Bought an FR. hate the ride.

[SteveTDCi]

Just because they lower the car doesn't mean they will be harder, it depends on the spring rate, most aftermarket springs are progressive so that they will be soft for a certain amount of the travel and then tighten up under increasing load. But your are genrally right in what you say, with most normal cars it stiffens the ride. It seems that Audi's and SEAT's have an issue with springs though

 

[pwskingle]

Hi, just got my eibach sportline delivered 153 pounds from larkspeed, didnt think i could get them for less, going to have them just fitted on thursday for about 80 pounds not included wheel allinment, i havent worked out where this can be done, could ats, kwik fit or my local seat garage do this, thanks

 

[SteveTDCi]

you could try a vag specialest, they charge around £150 + VAT to fit & set up, £60 of which is the setting up. YOu could try someone else but people that specise in VAG cars tend to know more than kwik fit

 

[jcp]

I went for the Eibachs first and they are lower 30mm for the sportkit but do improve the ride unmistakeably. Any competent wrench man can fit them and it should not cost too much. I followed with the FSD's which improved matters more. The biggest step forward was the springs and they have given no grounding problems at all.

 

[Sooty torques]

I test drove the car and didn't notice the hard ride then, I suppose it was just that I was on smoother roads. I got the car home and been driving it around and, my god. My girlfriend is decidedly unimpressed. She said wait and see, which I will do but I seriously can't handle this. What can I do?
Any advice appreciated.

Yep, it is a tad firm... but on good roads it's fine. I like the go-kart feeling, but my wife is not to keen on poor roads - if she isn't wearing a bra, she complains even more
On autoroutes in France and Spain - tbh on any roads other than the uk's... - it is excellent, especially for long journeys. Maybe I'm used to it now?

The 'new' Leon has been tweaked for a comfier ride = damper settings changed to match frequently crap British road surfaces...

 

[ravey davey]

Pro's or Sportlines with the BTCC

Have been reading these threads and thinking I have had enough of the hard trashy ride on my FR TFSI, the only thing is I am sure I have heard somewhere that you have to be carefull which to use on a FR fitted with the full BTCC kit as one or the other lowers it too much at the front, and you can take of the splitter off. I am also running 18"s !!

Can someone with the kit fitted advise what they went for Pro's or Sportlines ??

 

[daz_pd]

I would say the kit you want is the pro kit, as it lowers 30mm all round, but the sportline lowers it about 50mm at the front and 35mm at the back!

 

[Cupranation]

Have been watching the firm ride threads with interest. I have a Cupra, when I was researching whether to buy an FR or a Cupra I am sure I read some articles that said the ride was actually better on a Cupra than an FR (although I can't remember where) something to do with different front anti roll bar? Anyone have experience of trying the two side by side? If indeed they are different could you retro fit the changes that were made to the Cupra onto an FR?

As an aside the ride in the Cupra is definately firm but by no means uncomfortably so in my opinion.

Found the article I was looking for "......include a lowered suspension (by 7mm, over the FR), slightly softer springs, slimmer front anti-roll bar, lighter front axle (by 7.5kg) due to the use of aluminium rather than steel"

 

[dimension_fm]

I got an FR550 in Feb and had been driving a Golf for 60k miles before that and it was a big shock, my lower back ached like mad, as i couldnt change the springs i worked my back more at the gym, it worked too and now the ride doesnt bother me.

As for the car, give it a chance, i wasnt overly keen for the first day or 2 as it was a big shock from a 1.9 golf SE (and i thought i was going to kill myself as it was a tad quicker Ha) but now i love it, its one of the most fun cars i have driven in recent years.

 

[jcp]

"I also don't quite understand how lowering the car can improve the ride quality - seems at odds to normal logic. Feel free to correct me, but surely just FSDs on their own will be better than FSDs + any lowering spring?
__________________
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You might have thought so but in fact the springs are the worst of the problem- the dampers are not too bad but the springs give the silly hard ride which the dampers seek to control- fairly well. So bin the over stiff springs for more compliant ones and the standard shocks cope better than you would think but it is the Eibachs which make the biggest difference. Lower (ie shorter ) springs are not necessarily stiffer at all..
The Fsd's do improve the control over the springs but do not make them any more compliant, merely damp them more efficiently. Your justified beef with the ride is because the springs are too stiff for our rubbish road surfaces- on a recent 2200 mile trip in europe I was -as always - stunned by how good their road surfaces are overall and could see a standard Fr being acceptable there... hence the new settings for the 09 facelift cars.

 

[stephenSF]

You might have thought so but in fact the springs are the worst of the problem- the dampers are not too bad but the springs give the silly hard ride which the dampers seek to control- fairly well.

That's interesting. From what others have said the main player helping with ride comfort are the FSDs rather than the springs.
My only concern is that if I were to get one thing done now (eg.the springs) and then another later (eg the shocks) I would have to pay twice for labour. But does it really work like that?
I mean, is it cheaper to install all in one go or not?
How much do you reckon they would charge just for installing the springs?
Thx.

 

[SteveTDCi]

roughly you will be looking at £150 ish for fitting and wheel geometry check for the springs and the same again if you change the shocks as its exactly the same job to do. So if you can afford it and want to do both then do it at the same time even if you wait a month. The springs will be the cheaper option and will make a difference.

 

[N Jardine]

..

£147 for the sportlines £60 for fitting. Round were i live is littered with speedbumps.i have no problems grtting over them. my leon is lowered aprox 50mm.

 

[stephenSF]

You might have thought so but in fact the springs are the worst of the problem- the dampers are not too bad but the springs give the silly hard ride which the dampers seek to control- fairly well. So bin the over stiff springs for more compliant ones and the standard shocks cope better than you would think but it is the Eibachs which make the biggest difference.

Can anyone with just the Eibach springs adn without the FSDs second this?

 

[gulzar]

Well I was driving a mark 2 Skoda Fabia 1.6. It's a bit of a leap I know but to be honest I don't know if I did make the right decision.
I don't mind shelling out for new suspension I just want to know its going to make enough of a difference.
I didn't realise how bad some of the roads are here in Brighton up until now! It's a real shame because I do love the rest of the car. That is what is making me lean toward a modification. It would be nice if I could feel the difference before shelling out. Will the damper/spring combo really help that much?

hi mate, my mate in his mk5 gti has recently got himself some koni fsd dampers with the eibach sport pro kit springs. all i can say is its awesome. i have bilstein shocks and eibach pro kit springs and my ride is firm but supple over the ruff stuff. its not soft but just takes the bumps in without breaking your back.mine is enjoyable and great when pushing it,but his is just smooth over bumby slow stuff and then when you go for it it tightens up beautifully.no broken back.

my mates gti mk5 is much more enjoyable to drive and be in than i could have thought. if you dont mind a slight drop then i would highly recommend it you will not be dissapointed.
i would strongly agree with this choice personally. either way good luck matey.

gulzar.

 

[daz_pd]

Im going to gamble with just the Pro Kit springs, I will post the results.

 

[SteveTDCi]

I've gone for the sportlines so i'll comment once i've got them on.

 

[bizzaboy]

£147 for the sportlines £60 for fitting. Round were i live is littered with speedbumps.i have no problems grtting over them. my leon is lowered aprox 50mm.

Cheers for your feedback. Those prices are great - for the Springs and the fitting price.

However your profile indicates that you are in Ireland, therefore nowhere near me, if I was interested in going to the same place.

 

[ukreddevil]

Well I was driving a mark 2 Skoda Fabia 1.6. It's a bit of a leap I know but to be honest I don't know if I did make the right decision.
I don't mind shelling out for new suspension I just want to know its going to make enough of a difference.
I didn't realise how bad some of the roads are here in Brighton up until now! It's a real shame because I do love the rest of the car. That is what is making me lean toward a modification. It would be nice if I could feel the difference before shelling out. Will the damper/spring combo really help that much?

Yeah agree with you about the roads in brighton they are terrible! ever since the snow last year they havent bothered fixing them!

I used to go up woodland drive in my bmw and that was lower than my beeza and the speedbumps werent too bad, but the suspension my car now is rock hard and stiff, can hurt a tad but I am finding different routes, I have a pregnant girlfriend who lives over in newhaven and we now have to go the a27 way back and forth to hers as the roads are so bad, but my shortcut at kingston has now been ruined by guess what speedbumps!

Still you will notice on the normal roads that being stiffer and harder that it feels great, bang up the a23 is awesome but going round the town and especially hove is just torture, but tell you what mate come and try mine and if you prefer it I'll swap you my lovely little beeza for your leon

 

[ukreddevil]

oh and if your in brighton probably a good idea going to formula one (they are on the forum) they are pretty good with getting the right things and having good advice.

Frosts tend to be on the expensive side (i noticed that looking at buying one of their cars) so I have been on the look out for a good VAG specialist for sorting things.

But I will be getting on to my uncle he is a modding god, mainly with classic cars and the such I think he just built a replica chitty chitty bang bang but my missus wants me to get my suspension sorted....pronto!