Hi Folks

I visited Ben and the team at Shark Performance in Mansfield today, on the agenda where some tweaks to my stage 1 remap, fitting KW lowering springs, Fitting Whiteline Adjustable Rear Anti Roll Bar, then as the wheels where off, 10mm Spacers on the front, 15mm spacers on the rear. I want to try to avoid the normal sort of cliche'd review that I would normally write, but I can't

First off, landed at Shark at 9.30 and Cheryl got the kettle on, Rob took the keys and brought the car in and I had a quick chat with Ben. I settled down with the laptop, WiFi and got on with some work with frequent pauses for banter with Ben, Cheryl, Rob and the tall dude with THE haircut Even the Wurth rep got in on the Banter, and it then developed into a bit of a Briskoda min meet with Rob from W8 Performance there in his Octy vRS Estate and a lovely Mk1 Octavia vRS in Black Magic, sitting on Black Rims, that sounded fantastic on it's dec-cat system.

I had a great day and the car is now very very different in so many ways, each and every one of them positive.

First off the springs, they are KW Springs, and they have provided a good drop, and being 100% honest here, they have not noticeably compromised the ride quality, they have stiffened things up nicely (but so could Cheryl LOL), removed a lot of body roll and all but eliminated dive under braking. They are a totally different experience to the Eibachs I have had fitted to other cars in the past, these KW's are firm when you need them to be and still retain that impressive ride quality.

Secondly, the Whiteline Rear Anti Roll Bar, the Superb has a Rear Anti Roll Bar, but it's tubular, so not all that effective. the Whiteline is 3 position adjustable and of solid construction. This has had a huge impact to the car, I drove back tonight through Buxton and over the cat and fiddle and this,coupled with the springs has all but eliminated body roll, and the car is now extremely agile. It corners flat, changes direction quickly and accurately. It's effects where most noticeable as I hit some of the twisties around the cat and fiddle. It's had a "reverse" Tardis like effect on the car, it looks big on the outside, but handles like a car half it's size

Thirdly, the Remap, or should I say tweaks to the map. The car has a Stage 1 Shark map loaded up, and Ben made a couple of subtle tweaks today to what was already a great map. The car is very strong from 1500RPM and it holds it and pulls through to the redline, it's smooth, it's progressive with no spikes, dips or glitches. It really is a joy to drive, and the 1.8 TSI (Euro V 152PS) is now pushing out a nice healthy 202 BHP, translating to around 160 at the wheels, and a huge slab of torque. I left the graph behind so you have to trust me, it's very very bloody good and the driveability is .........Superb

Ben was a total professional, healthy banter that switched to techie talk when needed and fully explained everything he had and the guys had done, Cheryl looked after us all, fetching lunch in for us as well (Above and beyond the call of duty), and Rob along with Dodgy Haircut dude where true pro's. It's a pleasure to do business with people like this, that have a passion for what they do, are totally customer focussed and go that extra mile.

This has been my second visit to Shark, and it will not be my last

Here are some pictures of the "Gentlemans Express", excuse the dirt on the car, and the quality, they where taken with my phone.

Before - Superb on Stilts

No, this is not it after a visit by marauding scousers

And now with the KW's fitted

Looking really good. Was nice to meet you today and a have a chat.

Looking really good. Was nice to meet you today and a have a chat.

Same here Rob, hope you had a good trip back mate and good luck with it all :thumbup:

Looks good Fluffy one. Not a silly drop, just right.

Fluff, greetings. I have an Octavia estate SE+ with the same 152PS engine as your Superb. My mod plans are identical to yours! Can I ask you a few questions please?

1) Is there a recognised remap then for this new engine and does the stage 1 make a good improvement, esp. to the slow take-up below 2500 rpm?

2) I am trying to decide between KW and Eibach Pro B12 springs to avoid the floating feeling at speed over uneven surfaces; how do these springs differ?

3) Did you keep OEM dampers or did you upgrade to KW dampers, and if the former is that OK?

4) Do you have any front anti-roll bar to match the rear? I am wondering if I need front and rear Whitelines, or just the rear (the Octavia has none as stock).

5)Are the wheel spacers just cosmetic or do they improve performance?

6) Do Shark provide the parts or are they from elsewhere, and does Shark fit the suspension as well as do the remap?

7) Any idea of what sort of % increase all the above will make to insurance premium!?

What I have in mind for my car is just about exactly the same as you've just had done, but will be my first venture into modding! Hope you've got time to answer my questions. Thank you in anticipation.

Your Suberb looks brilliant. Well done!

Stuart

Glad you are happy fluffy one!

Was nice to finally meet the man behind the post LOL.

Thanks for the good feedback, i do try

Enjoy!

Cheryl

Awww bless fluffy one , dont think we missed you by much , it was worth it tho .

looks good

Needs moar lower!

How much were the 10mm spacers and what make are they? Some 10mm hubcentric spacers have been notoriously unreliable in the past and have potential to become defective to the point where some manufacturers don't produce them anymore.

Fluff, greetings. I have an Octavia estate SE+ with the same 152PS engine as your Superb. My mod plans are identical to yours! Can I ask you a few questions please?

Fire Away

1) Is there a recognised remap then for this new engine and does the stage 1 make a good improvement, esp. to the slow take-up below 2500 rpm?

My Shark stage 1 is great, a vast improvement from tickover to the redline, fattening up the low end and midrange, and after some extra miles today a bit of zing at the top end.

2) I am trying to decide between KW and Eibach Pro B12 springs to avoid the floating feeling at speed over uneven surfaces; how do these springs differ?

The KW's do remove the floating feeling but remain very progressive and supple. I have had 5 previous car's on Eibachs, and I don't feel like the ride quality has suffered as much as it has on previous Eibach equipped cars.

3) Did you keep OEM dampers or did you upgrade to KW dampers, and if the former is that OK?

OEM Dampers, I just wanted to lower it and the OEM dampers are coping with things well. I have a 500 mile drive up to Thurso on Sunday so will give it a real workout up in the highlands, great roads, but not the best surfaced in the world.

4) Do you have any front anti-roll bar to match the rear? I am wondering if I need front and rear Whitelines, or just the rear (the Octavia has none as stock).

Rear gives biggest bangs for bucks, the front is a relatively big job as well. The rear is a 10 minute job to fit.

5)Are the wheel spacers just cosmetic or do they improve performance?

Looks mainly, but they do widen the wheel track slightly, in theory helping the handling

6) Do Shark provide the parts or are they from elsewhere, and does Shark fit the suspension as well as do the remap?

Shark can do it all mate, All parts sourced by Shark.

7) Any idea of what sort of % increase all the above will make to insurance premium!?

Mine has gone up by £42 per year

What I have in mind for my car is just about exactly the same as you've just had done, but will be my first venture into modding! Hope you've got time to answer my questions. Thank you in anticipation.

No problem, hope this helps

Your Suberb looks brilliant. Well done!

Thanks mate

Stuart

How much were the 10mm spacers and what make are they? Some 10mm hubcentric spacers have been notoriously unreliable in the past and have potential to become defective to the point where some manufacturers don't produce them anymore.

I will be keeping an eye on them, torqued up the bolts when I got back and they where all fine. I am one of the sad people that actually checks the wheel bolt torque periodically after having a few bolts work loose once after having tyres fitted at a Black Diamond service (LOL) Centre

I got them from some dodgy bloke in a motorway service car park, I swapped something I had for them.

Defective in what way? deforming, cracking, breaking?

Fluff - many thanks for taking the trouble to answer really helpfully ..

Can I just confirm, do you have NO ARB in the front at all (no OEM either)? If this is the case is the oversteer not crazy with just the rear bar? What setting is the rear bar on that's giving such a great ride?

Can you kindly confirm that these are the correct springs http://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/kw-30mm-lowering-suspension-springsbr-octavia-1z-19tdi-20fsi-20tdi-fwd-0504-p-5350.html

Thank you, Fluffy!

Fluff - many thanks for taking the trouble to answer really helpfully ..

Can I just confirm, do you have NO ARB in the front at all (no OEM either)? If this is the case is the oversteer not crazy with just the rear bar? What setting is the rear bar on that's giving such a great ride?

Can you kindly confirm that these are the correct springs http://www.dpmperformance.co.uk/kw-30mm-lowering-suspension-springsbr-octavia-1z-19tdi-20fsi-20tdi-fwd-0504-p-5350.html

Thank you, Fluffy!

No front arb would be lunacy I have the oem front which is enough, it's not a track car after all, I am just tidying up the handling

These are the springs mate

http://kwshop.co.uk/index.php?mg=26&pg=164&page=1&psg=263&sort=&view=list&reset_filter=1

Fluffmeister - I saw this on Sharks FB feed - very nice indeed, very purposeful looking.

Can I ask, what was the torque figure produced from the stage 1 remap? Was anything discussed regarding the differences between your 152ps and the more common 160ps 1.8TSi units, out of sheer curiosity?

Looks good, noticeable difference in height to 1st pic

Fluffmeister - I saw this on Sharks FB feed - very nice indeed, very purposeful looking.

Can I ask, what was the torque figure produced from the stage 1 remap? Was anything discussed regarding the differences between your 152ps and the more common 160ps 1.8TSi units, out of sheer curiosity?

Hi Mate

I will have to ask Ben, because like an idiot I left the dyno print behind. I think, but could be wrong, it was over 300nm, but I could be wrong. We did not talk about the differences in any detail to be fair, all the spec's I have found look identical for the 152ps and the 160ps lump.

It's now making 8bhp more at the wheels, than it originally made at the crank, and after Ben applied a couple of tweaks it's really smooth, pulling hard to the red line when it needs to.

Every Skoda I have owned has been mapped, and this is certainly right up there at the top of the tree

I saw the photo on Facebook and I thought it looked great, it looks like the perfect height now.

How has the handling and ride quality been affected?

I saw the photo on Facebook and I thought it looked great, it looks like the perfect height now.

How has the handling and ride quality been affected?

Handling put's it into a different league now James. It's quick to change direction, corners virtually flat and not managed to push it to understeer yet. Ride quality has not been compromised at all, the KW springs are a bit of a revelation. Ben said he was expecting the ride to lose a bit of compliance, but it really hasn't. It's firm, yes indeed it is, but not harsh in anyway.

I am driving up to the Highlands for work on Sunday, that will be a test as I head up over the A9, so I can report back more accuratley because I will be getting 300 miles of motorway followed by a couple of hundred of A - B road's in. So far though, great

Handling wise, normal tootling along, it feels pretty much the same, just a little more taught, but get a "lick" on and it feels like a car half it's size. There's a lovely bit of road not far from me that runs from a motorway exit with a couple of fast sweepers that tighten up on you unexpectedly (if you don't know them). While I was out for a play yesterday trying to push it a bit, hitting one at around 50 would have the car in it's standard trim rolling like the Tirpitz and it would just start to understeer a bit, now, no roll, no understeer and the Superb is shouting back "is that all you've got"

I'm going to have to bang it onto the next Oulton Park track day I can get to instead of the MX-5 just to see how it does.

I'm really pleased with it, and can't see the need to spend more money and go the coilover route as it's my work car, but I am going to investigate a few other tweaks now. I am thinking about some 18's, but don't want to jeopardise the current ride quality, I want OEM though, not aftermarket, maybe Zeniths off an Octy vRS, or find some Thermisto's or another Superb driver that wants to drop to 17's? anyone out there want to do a deal

I'm also wanting to find a quick shifter to reduce the throw on the lever. Maybe after that, I may look at induction and perhaps find an exhaust system, but I do a fair bit of mileage and don't want something that's going to drone away for hours on a run to Scotland.

All in all though, it's a fantastic car, and some may, and most certainly will disagree, but mine will now give most "small" engined 5 series, A4's, C Class merc's a run for their money handling and performance wise.

I didn't realise you had it mapped too, the 1.8TSi maps really well, it must be a fantastic car now.

Sounds like it's sorted now, must be nice to have it handle the way you want, the stance is great.

I think some 18" alloys would set it off nicely, Zeniths or the newer Neptunes would look good, or if you can find a set of the 5 spoke star alloys that the Audi A6 comes with, I reckon they'd suit the Superb well.

James, Maybe a sponsorhip deal in the offing for Fluff for a nice set of Zeniths or Neptunes??

Fluffy - your enthusiasm is pushing me over the edge to go for it!

I'm going to get a remap and two Whiteline ARBs and KW springs whilst keeping OEM shocks on my 1.8 152ps SE+ Octavia. Your thread has helped the planning greatly.

Just to be sure: your link for springs is for a 40mm drop; is that correct (I ask as the KW lowering springs on my link above is to KW springs at DPM with a 30 mm drop)? Want to be sure I get the same springs and the same result you've achieved.

Hi mate, I will get the part number from the box and post it up for you mate.

Wheel sponsorship eh ....... Hmmmmmm

No pics of Cheryl?

No pics of Cheryl?

Why sir, what kind of cad do you take me for, photographing nubile young ladies against their will.

Nah..... I slipped up