Opinions on if car is lowered please

[Matt2190]

 

Hi I'm new here. Bought the car pictured last week and loving it so far. However i can't shake of the thought that its been lowered and I don't want to be screwed by my insurance. Anyone able to tell by looking at the photo? Or better yet  how would you check for sure?

 

 

Edited 8 July, 2016 by Matt2190

[@Lee]

lowered. Check the shocks for a manufacturers label.

 

Edit; could even be on coilovers, the shocks front and rear will have an adjusting ring on them

[petrolbloke]

Looks lowered to me. Jack it up at the front, take a picture of the shock/spring (above the wheel) and post it.

 

The wheels are non-standard too and should be declared to your insurance company if you haven't already.

 

Looks like a tidy example, never used to be a fan of yellow but like the look of yours.

[Matt2190]

Cheers guys. (think I put this is wrong section.Sorry!)

 

I have declared the wheels which they are fine with as they are 18's which as far as i can tell is what the car would have come with. Going off the tyre size on this link http://www.tyre-pressure.co.uk/skoda/octavia-ii

 

Just phoned Direct Line. They want £8 quid if the car is lowered so thats OK. Just need to actually check it is. Hopefully manage this weekend.

[Jigger72]

Just phoned Direct Line. They want £8 quid if the car is lowered so thats OK. Just need to actually check it is. Hopefully manage this weekend.

 

Are you sure? £8? Do they know what lowering is? That seems pretty cheap for quite a major modification.

 

Lovely car BTW

[Gobsheene]

Are you sure? £8? Do they know what lowering is? That seems pretty cheap for quite a major modification.

 

Lovely car BTW

 

Very cheap, as long as its in writing!

[Matt2190]

Sorry I was away all weekend so not managed to reply.

 

Direct line said it was modified suspension. I await the new certificate to make sure its all above board. The car is on red springs and I'm now 100% its lowered. 

 

I have another question while I'm here though. Tonight was the first time I have driven it remotely hard. Its finally been dry on a twisty road I know well thats full of sharp corners with hard braking before them. At the end I felt like the brakes were not as good and at the T junction at the end when I stopped there was a strong smell of brakes. So my question is how good are the standard brakes supposed to be? To add some perspective my old car was a Renault Megane 225 with the standard Brembos. I drove that harder and never had any hint of fade. What I'm hoping is maybe cheap and nasty pads as the dealer changed them before I bought the car? Quite happy to spend some money on pads if the stock brakes are up to it.

[petrolbloke]

Did the pedal go soft/spongy or did the brakes just lose bite? If the pedal went soft - change the brake fluid, if the brakes lost bite then it might be worth looking at changing the pads or not driving it so hard on the road.

[KyleVRS27]

How long was the road that you was nailing it down?? if your brakes cant hack it then id suggest getting some grooved and drilled pads, thats what i did on mine and i noticted a huge diffrence, and they wasnt that expensive to replace.... plus they look better

[petrolbloke]

How long was the road that you was nailing it down?? if your brakes cant hack it then id suggest getting some grooved and drilled pads, thats what i did on mine and i noticted a huge diffrence, and they wasnt that expensive to replace.... plus they look better

Grooved and drilled pads?! I think you mean discs.

 

I generally don't think grooved/drilled discs are a great idea on most road cars - they are generally more expensive and don't offer any better performance than a plain disc.

 

There are plenty of people on the Clio forums (and others I'm sure) running race/track cars with plain discs (myself included).

[Matt2190]

No pedal stayed firm just lost some bite and stank when I stopped at the end. According to google the road is 8 miles but to be honest the middle bit is a straight cruise and would cool brakes off. I was driving casually quick, other people in the car etc so I wasn't pushing it. Pads seems the obvious answer so will do that but seeing as I proposed to the misses I think money is going on a ring just now haha.