Thought i'd ask on here about this. I need some help getting the Fabia Vrs in shape for a track day.

I've been round the Nurburgring this and last year. I did one lap last year and 3 last weekend. We did one each between me and two mates. So it had about 35 minutes over the course of an hour with the 3 laps. The engine is standard, so are the brakes and it has jom suspension.

 

I've got a few questions about getting it ready.  

At the ring the brakes went spongey and didn't really get better in between laps, it's got Pagid dot 4 and is about 1.5 years old so thinking of putting in ate super blue, mutul rbf or a dot 5.1 in. What would you recommend with the standard calipers?

 

I'm thinking I should upgrade the pads, I think my options are Mintex 1144, Ferrodo DS2500 or EBC red stuff which seems to be getting better reviews lately? Any suggestions or experience and where to buy them from, i'm not finding many places that sell them for the Fabia.

 

My last question is on wheels. I want another set of wheels because I'd prefer not to scrub out the tyres on the merc segins and prefer to not worry about damaging the wheels as they arent easy to come across. I was thinking of 15 inch wheels as they seem to be very cheap for corrado/golf wheels.  Another reason for this size is my friend has some paradas I can pretty much have with enough tread for a few track days and can get part worn r888's in the same size which I could possibly use for later track days. I'm not sure if they will be too small though?

 

Its safe to say I have the bug 

You have pretty much answered your own questions.

 

 Your brake fluid I would use motul or similar, I have heard the ate super blue can damage seals in your master cylinder and callipers, how true this is I am not sure, I used Gulf 600 fluid off Opie.

 

 Pads, I used Yellow stuff which made a massive difference over OEM but used standard discs. I have Ferodo 2500 for my Golf. Do you have a MK ii or MK i Fabia?  I had to get Golf MK iii pads for the MK ii we have and bought from Larkspeed as they offered a good price with free delivery, the website can be misleading so I recommend calling them.

 

Wheels, I use a set of 17" BBS CH with part worn tyres on, less tread the better as new tyres create heat in big locks of rubber that makes grip drop off quick, just ask shark rider about Dunlop Sport Maxx on his Fabia, melted like chocolate. These are quite good but the 888's will be fantastic but expensive, have you thought about Federal 595 RS-R? These get good reviews and cost half what a triple 8 costs. I have ordered new Team Dynamic 1.2 wheels and Federal 595's to go on my Golf, the TD wheels are about 9 kilos each and every kilo of unsprung weight saved on a wheel is equivalent to removing 7 kilos from within the car, apparently.

 

 Then, I guess you start on ARB's front and rear, strut brace maybe and eventually tune the beast up for more power........... see where this is going? You say you have the bug and that means it is going to keep going and going until you get bored or run out of money.

 

 Also, feel free to join us at Oulton Park on October 8th for an open pit lane track day, check out the thread here

Good to see you've caught the bug! James has covered everthing in the above post.

I've been going to the Ring for 14 years and its the best circuit in the world . Just be very careful you don't have an accident as it will cost you ££££££££. I know a guy who is paying 100k back to a German GT3 owner he crashed into.

I now play safe a rent a Suzuki swift which is fun and most importantly insured.

Thanks for the advice, wanted to make sure I'm on the right track.

 

OK i'll go for the motul fluid from opie. Pads, the yellow stuff seems just track which I don't mind swapping out for my standard pagids after the day. I'd be happy to do that but the reviews are so mixed, but much much cheaper than the ds2500's!?

 

I've got a mk1, I did have a rear arb but sold it to buy my current wheels, wish I didn't now! The paradas I have are around 2mm left so they seem ideal then. I'm tempted by a remap but don't want to start spending money on new turbos etc it just becomes too expensive.  :(

 

We were defnitely careful around the ring, very respectful of the track. My two mates that drove it to do a lot of trackdays so i trusted them.

 

I'm tempted by a set of these Corrado wheels, 15 inch but I like the track syle design and are made by speedline. Stick on the 195/50/15 paradas and I'm good to go? 

Forgot to mention the track day. I would have joined in but i'm doing one at Oulton in November with a group of mates I dont think I can afford both unfortunately. :( I'll definitely keep an eye out for others though!

Shame you can't make oulton with use :(

Pads I rate ds2500. Awesome when you get heat into them but still work fine from cold for day to day use. I used them on the bigger 312mm but they souls be good on the standard 288mm setup.

For fluid any decent dot 4. Just compare the wet boiling points. I wouldn't bother with dot 5.1 anymore. Yeah it was fine, never suffered from it boiling but you have to change it a lot more.

15's would be ideal seeing you still have the standard brakes. Sometimes I've been tempted to go back to 288's for the cheap wheel/tyres options.

Jabba rear anti roll bar is a great buy for making the handling more neutral. I sold mine as I fancied a change lol.

For a real benefit I would highly recommend a day with Don Palmer.

With regard to the yellow stuff pads, I have left them in the Fabia and I think Korban runs them on his Fabia all the time.

 

 I have had a conversation with a few people about pads, the Yellow stuff are around £75 for the fronts and Ferodo are £150, the general consensus that is coming back that the Ferodos are better but not twice as good to reflect twice the price.

 

 If your Fabia has the same callipers as our MK ii I am happy to lend you the yellow pads to try them as they are in a box in the garage.

I know I'd have liked to have done it with other skoda's as a comparison. :(

Ok I'll go with the 15s then, hoping running them on 195's isn't too narrow?

Not sure who Don Palmer is? I'll definitely ask for any tuition on the day, I think going round the ring made me realise that would be a massive benefit.

Wow thanks for the offer, I'm not too sure if they are the same or not. I can't see on my phone if your near me on the wirral? It does sound like the yellow stuff is at least worth a go.

Phil, I will be in Ellesmere Port tomorrow (Saturday) morning from 9 until 12, I will be at central vw in Crescent road doing some bits to my Golf, if you want to nip down there I will take the pads with me and you can check if they fit.

http://www.donpalmer.co.uk/

Don's a good man.

Argh That would have been perfect but I've got to go up to Leeds tomorrow morning. Moving the girlfriend out of uni, don't think id be the most popular with changing plans :(

just let me know if you want them as I am only in St Helens.

I'm in prescot. Nicci's family is from St Helen's.

small world faboka vrs, probably seen you about without even knowing it 

Cheers James I will do. I work in widnes so not too far away!