Please allow me to participate in this thread even if I am not a Rapid owner.

 

My Roomster rides on 195/55R15 steels for three years and 47.000Km on clock. I own the car since new and being a Skoda owner since 2002 (Octavia MK1, 1.6 8v 2002 and Fabia MK1 1.2 12v HTP 2006) I can say that Roomster is handling much better than both of them due to its firm enough suspensions to give me the feeling of safety while cornering being comfortable enough the same time, while Octavia was way softer giving the feeling of body roll. Of course Octavia was on 195/65R15.

 

Roomster came to me with Continental Premium Contact2 tyres fitted by manufacturer. I always thought that potholes seems to be more 'loud' but that was Ok to me because the handling of the car is premium regarding its design. Let me give you another piece of information. A friend of mine drives the Scout version riding on 215/45  R16 and he keeps saying that his car is very uncomfortable and harder on potholes in comparison to mine.

 

Two weeks and 1.500Km ago I replaced the Continentals with Pirelli Cinturato P1 Verde (Ecoimpact) keeping the same tyre size 195/55R15 and the same steel wheels.  Since the very first kilometre I felt I drove another car. Way far quiter than before. And yes potholes are not that 'loud'. Tyre fitter put 35psi pressure to every tyre instead of 30psi I used to have in Continentals.

 

Of course Continentals had 45.500Km on and Pirellis are still new. Handling and dry grip I think is the same as Continentals, I do not know how they are on wet because there is no rain in my city yet (please keep in mind I leave in Greece) but I think that my breaking distance is improved.

 

Maybe you could ask from your dealer or another Rapid owner to give you a ride with their car just to make a comparison. The ideal would be that 'other' Rapid to be fitted with a different tyre brand at the same dimensions as yours.

Edited 24 August, 201312 yr by stratosg

I agree that the Roomster (and the Rapid) have firmer ride but also handle much sharper than the Octavia. I had a Mk1 Octavia and it felt very heavy and cumbersome compared to both the Rapid and Roomster.

Very interesting,  After 800 miles in three weeks on all sorts of surfaces I'm getting a clear idea of what I think.

 

The Rapid has got sharper more direct and accurate steering than any car I can recall from all the cars I've owner or hired--ever.

Pin sharp with not a mllimetre of slack or free play. Fantastic.And I remember recirculating ball steering--3 or 4 inches of slack in either direction. Lovely.  Not.

It is also probably the hardest joltiest car I have driven. You can feel potholes through the floor of the car. I cannot believe it will be long before it starts to rattle groan and generally lose its structural strength.

On anything but smooth roads it is seriously unpleasant.  Why in gods name can't VW buy a couple of 12 year old Focuses from a scrap yard strip them down and see how Ford manage to produce a brilliantly handling comfortable car. Simple.

 

I am comparing the Rapid with an Octavia Mk2 1.9 TDI which was smoother quieter and more comforable but it was heavy and ponderous. No-one would ever call the Rapid ponderous.

 

It is a delight on a smooth properly maintained bendy hilly road... I love it. But it is tiresome having to consider the road surface so closely all the time. It is a real shame in my view.

 

Anything else to like.  The gearbox--much slicker than the much loved Octavia.  The clutch seems perfect, but  my Octy was getting a bit tired in that department. The leather steering wheel.  The boot.

 

Enough already.

Have you had your car checked for transport blocks yet?

We have two ends of the spectrum, a Yeti TDI 4x4 Special Build on factory 16" rims and 215/60 tyres (rather than SUK's 17" 225/50 spec) that soaks up most road imperfections, with very little rough feedback getting to the driver through the steering but without losing a positive and accurate feel at the same time. Then there’s the lightweight roller skate Monte with its way oversized 17" rims and 205/40 tyres, which reacts to every road imperfection and lets you know about it quite noticeably through the steering, via numerous vibrations and oscillations of the wheel (great little car none the less, if you accept it is what it is).

 

Mind from my own Fabia ownership experience this is a Fabia trait and the bigger the wheels the more noticeable it gets; note currently have a MY10 Fabia 1 on 195/55 R15 tyres and the Monte on the 17". Previous to this we had an Elegance on 205/45 R16, so tried just about every tyre size on the current 6R front suspension set-up that was introduced with MY10; similar to the Rapid.

 

 

TP

Gadgetman  No not had it on a lift for a techie to look for blocks yet,   But I have done a bit more than just "had a look"---in the dark with a torch full lock lying on the ground and so on could not see anything out of the ordinary.  But what do I know.  When I can find a bit of time I will take it in to get it looked at.

 

Thanks for your interest

Maybe of interest to Arabas and Gadgetman.

Finally got a techie to look for transport blocks---nothing.  Ride still presenting a threat to the structure of the car IMO.

 

Last thing to look at but already suggested by Arabas and Gadgetman---tyre pressures.

 

Instead of 32 psi minimum or 35 maximum --what had I got  ?     42.  Done deliberately I think since all four were the same.

 

I don't think I trust myself to visit the dealer and tell him.  Is morons a good word ???. Incompetant fools ??? Careless cretins??

 

Car is transformed now on 32--firm but just normal not as if riding on solid cart wheels.

 

Thank you all for your interest.

42?

 

Someone needs to go to specsavers

Bouncy bouncy.

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Stories in the Octavia mk3 forum of this happening as well, who does the PDI at dealers usually, the sales team or the techies?

Glad you've found the problem, "firm" is definitely a description I agree with, although discussing it with the fella whom I give a lift to work, he's adamant that the ride is even firmer on his 3 year old Ford Ka :| my jaw nearly hit the floor.

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I bought a 2002 Suzuli Swift for Mrs Gs first car.  

It had no power steering at all so the dealer put  

50psi in the skinny little tyres to try and lighten the steering response.

(To help sell it presumably... I wanted Mrs G to learn how to steer

properly so it was ideal for that. )

It felt very rattly and rough until they were let down to the right pressure.

50psi in the skinny little tyres to try and lighten the steering response.

.

Hope they weren't Pirellis ;-)

50 is a tad on the extreme side!

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Can you name & shame the dealer?

 

Instead of 32 psi minimum or 35 maximum --what had I got  ?     42.  Done deliberately I think since all four were the same.

 

Car is transformed now on 32--firm but just normal not as if riding on solid cart wheels.

I get mine tomorrow so I'll be sure to check the pressures.

Can you name & shame the dealer?

If you mean me, then no. It was a multi brand private car sales place along a street

where there's about 12 of them. It wasn't a certified main dealer.

If you mean me, then no. It was a multi brand private car sales place along a street

where there's about 12 of them. It wasn't a certified main dealer.

Sorry meant the OP

Gadgetman

 

Could name and shame but first I intent to blame and insist they cure the damn big rattle in the passenger door caused  I suppose by 850 miles of having the car's nuts shaken off.  To rub it in they can get the thing on a lift and I shall want a good look at possible bent bits.   Just to make the bu$$ers suffer a bit.  Not a lot I can do really and they can just deny all knowledge.  If they don't take it seriously I will remind them of a massive competitor only 35 miles away.

 

It has occurred to me that such a big over-inflate could have caused wheel rim or other damage. Damn and blast.

 

Also naming and shaming will be unlikely to protect anyone in UK 'cos dealer is in south of Spain .

 

Thanks for your continued interest

42psi wow

Although one of the first the things you should do on collecting the car is check oil and tyre pressures.

They'll say neglect - 850 miles of not checking tyre pressure, should be checking 2 times a month if not more.

Somewhat surprised the op didn't check them before going back to the dealers.

?????Somewhat surprised the op didn't check them before going back to the dealers.????????

 

Don't understand that. 

 

Of course I checked them before going back to the dealer.  Thats how I know what the pressure was. And like I said I am going to blame them and try to cause them trouble for their stupidity Which means I haven't done that yet.

Check them day one

Moan day two

Sorted day three

Happy motoring day four

Meerkat simples