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Dear Editor, I have been contemplating a decision lately. I have just

taken over a second hand Volkswagen Scirocco 1.4 with about three

years left before its COE expires. The owner has told me that the

warranty has expired a few years back and since then, he has gone to a

third-party workshop for repairs and maintenance needs.

Admittedly, I’ve been talking with a few fellows from the Volkswagen

Scirocco Club and we have since talked about upgrading the handling

on my car, which has been left relatively stock, from what I can see. Will

handling be greatly improved like what they say? I am currently looking

at a set of coilover on sale, as well as other bits and pieces of upgrades

that promise to increase my car’s cornering capabilities.

What are the other components that I should be looking at too?

• Ezekiel Loh

Firstly, congratulations on your purchase! The 1.4 twin-charged motor

under the bonnet of the Scirocco is truly a dandy fine engine, coupled with

the Scirocco’s low-slung body, it is pretty much a performance coupe from

birth for the economist who has a penchant for some spirited driving.

There are a lot of suspension kits out there with varying prices.

Naturally, aftermarket coilovers are not going to go easy on your wallet.

These often cost more than a few thousand dollars. Why so, you may

ask, simply because they have been rigorously tested and possess

various functions that will further aid you in your quest for clearing a

corner quickly.

Other handling components that you can also look at include anti-

roll bars, otherwise known as sway bars. These are to complement

the coilover’s stiffness and provide you with the slight handling edge,

including the way you would like to car to turn, as per your driving style.

Want to take it a step further? Reinforced lower arms, roll centre

adjusters and hardened bushings are the way to go, however do

consider your needs before installing these at a single go. Some of

these aftermarket upgrades might not be as forgiving as their stock

counterparts and might cause some discomfort and annoyance if your

other half is not half as keen as you are towards stiffening your chassis.

In any case, Wheels Asia is just a magazine and email away, so

do drop us another query if you have any! By the way, do refer to

February 2016’s issue’s Mod Job, which also features a pretty soup-up

Volkswagen Scirocco! – Editor

08 // March 2016