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Hi,
Just fitted winter tyres and wheels (14"). Summer alloys are 15" ones that are standard on the 16V. Handling is not as good as I would like with 15" but noiticablly worse with the smaller tread pattern and high profile. I have been wanting to improve handling - thinging GTI set up mat be an answer?. Don't what my insurance company to have a sence of humour failure- just want a small improvment. Any idea what to do.

Smudge

If you're thinking of getting the GTI parts, try and get them used of some low-mileage car/mate you trust. Perhaps the InsCo is more at ease if you use OE parts, but I have no experience with them obviously.

Alternatively, a quality set of uprated shocks and some shorter (and slightly stiffer) springs with a moderate drop could do the trick. Since you have a diesel, the front anti-roll bar is already thicker than on the petrol cars, so there's not as much to gain there.

ha ha,tell me about the crap handling i've had some surprising moments to say the least oneminute your going round the corner,the next minute its trying to dunk itself in the hedge

Speedlaw wrote: Since you have a diesel, the front anti-roll bar is already thicker than on the petrol cars, so there's not as much to gain there.

on the mk5 there are 3 thicknesses of anti roll bar
18mm all 8v petrols
20 mm 16v petrols and the small diesels
22mm gti and 1.9 diesel

so you prolly have the 20mm
the gti and 1.9D use the 22mm bar so you will prolly notice a difference in road holding as the car stays flatter