Quite possibly the worst suspended car ever. Astra VXR

[jellison]

Holy crap.

Got taken out to a works do last nite in mates Astra VXR.

Jesus - the suspesnion in just mental. On a bumpy road mate partner in the back and me in the front both felt really car sick with the horrendous crashing suspension.

the thing must have the hardest spring rates known to man. Been in alot of seriously fast stuff and all ride better than this awful shopping Rocket.

[louiebaby]

I've never been a fan of the breadvan shaped Civic Type R. maybe I'm getting old...

[Mastodon2]

Possibly a badly set-up car? I've been in a few VXRs and didn't find them particularly stiffly sprung compared to other hot hatches. Maybe next to a comparatively soft hatch like a modern Golf GTi they are stiff, but in my experience no crashier or bumpier than RS Meganes, Focus STs etc.

Edit to add, I've never been in a VXR with anything less than 19" wheels. OP is getting old.

Edited by Mastodon2 on Friday 16th December 12:05

[Nicholas Blair]

jellison said:

Holy crap.

Got taken out to a works do last nite in mates Astra VXR.

Jesus - the suspesnion in just mental. On a bumpy road mate partner in the back and me in the front both felt really car sick with the horrendous crashing suspension.

the thing must have the hardest spring rates known to man. Been in alot of seriously fast stuff and all ride better than this awful shopping Rocket.

Just like the old Calibra then, god it was awful and sick bag mandatory.

[Superhoop]

Is it definitely on standard suspension, or has it been uprated?

I only ask, as the last time I drove the old shape Astra VXR, I thought it was quite soft compared to the Civic Type R and the Mazda3 MPS

[J4CKO]

Had it been modified ?

[VR6 Turbo]

Im in love with your griffith 200. love that shape TVR

Stunning. any links to a build thread and finished photo's, work system wont let me on your site.

VR

edit sorry I got side tracked.

[rb5er]

A friend had one. It never felt particularly stiff. Has it got uprated suspension? Possibly knackered shocks of broken springs?

Civic Fn2 with 19s is rediculously, unbearably, uncomfortably stiff.

Astra vxr should not feel like that, unless perhaps it has the 19inch alloys, i have not been in one fitted with those.

[joesnow]

I went in a Z4 coupe recently, with 19" wheels and runflats, it never settles.

[jellison]

VR6 Turbo said:

Im in love with your griffith 200. love that shape TVR

Stunning. any links to a build thread and finished photo's, work system wont let me on your site.

VR

edit sorry I got side tracked.

Cheers. It is a weapon and I do like the classic look (3rd one ever made and only made 280ish).

I might write something up someday (maybe on another page of my Silly LS Chim site).

It will be finished this year, be about 950kg, tiny wheelbase and overall, over 2x the power of a VXR.

Drop me a note if you fancy more details

---

Mate is not the type to do any mods to cars (just a item to buy use then sell), maybe you can get a harder ssupension as an option?

It seems damn hard on normal roads, but on anything chopping / bumpy it is just a total joke (my wife Puma would murder in on twisties with half the power.


It

Edited by jellison on Friday 16th December 15:21

Edited by jellison on Friday 16th December 15:42

[GAjon]

Don't the VXRs have a button that switches the suspension setting stiffness? Maybe it was in the stiffest setting.
I have to say my MPS is bloody awful as a back seat passenger, but in the fronts fine!

[Classic Grad 98]

Every vaxhall I've ever been in has had choppy ride quality, and it's not like they've compromised comfort in favour of performance!
I've never been in an Omega though...

[BigCojones]

Obviously you've never been in an Audi - and more specifically an A5. As a passenger your head bobs up an down (ooh er!) and your back is left jarred it's hellish...and i'm in my twenties before someone points out i'm old!

[Cupramax]

BigCojones said:

Obviously you've never been in an Audi - and more specifically an A5. As a passenger your head bobs up an down (ooh er!) and your back is left jarred it's hellish...and i'm in my twenties before someone points out i'm old!

You've been reading too many forums... A5's are fine as long as you dont spec the optional S-line suspension, note, this is not standard even on S-lines. The Sport suspension on an A5 rides fine even with 19's.

[Classic Grad 98]

Cupramax said:

BigCojones said:

Obviously you've never been in an Audi - and more specifically an A5. As a passenger your head bobs up an down (ooh er!) and your back is left jarred it's hellish...and i'm in my twenties before someone points out i'm old!

You've been reading too many forums... A5's are fine as long as you dont spec the optional S-line suspension, note, this is not standard even on S-lines. The Sport suspension on an A5 rides fine even with 19's.

Dad has one- an S-line with 19" wheels. I really don't enjoy it, aside from the suspension it's too big for a coupe and the way the front end scrabbles for traction and the torque steer that goes with it is nasty. He definitely should've at least got a quattro but he has now admitted his mistake and ordered a BMW for his next lease car.

[Cupramax]

Totally agree about the traction/scrabble/wheel tramping.

[EDLT]

Mastodon2 said:

Possibly a badly set-up car? I've been in a few VXRs and didn't find them particularly stiffly sprung compared to other hot hatches. Maybe next to a comparatively soft hatch like a modern Golf GTi they are stiff, but in my experience no crashier or bumpier than RS Meganes, Focus STs etc.

Edit to add, I've never been in a VXR with anything less than 19" wheels. OP is getting old.

Edited by Mastodon2 on Friday 16th December 12:05

+1. The VXR I drove felt about the same as every other hot hatch.

[Use Psychology]

My main issue with them is the ridiculous throttle map that metes out 75 % of the power in the first 25 % of it's travel. Makes it unreasonably difficult to feed in the power gently when exiting corners.

[read5458]

Suprised at the op. I've watched, okay, not been in but watched VXR Astras take huge speedbumps at speed without looking uncomfortable.

I suppose watching is different to experience.

[Mastodon2]

OP is just getting old.