Am I the only one on here who is totally happy with the way a vRS handles as standard?

I think it depends on how you drive it - if you're driving within the limits of the standard car, it's fine. If you want to push those limits, it's not.

This applies to 100% of cars that exist.

I'm with Chris, the best mod is to improve your driving

My setup was Seat Strut brace, eibach full set up and ARB. Which is very good but I've found the car is better setup now the Seat strut brace is off. I've found the car rides the bumps on the road better it's no longer upset mid bend like it was before.

Maybe the setup is better suited to the way I drive but I find the car is quicker with out the strut brace.

Also tyres help alot I ran with Toyo T1-R's for nearly 30k and they really do grip very indeed.

My dealer put new Toyo T1-Rs all round on my '04 Fabia VRS when i picked it up last month. I thought they'd just put the ceapest nastiest tyres on but from what i've heard from you guys it would seem they've came up trumps. They also put new discs and pads on all round, gave me 12 months warranty, 6 months tax, fitted a new wheel bearing, gave me a full tank of juice and let me cash in my old tax disc. Not a bad bunch at Telfords at Carlisle.

My setup was Seat Strut brace, eibach full set up and ARB. Which is very good but I've found the car is better setup now the Seat strut brace is off. I've found the car rides the bumps on the road better it's no longer upset mid bend like it was before.

Maybe the setup is better suited to the way I drive but I find the car is quicker with out the strut brace.

Also tyres help alot I ran with Toyo T1-R's for nearly 30k and they really do grip very indeed.

This does sound familiar actually, as my current Fabia doesn't have an front strut brace, but the Ibiza did - and this time round the car doesn't seem as 'fidgety'.

Now I know there are other differences to take into account, as the Fabia is setup differently to the Ibiza, but I'm certainly thinking its making a difference not having one fitted.

I've yet to drive the piece of (straight) road locally, where the Ibiza used to get pretty upset, due to the surface and minor undulations, but that it'll be interesting to sample....

Steve

SkodiRS AKA adrian has agreed to kick off another group buy of the Jabbasport ARB if 5 people PM him so if you're interested get your name to him PDQ!

Come on guys, i cant be the only one who was too late to get his name on the last ARB group buy, dont be shy now!

Come on guys, i cant be the only one who was too late to get his name on the last ARB group buy, dont be shy now!

how much?

but doesn't the rear ARB mean the looseing of some suspension bolts?

I'm not technical but isn't that a BAD thing? can someone explain how the ARB works (for a no techie moron like myself)?

and what about a front ARB? yes? no?

Howstuffworks "How do stabilizer bars work?"

Chris

Howstuffworks "How do stabilizer bars work?"

Chris

Okay, so it reduces body roll and understeer but does the fitting not also undo some of the stock suspension bolts?

Come on guys, i cant be the only one who was too late to get his name on the last ARB group buy, dont be shy now!

put my name down for a black one!

put my name down for a black one!

You need to PM skodiRS AKA Adrian, when he gets five names he will kick off another group buy thread

I couldn't wait for a group buy so just rang them on monday and ordered one. Should be here today......

You need to PM skodiRS AKA Adrian, when he gets five names he will kick off another group buy thread

Just have done! thx

I couldn't wait for a group buy so just rang them on monday and ordered one. Should be here today......

What are they charging these days? :confused:

I couldn't wait for a group buy so just rang them on monday and ordered one. Should be here today......

What are they charging these days? :confused:

I couldn't wait for a group buy so just rang them on monday and ordered one. Should be here today......

Should have been here yesterday but still no sign....... i'll leave it until monday afternoon and give Jabba a ring.......... wanted to fit it this weekend too... :(

Anyone just done the brace on its own? Much improvement to be gained or is it all in the mind?

Jabba RARB gets my vote

Does the job for me!

Anyone just done the brace on its own? Much improvement to be gained or is it all in the mind?

My cars only suspension mod is the rear ARB and yes you can deffo feel the difference, nuf said!

you know I find it really funny when people say "lets add this cos the handling standard is crap" same with the brakes........ if it was that bad why did you buy the car?

surely you did a comprehensive test drive before you bought it?

to be honest I think the car handles well and there is loads of grip, as for the brakes, they have never let me down and I even put them to the test doing a few high speed braking test one after each other and they worked great.

maybe the newer ones use better pads?

seriously if you were that serious about driving fast then I would say a clio 197 or elise is the way forward.

just my opinion.

I can understand if a few years into ownership you want something more and upgrading is the way forward but

you know I find it really funny when people say "lets add this cos the handling standard is crap" same with the brakes........ if it was that bad why did you buy the car?

I bought the car knowing that the handling wasn't great but it ticked all the other boxes such as mid range poke, economy and build quality, etc.

I knew some of these issues could be sorted with some fairly low cost mods, so was not over concerned as I knew I would sort them over time.

to be honest I think the car handles well and there is loads of grip, as for the brakes, they have never let me down and I even put them to the test doing a few high speed braking test one after each other and they worked great.

maybe the newer ones use better pads?

Don't think the new ones use better pads. The biggest issue I have (and others also seems to) with the standard set-up is the lack of feedback which is easily sorted with a relativity cheap 312 upgrade.

I can't say I agree that the standard car handles well. It grips OK but the pitch and roles quite alot and it also understeers quite alot in slow corners. The RARB and lowering (springs and dampers) does sort this out significantly for around

it also understeers quite alot in slow corners.

Agree with the pitching and diving, but understeer? Either you have very slippy tyres, or you're chucking the car into a corner too fast rather than trying to drive it quickly through. Understeer is usually down to the driver, imvho

Chris

you know I find it really funny when people say "lets add this cos the handling standard is crap" same with the brakes........ if it was that bad why did you buy the car?

surely you did a comprehensive test drive before you bought it?

to be honest I think the car handles well and there is loads of grip, as for the brakes, they have never let me down and I even put them to the test doing a few high speed braking test one after each other and they worked great.

maybe the newer ones use better pads?

seriously if you were that serious about driving fast then I would say a clio 197 or elise is the way forward.

just my opinion.

I can understand if a few years into ownership you want something more and upgrading is the way forward but

make sure to let Adam and Jamie know that this myth is

Agree with the pitching and diving, but understeer?

Understeer/Drift/Oversteer describes how the car slides when it losses grip. Although the Fab grips well, in most circumstances when there is a loss of grip it occurs at the front as understeer

This is probably down to a FARB (without RARB as standard) and a huge lump of metal hanging over the front wheels:D. Most FWD/FE cars generally understeer in most circumstances, due to the front wheels proving the power and the main weight at the front.

You can drive around understeer, but as a general rule, if you're not sliding slightly, your not going as fast as you could be. It is possible to still slide and carry speed through the corner, even in a road car. I suppose you should not aim to slide on the road thou, keep it for the track or a private road.

Understeer is not as bad as some people make out, it might not be as fun as oversteer but Alonso won his two world championships with an very understeery car and style of driving!

Either you have very slippy tyres, or you're chucking the car into a corner too fast rather than trying to drive it quickly through. Understeer is usually down to the driver, imvho

Just when I thought that Mrs VRSmad has a monopoly on criticizing my driving