VRS rock hard suspension

[Westlake7901]

I'm not complaining about the hard suspension - it's fine when I'm in the car on my own but passengers in the back complain quite a bit - mainly my daughter. Really miffed as I always ask "is everyone happy with the car? Is there anything to stop me buying it?" But no-one says a thing. So, what I'm asking is are there any good adjustable shocks out there - soft for family trips but then hard again when on my own?

 

I must admit my other car - a Mazda mx5 handles fantastically but still has a MUCH softer ride than the VRS. Any advice appreciated

[themanwithnoaim]

DCC is what you need, family friendly in comfort mode, dads F1 car in Sports Mode

 

Did you not spec it ?

[Redboy]

Perhaps for your next purchase  take a decent test drive with the family and also ask owners and gauge it for yourself. One man's opinion on ride quality is different to the next. It's unrealistic to compare the handling and suspension against your Mx5, softer or not, it's a small car set up for 2 passengers and a small case or two, not  5 adults and their luggage. Personally I think my MkIII rides softer than my old MkII VRS, judging by the less bumpy ride on the washboard surface of the A52, heading east from Grantham towards Nottingham. 

[Redboy]

Forgot to say, great colour and look of sunroof. 

[Tim1631]

2 hours ago, themanwithnoaim said:

DCC is what you need, family friendly in comfort mode, dads F1 car in Sports Mode

 

Did you not spec it ?

 

Obvisouly not. I think he would of mentioned it.

[Ootohere]

Looks great.

 

Must assume the transit blocks have been removed, check incase not.

 

I take it the you checked and adjusted the tyre pressures and reset the TPMS, if not then an idea to.

[peterhardy]

1 hour ago, Headinawayoffski said:

I take it the you checked and adjusted the tyre pressures and reset the TPMS, if not then an idea to.

 

This.

 

My tyre pressures were about 5psi too high all around.  Car feels a lot better now with them set correctly.

[SnailUK]

As Headinawayoffski says, have a grope of the shocks. My vRS had horrendous ride quality when i got it, and i found transit blocks in place.

 

Is it really crashy when hitting speed bumps?

[Westlake7901]

Cheers for the replies guys, didn't spec DCC as it's an ex demonstrator so I got it a year old for giveaway money, loaded with leather, heated seats washers and screen. also sunroof and towing hitch.

 

its in for a service on Friday, will get the guys to check transit blocks out!

 

as I said, it doesn't bother me , just those pesky rear seat passengers who didn't mention anything about the hard ride on the 32 mile test drive I took them on. Anyway, it's more comfortable than the bmw I traded in for it and the previous AMG merc!

 

The state of our roads doesn't help really either.

[rob_e]

i splashed out on bilstein b16 pss10 coilovers for my previous mk2 vRS, one click adjustment from 1-10 hard to soft, not cheap though, and didn't solve the problem as the springs were very stiff.   

 

luckily i was able to do a straight swap witih alex @ Aks for for a set of H&R monotubes- these were non-adjustable but really, really good on the car.  more control but better ride quality (sound's implausible but they really were that good).   

 

personally i'd try lower tyre pressure first..  maybe differnt tyre brand, or try the car on some 88 load rated tyres.   for some reason skoda put 92's on the 18" wheels where the car only really needs 88s (cars with 19" wheels get 88 load rated tyres as standard).  The lower load rated tyre will be more compliant.

 

if that doesn't work, spend money on better dampers.  

 

BTW occasionally my 8 yr old requests travelling in the front, but luckily it's not very often.

[nidza]

@Westlake7901, maybe you can try to experiment with tyre pressured on the rear. Complete car will be much more comfortable, even for you, if you keep it on lowest recommended setting (cold measured). Front ones may be, and should be, a little stiffer (despite what manual says).

 

[Ootohere]

So, an ex demonstrator, i take it with over 3,000 miles, and now being serviced, so the transit blocks certainly should have been noticed by now 12 months old.

 

?

Is it getting a Free Service, and is it going onto Variable Servicing now, or Fixed?

http://volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/regimes 

Edited 26 October, 2017 by Headinawayoffski

[Rybu79]

On 25/10/2017 at 13:00, Westlake7901 said:

Cheers for the replies guys, didn't spec DCC as it's an ex demonstrator so I got it a year old for giveaway money, loaded with leather, heated seats washers and screen. also sunroof and towing hitch.

 

its in for a service on Friday, will get the guys to check transit blocks out!

 

as I said, it doesn't bother me , just those pesky rear seat passengers who didn't mention anything about the hard ride on the 32 mile test drive I took them on. Anyway, it's more comfortable than the bmw I traded in for it and the previous AMG merc!

 

The state of our roads doesn't help really either.

Any updates?

 

[Esseesse200]

Slightly lower pressures and some H&R springs. Much better ride 

[ExSEAT]

On higher pressures I notice my VRS is very 'jiggly' but as far as 'warm hatches' go I wouldnt go any further in stiffness of the suspension than this Octavia. I have to drive a fair bit of backroads and the car hates the bumpy roads. Having said that the main roads round here arent perfect either. I looked at changing for something softer like a Kodiaq but decent specs are either 18" or 19" wheels, seems kinda pointless!

[Rybu79]

I had checked myself for transit blocks and so have Skoda - none found. 

 

18’s at 35 psi. 

 

Fed up up of the crashy ride. 

[JohnnyType2]

you really need some H&R springs. they made a huge difference to mine and im running stock shocks

[Rybu79]

I’m not looking to lower it - just improve the overall ride quality. 

 

I’ll have a look on H&M site. 

 

I briefly looked at Eibach pro. 

 

Does anyone know whether the crashy ride ride be more likely relieved by springs or shocks?

[JohnnyType2]

im on stock shocks and h&r springs and the ride is much more assured and comfortable. i cant comment on shock change

[maul]

Maybe you need to lean on the back wings and see what movement you have and then compare it to other octys?

When a shock fails it usually goes all soft and bouncy not harder. You need to work out what's going on. A correct shock should  compress under load then bounce back up but not keep oscillating  

Maybe test drive another one see how it compares?

[Rybu79]

Thanks for th advice. I’ll do some investigating. 

[Plums]

I have a Greenline that is factory lowered to the same amount as the VRS (according to the brochure). Does anyone know if the springs / shocks would be from the VRS?  Its a very firm ride especially when going over speed ramps.

[Westlake7901]

Sounds like it. I don't mind the ride if on my own it's just other members of my family that moan. I must admit that speed humps make the back of the car jump though. Dcc on my next one