Hi

I didn't spec xenons when I ordered the car, and would like to retrofit some using one of the propreitary kits available on th' interweb. Any recommendations?

The brakes are a year and a bit old, (12K miles) and a bit pants compared to the brakes in our golf gt. The golf brakes have heaps more bite and feel, and give incredible stopping time after time.

I'm tempted by a 312 mm upgrade, but are there any other things I could try first? - the pads have heaps of life left on them, and the discs are good at the mo. I've tried deglazing the pads with a few big stops, but there hasn't been much of an improvement.

I'm a bit cheap, and don't want to spend a fortune. £500 - 600 max, and I'd like a jabba ARB on it as well.

On a related subject, the brakes stick on if the car's stood for a day or two, particularly if I washed it before leaving it. The car won't budge unless I give it a bit of a boot and let the clutch out. It lets go with a hell of a bang.

I guess that there's no real problem from doing this? Might be best if I go for a little run to dry the brakes after washing it?

But with the roads round here like they are, I'd have to wash it again when I got back:rofl:

Xenons are a sticky, Way too expensive to rerofit if you want to stay legal:thumbdwn:

brakes, Sorry can't help.

And out of curiosity whats the damage for the VAGX1?

the X1 was about £60, but there are other products available now for less ££.

You get a 3.5 mm stereo plug, which feeds into a box which tricks the HU into thinking there's a changer attached. Mine comes out in the cubby below the stereo, and the creative zen jukebox fits in there ticketty - boo.

312mm brake upgrade is money well spent...

golfturbo does them on here...

still money left for arb...

cheaper getting philips xtremes 80% bulbs...

Retro fitting Xenons so that they are legal is a "no no" unless you buy the entire kit - you would need to make a kit up out of Skoda Fabia bits so that was identical to what the car would have been if it had been supplied with Xenons from the factory. Glazed brakes - could be that the discs and pads both need glaze busting - by using something abrasive. Brakes seizing on after lying for some time after being washed - yup that's just the way it is especially with rear discs, same with my Passat V6 and my Cav GSi 4X4 before it - and obviously my wife's Polo 9N. Cure really is to take the car for a run after washing it, this is the only way that most of the water that has been sprayed into a lot of areas can be got rid off! Actually even my daughter's Ibiza 6K with rear drum brakes suffers from this if left a few days. Could be worse, have you ever experienced the same thing happening to the clutch plate after a few months of inactivity - now that really is a bit akward!!

I got a set of X-Treme's from Philips HID,Philips Visionplus,Philips BlueVision,Philips DiamondVision, Philips Power2night and GE HID,GE Megalightplus, GE Euroblue sold by the industry experts for £26.99 inc p&p

Brakes - source as above. Going on UKMkIVs is the easiest way of getting hold of him. £250.

EDIT: this may also be worth keeping an eye on

Lights - no real point unless you're going the hole hog and getting all the necessary Skoda parts. Just upgrade the dipped and main beam - X-Tremes for dipped and Philips Rallye for the main would be my recommendation.

Brakes and washing - I tend to leave the car parked in gear with the handbrake off after washing, until my next trip out. Lets everything dry, without the pad welding itself to the disc!

So, even budgeting £50 for uprated bulbs, that still allows for the Jabba rear ARB purchase (£200?). Which is probably the wisest way to spend your hard earned. I might couple that with a set of Eibach lowering springs as well (£140-ish, plus fitting).

Steve

Brakes - source as above. Going on UKMkIVs is the easiest way of getting hold of him. £250.

EDIT: this may also be worth keeping an eye on

Lights - no real point unless you're going the hole hog and getting all the necessary Skoda parts. Just upgrade the dipped and main beam - X-Tremes for dipped and Philips Rallye for the main would be my recommendation.

Brakes and washing - I tend to leave the car parked in gear with the handbrake off after washing, until my next trip out. Lets everything dry, without the pad welding itself to the disc!

So, even budgeting £50 for uprated bulbs, that still allows for the Jabba rear ARB purchase (£200?). Which is probably the wisest way to spend your hard earned. I might couple that with a set of Eibach lowering springs as well (£140-ish, plus fitting).

Steve

do these items fit directly or is there a bit of spacing out to do? do they fit with standard wheels?

do these items fit directly or is there a bit of spacing out to do? do they fit with standard wheels?

I presume we're talking brakes here

Direct fit, under the std vRS 16s. No spacing required. Very good guide for fitment in the Technical Guides section, here

Steve

Just like to say that i have a retrofit xenon kit, and passed the mot no problem at the main dealer, they were perfectly aligned and had a perfect beam pattern

I think the golfturbo kits are soon to dry up. Last time I spoke to Steve he said they were hard to come by now.

So, alternatively a set of TT caliipers and carriers from a scrappy,(Or a recon merchant) and discs and pads from eurocarparts, and a couple of hoses and I'm there?

You don't even need the hoses

Cool. I'll stick some braided hoses on then, seeing as I'll be changing the fluid.

You don't even need those.

The fabia hoses are re-enforced so you wouldn't notice any difference with braided hose. The standard hoses look a bit short for the job but they fit without issue and shouldn't give you any trouble.

Are the calipers and carriers used on any other models in the VAG range? - If I'm going to clamber over a scrapyard, Calipers etc. from an A4 might command less of a premium than those on a TT. Not that I'm cheap you understand, (See my first post in this thread) but when I put the front brakes from a saab 9000 on my 900, it cost less than £120 all in.

Golf Mk4 4Motion, Audi S3 (previous shape) and a few Leon models are also possible candidates for the parts. The A4 and Passat won't do as they use a 5x112 stud fitment.

Steve

Retrofit xenons are perfectly legal, washers and self leveling are only a requirement on factory fit xenons.

i have 2 calipers that came as part of my 312mm upgrade kit from golfturbo. they're advertised in the items for sale section.

I've reinforced my reputation for cheapness by fitting 80% dip and rally full beam bulbs.

Retrofit xenons are perfectly legal, washers and self leveling are only a requirement on factory fit xenons.

It would seem that isn't the case anymore, according to the DfT:

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/fabia/cost-fitting-xenons-vrs/89259/#post1024918

I presume we're talking brakes here

Direct fit, under the std vRS 16s. No spacing required. Very good guide for fitment in the Technical Guides section, here

Steve

cheers mate,those tt brakes are mine:thumbup:

Retrofit xenons are perfectly legal, washers and self leveling are only a requirement on factory fit xenons.

Ok, lets throw some extra light on the subject...

Department for Transport - Aftermarket HID (Xenon) headlamps

Hmm, thats an interesting turn up for the books!

I stand corrected! It would seem that no-ones told the MOT stations about this though?

I think the golfturbo kits are soon to dry up. Last time I spoke to Steve he said they were hard to come by now.

Not suprising since the old shape TT is now out of production.