I see a fair few threads about lowering etc in the pursuit of better handling / lowering, but I'm specifically after improving the ride.

 

My vRS estate is a family wagon that has a bit in reserve in day to day duties and can still be fun when the opportunity arises. The problem is that it also rides pretty badly on poorly surfaced roads, with the ride getting quite 'jiggly' on some short frequency undulations (usually b roads or less that have been gifted a money-saving surface dressing). The bigger consequential problem is my 3-year old decorating the back seat with his last meal following too much exposure to this motion...

 

I'm happy with the ride height and the car drives fine, so I was thinking that some higher quality dampers would take the edge off the ride. It's better than my Mk 2 in this respect, but the recent acquisition of a 3-series on M-sport suspension (also on 18" rims) has highlighted this shortcoming for the Octavia. I do appreciate that the BMW has a different suspension design, but it's a bit disappointing that it is so far ahead even having to deal with runflats.

 

So, to the question - any suggestions for an upgrade please? I am trusting the insurance won't load the premium as I am not altering geometry or spring rates; just improving the damping to eliminate the 'sharpness'.

Smaller wheels with higher profile tyres would help, but the road noise is more inherent to the platform design rather than the suspension. I find the multi link on the rear makes my VRS bearable but only just.

interestingly i had a 3 series m sport before the octavia and like you had a young one who doesn't manage to keep his food down if you go down a B road. However I have found the VRS much better then the BMW for its ride quality and so far (touch wood) haven't had a sickness incident in the VRS. Agreed the suspension is much softer on VRS (and it looks like a 4x4) but I have found this allows a much smoother ride over the bumpy stuff in comparison to the BMW where you could feel every bump.

 

have you given the suspension a good once over to check there is nothing mechanically wrong with it?

Did you get the car from brand new? If so, you may want to check that the transport blocks were removed. My VRS estate, whilst not wallowing on a cushion of air, is far from harsh. But then again it's personal opinion based on personal experiences. But the transport blocks have been known to be missed on the PDI and the comparison you give with the 3 series (which is notoriously unforgiving) would suggest somethings not quite right. On another note I doubt the insurance would change or even need notifying. If the car was older and failed it's MOT on a leaking damper and you replaced it with an aftermarket one, you'd not be informing the insurance. So I don't see how your scenario would be any different.

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Hi just read back my post above and it reads very "smart arsed and condescending" Please excuse this as that's not my intention. Cheers and Happy Easter.

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Bilstein apparently do a b8 "comfort" spec damper - no idea if it's any good but might be worth a try? Generally Bilstein stuff is far superior to skoda oem.

 

 

So, to the question - any suggestions for an upgrade please? 

 

 

Not sure how many miles yours has got on it but mines nearing 45k miles and is pretty comfortable now - it was fairly stiff/bouncy when new but never caused a major problem to the family and we live out on Dartmoor with poor B roads.

 

A few miles and full load trips on holiday and to the tip has helped soften it up. The estate  at least (not sure if the hatch is different) seems to be suited to extra load and mine cruises well with the family and luggage/buggy's filled to the rafters.

 

If its got less then 10k miles on, i'd suggest sticking with it for a another 10k miles or so before committing to monies swapping it out.

Thanks all, I must admit I haven't checked the blocks and TBH it does feel better than the Mk II, so an improvement on the one before.  I've had replacement dampers, so I agree that replacement parts which will be at least the equal of oem shouldn't be be an issue. (post was fine btw :-)  )

 

I'll have a look into Bilstein B8 - a friend fitted a 'sportier' set of dampers (Bilstein as I recall) to his Elise and in the process really improved the car's ride & handling.

 

Cheers again - will see what my options are for local fitters in Hampshire.

I fitted B4s to my Elegance to replace OEM in conjunction with a set of Eibach Pro springs, improved both ride, handling and damping, but still very firm compared to our old O2 which obviously had the better IRS compared to my O3 with it standard Torture Beam! Anyway, I did the switch around 40k and have done over 70k now, I reckon it still rides better than when it left the factory but still very firm and the harshness is starting to return. I've just traded it for a BMW 520d with M Sport suspension and 19" wheels, so was very wary of ride quality prior to test drive but my fears were not realised, it just makes me realise how poor the standard suspension on the O3 is. The vRS will be better with its IRS, wr also have a 2013 Leon 180FR which has the IRS and its sooo much better than my O3. I think my conclusion, having thrown money at replacement components on my O3 is that you can improve ride on a Torsion Beam car, I would say on a scale of 1-10, 10 being good, I moved it from a 3 to a 5, but the Leon on its OEM IRS is a 6, the BM is an 8.

@OverTheHill one additional thought.. the 18's on my mk2 were load rated 92 and i'm pretty sure that mk3 is the same.

The 19" tyres though on my xtremes are rated 88. Next time you change your tires maybe go for the lower load rating?

Lower load rated tires will have a more compliant sidewall. 88 rating will be fine for the octy (otherwise they wouldnt ship the xtremes with them fitted).

If you want the ultimate in handling a comfort then look at some Ohlins.  They don't come cheap, but you will do pay for what you get.  I run them on my MK4 vRS and will be using them on my MK3 vRS.

As Exerterj suggested, time and mileage does improve the situation, mine is 27 months old today with 23k on the clock and I'm pretty certain the ride while not being Rolls Royce standard, isn't as choppy as it was new.

Thanks for the tyre suggestions - that had not occurred to me. I have erred toward Michelins as being a bit more compliant (and top in the wet), but not thought of load ratings.

 

Also, whilst I am aware of Ohlins from the bike world, had not thought of them as an aftermarket option for the car. I'll see how things shape up in the next few months and let the car full loosen up past 25k.

 

Cheers all!

can somebody tell me i have an 2014 mk3 skoda octavia vrs and have to say its a while bad road holding car with under steer i had a mk2 vrs it was a better handling car does anybody else have the same problem as me would like to find out what i can do to make it better handling cheers

First thing and also the easiest to change: Tyres. 

Can't believe more than 3 years went by without anyone commenting on this thread then 2 comments in 9 minutes. Worse than waiting for a local bus. TDIum perhaps we should move on?

7 hours ago, TDIum said:

First thing and also the easiest to change: Tyres

Can the tyres make a while difference in the handling there's 225.45.18 on the car and there buget tyres I think I know they should be 225.40.18 on the car but I don't think the tyre size is the problem I think it's the cheap tyres what u think

Edited 6 June, 20197 yr by london55dogs

8 hours ago, london55dogs said:

Can the tyres make a while difference in the handling there's 225.45.18 on the car and there buget tyres I think I know they should be 225.40.18 on the car but I don't think the tyre size is the problem I think it's the cheap tyres what u think

The higher profile tyres are not helping plus the budget tyres are they all the same brand or a mixture of different brands.? This is a high performance car and it should not be saddled with budget rubber. Less grip, more noise and probably longer braking distances as well as the big one your insurance could be voided as they are not the correct size specified by the manufacturer and as so have you notified your insurer. I guess the answer is NO.

9 minutes ago, shyVRS245 said:

The higher profile tyres are not helping plus the budget tyres are they all the same brand or a mixture of different brands.? This is a high performance car and it should not be saddled with budget rubber. Less grip, more noise and probably longer braking distances as well as the big one your insurance could be voided as they are not the correct size specified by the manufacturer and as so have you notified your insurer. I guess the answer is NO.

The tyres are all the same brand plus I didn't think u would have to tell the insurance company about the different size of tyres so u reckon put 225.40.18 back on and with a good brand name and I will see the difference

42 minutes ago, london55dogs said:

The tyres are all the same brand plus I didn't think u would have to tell the insurance company about the different size of tyres so u reckon put 225.40.18 back on and with a good brand name and I will see the difference

Yes but avoid Bridgestones because although they come fitted from the factory everyone on here will tell you they are useless on the Vrs.

I'm not an expert but, start with the simple things and the less expensive to change.

Poor grip? Check the tyre condition, are they even at the right pressure? Maybe replace with quality items. 

Is the car weighed down by what you've got in it. 

Perhaps get the wheel alignment and steering checked then start to think about the suspension.

My VRS handles pretty good even though I drive like a granny most of the time I also push it a bit sometimes. 

If you're getting understeer as you say, at least that's fairly benign and now you have an idea of where the handling limits are at the moment, without learning the hard way going through some hedge or worse. 

42 minutes ago, london55dogs said:

plus I didn't think u would have to tell the insurance company about the different size of tyres

 

If it is not one of the list of sizes Skoda approve for the car then most insurers class it as a 'Modification' I do not know of an insurer that does not want to be told of 'modifications'.

 

42 minutes ago, london55dogs said:

tyres so u reckon put 225.40.18 back on and with a good brand name and I will see the difference

 

If you have a handling issue, you need a baseline. Cheap tyres of the wrong size may or may not be causing the problem but they will not be helping. No good no looking for problems while you have bad tyres, and yes tyres can make that much of a difference.

 

There are some far-eastern tyres around these days that are so bad I would not have believed it until I drove a car on them

46 minutes ago, flybynite said:

 

If it is not one of the list of sizes Skoda approve for the car then most insurers class it as a 'Modification' I do not know of an insurer that does not want to be told of 'modifications'.

 

 

If you have a handling issue, you need a baseline. Cheap tyres of the wrong size may or may not be causing the problem but they will not be helping. No good no looking for problems while you have bad tyres, and yes tyres can make that much of a difference.

 

There are some far-eastern tyres around these days that are so bad I would not have believed it until I drove a car on them

Them was 4 new tryes put on at the same time am not a while hard driver but and can put the foot down now and again and want to be able to go around a corner without it moving all around the place so I'll have to go and buy good tyres and put 225.40.18 on again and take it from there because on them other forums people say buget tyres are crap and the car handling is bad

Premium quality standard sized tyres are a must but before spending money on suspension mods I would try the obvious.

 

Reduce the tyre pressures.

 

I believe it does no harm to vary by up to about 10%,either way,from recommended pressures to suit your preferences.

 

So,for example,if 35psi recommended,I would try32psi.

On 09/04/2016 at 12:43, IbizaAlex said:

If you want the ultimate in handling a comfort then look at some Ohlins.  They don't come cheap, but you will do pay for what you get.  I run them on my MK4 vRS and will be using them on my MK3 vRS.

Hi mate my MK3 vrs isn't a good handling car would u lower it 40mm and is the vrs sport mode better for handling