« Reply #10 on: 14 January 2026, 15:56 »
As said previously, everyone has different tolerances and ideally you should try both.
For my tuppence, I lived 3 years with a non DCC mk8 Clubsport and not once did I wish I had it. The 8.5 might have fractional differences in suspension settings but I doubt anything hugely significant.
The Clubsport has stiff(ish) springs and hard(ish) bushings for optimal handling so no matter how soft you set the dampers it’ll be the springs and bushings that ultimately dictate ride quality.
Hit a pothole with DCC or no DCC and boy will you know about it.
Following the Clubsport I had 18 months with an 8R and now around 5 months with an 8.5R. The former had no DCC and the latter does have it. On some roads the ride in the non DCC R was brutal when doing long distances and in the DCC car a bit less so. So the R seems to have harder bushings. The main difference between the two is a slightly smoother ride on jiggly roads in the DCC comfort settings but when you hit the really rough stuff both types of suspension struggle, and if you drive on really bad roads a lot it’s definitely be cheaper to replace non-DCC parts when the dampers fail, which both types will eventually.
It seems a bit odd that DCC builds have a longer lead in time as I’d have thought it would be a popular option and in good supply. Maybe speak to more than one dealer.
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‘25 8.5R, ‘23 8R, ‘20 8CS, ‘19 135iX, ‘19 TCR, ‘17 Ed40, ‘17 GTD, ‘15 7R, ‘13 GTI PP, ‘11 GTI, ‘09 GTI, ‘98 Ibiza Cupra, ‘05 GTI, ‘06 Polo GTI, ‘04 GT TDI, ‘05 Fabia vRS, ‘02 GTI T, ‘03 Ibiza TDI 130, ‘01 Leon 180, ‘89 mk2 16v, ‘99 Ibiza TDI, ‘96 VR6, ‘98 Ibiza TDI, ‘92 VR6, ‘88 mk2 8v, ‘92 Polo G40, ‘91 mk2 8v, ‘89 mk2 8v, 205 GTI 1.9, ‘83 mk1 GTI, ‘80 Scirocco GTI, plus some others I’ve forgotten
