Hi there everyone,

great website you have here by the way.

I am not so much a new owner as I have had a 2005 VRS Mk1 Octavia for 6 months now but have to admit to having very mixed feelings about the car.

I bought the car at about 15,000 miles, one owner and have now added about anohter 12,000. Firstly I have to say there are several good points to it for example the mpg, size of boot (both necessary for my job), quality stereo, comfortable ride etc. The acceleration is acceptible especially having dropped a gear and the brakes are good. Road noise is also pretty low when considering the low profile tiles.

However I do have a few minor gripes along with a more serious concern. The dash trim I think (and I admit all things are down to personal taste!) is awful particularly the fake carbon fibre bit. That and the utterly impractical silver inserts on doors and seats. Have toyed with the idea of retrimming the cabin to address these points. I also often bemoan the lack of in cabin storage compared to a similar spec audi etc. Having said that the heated seats are great as is the climate control system.

My major problem with the car and the reason I will be changing work car shortly is the handling. Up until recently I was hoping that the increasingly severe understeer at anything over very slow progress was down to worn front tyres and judging by the extreme shoulder wear severely out of adjustment tracking. These have been rectified but to no avail. The only way I can get any kind of confident turn in is to go so slowly into an apex as to be causing consternation in the drivers behind me. If on a quiet road there is a temptation to throw the car into the corner with uplift to trasfer weight to front wheels followed by acceleration through to exit. This necessitates such extreme weight transfer as to be frankly unacceptible on public roads. If done in a more gentle manner the understeer again prevails. Now I guess maybe the boot full of vetting kit might disrupt factory fresh handling a little but I would have hoped this would not exaggerate understeer.

The traction full stop seems to be an issue with wheelspin from rest an all too common feature.

The inherent understeer is such a shame as not many other cars appeal with regards a large economical saloon with decent boot and at least superficial driver appeal. Now I can imagine there maybe something inherent with my car and must admit to not having driven any others and am open to suggestions as to what to look at to sort any problems. However I cant see anything obvious and have a degree of mechanical sympathy and knowledge having kept all my previous cars mobile (the last 5 being 3 Lancia integrales, a UK Impreza turbo and a Saab Griffen 2.3t). Maybe it is these cars that have led to me expecting precise turn in and moderate front end grip (even with the Saab!) but surely the VRS should be better than it is?? I have read a lot about chipped VRS which is all very exciting but there is no way I would want more than the current torque through the front wheels alone as it is.

Maybe I would be better suited by a 4x4 octavia which I am tempted by. Any thoughts from anyone on this? What is the torque split front to rear in these?

Anyway I hope no one gets too annoyed by my comments here, I am just a little disappointed thats all.

Cheers

Tom B

What tyres are you running?

The PD170 TDI VRS that I drove certainly didn't do this.

It does sound like something is amiss with the car.

Changing tyres to something like Pirelli Rosso or Goodyear GSD3 F1 makes a big difference....also go for 225/45/17...cheaper.

Ulitmately the car has been set-up to understeer....but stiffening up the rear with a bigger arb will address this someway especially if you get the Neuspeed adjustable arb where you can set-up for oversteer.

I concur, before you consider getting rid, get some quality, premium tyres such as Pirelli P Zero Neros or GDS3s in the 225 width. Also get a rear ARB. If they dont improve things for you, how about getting a full geommetry check done also?

Only THEN would I consider getting shot.

Thanks for the speedy replies. Even more impressed by this website!

Toyo Prox T1 tyres. The geometry was all set up at the same time.

Is there already a rear ARB? (Save me going and getting wet and cold lying in rain!). Does anyone on this forum use an LSD?

I think maybe I should find someone else with someone and see if their's is the same or not before I try fixing stuff. Does anyone on here live around the Edinburgh area?

T1s are decent tyres - and if the geom has been done that rules that out.

There is not a rear arb as standard.

quality stereo,

Welcome.

Have to disagree on the stereo.It's awful!!

Seats and other silver bits /white carpet are also an absolute PITA to keep clean.Think some lessons have been learnt with the new one.

I don't mind the dash/switchgear.Basically it is a golf.

Perhaps follow the advice re handling at that might help.Problem is it is just a quickish family hatch(err and definately not in the Audi class),not a sports car.

Love mine though:thumbup:

Ahh yes sorry I thought you meant the MK II.

My MK I (none VRS) understeers like anything if you really push it.

Good tyres, an R32 front ARB and a good rear arb, and decent shocks/springs should sort a lot of your problems out. I have heard good things about KONI FSD but no idea if they are done for the MK I octy VRS.

Maybe I don't push that hard, but I've yet to notice any understeer, quite the reverse, and that's despite having replaced the original mixed tyres with Proxes T1s all round.

T1s are decent tyres - and if the geom has been done that rules that out.

There is not a rear arb as standard.

wrong car tom

yes it has an ARB at the rear as standard but bigger ones are available. but i don't think you will ever be happy with the car as you have come from AWD cars to a FWD car with a ton of kit in the boot which will make the car heavier and also where all the weight is over the rear wheels it will obviously emphasis the under steer nature of a FWD car.

i drive an Octavia 4x4 and never have traction issues even with lots more power and torque than a standard car has, some on here are running just under and just over 400bhp in their 4x4 Octavia's very successfully, its a shame you didn't post this earlier as i was up your way very recently

Hi again,

Thanks again guys for all the info. I am just back from a branch surgery across greasy roundabouts and have to say that although the understeer is frustrating the car is extremely well balanced front to back so perfect 4 wheel drifts across roundabouts are ludicrously easy and very slow!

Its a good point about the stuff in the boot worsening the understeer as I was thinking more about polar moments instead of weight over the tyres. I notice the nose rising under the lightest of throttle worsening the problems with traction.

Gutted about missing the chance to look at the 4x4 as I am getting more interested in these by the second. Especially with a little attention from Jabba or Star oerformance etc.

Cheers

Hi again,

Thanks again guys for all the info. I am just back from a branch surgery across greasy roundabouts and have to say that although the understeer is frustrating the car is extremely well balanced front to back so perfect 4 wheel drifts across roundabouts are ludicrously easy and very slow!

Its a good point about the stuff in the boot worsening the understeer as I was thinking more about polar moments instead of weight over the tyres. I notice the nose rising under the lightest of throttle worsening the problems with traction.

Gutted about missing the chance to look at the 4x4 as I am getting more interested in these by the second. Especially with a little attention from Jabba or Star oerformance etc.

Cheers

octy 4*4 and a re-map I think!

:iagree: or 4x4 +BFO Turbo

I recently drove a Mk1 & Mk2 vRS back to back having also driven a 2.2 tdci Mondeo for a weekend test drive.

Although it's obviously possible to provoke understeer I found that it was quite easy to drve the Octy's very quickly & controlably, particulaly the Mk 2 which has very smooth delivery.

Incidentally, the Mondeo was completely shown up in this company. Power delivery was very abrupt, torque steer was terrible & that really showed up the worst of FWD.

I'm sure this must be a problem that can be solved, all the best with it.

I stay in Falkirk if you want a go in mine, and I think Borderspeed works in Edinburgh, he has a 4x4.

Neil

I'd take it up yo Star for a 4 wheel allignment check. It doesn't sound right, either that or wear trainers instead of wellies when driving. I had to keep going back to ATS 3 times till my tracking was correct last time.

Not had my 2003 estate for long and I have to say I haven't noticed significant understeer. I am used to FWD cars though. While I would say the steering is the worst part of the handling, I find in corners that the grip on offer more than makes up for this. Maybe I ain't going fast enough! Also had no probs with traction control stopping wheelspin in the wet. Only surpassed for handling by a Renault 5 turbo I once owned.