Hi there

I've been looking for 4x4 estate but having difficulty (have noted those on autotrader and skoda site). So, considering also the vRS estate. My question is: do vRS owners have trouble with ground clearance on poorer rural roads? I live in the NW Scotland and there are lots of single track roads about me. I am a bit concerned that a vRS would be bashing its front on the road after dips etc. If that were the case it would be a no-go for me. I haven't driven one yet so am keen to hear of experiences in this area? Many thanks. PS - and thanks to the couple of folk I have pm'ed on this in the past

Andrew

the mk I octavia in generl did not have a lot of ground clearance but I did have big difficulties with my VRS estate, friends driveways were a no no and most speed humps had to be gone "around" ...just got too much in the end and it got traded in .....the new VRs mk II looks to be a bit higher and should be a bit better

Andrew, As said to you via PM I've never had any problems and I've had 2 of the things. I can't possibly agree with what Octygone has said as a generalisation but maybe the local council are a tad too keen where he is.

TBH, I think you need to blag a go in a vRS local to you and try it out on the roads that you mention above. That'll be the only way you can satisy your concerns.

The Hatch and Estate are identical in terms of front ride height. The Estate is slightly higher at the rear to compenaste for the increased load lugging capability.

I've never had trouble with speed humps in my non estate version, only with parking up to high kerbs in some car parks.

derek

My Octavia has no problems with speed humps either. It's not THAT low!

I've never had trouble with speed humps in my non estate version' date=' only with parking up to high kerbs in some car parks.

derek[/quote']

I've had problems and mine is not a Vrs, scraped the bottom of the front bumper a few times:eek:

Smacked the underside of mine loads of times, i even hit a house brick that was laying in the road, i thought there would be be enough clearance so didnt bother to steer around it and it ended up hitting the front crossmember.

The vrs MK1 has next to no clearance at the front and by that I mean around the sump area, if your gona use one on single track roads your defo gona need the sump guard but its not the car for that type of work.

Smacked the underside of mine loads of times, i even hit a house brick that was laying in the road, i thought there would be be enough clearance so didnt bother to steer around it and it ended up hitting the front crossmember.

I had this too - drove over what I though was roadkill (which two cars in front went over fine) and it was a lump of sandstone. Made a scrape on my front subframe and shattered the rock.

I've also scraped the front on a kerb in a B&Q car park and hit at least a couple of dozen speed bumps.

There was a road in Leed that I couldn't go down - then again my old Mondeo hit those particular speed bumps. Nightmare!

You just have to be careful!

I'd say that the vRS is no lower than my old 2.0 Focus Zetec and the front bumper is actually a little higher (I used to catch the Focus bumper on high kerbs in car parks). If you don't park on high kerbs and don't just drive over things in the road, then you should be ok. If you're off-roading, then I'd suggest a different car!

I have a VRS estate and I know that certan speed humps will catch the front end.

few scars now under the front bumper from errors but as long as take the trickey ones carefuly and rember it is fine.

driving it for over a year now and I still love it like the first time I test drove it at the dealer.

My '03 V rs Estate is a real problem for ground clearance. Asked Skoda Customer Services about gc on the new ones - this was the reply:

"The new Octavia vRS is designed with a lowered front apron which is lower than your present Octavia Estate vRS. It would not be possible to arrange any adjustment to its height by the factory. May I advise you to look at other models in the range such as the Octavia Sport which is designed with the front apron at a standard height.

I trust this information will assist you.

Yours sincerely,

Louise Gray

Customer Service Specialist

................................................................................................

SkodaAuto Customer Service Centre Telephone 0845 7745 745

Freepost CN2774

Wallington

Surrey

SM6 7BR Fax 020 8288 2440"

Bit of an own goal I'd say as I reularly ground leaving my local filling station (and it won't go without petrol) and the car park in my nearest town, let alone the local roads here in pembrokeshire.

Subaru here I come!

Gareth

Mine seems to be a nightmare.

In 6 months I've had it stuck down a farm track, ground the front bumper in a local car park, ground the front bumper on the humps going into our current site and I pulled out of the local car parts corner shop the other week, it's in an old part of town with heavily cambered roads, whenthe wheels dropped in the gully at the side of the road there was 1/2" to the bottom of the front bumper! That's at standard height, I'm not joking if it had been lowered it would not have come out...

Compared to my Westfield, which only has 4 1/2" of clearance to the chassis, and fractionally less to the sump and exhaust, and I've only ever ground that out once in eight years. And that was coming off a bridge on a Belgium Autoroute...

:eek:

Granted we were 2 up with a lot of kit with us.