Octavia 3 sports suspension

[philhoward]

Reading this I wonder if I did the right thing by adding Sports Suspension to my order (1.4 DSG Estate with standard 17" Elegance alloys) but after 2 years with a Fabia vRS still looking like it's on stilts after 57,000 miles it's a look I couldn't cope with this time around!

 

If the spring rate increases (which I assume it does) then hopefully it might make it a bit more stable for towing as well?

[harrysprout]

I honestly think some people must have spines largely constructed of sticky back plastic, cardboard and string. Nothing wrong with vRS ride AT ALL. Get a grip fer christ sake :-) Not sure what sports springs would do to a rear torsion set up though.

[stefano1]

^^^agree with this - gone from a yeti to vrs and no issues at all

[Timoctav]

Skoda call the optional suspension on the non  vRS Octavia "sports " suspension but a set of stiffer springs attached to the bog standard torsion beam suspension doesn't really cut the mustard IMO. Better off going for the vRS.

[Stuarted]

... I just thought the larger wheels would make the gap look a bit more full.

.

How come?  The overall wheel diameter will be exactly the same.

 

[Yeti_Man]

.

How come?  The overall wheel diameter will be exactly the same.

because there's more alloy and less black rubber.

[ajtrader100]

.

How come?  The overall wheel diameter will be exactly the same.

 

Because, although the overall diameter of the tyre is the same, the tyre itself is black.

 

The gaping hole under the arches is black.

 

The Alloy isn't black.

 

The alloy is an inch bigger.

 

Thus making the wheel look larger in the hole.

 

You get me bruv?

[Stuarted]

Here you are:

http://jaguar.fiboy.com/images/52_cat_green.jpg



Sorted!
_ _ _

Just out of interest, why do some people prefer black alloy wheels?

Edited 14 April, 2014 by Stuarted

[Falkster]

I think black wheels only work with certain colours and with black trim i.e mirrors, grille. Most cars have silver alloys so I like black coz it's different!

[pipsyp]

Dunno about others thoughts but the Elegance spec isnt sporty; IMHO its counter intuitive to stick 18's with lower profile rubber and sports suspension on one....would have bought a vRS otherwise.

Everyones different but I bought my Elegance as a comfortable long distance cruiser as have gotten a bit tired of the firm fidgety ride most VAG sports suspended cars provide and happy with the handling trade-off as the ride is infinitely better than that of my Mk2 vRS.

Edited 15 April, 2014 by pipsyp

[Pumatron]

I have an elegance with 18" wheels and sports suspension and I specced it for the slightly lower ride height and the fact that my kids throw up with soft suspensioned cars. No, the elegance isn't sporty but I like the look of the Golus wheels and they just happen to be 18". Didn't like 17" standard alloys, looked 'orrible and looked harder to clean. I've had my setup for nearly a year and I'm over the moon with the car as a whole. Comfort in my opinion is fine. Just my choice and opinion though.

[Timoctav]

.....No, the elegance isn't sporty but I like the look of the Golus wheels and they just happen to be 18". Didn't like 17" standard alloys, looked 'orrible and looked harder to clean. I've had my setup for nearly a year and I'm over the moon with the car as a whole. Comfort in my opinion is fine. Just my choice and opinion though.

I'll grant you that - although they look good IMO the multi-spoke and multi facetted standard 17" Elegance wheels are  a PITA to clean properly - the 18" Golus are a much cleaner and simpler design

[TudorM]

Opinions on KW Street Comfort for a VRS from anyone?

[WAUOla]

Regarding size of rims and wheels: I find the visual impression of a non-lowered car with bigger rims strange. We are in general discussion a 15mm drop here, and that isn't any major lowering. Going the low-profile route just enhances the impression of the gap on any car.

 

So why spec your new Octavia with the sport suspension? It makes a better visual impact of your car, and it hopefully imroves handling charateristics of your car. Wether torsion-beam or independent linkages I don't believe is what matters in this thread: you have what you have - do you want to improve or modify that's feature?

One of the big benefits are ofcourse that you get dampers that are (and I can't verify if there are different items between the "packages") more suited for a shorter travel, hence a better starting point for aftermarket, quality lowering springs (like Eibach, H&R, Vogtland, etc). Such items may be lower, but have designed features like progrssive compression rates that enables drive in everyday life being made just fine.

 

People's preferences do differ, so I am not the one to convince others in their's. But personally I ran a Golf on Eibach pro kit spings and that was the best comfort, looks and characteristics on a daily I have ever driven. If wanting to go lower, there is cost/benefit that point in the direction of quality coilovers like Eibach, H&R, Bilstein, KW etc, etc. Going lower may force the need for more suited dampers, and the market prices for proper coilovers aren't that bad as of today.

 

To sum it up:

Octavia 3 on 17" wheels: optional with sport suspension.

Octavia 3 on 17" wheels (possible lowering to come): sport suspension.

Octavia 3 on 18" wheels: sport suspension (due low-profile tyre dampening and visual impact).

Octavia 3 on 19" wheels: doesn't matter, I would swap for more suited coilovers for that travel range.

[Mort1]

I have got sportsuspension and 18" Golus on my O3.

I am really pleased with how it handles and look. 15 mm down does not sound like a lot. But when compared side by side, same car with the same size wheels, the lowered looks better.

Firm but not to any extreme.

[pipsyp]

Ride quality was the most important thing for me this time around.

I cant see there being an argument that lower stiffer suspension and/or lower profile tyres are going to have any impact other than a negative one.

I'll acknowledge the Golus are a nicer looking wheel than the Teron, also visually I prefer less visible wheel-arch but its then a case of form over function.

If you want the best possible ride quality on an O3 you have to go with the stock suspension and higher profile tyres; mines slightly compromised in having the 17's with its 45 profile rubber but the 225 section width made that worthwhile from the extra latetal grip you get when cornering...also no 16" option on the Elegance.

The SE spec car I test drove with stock suspension and 16" wheels rode even better than the Elegance, its still quite firm but v compliant, doesn't float and handles well enough for the kind of car it is.

[V6Jules]

I've had my Octavia 3 vrs estate for over a month now and find the suspension to be pretty normal comfort wise. I wouldn't class it rough at all. A tiny bit more focused than my previous b6 Passat sport. Nicer to drive as a whole but not rough. I did a 500 mile round trip after having it two weeks and still felt comfortable at the end.

Maybe I'm biased though as my wife's car which I also drive is a mk1 eunos roadster on gaz coilovers (not that I find these that rough) I also have a hotrod that runs solid axles front and back with leaf springs all round and that IS rough so I could be used to it...

[mall4eg]

Hi, I'm from Russia, we have a problem that we can not buy a car with a normal suspension or the European (klierens 140mm) or with sports suspension (125mm), we have all cars  klierens 155mm (suspension Rough road 2UF). On our forum (Octavia-club.ru) many people want to change on the sports suspension (2UC).

But we do not know the numbers springs and shock absorbers (PR numbers), please if you have the opportunity, then write numbers (PR codes) from youre car
or we can determine the number of VIN code by ETKA. Do not leave us in trouble.
Looking for a numbers at the car hatchback (limo) 1.4DSG 1.8tsi dsg or manual gearbox.

[pipsyp]

Not that id buy an Elegance/SE-L again but if I did I'd unquestionably tick the sports suspension box.

The ride on stock suspension isnt actually that fabulous (its actually quite firm but an improvement on the Mk2 almost certainly) but it rolls and wallows when you really start travelling.

Id expect a sport suspended car to handle more like (but not exactly like) a vRS but with slower steering.

Id probably stick with the Terons though....still 225 wide and low enough profile. Look quite nice and cheaper tyres.

Edited 22 December, 2015 by pipsypreturns

[mall4eg]

I have got sportsuspension and 18" Golus on my O3.

I am really pleased with how it handles and look. 15 mm down does not sound like a lot. But when compared side by side, same car with the same size wheels, the lowered looks better.

Firm but not to any extreme.

Hi, in our country the problem that we can't order from the factory sport suspension. If you do not complicate, write please numbers of springs and dampers from you car