vRS Suspension (of disbelief)

[Kaiserb_uk]

I've just read that long term test article posted in another thread and once again they gave 'ride quality' as one of it's good points - is it just me then because I've never driven a car with worse suspension.

I'm just coming up to the 30k service and when I take it in I'm going to ask, for the 3rd time, if they can check and double check the front end for wear or damage because sometimes it feels as if I'm about to lose a wheel. Grip is so inconsistent, the car pulls one way then another under both acceleration and braking, and driving over pot-holes (I try to avoid them but I live in Hemel Hempstead where the council all drive Hum-Vs and are more interested in installing more and bigger speed bumps instead of patching up main roads which haven't been resurfaced in thirty years) is a gut-wrenching experience.

Am I alone, and is there something wrong with my car? If there is then the dealer can't find it. Or am I just being a hypochondriac?

Yours, worried,

Will

[chowy]

Where abouts are you located. Maybe you could meet up with a fellow briskodian locally with a std. Fabia and compare??

Woops sorry, can't read! Hemel Hempstead!

Any one from Hemel Hempstead area????

[Tom_vRS]

I find the vRS suspension to be great. Its quite supple, yet very forgiving at the same time. I do occasionally get "torque steer", but always find the grip consistant.

Maybe you are in need of some replacement bushes.

[DRJ]

Ride Quality and Handling are two entirely different characteristics and cannot be compared - a car might have one good and one bad, both good, both bad. The Fabia vRS I'd rated as "reasonably good" in both...

[Tom_vRS]

Originally Posted by DRJ

Ride Quality and Handling are two entirely different characteristics and cannot be compared - a car might have one good and one bad, both good, both bad. The Fabia vRS I'd rated as "reasonably good" in both...

Sure is a valid point David.

My ONLY criticism of the vRS suspension overall, is that it rolls a little too much when really pressing on, oh, and the car looks a little too high. I hope putting some Eibach springs on will improve both, albeit at a the expense of some of the ride quality.

[ScoobyChris]

What tyres and pressures are you running?

Chris

[Maffu]

Originally Posted by chowy

Any one from Hemel Hempstead area????

I'm in Barnet, and have a standard Fab with just 4k on the clock if you wanted to get a ride in it and compare.

Your complain maybe valid. However, my previous car was a Citroen Saxo 1.1, which left my company with 80k on the clock. There isn't much which is a downwards step from that car's ride quality AND handling!



[I'd be interested, Kaiser, to know which dealer you go to. Thanks.]

[WW_VRS]

Make sure tyre pressure is right, if it's a little too low on the front it will drive badly.

[Kaiserb_uk]

I check the tyres (reasonably) regularly since I had a slow on the left front...that was 20 thousand miles ago though! Tyres are the standard Michelin Pilot Premacy's and I keep them around 30psi. I've learnt to notice the 'squirmy' feeling when one or other is down a bit.

I appreciate the difference between handling and ride quality, it's just that my car seems to have neither. I could put it all down to the suspension being tight and sporty, but then it rolls like a wounded buffalo in the corners. It feels like the worst of both worlds.

Actually that's harsh, the handling is generally good (if a little nose-heavy at times) but the ride quality....When I got my tyres done a while back the guy mentioned that when he was doing the left front nuts tight the wheel was moving back and forth a bit. I duly mentioned this to the nice man at the dealership who gave me the usual disbelieving look* and assured me it would be checked, followed by assuring me it was fine and me feeling less and less confident that I'm not driving something that's about to lose a corner and put me into a ditch.

I should mention that other than this gripe I absolutely love the car, I like the looks, the 'oomph', the economy....

As for which dealer, I don't want to slur anyone's name given that I might infact be losing it and there really is nothing 'wrong' as such - it could all be down to Hemel's roads which I have no doubt will win an award one day for being some of the worst maintained in the country.

[QuattroGmBh]

Maybe the roads are greasy with all that Diesel on them ;-)

[ScoobyChris]

The other factor affecting ride and handling is which cars you are comparing it to....

Chris

[flatfourburble]

In standard form I thought the fabia was fine for cruising and around town, one thing I will agree with is speed bumps, the fabia doesn't like them that much.

Maybe you should try taking another car out for a test drive and see how that is, if it's the same then you have your anwser if not then I guess you need to hound your dealer more

[shambahala]

Might be worth while jacking it up and seeing if there is any play on the wheels that you were told about. I have a fabia VRS with the Eibach suspension fitted (group buy)dampers and springs and work in Luton, so if you wantto compare let me know and well see if we can arange a meet

[The Jimmy]

30 psi? Maybe a bit low. Although my tyres are Continental SportContact which could make a difference, the recommended pressure (label inside the fuel filler flap) is 2.3 bar at the front (2.2 rear) which equates to just about 34 psi. Not sure if 4 psi would make the amount of difference you describe though.

[WW_VRS]

it would

[ickleginge]

I second WW VRS comment about 4 psi making a difference. Personally I'd go for 32psi on the front though. :p

[Shifty]

As little as 2psi makes a difference IMO. Try upping the pressure to 36psi, then see how it goes. Then try 34. I'm convinced you will see an improvement. I ran my Conti 2's at 36, Turanzas at 34, and my Potenzas at 34.

[WW_VRS]

Mine are at the same pressure as Shifty's - Conti 2's here. The front of the Fab vRS is incredibly heavy, don't underestimate how much weight moves about.

There should be a little movement on the wheels but it does sound like it's worth checking out.

When the tyre pressures are way too low, it doesn't feel settled at all. That said - it isn't a car that enjoys 'lorry gutters' (probably a bad translation of what I used to call them in Dutch, but you know what I mean), the tyres seem to kinda get attracted to them, in a bad way

[ickleginge]

I've had a pair of front tyres gain 4psi after some brisk driving. I'm not so keen on shifty's idea of 36psi + 4psi heat gain + wet / pants road = interesting! Anyhow most tyre pressure guages lie, and then again what's the ambient air temperature!? Hehe only race drivers need go that far.

[Chris GB]

Originally Posted by The Jimmy

30 psi? Maybe a bit low. Although my tyres are Continental SportContact which could make a difference, the recommended pressure (label inside the fuel filler flap) is 2.3 bar at the front (2.2 rear) which equates to just about 34 psi. Not sure if 4 psi would make the amount of difference you describe though.

Hi

I found the Fabia on Conti Sport Contact II to suffer perceptibly with 32psi in the fronts. Try setting 2.3 bar as advocated in the fuel filler info label and see how you get on.

Also, running at 4psi below rated pressure will lead to wear on the tyre shoulders which could make the car less stable under braking and acceleration.

The Michelin Pilot Primacys are not the last word in grip or ride comfort. I understand Toyo to be quieter and grippier. Also, if they are still the original tyres at 30000 miles, the sidewalls may have had it.

Lastly, the front wheels do move a fair bit back and forth. I noticed this when I first picked the car up and had it home for an inspection to check all was OK. Checking the torque on the wheel bolts showed the front to be very pliable. Bushes made by Chivers.

Chris