Got a big raise... Looking to get a new car

[FoolishOne]

Originally Posted by napp

personally i would never get a srt4 just a personal opinion

I'm glad I am not the only one...

[Ovencleaner]

Is there a big performance difference between the V6 GTI and GLI and the I4 Turbocharged GTI and GLI?

[Sleeperwagon]

Originally Posted by napp

definately a SpecV i drive a 03 and dont regret getting it one bit car handles awesome torque is great and boosted specs are quick

Had an 04.......it was not very reliable

Oh and FWD FTL

[TSi+WRX]

^ I gotta say, I agree.

FWD is just no fun tryin' to get it to hook-up.

On the Talon, I could easily spin her all the way through third on a wet day - and yes, I had decent tires on, and the suspension wasn't shabby, either. OK, granted, so that thing had the to-be-expected rather-big sound-system out back, but still....... Case-in-point, the first time I drove my wife's WRX, totally stock, in-anger, I quickly came to understand that fact.

My Legacy will blister the Talon in the sprint to sixty, even given the fact that it's some 70 horses and 20 down on torque (at the wheels). It's not even close. And it's only near the end of the quarter that the Talon will finally catch enough steam, and pass the Legacy (whose factory turbo, up high, just runs out of breath).

At the same time, I've also gotta say, driveline loss is a major downer in an AWDer. The Talon is definitely no highway pull monster, but it's definitely much more fun than the Legacy, there, where traction doesn't really matter ( well, that is, until you crest 500 WHP or so, and begin to spin all four, even from a highway roll, in fourth ).

And foul weather practicality?

Don't even go there.

[JDS]

Hmm, where do I start on the Volkswagens...

Okay, let's start with the changes from the Mk4 to the Mk5.

Mk4 was 1999.5-2005. Mk5, including the GTI I believe, started with the 2005.5 model year.

Mk4 engines were 2.0L 8v (aka 2.SLOW), 1.9L TDI, 20v 1.8T (150 hp and 180 hp), and 2.8L VR6 (12v 174 hp and 24v 200 hp). And the 3.2L VR6 on the R32.

Mk5 engines are the 2.0L TDI, 2.5L (150 hp and 170 hp) and the 20v 2.0T (200 hp). And the 3.2L FSI VR6 on the R32.

Mk4 has retarded twist-beam rear suspension, whereas the Mk5 has IRS. With an enormous rear sway bar, it is possible to make a Mk4 go around corners quite nicely, but this sacrifices what little hint of suspension independence you might have had. Oh well.

Mk4 had the 4-speed automatic (garbage), the 5-speed Tiptronic (garbage) the 5-speed manual (acceptable) and the 6-speed manual (kickass). The 6-speed manual was only available on the GLI (24v VR6 until 2004.5, when it switched to 1.8T), the GTI 337 and 20th Anniversary Edition, and the R32.

The Mk5 is only available in 6-speed manual and 6-speed Tiptronic, both of which are great.

Mk5 is of course heavier.

Oh, and the Mk5 Jettas are ugly as crap.

As far as engines...the 20v engines (1.8T and 2.0T) are very cheap to modify and have huge potential. With only a $500 ECU reflash (and possibly a new diverter valve) you can boost the 1.8T to around 215-ish horsepower and 230-250-ish torque, and the 2.0T to 250-ish horsepower and, well, I have no idea how much torque. A lot. On the stock turbo, the 1.8T has been pushed to 260+ horsepower (258 at the wheels which is probably 270-300 "real" horsepower) and is good for 700+ horsepower on stock internals. Nobody really knows, as of now, how far the 2.0T can go.

In order to avoid voiding the warranty, companies like APR have come up with systems to switch the 1.8T between different ECU maps, so you can put it back to "stock" before bringing it into the dealership for warranty service. I expect that they've probably made this available for the 2.0T as well, by now.

The VR6 engines have more potential, of course. The 2.8L 12v is the cheapest to modify, and has the most aftermarket equipment, but if you have the money, the 24v will be worth it because the freer-flowing head makes a big difference with large boost levels. However, with either engine you're going to have to put down a decent amount of money to match a 1.8T with simple bolt ons. Either way, you'll ALWAYS sound better. VR6s are some of the best sounding engines around, whereas 1.8Ts get the job done without as much style.

In terms of interior...I don't know, I think the GLIs and the GTI 337s and 20AEs with the black/brushed aluminum interiors are the best. I haven't spent a LOT of time riding around in Mk5s, but they're nice too. Either way, you can't go wrong...they have a very well-built, German feel to them. My GLI's interior makes me feel like it's the baby brother of the old W140 S-class my dad used to have.

Something else to consider is that, whether you get a Mk4 or Mk5, you're still stuck with retard wheel drive. I'm not sure whether any of the Mk5s have LSDs, but the Mk4s sure as hell don't. With 150 horsepower it's probably not an issue, but even with 180 they need 'em.

Another thing to consider is that Volkswagen tends to sell their cars with really jacked-up suspensions. The Mk4 GLI/337/20AEs were probably the CLOSEST to having a proper ride height...they're only about an inch higher than they should be for the wheel to fit properly in the fenders, which is close enough that nobody will ever notice. All the other Mk4s are high enough to look wrong, and the Mk5s are at least as bad, even the GLIs (the GLI is no longer "sportier" than the GTI).

If I forgot to answer any particular concerns, please tell me.

[JDS]

Double Post

[Ovencleaner]

Thanks JDS!

I think I look for both the V6 and the 1.8T GTI.

I used to hate how the GTI looked but strangely I have aquired a taste for VW cars...

I just gotta get a bolt on turbo kit for the V6 if I get one.

[JDS]

Originally Posted by Ovencleaner

I think I look for both the V6 and the 1.8T GTI.

If you get a GTI, I would STRONGLY suggest you look for a 337 or 20th Anniversary Edition in order to get the 6-speed, the lower, stiffer sport suspension, the 18" BBS RC or O.Z. Aristo wheels (very sexy, but the previous owner is likely to have swapped them out), the VERY expensive and very attracting 337/20AE Votex bodykit, which includes front and rear valences and sideskirts, and the sexy black interior including Recaro seats.

It would be a LOT easier if you included the 2004.5-2005 GLI in your search. It's basically just a 20th with a trunk (and the RCs instead of the Aristos).

Originally Posted by Ovencleaner

I used to hate how the GTI looked but strangely I have aquired a taste for VW cars...

If you're referring to the Mk4, then there is a solution for that, and it is called the JTI.









To make a long story short, the Jetta and Golf front ends swap back and forth, turning goofy looking Golfs and GTIs into sexy Jolfs and JTIs, and boring Jettas into horrendous Gettas.

Originally Posted by Ovencleaner

I just gotta get a bolt on turbo kit for the V6 if I get one.

If you're going to get a VR6 with plans to turbo it, please go to VWVortex.com, read the relevant sections of the FAQs, and do a few searches on VRTs (turbocharged VR6s). I think you should be aware of what it entails, in terms of how much more money you would have to spend compared to the cost of getting the same power out of a 1.8T.

[swarga]

Originally Posted by JDS

You must really trust your parking brake...

[FoolishOne]

"I swear, adjuster, some high school kids pushed it in there."