Hi. I have been driving my 2016 1.2tsi spaceback for 2 months. During the half hour test drive everything appeared fine. Having moved from a C4 Piccaso my wife finds the ride over worn roads, speed humps and the occasional pothole unbearable. I appreciate that modern cars have a firmer ride but this one is harder than the Subaru rally car I use!

 

Any views on suspension and tyres would be welcomed. The car is on 11k. Apart from this I love the car.

Tyres.  Pressures way too high from dealers is a common complaint. Also some OEM 17inch choices are poor e.g Bridgestone RE050 and some are shocking e.g Dunlop SP Sport Maxx.  Conti Premium 2 are very good on this car.

 

It rides better on 15s. One member on here is leaving his winters on for that reason.

 

Suspension. Has it been lowered? Arch gaps should look huge if standard.

 

Original Dealer PDI. I understand that cars in transit from the factory have suspension packers ( like washing machine drum transit bolts) which should be removed before use.  There was a thread on here about a Rapid that had them still fitted - making the ride impossible.

Edited 7 April, 20188 yr by camelspyyder

Thanks. It' on standard 15 alloys with 33psi. I will check the tyre make and get it up on the ramps to check for any packers.

 

Cheers

33 psi is that what's recommended for 15"? Mine are 16" and on 29 psi  all round (should be F 29 R 30/31)  Mine's been in for a service and I immediately knew they had put the wrong pressures in, why do they do that?  Yep they were on 35 psi.

That makes sense. Mine are 16 inch and not 15 inch so dropped the pressures to 30 psi and it made a big difference. I will try 29 tomorrow. Thanks.

If I remember rightly with 15"s it should be 30 on the front and 33 on the rear - it should say on the inside of the fuel filler flap. I always went with whatever was stated and the ride quality was fine and the tyres wore evenly

I'd always assumed the (relatively) poor ride of the Rapid (hatch or spaceback) is as a consequence of the outdated chassis / suspension.

 

I certainly found the ride of my current Toledo considerably softer on the 15" steel rims & 185/60/15 Continental winter tyres I ran November - March, whereas it's bordering on uncomfortable (on poor roads) now I'm back on the OEM 17" alloys & 205/40/17 tyres.

 

I tend to run my car of the higher (ECO) tyre pressure setting, so am probably exacerbating the poor ride comfort!!