Hard Suspension

[rjbutler77]

I have a 1.9 TDI sport 130, and ever since buying it I have not been happy with the suspension. The ride seems extremely hard and very jolty over any lumps or bumps (it almost seems like it is bottoming out). I am used to sport suspension (old car is a clio 172 cup) but it feels totally different. I bought the car second hand from a dealer over a year ago, and have had it in the garage twice. Both times I was told it was the anti roll bar drop links which were changed but nothing improved. I recently put it in for mot and the mechanic thought that it had the front suspension lowered. I am also getting some knocking from the front suspension, when cornering.

As I have never been in another 1.9 tdi sport I thought I would see if anyone could let me know what the think of the ride.

 

[Ad Lav]

Welcome to the site!

The car as standard is very bumpy, and does get unsettled quite easily.

Is it standard??

 

[rjbutler77]

Yes it is standard - no mods as far as I am aware of.

 

[Poverty]

Have the dealers driven it and given you some feedback. Seat's are harder sprung than the rest of the VAG range!

 

[Ad Lav]

As they are made for spanish roads, not uk roads.

 

[Poverty]

As they are made for spanish roads, not uk roads.

And are the sportier alternative to VW and Skoda

 

[rjbutler77]

No not yet but I guess this should probably be my next course of action.

 

[rjbutler77]

It isn't too bad on the motorway, but on the back roads, it feels like the suspension is coming through the dashboard!

 

[Poverty]

Yeah Ibizas arent smooth mate, well atleast the sporty versions arent.

Even in my 1.4 sport I can only crawl over speed bumps whilst my mate in his polo sees them as a oppurtunity to catch up with me in his 1.2 polo

 

[Nath.]

yeah, I find the ride of my FR too stiff but hey it's a hot hatch and needs it for braking into and traction out of roundabouts

tyres with larger sidewall profile will help with the ride but too much will make your speedo read a little low

don't panic about the speedo as they read a little high from the factory anyway

 

[Gazb]

Personnally I think the standard shocks/dampers in the Ibiza are rubbish.
Best thing to sort it out is replace them with a decent set of coilover's.
I was in a friends Ibiza that had coilovers in it and I couldn't beleive how much better it felt than mince even though it was lowered and had less body roll than my FR.

 

[Tallica]

Hard suspension?
My FR feels like a magic carpet ride after coming from a Suzuki Ignis Sport.
Seriously, if you want hard, crashy suspension, try one of those.

 

[villain24]

I've got a sport and believe it was down to the suspension that i crashed the other week. I find it really amusing that everyone on this forum says that the 130 sport has got sports suspension. I'd dread to have a go in a 1.2 then. Actually i bet that handles better lol! How Seat can get away with putting a fantastic engine in a car which has got a chassis thats a generation old i don't know! I think the suspension on my car is down right dangerous. All the things you have mentioned are exactly what i have found - knocking,feeling that shocks are bottoming out,terrible ride comfort. My nans denchers come out every time i take her for a ride. Sorry all you Ibiza purists out there but Mk4 ibizas as standard are not good handling cars. Remember going against a 172 once, it was utterly embarassing, the Clio totally kicked my !! rant over

 

[Gazb]

I've got a sport and believe it was down to the suspension that i crashed the other week. I find it really amusing that everyone on this forum says that the 130 sport has got sports suspension. I'd dread to have a go in a 1.2 then. Actually i bet that handles better lol! How Seat can get away with putting a fantastic engine in a car which has got a chassis thats a generation old i don't know! I think the suspension on my car is down right dangerous. All the things you have mentioned are exactly what i have found - knocking,feeling that shocks are bottoming out,terrible ride comfort. My nans denchers come out every time i take her for a ride. Sorry all you Ibiza purists out there but Mk4 ibizas as standard are not good handling cars. Remember going against a 172 once, it was utterly embarassing, the Clio totally kicked my !! rant over

Yup the standard mk4 suspension is pretty rubbish, that's why first on my list of mod's when I eventually get a cupra is a set of coilover's.
Alot of people on scn could tell you how much better the car feels and handles with decent suspension.

 

[Ad Lav]

I can

 

[villain24]

Yes they agree!

 

[Ad Lav]

I kiss goodbye to Clio's, Fiesta's and the other day a new Pug 207 GTI, just cornering, no straights, people can't drive properly these days.