Not putting too fine a point on it... I think the handling of this car is utter tosh straight from the showroom floor. Let's not forget... this car is described as a vRS... a moniker indicating performance. O.K., performance diesel perhaps, but the handling is total crap the moment you start to use the available performance.

My previous Octy 1 was far superior. Roadholding was more precise too with little or nothing of the drama associated with driving the furby. Going fast on B roads is by far the worst experience, with torque steer, pitch, roll and transition changes leaving you in no doubt that this car's suspension is severely compromised. Into a fast corner on an A road and you had better know what your doing... and with the throttle. It will go around but the understeer is so bad it instills no confidence whatsoever - with the car driving you - rather than the other way around.

As it stands, I'm in the Group Buy for an AmD One Click, but I honestly believe the handing needs serious attention first, and especially if you intend to chip it and drive it to anywhere near the potential of its performance. I've spoken to Jabba about an ARB (I'm in that Group Buy too) and Eibachs from Awesome, but being an ex-rally driver, I'm not convinced that these two items will make sufficient of a difference to convince me not to just go ahead and buy Koni coilovers. And, guess what, with these I'll have to consider the Group Buy sump guard too.

All told, this handling situation has taken the owner experience in the opposite direction to my previous Skoda experiences. I don't like buying cars that I have to spend a ton of money on to get right. It also looks like I'll have to take another financial hit on insurance by declaring mods as well.

I bought the Furby as a 'sleeper' and loved the idea behind it showing a few good cars a clean set of heels but honestly, it won't straight out of the box.

Just in case anyone reading this believes I bought the wrong car... not at all. It's great value for money and I love driving a Skoda because it doesn't pigeon hole me. I simply expected the car to be more complete in the handling department than it is. In my defence, I only really noticed it once I started to use the performance... performance that impressed me when I first test drove it, albeit in a straight line.

I must agree here - pressing the go pedal a little hard does make it want to do its own thing, especially over a few white lines up near I live - it is very mucky part of the road and it makes the car want to go into the wall when braking/accelerating.

It could be worse... belive it or not the furby RS is the best handling of the vag "ikkle tdi" bunch... Seat Ibiza FR/Cupra and Polo GT are even more of a handful.. but just like every car, its built to compromise. get some decent tyres, ARB, strut brace and udders and it will improve stuff loads, even more so once youve got eibachs on.

I agree to a point, I think It has been slightly over dramatized, but IMHO the handling and the braking performance are the weakest links of the standard Fabia vRS, but if you really hate it that much then maybe a better test drive should have been in order.

As for torque steer, there is practically none, even with torque figures somewhat larger than the manufacturer’s standard its not really noticeable, maybe a check of tyre pressures needed?

I do hope your mod's get it to the standard you require though

Derek

Must admit i thought the same as yourself.

I have the eibach springs on which make thing a lot more settled along with the powerflex udder bush's and seat strut brace. I would say get the octy 312mm brakes if you are planning on remapping it as they make the back road blasts all the more enjoyable.

Since i have had the 18's on i have been chucking it around a lot more and happy with the way it drives and handles now. Loads better after jabba had a play with it last week.

Interesting post mate. I feel I have to agree - to an extent.

Get the ARB, Eibachs, strut brace, udders and some decent tyres, and you won't be disappointed mate.

As for torque steer - not something I've notice tbh, I think the vRS has a cracking chassis really.

And Col, I have to disagree mate. I often drive my mates Ibiza FR diesel, and its handling is quite a bit better than the vRS out of the box, imo. It can be crashy at times, but definitely handles better. However, with the ARB and Eibachs, he's always trying to pinch my keys off me!

To be honnest i gave up reading after the first 2 lines. Ok you dont like the way it handles. Big deal.. do somthing about it. Its group 9 diesel warm hatch thats 1.3 tones ffs, and for me as a 19yr old going from a 1991 Astra 1.4, it feels like it handles like a bloody go cart tbh. If you wanted a car that handled well, buy a Caterham, Or get a strutbrase and a Rear ARB.

And after my short rant, i like the way it handles, i know what its limit are and i can deal with them, i've reached its limits of most corners from my house to town. The handling makes it more interesting to drive. Wheres the fun when you dont have understear?

To be honnest i gave up reading after the first 2 lines. Ok you dont like the way it handles. Big deal.. do somthing about it. Its group 9 diesel warm hatch thats 1.3 tones ffs' date=' and for me as a 19yr old going from a 1991 Astra 1.4, it feels like it handles like a bloody go cart tbh. If you wanted a car that handled well, buy a Caterham, Or get a strutbrase and a Rear ARB.

And after my short rant, i like the way it handles, i know what its limit are and i can deal with them, i've reached its limits of most corners from my house to town. The handling makes it more interesting to drive. Wheres the fun when you dont have understear?[/quote']

Wheres the fun when you dont have understear?

Take a drive in a car which does handle and I'm sure you'll have more fun Understeer just shows you're driving into a corner faster than the car can handle which doesn't sound like a lot of fun to me

Chris

TWheres the fun when you dont have understear?

Lift off oversteer is where the fun is at... eh dave

ARB is lift off bliss... get one.

And' date=' guess what, with these I'll have to consider the Group Buy sump guard too.

[/quote']

All i can say is do it. you know you want to!

coilovers and remap for me so far but am looking into turbo FMIC and then probably clutch (if it'll last till then)

i have KW coilovers which are a great improvement for the handling and don't lack in general comfort much either. Oh and as a bonus 40mm drop sets the fabias looks off perfectly.

Now just to get the rear ARB and stiffen up the rear end (ooh matron!)

Scott

To be honnest i gave up reading after the first 2 lines. Ok you dont like the way it handles. Big deal.. do somthing about it. Its group 9 diesel warm hatch thats 1.3 tones ffs' date=' and for me as a 19yr old going from a 1991 Astra 1.4, it feels like it handles like a bloody go cart tbh. If you wanted a car that handled well, buy a Caterham, Or get a strutbrase and a Rear ARB.

And after my short rant, i like the way it handles, i know what its limit are and i can deal with them, i've reached its limits of most corners from my house to town. The handling makes it more interesting to drive. Wheres the fun when you dont have understear?[/quote']

here here....

the problem is alot of these old blokes have had a proper sports car / higher expectations than us young lads. I went from a G reg fiesta to a 03 plate clio 1.2 dynamique and everything was better in the clio and I thought it handled like a go cart....but now I have been driving a mini cooper with cooper S suspension for the last month I realise that the clio was not a go kart and the mini was!

Although swapping between the two like I have been this month, it has made me think that I don't want a go kart, it's soo uncomfy it's untrue, every bump and pothole is felt by my **** and it is not fun even on a 10 mile journey. It makes me feel ill as I feel my brain is rattling inside my head.

I also realised that the not so sporty clio is very nimble to say the least and is a very good match to the mini in the handling stakes to be fair but it comes without the drawbacks of the rock hard suspension of the mini. The clio may not handle quite aswell but I would prefer it for day to day driving!.

tbh it's whatever you want out of the car but I now know I want comfort instead of fantastic handling capabilities!

I have to say if you wanted a sports car then go buy one! I run a 2001 TDI as a driving school car that I can push to the limit when needed and allowed. I know it has it limitations, but its a 4door hatch so I expect it.

Torque steer? nope and Ive got more torque than a standard VRS.

Roll? yep but see jabba rear arb, but even without it its controlable, I use vRS dampers and eibach springs.

Understeer? Just dont push so hard! Also I have found its best to use a roadcraft style of driving for bends. Outbrake yourself for the bend and then power round it keeping speed constant and then accelerate out of it.

My TDi can be driven HARD down A and B roads on passplus by inexperienced drivers and always feel controlled with a good reserve befoe problems occur, lets be honest 60ish is quick enough on these roads in general and the chassis can, in the main, handle it.

Too many people try to drive the VRS TOO hard and it finds the hedge! Not saying thats what everyone has done, but if people are honest a few will put it down to pushing too hard! Yep the engine has power in spades and it makes you want to push on, just remember the laws of physic's! This car was always going to be a compromise of sorts and is somewhere between a warm and ture hot hatch. I think of the TDi or VRS more as supercruisers. If you want a Type R car then its time to fit

1) 312mm brakes

2) Strut brace

3) Jabba rear ARB

4) Eibach springs

And thats no particular order!

1) 312mm brakes

2) Strut brace

3) Jabba rear ARB

4) Eibach springs

I agree but as I drive a 'standard' car I see no point. The strut brace seems to sharpen the steering but more out and out cornering I dont need it. If I had a remap and lived in the country then I would consider these modifications. Good luck

I have the A595 as a testing ground for the Fabia and this does show the cars limitations quite quickly. Yesterday, I had a little spirited drive from Barrow in Furness and was following a (don't laugh) Rover Streetwise

He was with his Girlfreind and thought I was racing him. He put his foot down and through the twisties I felt pretty much 'sea sick'.

That's why I'm sorting the suspension, not to race, but to sort out the 'Achilles heel' that shouldn't be there in the first place.

I have the A595 as a testing ground for the Fabia and this does show the cars limitations quite quickly. Yesterday' date=' I had a little spirited drive from Barrow in Furness and was following a (don't laugh) Rover Streetwise

He was with his Girlfreind and thought I was racing him. He put his foot down and through the twisties I felt pretty much 'sea sick'.

That's why I'm sorting the suspension, not to race, but to sort out the 'Achilles heel' that shouldn't be there in the first place.[/quote']

But thats the point of the vRS, you get a quick car that still has comfort and you dont lose your fillings when you hit a stone. Have to admit the vRS is a bit soft and the TDi is just plain daft. But before you do anything too drastic fit the jabba arb its superb. I pushed along the A22 yesterday at pace and the wife would usually be screaming at me too slow down on the bends. Not now, car very steady and little roll.

I understand that fully but I live in the Countryside and it's corner after corner after corner ...... even the Missus siad to me yesterday 'this car is a bit wobbly isn't it ?' Nuff said.

So which is it then?

Jabba ARB or Eibachs?

Both?

I like the Eibachs because apart from the better cornering ability, they make the car look better too

So which is it then?

Jabba ARB or Eibachs?

Both?

I like the Eibachs because apart from the better cornering ability' date=' they make the car look better too[/quote']If I had my way, both. If the Wife had Hers, a 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier.

If I had my way, both. If the Wife had Hers, a 1990 Vauxhall Cavalier.

Great car. Sadly maligned

Know mines not a true vRS, but the rear arb has made the biggest difference to the car by far, IMHO does this first then the springs if you still not happy. Springs make a big difference, but over a road with speed bumps, the small square type, the wife 1.4auto leaves me for dead as she glides over them while I clatter them! A big drawback around here!

The Eibach springs and dampers are better (imho) as they sort out the pitching and diving under acceleration and braking, make the car look better and also make the car go round corners better. The ARB only makes the car corner better

If you can run to it, I'd do both, but if not, my money would be on the Eibachs

Chris

Wheres the fun when you dont have understear?

Understeer? Fun?

Understeer is a pain in the proverbial, oversteer is "fun". Neutral with a whiff of oversteer is my favourite

Hi

All road cars have their limitations. Some could say that Westfield's sports prototype replicas are a bit soft, just depends what you want from the car. I find the standard suspension inclined to understeer if over driven. No surprise given the weight up front and the high levels of torque for the cars size, however, I also find it fine for long motorway journeys and enteratining and effortless on long cross country blasts.

The biggest let downs for me are the inconsistent brake feel, followed closely by inadequate damping. I work in the car all day so need something comfortable. When the standard dampers have had it, I will be upgrading, which should see an improvement in both ride and handling. The handling IMO suffers because you cannot maintain the degree of roll very easlily, the cars weak damping allowing the roll to unload on rebound too quickly leading to the understeer that is the dominant trait. The VRS uses the same dampers as the non sporting model, so patently this is a good place to start. Handling is about more than just grip and roll and stiffening the car up can actually reduce the amount of fun you can have in it.

It is also quite benign handling. My learners and Pass Plus students can use a lot of the performance on B roads without getting bitten. Because the car rolls a bit and is throttle sensitive it provides a nice platform to teach the students about balance, oversteer, understeer and the effects of throttle use on balance.

My new car (if I get the one I am looking at today) will be all about handling, but then it weighs a bit less and has the engine in the right place. On the downside, it has no boot, no roof and two seats. Having said that, it is also supple and has a better ride than the vRS.

Chris

I cant say the standard car is that much of a nightmare. It's got a big heavy lump at the front and even though Skoda try and market it as a hot hatch it's nout more than a warmish hatch, more tourer that GT.

torque steer? Whats that? Never suffered from that myself and it's one (of many plus points) that I found when I test drove it. No torque steer! Shame it cant be said for other warm hatches that are out there.

At the end of the day if you want a hot hatch that does what you expect then why buy a diesel, any petrolhead knows that the only true hot hatch is petrol one!

But if you want to improve it then eibach dampers and springs with a strut brace help, as will 312mm brakes and better tyres.

Of course any mod will effect your warrenty hence why my car is standard.