vRS - advice

Probably the best place for advice on tuned vRS models is Briskoda.net people on there have been piling the mods onto the Octavia and the Fabia for a few years now.

They will know the theoretical limits and what suspension/tyre improvements can stop the scrabbling. As it happens I suffer extreme scrabbling in the 2.0GLXi. No turbo, and about 115bhp but it still spins and skips on dry but enthusiastic take offs and sometimes just before the shift to second if I pull away gently then floor it. Can make junctions quite scary or a slow long pensioner experience.

To be honest, it's probably over kill. I'd start with a remap, rolling road session, and the exhaust work - get the nice 230bhp or whatever then have a rethink - see what you think then. Don't dive straight in at the top - as you can always done those things later. I reckon, the exhaust (not the manifold), the induction stuff, the remap and probably a new recirc dumpvalve (i'm told the VAG 1.8T stock ones are shit) then see how it is - you might find it entertaining enough. Much more power becomes a bit academic in a FWD heh.

I'd get some decent tyres and a good suspension kit first to see if that helps the traction, you'll need them anyway if you go for 350bhp. I'm running a VRS engine in my Corrado with 235bhp and it doesn't have any traction problems if you're sensible, obviously full throttle in first gear won't work. I see there isn't an intercooler on the list, does the VRS have a decent front mounted one or just the normal Golf style one? If you're able to fit the turbo yourself or get someone else to help you'd be able to get most of the parts a lot cheaper than Jabba charge from

Woah steady on there. Us regulars are not supposed to provide useful pointers, eh!

Yep JBS ran there VRs at that level for a year then a conrod came through the side of the block.

Tyres are Conti - contacts 205/50/R17's 89W - done 12K from new. Have to say I haven't dared push this thing like I did the Primera though, partly with it being new and partly because it feels like it's going to understeer me into something solid. Either that or i'm just getting old. I used to put the same conti's ont the GT and loved them (might have been

yeah you're right - I read that and smacked myself on the forehead. I think

Try a decent suspension kit, Koni or something similar. Maybe a pair or Eibach ARB's too. You might as well try them first, there's no point going for any more power if the chassis can't handle it.

IIRC seeing an engine on a forum somewhere that was making about 360 on stock internals, and eventually a conrod let go. But the internal spec of the engine varies considerably - if you get registered on clubgti.com/forum, there's someone with a spread sheet explaining exactly what internals are in what engine code. TBH it sounds like a lot of horses for standard innards, so they're either taking the piss with the specs or the safety margin is a bit tighter than I'd like.

That would belong to JBS, a good company I use them quite a bit. To be fair to there Octi they did thrash it a lot for a year and they refused to sell the same kit to the public until they found out what was going to go bang first.