ZC33S, 970kg Hot hatch
Discussion
A couple of other things I have done is fit a Turbosmart/CTC recirculation valve and different clutch pedal stop. The recirculation valve was mostly just something to tick off the list and a bit of piece of mind over the standard plastic item. Does it have faster response? Might do, I can't really tell. I am almost certain that the boost does go a tinsie tiny bit higher on the gauge than before so perhaps it holds better 
There is an option of recirculation, vent to atmosphere or 50/50. I decided to forsake delicious turbo noises and keep it as recirculation as that is what the ecu is calibrated for. When I ordered it from Chris at CTC he said they have only sold about 3 in recirculating configuration, perhaps I should have been less of a tight wad and gone for the blow off option as it can be put into recirc easily. You can still sometimes hear a little "atchooo" which is kind of amusing.
The clutch pedal travels fairly far but actually disengages quite quickly so a nice little change is to swap the standard rubber pedal stop for one from a Suzuki Raptor quad bike (oem+ yo). The standard stop is 2mm high and the Raptor stop 6mm high, doesn't sound much but removes most of the dead travel from the clutch and leg movement making shifts feeling a bit snappier still.
There is an option of recirculation, vent to atmosphere or 50/50. I decided to forsake delicious turbo noises and keep it as recirculation as that is what the ecu is calibrated for. When I ordered it from Chris at CTC he said they have only sold about 3 in recirculating configuration, perhaps I should have been less of a tight wad and gone for the blow off option as it can be put into recirc easily. You can still sometimes hear a little "atchooo" which is kind of amusing. The clutch pedal travels fairly far but actually disengages quite quickly so a nice little change is to swap the standard rubber pedal stop for one from a Suzuki Raptor quad bike (oem+ yo). The standard stop is 2mm high and the Raptor stop 6mm high, doesn't sound much but removes most of the dead travel from the clutch and leg movement making shifts feeling a bit snappier still.
tomglos said:
The smalls details on this car really set it off, especially the advan wheels and other tasteful parts. With the OE diamond cut wheels they look gaudy but you've fixed that! Keen to see more on this car
Thanks, I do enjoy the incremental improvements. This is very much a daily driver doing about 11k a year, now on 33k, so I don't want to do anything to outlandish with it. The OE wheels are on winter duties but despite never being kerbed the standard diamond cut finish is an absolute mess. I was going to claim it on warranty but will prob get them powder coated, or maybe get some rally-esqe 15's for winter. You have to be careful with your choice of 15 inch wheels though to clear the brake caliper. Edited by xu5 on Wednesday 30th November 07:08
What comes as standard kit on this generation Swift Sport? Whats your average fuel economy like?
I have an Octavia VRS245 at the moment on a lease which will go back sometime in 2023, a property purchase is also on the cards, I no longer need such a big car as the Octavia, so am pondering a used Swift Sport as something cheaper to buy, run and insure, that is still a bit of fun on the commute and on country roads.
I have an Octavia VRS245 at the moment on a lease which will go back sometime in 2023, a property purchase is also on the cards, I no longer need such a big car as the Octavia, so am pondering a used Swift Sport as something cheaper to buy, run and insure, that is still a bit of fun on the commute and on country roads.
WolvesWill said:
What comes as standard kit on this generation Swift Sport? Whats your average fuel economy like?
I have an Octavia VRS245 at the moment on a lease which will go back sometime in 2023, a property purchase is also on the cards, I no longer need such a big car as the Octavia, so am pondering a used Swift Sport as something cheaper to buy, run and insure, that is still a bit of fun on the commute and on country roads.
On the K14C non hybrid engined cars which were up to early/mid 2020, there was only one trim level with no options other than paint colour and decals. As standard they have 4x electric windows, automatic air con, auto lights and wipers, folding heated mirrors, radar cruise control, lane assist, collision avoidance, ESC, LED headlights, start/stop, reverse camera, android auto and I think Apple carplay compatible. Same infotainment system as Alpine A110 don't you know.... where presumably it is also a bit laggy. I have an Octavia VRS245 at the moment on a lease which will go back sometime in 2023, a property purchase is also on the cards, I no longer need such a big car as the Octavia, so am pondering a used Swift Sport as something cheaper to buy, run and insure, that is still a bit of fun on the commute and on country roads.
All driver "assists" can be turned off.
The K14D hybrid from 2020 is pretty much the same but also has rear cross traffic alert, rear parking sensors (i think) and sign recognition.
Since having my non hybrid I have done 33k miles with zero issues and in that time it has averaged 47 mpg. Typically my driving is on rural roads but it regularly sees wide open throttle once warmed up. They definately run better on 98/99 octane.
Edited by xu5 on Wednesday 30th November 21:09
Edited by xu5 on Thursday 1st December 10:27
Cambs_Stuart said:
dapper said:
That's an impressive MPG figure, I'm thinking they could make a good clubsport esque build, especially with some tweaks from CTC.
I was thinking exactly the same. This seems like the spiritual successor a to the old French hot hatches. Very under rated car! Tried desperately to get my missus into one 6 months ago but ended up with a Vitara mild hybrid with the 1.4 boosterjet unit. Plenty of poke for a daily car.
I'm considering selling the a45 and getting one of these with a few tweaks as a 'cheaper' alternative as it's mostly just me in the car. I've had various Ignis sports over the years and even though it was years old, the local dealer was always very interested and very helpful sourcing parts, discounts etc.... Suzuki seems to be one of the last manufactures who seem intent on keeping customers happy these days.
Will go pretty much same route as you. Help it breath better and plenty of bracing. Rear anti roll bar seems to help every generation of Ignis/swift massively
I'm considering selling the a45 and getting one of these with a few tweaks as a 'cheaper' alternative as it's mostly just me in the car. I've had various Ignis sports over the years and even though it was years old, the local dealer was always very interested and very helpful sourcing parts, discounts etc.... Suzuki seems to be one of the last manufactures who seem intent on keeping customers happy these days.
Will go pretty much same route as you. Help it breath better and plenty of bracing. Rear anti roll bar seems to help every generation of Ignis/swift massively
Enjoyed reading this.
I've had my Speedy Blue ZC33S for just under a year now and it's running the CTC Stage 2 kit (so approx 180bhp) on coilovers. It's my weekend car so doesn't do huge mileage but it is certainly a fun little car. The CTC package is brilliant, docile, smooth and economical when required (I have regularly seen journeys in excess of 50mpg when in steady traffic) but brilliant at overtaking. I have a set of Rota alloys and a RARB to go on over the winter.
I also like that almost no-one knows what they are!
I've had my Speedy Blue ZC33S for just under a year now and it's running the CTC Stage 2 kit (so approx 180bhp) on coilovers. It's my weekend car so doesn't do huge mileage but it is certainly a fun little car. The CTC package is brilliant, docile, smooth and economical when required (I have regularly seen journeys in excess of 50mpg when in steady traffic) but brilliant at overtaking. I have a set of Rota alloys and a RARB to go on over the winter.
I also like that almost no-one knows what they are!
Oldybaldy17 said:
Did you have difficulties fitting the cusco front brace? I started fitting mine, but ran out of light, I nearly dropped the rear nut into the engine bay. Seems like you need the hands of a child to reach it.
I do remember it being a pain, getting that rear nut on under the scuttle takes a bit of knack... from what I remember 2 combi spanners are needed. Sorry I can't be more help!trails said:
Cambs_Stuart said:
dapper said:
That's an impressive MPG figure, I'm thinking they could make a good clubsport esque build, especially with some tweaks from CTC.
I was thinking exactly the same. This seems like the spiritual successor a to the old French hot hatches. Edited by xu5 on Friday 2nd December 21:52
tweenster said:
Enjoyed reading this.
I've had my Speedy Blue ZC33S for just under a year now and it's running the CTC Stage 2 kit (so approx 180bhp) on coilovers. It's my weekend car so doesn't do huge mileage but it is certainly a fun little car. The CTC package is brilliant, docile, smooth and economical when required (I have regularly seen journeys in excess of 50mpg when in steady traffic) but brilliant at overtaking. I have a set of Rota alloys and a RARB to go on over the winter.
I also like that almost no-one knows what they are!
Did you make use of the postal service for the remap, or did you get it done in person? A remap is my next step once the suspension is done. I found the RARB made a great difference. I've had my Speedy Blue ZC33S for just under a year now and it's running the CTC Stage 2 kit (so approx 180bhp) on coilovers. It's my weekend car so doesn't do huge mileage but it is certainly a fun little car. The CTC package is brilliant, docile, smooth and economical when required (I have regularly seen journeys in excess of 50mpg when in steady traffic) but brilliant at overtaking. I have a set of Rota alloys and a RARB to go on over the winter.
I also like that almost no-one knows what they are!
xu5 said:
Did you make use of the postal service for the remap, or did you get it done in person? A remap is my next step once the suspension is done. I found the RARB made a great difference.
No, I drove down there. Chris at CTC arranged for a local garage that does work for them to fit the parts and the remap guy went to the garage and did the deed. I was there at 0830 and on my way home just after 1200.Hi op, big fan of the car and what you've done with it. I've been looking into getting one of these recently, so this has been really informative. Whilst I'll be using mine to commute (Likely 12-15k a year) so will probably keep it fairly standard, I am intrigued what effect the LSD has had on the handling - is it noticeably improved?
For those of you who have had the CTC remap done, was it worth it? Has it had much impact on the mpg? I've never modified a car previously, what sort of impact does it usually have on insurance?
Sorry for all the questions, I've been lurking on here for years, just never posted!
For those of you who have had the CTC remap done, was it worth it? Has it had much impact on the mpg? I've never modified a car previously, what sort of impact does it usually have on insurance?
Sorry for all the questions, I've been lurking on here for years, just never posted!
Just to help. Had mine remapped a couple of months ago. At first I didn't think to much of it, but having now used it it was worth the money. Not noticed any difference in mpg and insurance was £50 more for this and a host of other mods.
Best bit is the improved torque, I'm having to be gentle with the throttle in the current weather, wheels will spin up quicker than before if you're not careful.
Best bit is the improved torque, I'm having to be gentle with the throttle in the current weather, wheels will spin up quicker than before if you're not careful.
Robthevet said:
Hi op, big fan of the car and what you've done with it. I've been looking into getting one of these recently, so this has been really informative. Whilst I'll be using mine to commute (Likely 12-15k a year) so will probably keep it fairly standard, I am intrigued what effect the LSD has had on the handling - is it noticeably improved?
For those of you who have had the CTC remap done, was it worth it? Has it had much impact on the mpg? I've never modified a car previously, what sort of impact does it usually have on insurance?
Sorry for all the questions, I've been lurking on here for years, just never posted!
I had the CTC Stage 2 package with carbon fibre airbox (a thing of beauty I must say) Plus coilovers and this added £35 a year to my premium, including a £9 admin fee - but I am old! In steady traffic I have regularly seen 50+mpg which I think is quite impressive. I can't compare it to standard because I bought the car knowing I was going to mod it, and ordered the CTC parts 4 days after collecting the car!For those of you who have had the CTC remap done, was it worth it? Has it had much impact on the mpg? I've never modified a car previously, what sort of impact does it usually have on insurance?
Sorry for all the questions, I've been lurking on here for years, just never posted!
Robthevet said:
Hi op, big fan of the car and what you've done with it. I've been looking into getting one of these recently, so this has been really informative. Whilst I'll be using mine to commute (Likely 12-15k a year) so will probably keep it fairly standard, I am intrigued what effect the LSD has had on the handling - is it noticeably improved?
For those of you who have had the CTC remap done, was it worth it? Has it had much impact on the mpg? I've never modified a car previously, what sort of impact does it usually have on insurance?
Sorry for all the questions, I've been lurking on here for years, just never posted!
Hi Rob, thank you for the compliment and sorry for the late reply.For those of you who have had the CTC remap done, was it worth it? Has it had much impact on the mpg? I've never modified a car previously, what sort of impact does it usually have on insurance?
Sorry for all the questions, I've been lurking on here for years, just never posted!
I am going to paste from the owners forum what I thought of it when I had it installed and then add a couple of bits at the end.
.............In the dry you do have to be "on it" some what to get the the diff working to its full potential I would say. I tend not to do emergency starts from 1st gear but even in 2nd gear, wide open throttle, it is unbroken traction. So much so that in tight 2nd gear corners you will have to wind off lock fairly quickly as the front will pull towards the inside of the corner pretty hard. It certainly brings an extra dimension to the the Swifts traits, being able guide the front end with power around a corner if so desired. When driving moderately the front end does feel more connected and it feels like there is more feedback in general. Being able to get the power down around and out of a corner so early makes an appreciable difference on how much further down the road you can be compared to open diff.
In wet and damp conditions the diff really makes its presence felt. In general you can cover ground so much quicker even when not pushing hard. You do have to meter the torque out to not spin the wheels but now you can put down a lot more power before doing so, it can make it feel like it used to pre-diff in the dry. Obviously I try and be mindful to not get myself into a false sense of security.
As far as I am concerned the diff has brought no downsides. Cost is the big one I guess but the ZC33S is going to be with me for quite a while so I was prepared for it. Out of the box the ZC33S did lack a slight edge to it that I was looking for and the diff has certainly given it some bite and extra depth.
One potential downside I was wary about was the Focus RS mk1 effect, the fairly well publicised trait the Focus RS mk1 getting unruly and very snatchy on poor road surfaces widely attributed to the ATB diff. I do most of my driving in rural Scotland so poor road surfaces are aplenty and happily the CTC diff does not make the car unruly. When pushing on you can feel it gain and loose grip over really bad surfaces but not in an unnerving fashion. Unless you are trying to steer with your knee's you should be ok!.........
Being a helical style diff the effect is subtle just pootling about. But when you want to get on the throttle aggressively or earlier in a corner it will not spin up, it will really dig in and pull you forward or round the corner. When I test drove the Swift I felt that some times corner exit felt a bit hampered by power understeer (it was quite wet). If you are really over zealous it will still power understeer but you really have to be taking liberties (in the dry at least).
While still modestly powerful the 1.4 Boosterjet has a pretty big slug of torque from 2k -4k rpm and the diff makes it a lot more entertaining to use. Also although it is fair to say it is not a rev monster of an engine there is a noticeable valve "kick" at 4,000 rpm.
With the resent cold weather here we have had several inches of snow and the diff coupled with winter tyres have been awesome with good traction being found, even pulling off on a hill of compacted snow/ice is not a problem. When safe to do so it is quite fun getting both front wheels spinning. Again being a helical diff it does not 100% lock and if you ask too much in low traction it will revert to one wheel drive. Also something you have to be mindful of is that if you get both wheels spinning and keep them spinning you will head toward the outside fast.
Basically the diff greatly increases traction, and gives you more options to get round a corner! I hope that helps!
Edited by xu5 on Monday 12th December 00:52
Edited by xu5 on Monday 12th December 00:54
Ste372 said:
Very under rated car! Tried desperately to get my missus into one 6 months ago but ended up with a Vitara mild hybrid with the 1.4 boosterjet unit. Plenty of poke for a daily car.
I'm considering selling the a45 and getting one of these with a few tweaks as a 'cheaper' alternative as it's mostly just me in the car. I've had various Ignis sports over the years and even though it was years old, the local dealer was always very interested and very helpful sourcing parts, discounts etc.... Suzuki seems to be one of the last manufactures who seem intent on keeping customers happy these days.
Will go pretty much same route as you. Help it breath better and plenty of bracing. Rear anti roll bar seems to help every generation of Ignis/swift massively
Mention of the A45 reminded me of this comparison with a A45S.I'm considering selling the a45 and getting one of these with a few tweaks as a 'cheaper' alternative as it's mostly just me in the car. I've had various Ignis sports over the years and even though it was years old, the local dealer was always very interested and very helpful sourcing parts, discounts etc.... Suzuki seems to be one of the last manufactures who seem intent on keeping customers happy these days.
Will go pretty much same route as you. Help it breath better and plenty of bracing. Rear anti roll bar seems to help every generation of Ignis/swift massively
I know if the track had longer straights the Swift would be demolished but still pretty good going considering it is about 180hp/ton vs 260 hp/ton.
Edited by xu5 on Friday 16th December 07:49
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