Handling on B-roads

[jenk]

I'll be changing jobs soon which gives me a back road country lane route as opposed to motorways like I do now. One thing I hate about my Ibiza is its road holding on anything but a flat road. Get on a country lane that has dips and bumps and I'm fighting it all the way.

Currently have the H&R cup kit with a whiteline rear arb and the usual odds and sods, I have a slight feeling the cup kit is a bit tired and I may look to changing it. Its always been a stupidly hard ride with minimal damping but I swear its got worse.

So, does anyone think their Ibiza soaks up and handles B-roads well? Its either try and make it better or get a new car.

Cheers

 

[Razzario]

mines fine on b-roads. ap coilovers set at a sensible level, whiteline rarb, cupra bushes and new topmounts on the front

 

[vroomtshh]

Get a new car

 

[jenk]

Sounds promising.

I've considered going for some of the cheaper coilovers to see how they handle, can't be as hard as these H&R's!

 

[jenk]

Get a new car

I've been looking at Arosa's and Audi A2's

 

[vroomtshh]

Sounds promising.

I've considered going for some of the cheaper coilovers to see how they handle, can't be as hard as these H&R's!

I've tried more suspension set ups than most, and driven a few other ones, and I've never driven an ibiza with coilovers that cost less than £1k that handled well and coped with daily driving.

RARB is shouted about on here all the time, and IMO its useless on the road. Strut braces are the same.

The best my car has handled and driven well was with standard supsension, no roll bars, full polybush set up and geometry changes.

And even still, anything french and standard would be better

 

[jenk]

They are shite. The rear arb is a good mod when the road is nice an flat, I can take Islands at decent speed with it on........but it chews my near side rear tyre like a good'un.

The car is ideal for me at the moment as all I do is motorways. With the new possible route I'll be doing the same milage but on more twisty roads, so I don't want to make it hard for myself fighting it all the way.

 

[vroomtshh]

They are shite. The rear arb is a good mod when the road is nice an flat, I can take Islands at decent speed with it on........but it chews my near side rear tyre like a good'un.

The car is ideal for me at the moment as all I do is motorways. With the new possible route I'll be doing the same milage but on more twisty roads, so I don't want to make it hard for myself fighting it all the way.

I agree. The ARB is perfect for track. In fact if anything, its not stiff enough for track. But for the stte of our roads, its useless.

If I was you, I'd be looking at something else if you want a fun drive. 306 GTi-6s are under £1k these days and are way more fun than an ibiza

 

[jenk]

The thing is I'll be doing 70ish miles a day, I need something as economical as possible so I'm not chewing into the wages too much

I've got access to other motors for fun/comfort/sleeping in

 

[vroomtshh]

The thing is I'll be doing 70ish miles a day, I need something as economical as possible so I'm not chewing into the wages too much

I've got access to other motors for fun/comfort/sleeping in

I do 50 miles a day, and for the winter I've been looking at 4.0 V8 range rovers

They cost a load in fuel but you can buy mint examples for £500

 

[jenk]

It'll cost £500 a month in fuel!

 

[vroomtshh]

It'll cost £500 a month in fuel!

I get paid for my work mileage so I'm not too bothered. Plus if I dont make it to work, I don;t get paid. So 4x4 is handy

 

[Burnz]

my ibiza is £200 month for work.. thats only 30 miles a day most 200miles / week

 

[jenk]

Win win, in that case you should be selling your Ibiza

 

[iain1970]

I used the Ibiza last week for the first time in ages. Just the urban speed commute made me glad I had the Altea for my day to day driving because of the road noise and crashy ride.

 

[jenk]

my ibiza is £200 month for work.. thats only 30 miles a day most 200miles / week

About the same as mine for a fuel cost, but I do near double the mileage.

 

[Burnz]

mm think I'm gona need it checked lol

 

[vroomtshh]

Win win, in that case you should be selling your Ibiza

I can't see that ever happening. It has its flaws (lets be honest apart from the engine, they're crap) but I've had it so long and spent so much money, that I can't see me ever parting with it.

 

[Scott-o]

I love mine on these roads, its where the car comes into its own. Drove it for the first time in a couple of weeks this morning and compared to the mk3 tdi ibiza i've been driving it was a dream on the backroads, loved the extra handling capabilities, was effortless, shame i commute 85 miles a day and using the cupra this week is going to cost me lol

 

[mick-fr]

anything french and standard would be better

I agree Gary!

I thought my Ibiza handled quite well, was lowered on coilovers which seemed to cure the body roll. Then I got my Megane and I could instantly tell the difference.. The Ibiza was sh*t