Octavia 2015 vRS TSI DSG Clearance

[TubbyTubby]

I should be collecting my new (3 month old) vRS very soon and one thing that has been nagging away is the road clearance, especially as I noticed that it has been lowered by a few mm in the latest version.

 

My driveway falls away quite a bit and I'm slightly concerned that the lower and longer car might scrape the underside. I've measured the fall as 100mm in 1m, the path aalso rises very slightly from the road. I realise there's only one real way to find out which is try it, but just wondering whether anyone here has a similar drive that they park a vRS on? I'll be gutted if I have to park it on the road, or am I worrying about nothing?

 

Not sure if the image link will work.

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B_-P6fUD3H6xUjJzWGZrQWdhRVEzUTdlZE9CSEsyckpWelY4/view?usp=sharing

 

[adambrownb]

You call that a steep drive? Mine is MILES steeper than that and it doesn't scrape at all.

[kfckfc]

Like you say the only way you will know is to try with 4 people in the car. May be the garage can release the car to you as a secondary test drive so you can try. It is a concern and not unreasonable.

[TubbyTubby]

You call that a steep drive? Mine is MILES steeper than that and it doesn't scrape at all.

You give me confidence but it must be getting close, the quoted clearance is 128mm and with a wheelbase of just under 2.7m to my eyes it looks a bit tight.

[TubbyTubby]

I just checked my Fabia which quotes 134mm clearance on a 2.465m wheel base so I'm almost convincing myself.

Thing is, it's a bit of a bugger to sort out if it is a problem. I can live with ejecting all passengers before driving on I suppose.

[London Les]

If it helps I was quite paranoid about my VRS because of the number of badly maintained speed bumps around us and some steep (1 in 5) hills which look easy to either ground out or catch the front spoiler on. Touch wood I've had no problems so far - the front and rear overhangs are quite short and there is a pair of plastic spoiler mid way long the floor pan which would take damage before anything else but without damaging paint etc. So I've not seen any damage to the underside.

[London Les]

If it helps I was quite paranoid about my VRS because of the number of badly maintained speed bumps around us and some steep (1 in 5) hills which look easy to either ground out or catch the front spoiler on. Touch wood I've had no problems so far - the front and rear overhangs are quite short and there is a pair of plastic spoiler mid way long the floor pan which would take damage before anything else but without damaging paint etc. So I've not seen any damage to the underside.

[TubbyTubby]

Well, I'm sure you'll all be pleased to hear that it cleared the peak on the path/drive join! But only just, I watched the wife reverse out with 2 kids in the back and it looked like an inch clearance at the lowest point - relief. I'm guessing it won't drop too much more with a couple of adults in with it being so stiff. Other than that, the car is everything I hoped it would be, really pleasurable to drive and, after the wifes hesitation in buying it, she has fallen for it completely. I don't think she would ever go back to a manual now, and as long as it doesn't cause too many problems I don't think I will either. It just makes driving so much more relaxing. The Rallye Green colour certainly gets some attention as well, I love it more each time I drive it and feel a tinge of sadness as I walk to the bustop in the morning, but come the weekend....

[decuk]

Most of the cars I've had have bumped on the slope from our exsit when they've been well loaded. However I can't say I've noticed it with the tsi Vrs estate, even the mud flaps that aren't supposed to fit due to ground clearance don't seem to catch. Probably because of the harder short suspension travel.

Can you borrow a test drive one saying why you want to check. But say its so you can get the slope altered in time for your car.

[decuk]

Ignore my long last post. Just realised you now have your car. In the same colour as mine. You will get lots of compliments on the colour. I just say, I went for something I can find in the carpark, or I decided to go for an understated colour. Enjoy

[TubbyTubby]

Ignore my long last post. Just realised you now have your car. In the same colour as mine. You will get lots of compliments on the colour. I just say, I went for something I can find in the carpark, or I decided to go for an understated colour. Enjoy

That was something I never really considered, but today I walked down to meet the wife who had parked up in a large car park and I spotted our car before I even set foot in there. Bonus!