Ibiza Suspension Upgrade - To do or not to do...

[BenS1]

Flapper has informed me that Seat do a suspension upgrade for the Ibiza...

<Quote>
"
SPORTS SUSPENSION KIT
Ibiza ONLY ,4 Bilstein dampers + Eibach (20mm) Lowered springs (4hrs fitting)

6K1 071 600 Sports suspension kit Ibiza £499.99

bit dear huh ?

sorry SEAT set the price for this stuff , if it helps i think RSD are doing a few similar kits PS9 i think theyre called
"
</Quote>

Has anyone tried this upgrade?
Is it any good?
Is it really worth £500????

This isn't the kit thats on the Cupra R is it coz that only lowers by 7mm.

Has anyone tried the PS9 kit?
Any other kits?

Cheers,
Ben

------------------

 

[rriveroll]

I have PSS9 on my car. I recommend them very much. Even at soft settings, similar to the original ones, they handle alot better. Also, the car now has none of that weired wheelslip noises that feel like the axels or something are going to fall off.

I recommend them but they are expensive. About US$1500

------------------
2001 Seat Ibiza Cupra
KKK K04 Turbo + Chip
HKS Intercooler + Custom Pipes
Seat Sport Brake Calipers
Bilstein PSS9 Coil Over Suspension
Extra Oil Cooler
K&N Air Filter

 

[BenS1]

$1500, thats IS a bit expensive.... I was looking for a cheap alternative to Seats kit (Blisteins) at £500.

I thought the PSS9s were cheaper than that?!?!

------------------

 

[Petrolhead Paul]

Riverroll - on the softer settings is the ride quality (over bumps, potholes and shitty tarmac) of the PSS9s better, worse or the same as standard. For a developed country Britain has worse roads than Albania

BenS1 - Bilsteins are of European manufacture and are going to be cheaper in Europe, by the time you take fitting into account I would guess the adjustable PS99s could be fitted for around the same 'fitted' price as the non-adjustable Seat Sport kit. Not cheap, but they are supposed to be good.
Personally I'd want to blag a ride in a car with them on before ordering...

Dave GTEVO - are you happy with yours?


<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rriveroll:
I have PSS9 on my car. I recommend them very much. Even at soft settings, similar to the original ones, they handle alot better. Also, the car now has none of that weired wheelslip noises that feel like the axels or something are going to fall off.

I recommend them but they are expensive. About US$1500

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



------------------

 

[Dormouse]

500 squid for dampers and springs?...that's actually quite cheap!....one of pro-drives lamp pod moldings costs 1000 squid!

Lower by 20mm eh?....I have trouble with the original setup, never mind bl**dy speed humps.

------------------

 

[ibizacupra]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by BenS1:
Flapper has informed me that Seat do a suspension upgrade for the Ibiza...

<Quote>
"
SPORTS SUSPENSION KIT
Ibiza ONLY ,4 Bilstein dampers + Eibach (20mm) Lowered springs (4hrs fitting)

6K1 071 600 Sports suspension kit Ibiza £499.99

bit dear huh ?

sorry SEAT set the price for this stuff , if it helps i think RSD are doing a few similar kits PS9 i think theyre called
"
</Quote>

Has anyone tried this upgrade?
Is it any good?
Is it really worth £500????

This isn't the kit thats on the Cupra R is it coz that only lowers by 7mm.

Has anyone tried the PS9 kit?
Any other kits?

Cheers,
Ben

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

If Seat Sport have done anything to the spec of their sports dampers I'll be very surprised. Off the shelf Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs and they want to charge £500 !! I seriously doubt they are any different or better than the regular Sprintkit Bilsteins you can but for £330.
Are they worth it performance wise? Absolutely, if they're anywhere near the same spec as my Jettas Bilsteins.

Having driven my Beezer on track, back to back with my Jetta, I have to "sadly say" that the Beezer SUCKS in the handling dept. I hate to say it, especially as I just spent many 1000's of pounds buying it. It is absolutely awefull with stock suspension when pushing on. 210 kit in a straight line is great, but give it some braking and cornering and its rubbish and bordering on dangerous! ABS should pull you up in a straight line, and yet is wants to swap ends on an undulating track, usch is the suspension bounce and wallow.

I say this as a warning to anyone rushing out onto a track with their new pride and joy. Be careful and get used to it, build the speed slowly. The limit of braking and adhesion on cornering are much lower than you would think.

I am getting a PSS9 kit (damping and ride height adjustable as opposed PSS, non damping adjustable only ride height) and hope this will sort out the serious handling problems this car has on the limit.

TCS on/off does'nt actually turn it off either! Why fit a switch to turn it off if it does'nt 100% turn off??? Stupid. It still cuts boost back to 5psi mid corner, whilst rolling around the corners on stock suspension. Nasty habbit that.

Having had the opportunity to learn about the beezer in a safe environment on track, I was glad I had restrained from playing on the road, as I am sure there would be an accident at some point. Point and squirt - fine. Driving spritedly around corners, no chance. Back to back with my Jetta (200bhp also) was a revelation. 9 seconds a lap at Combe slower, the Beezer was, and it had many vices to worry you. The beezer was faster to accelerate out of corners, and faster in a straight line, yet lost 9 seconds per lap as it could not slow down in a straight line or carry and speed through a corner. Very dissapointing. Very sad.

the good news is I think a decent suspension package could fix many if not all of these vices, and make one hell of a car, on road and track. Nothing about my Jetta's setup could not be done to the Ibiza.
eg. Eibach front and rear anti rollbars, Bilstein Sprintkit suspension, front upper strut brace, polurethane suspension bushes, and 7.5x16 wheels with 205-45-16 tyres. Lowered approx 40-50mm. 1m24s laps at Combe.

Just be careful.

Bill

------------------
http://www.badger5.co.uk

[Message edited by ibizacupra on 24 September 2001.]

 

[Lucky_32]

Interesting,
I have PI springs with 40(-60mm see below) drop (on a Cordie). Not a good idea with an F2 front bumper. Handling on the extreme is OK/wicked on flat corners but put a bump in it and prepare for a change of underwear. I guess with 16 valvers there's not the same torque steer problems when accelerating through corners.
Not as bad as a 911 RS on a wet track with adverse camber (Ohh Goodwood you naughty track!).
I changed from 205 40's on 17 inch rims to 225 35's (and had a strut brace fitted) the difference was amazing (on handling and tyre wear - but also ride height

). I need to go for a fully adjustable kit to take advantage. Normal driving will get you back to the manufacturer settings

with maybe some lowering in ride height (but no remixing CD players) but at least you can change it for track days.

PS no news on the supercharger front as yet.
Anyone changed their anti roll bars? Eibach (spelling?)

------------------
Boot it.....

 

[Elias]

Hello,

about turning on and off the TCS, the car has to be stopped (not rolling) even if the engine is on. Then the button works fine 100%, but if the car is rolling, the button may works may not.

------------------
Elias
Ibiza 20VT
Athens

 

[Petrolhead Paul]

Bill, you've answered your own question - its hardly fair to compare the standard Cupra handling (especially with that much power) to the excellent spec you have on your Jetta - I'm sure with the PSS9s and 7x16 or 7x17 wheels with 205 rubber it will be dramatically improved.
If so I'll start saving for some PSS9s as well

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
the good news is I think a decent suspension package could fix many if not all of these vices, and make one hell of a car, on road and track. Nothing about my Jetta's setup could not be done to the Ibiza.
eg. Eibach front and rear anti rollbars, Bilstein Sprintkit suspension, front upper strut brace, polurethane suspension bushes, and 7.5x16 wheels with 205-45-16 tyres. Lowered approx 40-50mm. 1m24s laps at Combe.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>



------------------

 

[ibizacupra]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Elias:
Hello,

about turning on and off the TCS, the car has to be stopped (not rolling) even if the engine is on. Then the button works fine 100%, but if the car is rolling, the button may works may not.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Ahh.
That could be it. I had forgotten to switch it off until I was rolling.
Excellent if so... At least there's a reason.
thanks a lot for the info.
regards
bill



------------------
http://www.badger5.co.uk

 

[ibizacupra]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Petrolhead Paul:
Bill, you've answered your own question - its hardly fair to compare the standard Cupra handling (especially with that much power) to the excellent spec you have on your Jetta - I'm sure with the PSS9s and 7x16 or 7x17 wheels with 205 rubber it will be dramatically improved.
If so I'll start saving for some PSS9s as well

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I'll let you know.
The PSS9's will be fitted on the 10th Oct.
Looking forward to it.
regards
bill



------------------
http://www.badger5.co.uk

 

[BenS1]

Paul, I had a full Avo suspension kit on my old 306 and it only cost around £300 so £500 does seem a bit steep to me.

Basically and mods to the suspension I want to get done before I pick up the car so that its all covered on the 3yr warantee.

Elias, if the car has to be stopped to turn off TCS does it also have to be off to turn it back on? This could be a little dangerous if you are driving along with it off and then you turn it back on (Or so you think) but then when you come to a corner the TCS is still off... you could slide off the road!


------------------

 

[Petrolhead Paul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
I'll let you know.
The PSS9's will be fitted on the 10th Oct.
Looking forward to it.
regards
bill
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bill - just asked the question to someone I know who has them and they are chuffed to bits with the kit, they say its a huge improvement in handling and importantly NOT at the expense of ride quality.
He said on the softer settings the ride is actually better than standard, yet handling is also better. Shame the buggers couldn't fit it as standard on the 210...


------------------

 

[ibizacupra]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Petrolhead Paul:
Bill - just asked the question to someone I know who has them and they are chuffed to bits with the kit, they say its a huge improvement in handling and importantly NOT at the expense of ride quality.
He said on the softer settings the ride is actually better than standard, yet handling is also better. Shame the buggers couldn't fit it as standard on the 210...


<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I definately look forward to fitting them.
For a price I am sure suspension could(should) be fitted. The is a real need in 210's for some suspension to go with the extra power.
The Sprintkit Bilsteins work well on my Jetta so these may well be a good in between quality suspension mod if you did'nt want to go the full monty.
Bill




------------------
http://www.badger5.co.uk

 

[BenS1]

I phoned Amethyst and they said that they could do the Seat kit for £750 fitted or the PS9 kit for £1000 fitted... so I went for the PS9 kit!

Hope its worth the money... something which I now have very little of!

I'll let you know what I think of it when I pick the car up at the weekend.


------------------

 

[rriveroll]

To all you guys considering the Bilstein PSS9, I suggest GET IT. They are alot better than the originals. I live in Venezuela where roads are alot worse than England so I keep it in soft settings for the street. I alot raised (Yeah, RAISED) the car about 2cm because I kept on smashing the bottom of the front bumper on driveways. Even so they are years ahead of standard. Im using standard wheels and tires for the street.

In track, its another question, i take them down about 5cm from my "street setting" and use that damper almost at max, and the car becomes a different animal. I use 205 hoosiers in the track and they really stick.

Sadly though, even if PSS9 is a great improvement, Its still doesnt handle like my old BMW E30 M3. I think its the weight distribution and theres nothing you can do about it.

With regards to the TCS button, I can switch it off mid turn and it does turn off. Maybe we have a different spec switch but I can turn mine on or off at will.

By the way, how can you guys all shift with your left hand? Weired.

------------------
2001 Seat Ibiza Cupra
KKK K04 Turbo + Chip
HKS Intercooler + Custom Pipes
Seat Sport Brake Calipers
Bilstein PSS9 Coil Over Suspension
Extra Oil Cooler
K&N Air Filter

 

[Petrolhead Paul]

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>
PS9 kit for £1000 fitted... so I went for the PS9 kit!

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Jesus - You're now up to Civic Type R money!
(although good as they are I wouldn't want one).
I'll leave mine standard for a while, can't afford another grand just yet.
Might get hold of some 7x16 alloys, although it'll take me weeks to make my mind up which ones to go for - you got any in mind yet Ben?

Riverroll - RHD is as completely natural to us as LHD is for you. I wish it wasn't, then I could have gone for a Lancia Integrale Evo

(only available in LHD even here).
No car is going to handle as good as your E30 M3, but even the fact you are happy with your Ibiza after owning an M3 speaks volumes as to how good the 1.8T Ibiza can be made with a little fettling.

------------------

 

[BenS1]

Yeah I want some new alloys but I can't afford them just yet... not sure what ones to go for either.

What wheels look good on an Ibiza?

Ben

------------------

 

[RichieRich]

how much harder do you think the seat suspension is to the 1.4 se's (04)suspension? but then again i wont be connected to the black stuff with no going light through corners but i really dont have £500.... any Good alternatives? and maybe cheaper?

 

[Daz_gibbo]

Sheesh, talk about digging up old threads! Corker!