Hi Everyone

I recently took my TSI VRS to the dealers to investigate strange engine noise as the was warranty due to expire. They originally thought it could be an air flap motor but it turned out to be the coolant pump. While it was in I mentioned some noise from the suspension which they agreed to also check and when I collected the car I was pleased to see that they had not only replaced the coolant pump but also the console bushes under warranty too. Result I thought.

All was well and good until I took it out on a fast road run today. The handling seems to have been adversely affected and it was struggling to put the power down. At times it was riding so poorly it felt like it was running on its rims. The steering was loading up in corners and the body movement on poorer surfaces gave me no confidence at all to push on.

Could replacing rhe console bushes on a three year old car really affect the handling for the worse? I was expecting an improvement. Any ideas on what's causing this?

Anyone?

I'm not even sure what's involved in replacing the console bushes and exactly what effect they would have on handling. Could this have affected wheel alignment?

I had to get them replaced in my Mk1 Fabia VRS just out of warranty and for that it was an instant improvement in feel and grip from a drivers point of feel. I am sure they said at time that they had to do tracking after it but not 100% sure. Either way your not happy go back get whoever worked on it to go out in car with you in it to see what problems your having etc.

Might be worth taking for a Hunter wheel alignment to check the settings after.

yep, i'd get a full alignment check done - to be fair they should have done this already after changing the bushes.

there is a chance they've put the wrong bushes in there, but i think most likely its geometry related.

Did they do both sides? And did they do any other bushes? If not its probably giving some random dynamic geometry. Probably worst under breaking and turning?

Rang the dealer.

Apparently they've 'replaced loads of console bushes and this should have no effect on the geometry.' They don't do any geometry check after replacement because of this?

However, the tech suggests that it is probably the vehicle tracking that is causing the issue! They have offered to take the vehicle back in and check the tracking at the local Bentley dealer who do their wheel alignment work. This will apparently set me back £95.00.

Definitely feels that the characteristics of the car have changed and yes particularly noticeable under braking and cornering where the steering loads up.

take it to somewhere with a Hunter setup, they will set the geometry up properly and charge much less than £95

Take it to a specialist and get a full 4 wheel alignment. They will do the job properly and cost less.

Dave

Edited 16 March, 201313 yr by FatblokeVRS

Take it to a specialist and get a full 4 wheel alignment. They will do the job properly and cost less.

Dave

Don't go to a 4 wheel alignment place, you want a geometry check on a Hunter rig.

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Rang the dealer.

Apparently they've 'replaced loads of console bushes and this should have no effect on the geometry.' They don't do any geometry check after replacement because of this?

Unbelievable!

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If you have the bushes in your hand, its hard to credit anyone saying that replacement will not affect alignment. The name on the side of the rig is (within reason) not so important a the person doing the job.

No doubt some one will be able to recommend a good place not too far away from you. Wheels in motion are based south eastish somewhere, and come highly recommended.

TTS Roadsport in Bedford are Independent VAG specialists and have a Hunter alignment rig. I can strongly recommend them based on my experiences using them.

If you have the bushes in your hand, its hard to credit anyone saying that replacement will not affect alignment. The name on the side of the rig is (within reason) not so important a the person doing the job.

No doubt some one will be able to recommend a good place not too far away from you. Wheels in motion are based south eastish somewhere, and come highly recommended.

The name on the rig is not important, true, but there is a vast difference between a 4 wheel alignment (front wheels are lined up in relation to the rears) and a full geometry check. The majority of tyre type places do the former, which is kind of useless on the Golf V chassis as the rears tend to go out of alignment, if they were ever correct in the first place from new.

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Sorry if it wasn't clear, I wasn't suggesting any of the "tracking type " setups that some places have. Just that there are other highly sophisticated 4 wheel alignment systems around and to ignore a Beissbarth Microline for example which include the possibility of corner weighting.

Sorry if it wasn't clear, I wasn't suggesting any of the "tracking type " setups that some places have. Just that there are other highly sophisticated 4 wheel alignment systems around and to ignore a Beissbarth Microline for example which include the possibility of corner weighting.

I know you know the difference, but many would see 4 wheel alignment at a tyre place and think it was the same thing.

Given some of the printouts I have seen from Hunter rigs lately there are a few operators around that negate the fact they have decent equipment at their disposal.

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If you mark them up before removal then transfer these marks to the new one you can get it spot on back in, although there is minimal chance of movement as the two 16mm bolts that go through the subframe are fixed its only the 18mm on the end that can move slightly

Thanks for all the responses. Sounds like I need to get it in for a full geometry check.

I'm based in Cambridge so I could go to the place mentioned in Bedford fairly easily. I'm also down in Luton on Thursday so could easily head in Herts or even over as far as Milton Keynes in the afternoon.

I always prefer personal recommendations rather than picking someone the Internet. Any other nominations for a top place to get your geometry checked in the East of England?