrburdon123]

Spot on, thanks!

That's the part number I'm getting too so youve convinced me that I'm going for the right set.

Anyone on here ran with b8s and eibachs and can comment on the ride?

[sharkrider]

somone on here (sparkly I think) has ordered some B8's don't think he's got them on yet

[newbie69]

somone on here (sparkly I think) has ordered some B8's don't think he's got them on yet

 

I'm more and more thinking about going for the B8's in order to complement the lowering springs I am running for almost 2 years now. There is some "unpleasant" feeling when going over bumps and curbs and I'm pretty much fed up with that amount of harshness even though if I factor everything in, it's a better combo than stock. IIRC, Sy had commented that B8+lowering springs was actually better (in terms of comfort) than stock *crappy* dampers + lowering springs. Just want to sort out some other priorities first.

Edited 5 February, 2014 by newbie69

[mrburdon123]

As above, I don't want the crashy/thumping feeling I'm getting with the standard setup. iirc, someone said that the factory shocks are ideally pared with eibachs, the factory spring they actually fit are just a cost saving exercise.

But if you changed to harder springs without renewing your old shocks, could this have reduced the remaining life of your shocks so over the last 2 years they've basically worn out, explaining the harshness over bumps? OR, has that harshness been there since you fitted the lowering springs?

[Ootohere]

Springs, give the spring, and Dampers (shock absorbers) damp the spring action.  

 

But different tyres with more sidewall can help crashiness if someone is changing tyres anyway.

[newbie69]

As above, I don't want the crashy/thumping feeling I'm getting with the standard setup. iirc, someone said that the factory shocks are ideally pared with eibachs, the factory spring they actually fit are just a cost saving exercise.

But if you changed to harder springs without renewing your old shocks, could this have reduced the remaining life of your shocks so over the last 2 years they've basically worn out, explaining the harshness over bumps? OR, has that harshness been there since you fitted the lowering springs?

 

To be honest, I disliked the feeling of the stock setup as well when going over bumps, it's not that I sacrificed any great comfort. So, a minor increase in harshness was a fair trade-off for the improvement in looks and handling. It's just that it sometimes feels I am still running stock setup. Surely it doesn't lean that much but the total behaviour of the car feels not ideal (for my like). That's why I 've come to believe you can only go as far without changing dampers.

[Sparkly]

FYI I haven't placed the order yet.

 

Spent all this months free cash on unnecessary car wax

 

Maybe March

[skodavrs30]

it seems to me boy racers what they did to spoil the 205 gti standered set up which was as said fantastic but its all down to what you want you can uprate the mazda mx5 but again i found that car great handling on factory settings but when you come to sell a non standered car it can reduce the price.

Look at how wheeler dealers turned a pug 205 1.9 gti back from lowered suspention to original and turned it back to great again.

Why would skoda with there rally cars turnout a bad handling car for europe roads they would not.

Im saying this to avoid people wasting money on a good car and i have driven this car at speed over many surfaces and found it as good as the 205 and better than a seat cupra ibiza.

[Sparkly]

it seems to me boy racers what they did to spoil the 205 gti standered set up which was as said fantastic but its all down to what you want you can uprate the mazda mx5 but again i found that car great handling on factory settings but when you come to sell a non standered car it can reduce the price.

Look at how wheeler dealers turned a pug 205 1.9 gti back from lowered suspention to original and turned it back to great again.

Why would skoda with there rally cars turnout a bad handling car for europe roads they would not.

Im saying this to avoid people wasting money on a good car and i have driven this car at speed over many surfaces and found it as good as the 205 and better than a seat cupra ibiza.

 

I for one am not a boy racer, I'm a 33 year old succesful professional with a young family.  I have two degrees from a good University and this month alone have spent more on detailing products for my car than a boy racer would look to spend on a set of Coilovers. I carefully chose a highly respected German Manufactured TUV Approved product that cost several times more to make than the springs I removed from the car (suspect cheap chinese) and have handled both side by side.  As I take it you have not driven a lowered Fabia vRS from your comments, you aren't really in a position to comment.  My personal experience, and this is all I will comment on, was that the car ride comfort was not impaired, perhaps changed slightly being a little firmer but with better control over broken surfaces (less crash.)  The original set up will be better for certain peoples wants and needs, very much depending where you live, I know George has commented previously on the benefit of the added ride height for the roads he drives, plus parking.  However there is a weight of people on here who would agree the car is a far sharper handler when lowered on good springs compared to the more wallowy stocks.

 

However, why would Skoda turn out a car that has sub par/not optimum handling....well cost for one, catering to a wide customer base of varied tastes and therefore aiming for the middle ground for two and three because they did it with the mess of Jelly that was the Mk1 Fabia's suspension, why would they do something new.  Nevermind the fact that their Rally Car only looks like our Mk2 and that's where the similarities end.

 

I give unbiased advice to my fellow Skoda enthusiasts as do many others who have done this modification alongside the RARB and found huge handling gains can be had.  the only reason for doing this is because I like this site and most of the people on it so pass on this information to help people make their own decisions.  Let's not forget either that Skoda themselves offer a Skoda approved lowering kit through Eibach.

 

This car has nothing to do with the Pug 205 GTI and I truly fail to see the relevance other than they are both hot hatches, albeit of completely different generations.

[newbie69]

it seems to me boy racers what they did to spoil the 205 gti standered set up which was as said fantastic but its all down to what you want you can uprate the mazda mx5 but again i found that car great handling on factory settings but when you come to sell a non standered car it can reduce the price.

Look at how wheeler dealers turned a pug 205 1.9 gti back from lowered suspention to original and turned it back to great again.

Why would skoda with there rally cars turnout a bad handling car for europe roads they would not.

Im saying this to avoid people wasting money on a good car and i have driven this car at speed over many surfaces and found it as good as the 205 and better than a seat cupra ibiza.

 

I find the 205 and Mazda MX-5 (especially that one) irrelevant comparisons and I would agree that no suspension upgrade is necessary for them under most everyday conditions. The vRS is nowhere near them however, I don't get why you keep insisting in presenting it to be such a great handling car when it obviously isn't. I speak only because I've driven several other hot-hatches out there like for example: Astra GTC, Cooper S, Fiesta ST, Clio RS etc. They all clearly and undoubtedly surpass the vRS handling-wise. This does not mean it's a bad car, nor does my self-esteem get hurt If I concur to this widely-accepted fact. Actually, the moment I accept it, I can starting thinking how and by how much I would like to correct it in order to approach the performance of some of the above mentioned cars which are considered by many as a reference today. Closing my ears and eyes and just calling everyone who does so a "boy-racer" isn't constructive at all.

 

PS. Sparkly got me! Pretty much saying the same thing.

Edited 6 February, 2014 by newbie69

[mrburdon123]

Agree with the above two comments. If the standard cars suspension is fine, why does the rally fabia not use it? The standard suspension will just be fit for function. Function and cost weighed up and compromised - most of the time in favour of cost. Also, as said its down to personal preference, some like it to feel like a gocart, others want refinement but others don't care.

skoda, don't care, they just want something that works, gives a certain sporty feel to the car but costs as little as possible.

[Ootohere]

I have been away today trying the mk3 MINI Cooper S, 2.0 litre Automatic.

 

The salesperson kept telling me how it handled like a Kart, and i told him that my original Mini handled like a Kart & my Picanto does,

thiis handles like a MINI.

 

& he kept say how fast it was, and when i asked if he ever drives anything else that is fast he took the huff.

 

So a lovely 3 door, a bit bigger again, a lovely handling new car, nice autobox, quite fast.

Starts at just over £20,000, then keep adding,

even 'Sport Suspension' is an extra.

[Prykey]

I traded my 3-year old Petrol MINI Cooper Clubman Graphite Edition for the Monte Carlo Tech TSI.

 

Reason being to remain with MINI would have cost me a fortune, the Tech cost me under £2k to change, its as fast its as comfortable and it ride as well and has a bigger boot and is more economical.

 

It was a no brainer for me.

[XK140]

it seems to me boy racers what they did to spoil the 205 gti standered set up which was as said fantastic but its all down to what you want you can uprate the mazda mx5 but again i found that car great handling on factory settings but when you come to sell a non standered car it can reduce the price.

Look at how wheeler dealers turned a pug 205 1.9 gti back from lowered suspention to original and turned it back to great again.

Why would skoda with there rally cars turnout a bad handling car for europe roads they would not.

Im saying this to avoid people wasting money on a good car and i have driven this car at speed over many surfaces and found it as good as the 205 and better than a seat cupra ibiza.[/quote.

I'm just coming up to 65 so hardly a boy racer and I can state without any doubt that the handling of the vRS as standard is poor by the best "hot hatch" standards...not unsafe and ok by the standards of an ordinary low powered hatch but soon gets ragged when pushed hard on a twisty B road.

That doesn't mean to say that all cars need to have the basic springs/shocks/roll bar mods to make them right,they don't .For example the Clio 197 /200 is ok standard,in fact the Cup suspension is too far for road use,being only good for the track in my experience....and,yes,I have driven one,it's not just theory.

In fact a standard (mk 2) Octavia vRS handles better than a mk2 Fabia vRS,and I felt no need to change mine.

To the more intelligent on here,i have the Eibachs and a rarb but tbh I'm sure the Bilstein shocks are needed as well for a worth while further gain..I don't' think they would make things more harsh but would improve things by reducing the secondary bounce.

If a car is wanting in the handling department it's normal for the best handling gains to be had by fitting better shock absorbers (dampers being the correct name of course)....I would very much like to try a car on standard springs but with a rarb and Bilsteins,but nobody does this.The problem is I fitted the Eibachs because the are Skoda approved so the warranty is unaffected,but change the shocks and it might be more problematical.

[stu_mcl]

Ahhh first time iv seen a picture of my old fabia in a while thanks to this bump

I miss its amazing boy racerness thanks to the lowering springs that totaly ruined the suberb handling from factory, such money waste of wow

[skodavrs30]

so all the road testing mags that say its a good handling car are wrong and you have to spend more money on a car thats quite pricey already and these comments would put me off buying a fabia vrs chinese sus i mean haha im really glad i have driven one as i think the standered set up as good as my 205gti?

but its down to you guys to choose what you want but not to run down a great car with snide cheap suspention that does not support skoda?

[Sparkly]

so all the road testing mags that say its a good handling car are wrong and you have to spend more money on a car thats quite pricey already and these comments would put me off buying a fabia vrs chinese sus i mean haha im really glad i have driven one as i think the stadered set up as good as my 205gti?

but its down to you guys to choose what you want but not to run down a great car with snide cheap suspention that does not support skoda?

 

Ahem, have you missed the part where we all own this car?

 

You say you are glad you have driven one. Do you not own a Mk2 vRS?

 

The rest is too comical to comment on.

[skodavrs30]

Im not trying to hassle you guys about what mods you do on skodas but im a fan of bog standared not messed about with cars and i know this adds to selling price due to insurance costs with uprated cars but i do not like you slagging off about the factory set up there is no need for that.

[skodavrs30]

Ahem, have you missed the part where we all own this car?

 

You say you are glad you have driven one. Do you not own a Mk2 vRS?

 

The rest is too comical to comment on.

skoda estate vrs mk111 mates car thats why im buying one and its better than my 205gti handling wise a better ride,but as said if i came to this forum and read that i need to spend more money on handling kit then i would buy a mini  which buy the way i have owned the old rover mini and that was a go cart.