Whats up with the Ibiza handling?

the_fbi · Feb 16, 2008

Perhaps I'm slightly spoiled, coming from a Focus which is renowned for being one of (if not the) best handling hatch out there.

My Ibiza is so boatlike. All the reviews say the suspension is hard and tiresome, whilst I have to admit its slightly harder than some cars, its nothing like hard.

I'm thinking the issue is mainly around the damping rate of the shocks, as the springs do appear pretty firm. But is it possibe to actually get an Ibiza to handle like its on rails, or do I just leave it as is and put up with it?

Under braking the nose dives, indicating poor front shocks and try and take any bend/roundabout at anything like like a decent speed and I feel like I'm going to roll over.

I don't believe its a case of worn out shocks either, they all bump/rebound the same given the same loading. So are they just poorly valved from the factory or is the geometry/design poor?

My Focus is running 300mm front disks, adjustable Gaz shocks and Spax SSX springs, the car will stay perfectly level when braking hard and then chucking it into a corner, never even thinking about squealing a tyre.

Is this sort of ability available on an Ibiza? I know the brakes can be sorted, but the suspension?

Are there any camber kits available to correct the camber on lowered Ibizas?

Any views/thoughts appreciated, as its currently like driving an old Granada.

Thanks
Chris

ps. Its a TDI Sport 130.

R1dd1ck · Feb 16, 2008

Id say coilies, spacers, 312mm discs with good calipers, slip diff,arbs, strut brace and nowt will beat it mate!

Im heading for spax coilovers, front / rear arbs, strut brace, spacers, atb slip diff and splitter. it will stick like sh!t to a blanket!

pauliepaul · Feb 16, 2008

the standard ibiza has an ass like vanessa feltz

coilovers, strut braces, rear arb's, anything. god!

R1dd1ck · Feb 16, 2008

pauliepaul said:
the standard ibiza has an ass like vanessa feltz

coilovers, strut braces, rear arb's, anything. god!

Her arse wud be quite amusing skiddin downt a30! mite lose some weight off it!

the_fbi · Feb 16, 2008

R1dd1ck said:
strut brace

I notice there's a lower front brace available too, that tells a story....

R1dd1ck · Feb 16, 2008

N310YWP said:
I notice there's a lower front brace available too, that tells a story....

They aint that expensive, and are worth it matey!

kriso · Feb 16, 2008

Even the Cupra suspension makes a big difference under braking and acceleration with the stiffer springs than the Sport. My rear ARB sorted out the handling/understeer quite well. Coilovers obviosuly will help. Front top strut brace makes a small difference.

But you won't be able to get away from the design of the chassis really. I drove a standard Focus as a hire car and was well impressed with the handling around Spanish twisties. But I hated everything else about the car lol

Poverty · Feb 17, 2008

I presume you guys are talking about the MK1 focus cause the mk2 isnt impressive at all. My mate who owns one reckons its crap actually. Rates the mk1 though.

kriso · Feb 17, 2008

Think it was a mk2 and is impressive compared to the Ibiza around twisties. I drove that and my parent's Ibiza round 6 miles of twisty Spanish roads where they live and the Focus is very flat compared to the Ibiza. Not driven a mk1 so cant compare.

Guinness · Feb 17, 2008

yep have to say the ibiza needs a lot of work to get it to focus standard for handling. But the ibiza beats it on other things

pauliepaul · Feb 17, 2008

R1dd1ck said:
Her arse wud be quite amusing skiddin downt a30! mite lose some weight off it!

hahaha t'a30 int'it!

if she sat in the back it would be a weight imbalance issue big time :headhurt:

Damoegan · Feb 17, 2008

Yep, I must say the Ibiza handling can be better. Went out for a little play to night in my mk4 cupra and nearly spun it on a roundabout :redface:

, lucky I had the esp off so I managed to catch it.

Prob didnt help with it being -1.0 outside

m0rk · Feb 17, 2008

why do you rule out worn out shocks?

From my experience on every SEAT model I've taken a shock off they've all shown serious wear from anything after 10k

Plus you have a distinctly 'badly' badged unsporty sport.

decent quality dampers, good springs (lowered) will put more -ve camber on, improve the ride quality & damping.

R1dd1ck · Feb 17, 2008

pauliepaul said:
hahaha t'a30 int'it!

if she sat in the back it would be a weight imbalance issue big time

Certainly is matey! She wunt fit int back buddy, she'd have one arse cheek int boot, t'other ont road like!

Damoegan said:
Yep, I must say the Ibiza handling can be better. Went out for a little play to night in my mk4 cupra and nearly spun it on a roundabout , lucky I had the esp off so I managed to catch it.

Prob didnt help with it being -1.0 outside

Hmmmm..............you aint driving mine then!

I think spending about 1600 on the car for the handling and u cant do much else mate! they handle a dream!!

the_fbi · Feb 17, 2008

Poverty said:
I presume you guys are talking about the MK1 focus cause the mk2 isnt impressive at all. My mate who owns one reckons its crap actually. Rates the mk1 though.

Mine's a Mk1, Mk2 is quite a bit larger although I'm sure shares the same control blade rear suspension which is what makes it so good.

danmay · Feb 17, 2008

coilovers rear spacers and a rear ARB should sort it out from what i've heard, if you can get some standard cupra suspension that may help though to be honest, loads of people on here have got coilies so there must be some knoocking about in garages and sheds somewhere

Ad Lav · Feb 17, 2008

Mine is great now, but like has been said above - you need better dampers and springs, then some ARB's as the rear axle is solid unlike the Focus...

rashcupra · Feb 17, 2008

focus mk1's are good handlers and ibiza standard models ARE SHOCKING! but ive uprated

fk coilovers, 20mm rear spacers, strut brace and rear arb and im telling you it will tick ALL your boxes!

Poverty · Feb 17, 2008

N310YWP said:
Mine's a Mk1, Mk2 is quite a bit larger although I'm sure shares the same control blade rear suspension which is what makes it so good.

Not sure on that because the mk2 focus uses a mazda chassis which is completely different from the mk1 apparently.

Another thing I reckon ibiza's struggle with is the stock tyres they come with. They do not compliment the ibiza too well as because of the ibiza's light weight it does not exert enough force on alot of the tires on sale to maximise the performance.

Tires that appear to be crap on the ibiza can be awesome on another car that weighs a extra 300-400 kg.

Aimez · Feb 17, 2008

Can see his dissapointment you have to spend all that money on the car cos its crap standard, so if i had a focus i could spend alll that money on something differnt on the car ans be miles ahead!

Whats up with the Ibiza handling?

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