MarkE
Feb 9th, 2007, 21:44
Had the FSDs fitted this week.
BEFORE
In fairness, the standard car handles pretty well. I had the Volvo lowering springs fitted last year which make everything firmer but on bumpy roads things can get a bit bouncy as the standard shocks don't seem to be able to keep up with the road surface. Pitch it into a corner and everything kind of sags sideways as you feel the tyres making a fuss with all of the weight moving around. The resulting understeer feels far less severe than it actually is but the car just doesn't feel like it wants to be driven hard; bogging down or spinning its inside wheel out of corners as the weight shifts.
AFTER
Initial reaction: Umm, did they actually change anything?
But this is the idea of the Konis. In normal driving they behave pretty much as standard; the ride's about as good as you could expect with 18" rims so the car doesn't shake the fillings out of your teeth at the slightest hint of a bump in the tarmac.
But as soon as you put the car into a bend and load up the suspension, clever hydraulic stuff happens. Everything stays flat around the corner and you come out of the other side without any fuss at all.
Because you don't load up the outside tyres, you get grip all round and traction when you require it.
Because the car doesn't dive under braking like it used to, it doesn't unload at the rear. As a result, you have more confidence when you misjudge a stretch of country road and have to brake on the way into a corner.
They're not cheap but they do exactly what it says on the tin: You get OEM compliance when you're taking it easy but coilover-type response when you push it harder.
Next month: Remap...
BEFORE
In fairness, the standard car handles pretty well. I had the Volvo lowering springs fitted last year which make everything firmer but on bumpy roads things can get a bit bouncy as the standard shocks don't seem to be able to keep up with the road surface. Pitch it into a corner and everything kind of sags sideways as you feel the tyres making a fuss with all of the weight moving around. The resulting understeer feels far less severe than it actually is but the car just doesn't feel like it wants to be driven hard; bogging down or spinning its inside wheel out of corners as the weight shifts.
AFTER
Initial reaction: Umm, did they actually change anything?
But this is the idea of the Konis. In normal driving they behave pretty much as standard; the ride's about as good as you could expect with 18" rims so the car doesn't shake the fillings out of your teeth at the slightest hint of a bump in the tarmac.
But as soon as you put the car into a bend and load up the suspension, clever hydraulic stuff happens. Everything stays flat around the corner and you come out of the other side without any fuss at all.
Because you don't load up the outside tyres, you get grip all round and traction when you require it.
Because the car doesn't dive under braking like it used to, it doesn't unload at the rear. As a result, you have more confidence when you misjudge a stretch of country road and have to brake on the way into a corner.
They're not cheap but they do exactly what it says on the tin: You get OEM compliance when you're taking it easy but coilover-type response when you push it harder.
Next month: Remap...