NEW PETROL VRS DSG, TWITCHY ON THE MOTORWAY

[billblacoe]

Hi,  I'm  coming off the back of  a 2009 VRS petrol DSG estate, which was fantastically smooth and pretty quiet on the motorway ( once I had it on decent Goodyear tyres ) .  I've now got a new version of this, and the few times I've had it on the motorway it refuses to settle .  I thought it was the Active steer thingy, which is very twitchy, so I turned it off .  I can't work out if I'm now imagining it, but feels like I'm always making minor corrections and that's making it quite tiring to drive . It's running on the new Bridgestone all weather tyres which the garage threw in for free. They're noisy, but that's a different issue . I can't imagine them affecting the straight line running ..and this is just sitting at 70mph, not booting it . Any thoughts appreciated ?  In the month I've had the car so far it feels like it will be better in the bends than the old car, but harder to live with . Hopefully just teething pains .  thanks

[ahenners]

That doesn't sound right, I moved to a 63 plate VRS from a 59 plate facelift a couple of years back. I don't ever remember it being twitchy getting out of one into the other, nor is it twitchy now. Haven't tried all weather tyres though.

 

Have you checked tyre pressures? That's probably the most straightforward possibility. Failing that could be an alignment issue.

[Ootohere]

@billblacoe,

?

So what were the tyre pressures at when you checked them and what did you then set them at?

http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/457224-specific-vrs-noisew-v-tyres-question

 

Are you sure the Transit Blocks have been removed by the Fitter doing the PDI?

Edited 5 November, 2018 by Offski

[JohnnyType2]

I had similar issues, it took a full Hunter wheel alignment and new tyres (Eagle F1 AS3s) the tyres on it had saw toothed really badly at the back, apparently octavias are notorious for it. how long have you had the car?

run your hand around the inside rear of the tyre and see if it feels like it has high and low spots? The dealer threw on Kuhmos on the last service for the PO (which arent cheap) but turned out to be crap anyway. 

Edited 5 November, 2018 by JohnnyType2

[billblacoe]

only had the car about 3 weeks . I'll have a look for transit blocks ( didn't even know such a thing existed.  I've got all the tyres at 36 PSI.  I think the in the pressure filler cap it says that you can have them 34-37 depending on load . this was for 2 adults and a boot full of golf clubs . on hols shortly with the family and a full car, so I think they should be around that . maybe it is the aligment, but I would hope that a new car would have been properly set up. Will check for the blocks and maybe lower the pressure a little bit . thanks guys

[Ootohere]

Which Dealership supplied the car and where did they put it to have the tyres fitted?  Do not take for granted that the PDI was properly done.

*Check the tightness of all 4 wheels bolts, just so you know you can change a wheel if needs must with the tools in the car, 

and be sure to reset the TPMS when resetting the tyres.  Set the pressures outside when cold tyres & not in a garage / building.*

 

Check all 4 tyres are on the rims correctly, the direction arrows going forward or 'outside' on the sidewall showing.

 

 

There are run out stripes on the new tyres but there should be no issue incorrectly matched since these are Winter Tyres.

 

 

Edited 5 November, 2018 by Offski

[Stewart7]

I thought the same when I first drove mine at 70mph.  My previous car, (1992 Nissan Primera), had zero play in the steering, but in the Octavia, I'm constantly making corrections at speed.  I put it down to the wider, flatter tread profile tyres taking more effort to turn.  After three years I've got used to it, and at any speed the car seems to hug the road very nicely.

[brettikivi]

all-weathers are squidgy....

 

 - Bret

[Ootohere]

^^^ So some say, but then those that are not squidgy are not!

[Auric Goldfinger]

I have a 66 plate Pre FL 230 and its steady as a rock at Motorway speeds and a bit more, tyre pressures set to 39Psi on 225/35/19 tyres ( 2.7 Bar ) As for the Lane assist, I found it very aggressive. so in the Car settings >> Drivers Aids  ( I think ) there are 2 boxes to tick/untick for Lane assist, I only have the top Box ticked and now it's less aggressive.

 

I did a 298 mile round trip Yesterday, 250+ miles on the motorway. Effortless, steady as a rock..............   

 

Cars also had the 4 wheel alignment done.

 

 

 

 

Edited 6 November, 2018 by Auric Goldfinger

[nidza]

New NEW car? 0km on odometer?

 

Something is very wrong and can be due to cheap tires. I've missed information what tire it is, if it was written anywhere earlier.

 

My car is very easy to drive on motorway, with all 3 sets of wheels. Generally vRS is quite easy car to drive in any condition, including a race track.

 

[brettikivi]

I've had a couple of rentals in the not-too-distant past with "all weather" tyres on and they were both awful. In the Focus I didn't want to drive faster than 160, the Octavia was better but nowhere near as planted as mine is. 

 

An alignment and wheel balance would be a good start. Replacement tyres may be necessary. 

 

 - Bret

[Ootohere]

@brettikivi  what is yours?  Your car & tyres for winter that is planted.

 

With the rental cars what were the All Weather Tyres fitted, and did you adjust the tyre pressures or just drive the cars as they were handed over?

 

160km will be 30 mph over UK NSL's,. but then when the roads are right, and the tyres speed and load ratings and tyre pressures i have never found good All Weather tyres to be squidgy at those speeds.

 

@billblacoe

Which Bridgestone All Weather Tyres did the Dealership have fitted to your new car?  I hope not Bridgestone Dueler!

Edited 6 November, 2018 by Offski

[billblacoe]

tyres are Bridgestone Weather Control A005. I took them as the dealer could throw them into the deal ( Henrys Skoda Glasgow ). I wanted Michelin CC, but I would have had to pay another £600 .  You can tell they're a bit softer than summer tyres, but that's a good thing . this is primarily a family car with a bit of poke. Living in Glasgow, and with family up north, then these are very handy

[Ootohere]

 

 

[Breezy_Pete]

Have you looked at the front wheel alignment by eye?

If it's far enough out you may be able to see that the front wheels  aren't perfectly parallel to the car. Line one side up as straight as you can, then look at the other side.

[brettikivi]

So I drive BluResponse in the Summer and Hakkapeliitta 8s in the Winter. Both in 205/55R16. 

The winters are far softer in the carcass to give them some way to hold on to the snow. The rubber is softer to give grip at lower temps and the sipes are more numerous. Straightline stability over 100km/h is not where it is with the summer tyres. Freshly balanced, too, this is the third winter on the car and they have around 6,5mm tread left.

 

There's no way a summer rubber compound is as soft as this; I've seen winters lose 2mm of tread in 2000kms when it's too warm.

 

The squidge was painfully evident in the Octavia rental when driving a couple of alpine passes. Body roll was significant and far worse than the MY2016 I drive now. The difference between summer and winter is also significant here; the roll is increased, as is comfort. Tyre pressures are set to something reasonable all round (and I can't remember what it is). 

 

The really planted one is the A2 on B8s with H&R ARBs front and rear and Eibach springs. That's a different planet. Lightweight wheels and 195/50R15s complete that particular picture. 

 

There's always compromise on the tyres. If it's an "allweather" then that will be summer performance for some winter grip. The compound will also have to be softer to allow grip at colder temperatures. There is a difference between central European and Nordic compounds, too, we've seen that on the (ice) track.

 

 - Bret

 

 

Edited 6 November, 2018 by brettikivi

[logiclee]

Our Mk2 Octavia is on Cross Climates and Mk3 Octavia is on Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons Gen2's.

 

Cross climates are 99% the same feel as premium summers, the Vector 4's do not have the same turn in bite as premium summers in the dry but they certainly don't feel squigy or twitchy on the motorway.

 

For a decade I swapped between summers and winters but the latest all seasons are good enough for what I consider good summer handling and winter grip.

 

 

Edited 6 November, 2018 by logiclee

[Ootohere]

@brettikivi The UK is about as far west as you can get away from Central Europe other than the Republic or Ireland.

Glasgow quite regularly about as wet as it gets.

[logiclee]

5 hours ago, brettikivi said:

 

 

There's always compromise on the tyres. If it's an "allweather" then that will be summer performance for some winter grip. The compound will also have to be softer to allow grip at colder temperatures. There is a difference between central European and Nordic compounds, too, we've seen that on the (ice) track.

 

 - Bret

 

 

 

 

All season tyres have taken a major leap forward in the last few years with the Cross Climate and the competition from the other manufacturers. It's all about shrinking the compromise.

 

For a climate like the UK they are now a real option for most vehicles.

 

 

 

 

[shyVRS245]

11 hours ago, Auric Goldfinger said:

I have a 66 plate Pre FL 230 and its steady as a rock at Motorway speeds and a bit more, tyre pressures set to 39Psi on 225/35/19 tyres ( 2.7 Bar ) As for the Lane assist, I found it very aggressive. so in the Car settings >> Drivers Aids  ( I think ) there are 2 boxes to tick/untick for Lane assist, I only have the top Box ticked and now it's less aggressive.

 

I did a 298 mile round trip Yesterday, 250+ miles on the motorway. Effortless, steady as a rock..............   

 

Cars also had the 4 wheel alignment done.

 

 

 

 

Also have my slightly wider Michelins at 2.7bar and rock solid on the motorway upto very high speeds. Steering not contantly needing correction either.