Hi All

I picked up my brand new Black Magic Octavia Vrs estate just over a week ago.

Compared to my wifes Seat Leon Cupra it has a really hard and crashy (is that a word:-) It would probably be better on a smooth track than the Cupra, but on the road I am sure the more supple ride of the Cupra would be quicker.

So my question to you guys is do any of the after market suspension kits give a better ride for our bumpy British roads !!!

I have a Westfield MegaBusa which is my track car (which I bought the Vrs to tow it to track days) So I want somthing that works really well on the road.

Cheers

Bazzer

PS I should add I am well pleased with it :-)

Hi bazzer

good choice...the octy sounds veeerry similar to mine.

I have noticed the ride can be a bit harsh over rough roads but I actually run it at the higher,fully loaded tyre pressures,partly because I carry a fair bit in the boot for work but also I found that on the standard pressures it felt just a bit "nervous"in high speed cornering- for just a second or two as the suppension settles.Now it is just a tad harsher but feels far more stable so I feel its worth it!

Also I wonder if it will soften up a bit with a few miles on yours - I've done 12,000 in three months and its loosened up quite a lot.

marc

Hi, Bazzer. No similar problems with my 4X4's suspension.

I did wonder if it would loosen up, it has a grand total of about 400miles on it at the moment.

We have had the wifes Cupra for three years from new. It has now got 60K miles on it. So it may just be a bit soggy now and I have got a bad memory of what it was like new :-)

Bought the estate so I can stick my big toolbox in the boot along with all the jerry cans etc. A mate of mine if making me a tyre rack to go on the roof bars so I can put my Wets on the roof.

Pity Skoda don't fit the 6 speed box the same as the Cupra but I supose you can't have it all :-)

Cheers

Bazzer

I was tempted by the 4x4 but I wanted the 180BHP if I had done my homework I may have bought a 4x4 and got it remapped !!!!!!!

Bazzer

KW's are considered the best. This thread makes good bedtime reading: http://www.briskoda.net/forums/showthread.php?t=4987

I'm looking for a suspension kit that I can adjust to give rock hard low handling for trackdays and still be made to provide the same ride comfort as the standard set up so my baby son doesn't get travel sick (or the wife complain too much)!

Steve

Welcome to the site...at last somebody to pick the brains of over the future

It might not be as bad once towing as of course your at a lower speed.

If I were doing suspension again (had KWv2 on a 4x4; now in a vRS) I'd go for KWv3 if I had to.

Interesting you find the vRS harsher than the cupra; never got that far at the seat garage; might give into tempation of that 225 lump. Opening the boot is enough as I need the space; which is shame as that rx-8 is lovely...

Now the question; is it as much fun as the westy?

Wife has a Cupra rather than a Cupra R. The R will take your fillings out at Idle, but the normal Cupra has quite a compliant ride.

I actualy think the firmer suspension will be better for towing.

Bazzer

That does surprise me - my mum's Leon Cupra definitely feels more crashy to me than the Octy and certainly rattles a lot more. As previously suggested it might be worth trying different tyre pressures to see if that makes much difference. Actually thinking about it, you have the RS estate so I guess it is set up slightly differently from the hatch - its also heavier and has smaller wheels which might have an effect :confused: Has anyone with the hatch tried driving the estate?

I always found the RS' ride to be quite a good compromise. That said over undulating roads it can be a bit bouncy and wallowy.

May be as you have the estate it makes it a bit more crashy.....also is the estate less rigided than the hatch? Can't remember what the reason was for not fitting the 17'' alloys as standard.

KW3s are the way to go......can mess around with the settings to your hearts content.

Maybe there is a difference between the saloon and the estate. It is not dreadfull and it might just be that the dampers need a few more miles on them.

Who makes the KW3's is there any information on the web about them ?

The wifes Cupra is rolly poly in comparison :-) as I said though it maybe dogey memory of what it was like new and it has 60K miles on it now so it probably is not as well damped as it was 3 years ago.

Cheers

Bazzer

Well... I've driven both hatch and estate versions of the vRS and both editions of the Cupra.. as well as the Cupra R...

Leon Cupra 180 ( 16inch alloys ) handled ok... not bad around town. Understeered to easly

"" "" "" "" "" "" "" ( 17inch alloys ( later model ) .. handled better.. but jiggled

and fidgety over anything remotely bumpy... also would have the TCS going mad and understeer on any damp road... Understeer cut down.. Underdamped...

Cupra R ( 210BHP ) very firm around town but things improved considerably

on the open road.. The demo just had to many rattles... Brakes initally feel

dead but suddenly bite very well

Octavia vRS estate.. -- compliant ride, did not skip about over rough roads,

more refined than the Cupra's....

Octavia vRS hatch.. -- feels more like a go cart,,, rides even better than estate.. 17 inch alloys must make the difference.. harsh around the worst

potholed roads but does not crash or cause bits of trim to rattle....

Brakes are very good, but suffer fade ( Hence my fitment of Pagid FR pads )

I personally prefer the Octy vRS hatch's handling... its not perfect but its better than its in house rivals...

Ta

Dazz

Estates quite often have stiffer stronger rear suspension to handle the larger loads estates generally take

i think i read they fitted 16's on the estate to help keep the 0-60 time closer to the hatch but this could be b*ll*cks. i'd have thought the stiffer ride iin the estate was down to the extra loads its expected to carry.

TBH when compaired to the R19 16v i had before the vRS has a supple ride and rolls alot more, that said it make better pace than the 19 in all areas

i dont think the vRS needs a 6th gear either, when the standard car can make a claimed 150mph flat out, 6 gears would only make for faster changes lower down due to shorter ratios surely. Although adding a 6th to the current setup would be interesting if it was possible. 170mph in standard trim anyone !?

Only reason for wanting the 6 speed box. Is that I am lead to beleive it is stronger, so at higher levels of tune would probably be more reliable.

My estate is far more compliant than the 21 turbo I used to have years ago !!!

But I have driven my wifes Leon Cupra (on 16" rims) and my Vrs Estate today and the Cupra definately has a softer ride.

Bazzer