Hi all, just purchased myself a 64 plate VRS, white with the black roof and black wheels, am very happy with the car apart from a few things, I've rang my skoda dealer and asked them if I buy some springs and fit them would they honour the warranty, they said no, but if I took them to skoda and skoda fitted them (at a cost of around 250 hard earned notes) they will honour the warranty, the bloke I've spoken to seems incredibly knowledgable about springs etc which I am not which is a wonderful thing for me, I've been considering the 30mm ST's by KW, or the 40mm by H&R, speaking to the fellow at skoda he said the ride would be incredibly hard and another bloke even said my eye balls were likely to fall out if I went over a speed bump, I'm really wanting to lower the car by 40mm, for looks and handling, but I don't want to do this if I'm going to shake the **** out of my missis when I get her from work, (car still smells nice so don't want that). I'm wondering if anyone has had first hand experience with the H&R springs and how they are on a day to dat basis? Also, has anyone remapped there mk2 and does that affect the warranty? Thank in advance all.. Kipper

Remap will definitely affect warranty.

 

I can't comment on your preferred springs, but I have Eibachs, which lower about 25mm, and they are definitely harder than the standard springs. They ride better over small bumps, but larger ones can shake you up. I'm thinking of upgrading the shocks/dampers, or even going down a wheel size, to reduce the jarring ride.

Welcome to the forum.

 

The person you spoke to had a forked tonque.

You can Buy the Lowering Springs that Skoda Sell & Dealers fit to Skodas, and as long as you fit them correctly

then the Manufacturers Warranty on the cars suspension is not Void.

 

They can not Impose Restrictive Practices if it is in the UK /EU, 

there is an open Market, so just like Servicing of the Car does not have to be done by Skoda Dealerships, 

Fitting Approved Parts that they themselves will fit is OK.  You keep the Receipt for the Parts purchased.

 

As to other Upgrade Parts, then you can expect to have to accept those may Void the Warranty on affected areas of the vehicle.

 

http://skoda.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/Brochures/Warranty-Booklet-single.pdf

page 4 & 6.

Look at Replacement Parts, Non Original Parts, & the Vehicles Exclusions on the Warranty.

 

Re RE-Mapping a CTHE 1.4 TSI,  you will need to find someone that can. (not heard yet of APR being able to.)

& that will almost certainly Void the Warranty on the Engine & Drivetrain.

As set out in the Manufacturers Warranty.  Non Approved or Original Software Enhancement to Engine Management.

 

george

Edited 22 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

Any aftermarket spring that lowers a car will cause a harder ride, its just due to the spring being harder as the coils are wrapped closers together hence shortening the spring and subsequently your car.

 

I have the H&R springs; and although they are harder, they definitely do not not shake me to pieces. Speed bumps don't cause an issue (You should be going slow over them anyway) and the look with a 40mm drop does look better than the Ebiachs 25mm IMO.

 

As you have a pretty new car I would probably suggest going with the Skoda approved springs. If you have any suspension / running train issues while the car is under warranty, you don't want to give Skoda any excuse not to pay out for a repair.

 

Enjoy your VRS! :-)

Sorry to disagree,

 but Shorter & less coils does not necessarily mean a harder ride, or crashy.

That is just a common thing with not very good Lowering (shorter springs).

There is obviously less travel, and the original spring height has not that much travel anyway,

but what there is can be improved on with Progressive Springs.Actually just about any springs are going to be better than the Budget OEM that Skoda fit.

 

It can be why there are price differences.

Dampers and Springs being changed, and possibly also Bushes means you can go lower and with a firm ride,

and yes it may be hard, but then you are either after the Look, or the Look and the improved performance.

 

Going up on the Profile of the Tyres from 205/40 R 15 to 215/40 R17 on the vRS can negate some of the hardness that 

some might dislike after just fitting shorter and harder springs.

& for cosmetic reasons, fill the arches just an ickle bit better.

 

george

Edited 22 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

i would look at Coilovers, a good set of coil overs from KW such as the basic V1's will usually be more comfortable than standard suspension. so many of the standard set ups are over sprung and under damped so you get an awful bumpy harsh ride.

 

tyre profile has never helped the fabia though, i'm actually looking forward to fitting my winters for that reason

Ally -Bassman thanks a lot for your feedback it has really helped, i do have a friend with a car garage that used this phrase with a few expletives in "its if you have the cohonies to start messing about with a 64 plate car" BUT i do think the car looks too tall and narrow and did buy it with the idea of lowering it slightly. Luckily the lovely fellow i bought it from at skoda was incredibly knowledgeable and knew just about every thing that could be done to a car so while i was buying the car we did discuss these things. but anyway thats off topic. Could you extend on every day use for me please bassman? Obviously with lower springs it will be more uncomfortable but whats it like with a few passengers in and all that? you havent hit the wheel arches or anything have you? i do really like the look of them on the skoda i must say. 

 

George, thank you for the kind welcome to the forum, it took me a while to post anything sadly but now ive done it there is no stopping me id say. I appreciate your opinions on the springs and also appreciate the facts that you have provided around the warranty which puts me within a slightly better place of mind going forward as now im not thinking about tuning it (although id say this is fast enough for a hot hatch, i did take a ride in my father in laws VW Golf R type, and that was ridiculously quick to me). Yes i agree you are either after the look or the comfort, personally i dont find the springs on it "comfortable" but it doesnt really bother me, id rather be able to drive quicker than be "more comfortable" as someone said to me if i wanted comfort id have got a second hand range rover. Have you had yours lowered at all George? 

 

Ant, i looked at coilovers and did mention them to skoda and they said that would void the warranty and if my engine did go, they said they would be looking to find a reason to do with the coilovers to why it went, it seemed slightly rash to me for them to say this but then again i would rather them give me honesty than i go and fit these coilovers and then be told i am not covered, i think i will go for the 40mm springs, i just feel they look a lot better and my mate did say to me he who dares lowers. hmm, we will see, ill see if i get anymore opinions and if i do i shall be back to let you all know. 

 

Cheers,

 

Kipper

 

 

 

 

vrskeith is in the fortunate position of having had several vRS and still has one in the family and also he has a mk7 Golf R.

 

I have driven a Golf R with DSG, but i happen to prefer the Seat Leon Cupra 280 over any of the Fast Golfs FWD or AWD.

 

The Fabia vRS Twincharger has very Basic Suspension,

& the Hatch has 25 kg of Ballast Bolted to the rear crash bar.

The vrs Estate, Polo, Ibiza & A1 have the same platform but the 3 other Sister hatches get 215 /40 R 17 tyres as standard,

the Polo GTI gets the Battery in the boot for a better balance set up.

The vRS Estate though heavier and longer has a better balance as well and different rear springs.

 

Rear weights removed,

a rear ARB fitted, and Springs changed, and possibly tyres will make a huge difference to how a vRS Handles & performs.

& not for much money..

 

Personally i have my cars at the Original height because i need and like the clearance.

I have had Lowered buy changing springs, & also with Coils fitted on a vRS,

but i like the Standard Setup for where i drive, & the 'Much Cheapness'

when replacement parts are used,  I have 'Take Off' original springs on (Free Gratis), after wearing some out,

& upgraded Dampers fitted. (and 215/40 R17 tyres fitted pretty much all the time,. other than when the 205 Winter /wets are on.)

 

PS 

they are not rejecting other Warranty Items because of a Remap.

Maybe just the Engine Warranty, and maybe the DSG, Drivetrain.

& with the Engine replacement being in the 4 grand region, the DSG 2 grand plus, 

& CV's etc not 'Much Cheapness', that is a biggy.

 

You can Fit a Tuning Box to the CTHE Engine and see some improvements if that appeals.

But if you were asked on a Warranty Claim Declaration if you had a Tuning Box fitted, 

then you are put in the that situation of discussing if any Failures were because of that Non Original Fitment.

Edited 22 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

Cheers again George, your knowledge certainly does seem superior to most folk i have spoken to in the civilian world. i have not had the pleasure of driving the leon cupra 280 but was told it costs around 30 grand as a starter and for me if i wanted to spend that much id have gone for a dreaded ford, albeit the ford focus RS as a friend had one and that did go nicely, probably not as fast but for overall looks etc thats what i would have chosen. anyway off topic again. I might come across as a bit of a fool now, but what is an ARB? i will definitely look for some winter tyres i think, has anyone any advice on some winter tyres for a 40mm lowered VRS? And yes, i do see the massive costs with the engine, id say this car is fast enough and where i live it is a lot of country roads and windy roads so its not as if ill be doing huge huge speeds but the cornering does need to be bang on really which is again why ive looked at the spring set up. im quite sure ill go for the 40mm H&R as ive read different bits now and i dont think the "comfort" is totally sacraficed and like my friend told me even if it is its not LUDICROUSLY expensive to swap them to something else, although cost is cost, like i said before he who dares. Thanks for the insight onto the warranty though that is quite good to know as the fellows i dealt with at Skoda werent very hmm, how should i say "helpful" around warranty! thanks again for all your help George, ill have to get these fitted and let you all know if my eye balls stay in their sockets 

5 Door Red & Leather Leon 280 Demonstrators for under £24,000.

When a dealer gets more desperate & accepts a £22,000 offer, i am right in there i think.

Im only going by what a dealer told me (probably a plea by a skoda dealer to not get me to walk across the road). They do sound a nice car and yes 22 cash would be a reasonable price id say, i did look at some skoda demonstators and was quite displeased with the size of the reduction of the cars, on the one i looked at it was next to nothing and i got 42 months interest free on it which made it around the same by the end. Sadly the only thing that i was slightly annoyed with concerning the purchase of my car was that there was only (allegedly) 3 cars left that were bran new, and apparently again i dont know my correct facts im just going on what the skoda dealers told me, they arent bringing out a skoda mk3 VRS which is why i went for the one i did, but the 3 cars that were left were black with nothing on it, grey with a few bits, and then white with several bits on it, which is the one i went for as i see cruise control being an absolute must for myself. But i am happy with the car and apparently they are expected to hold their value if a mk3 VRS does not follow. whether there is any truth in this i would say i am not sure.. 

There are not only 3 Unregistered and Un-sold Mk2 vRS in the UK.

Not on Dealer Systems anyway. Maybe only what that Dealer has available.

 

george

 

EDIT.

Maybe Skoda UK are First Registering them all now,

ie This Month.

Edited 22 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

i did fear somewhere along there was some porkies being told. But i am incredibly happy with the candy white it stands out from the crowd im the only one in the town i live in with one (that i know of) and that ive seen anywhere. Not a big town mind but it looks well round these roads,

 

Kip

Have fun what ever you are doing with it.

Are you able to be running it on 99 ron, Tesco Momentum 99 or Shell V-Power Nitro,

& have you set your own tyre pressures and reset the TPMS ?

 

Not many Mk2 Fabia vRS if there are now 3,000 registered in over 4 years they have been on sale and around 500 of them are Estates.

 

george

Edited 22 October, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi