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Hi,
About a month ago I purchased a second hand stock 2006 GTI with DSG. Having fun punting this car around the place, although the wife thinks the ride's a bit harsh - I don't really notice.
Anyway a mate has a late model turbo mini cooper s, so we went for a blat through mt nebo/glorious here in Brissie which has excellent twisty roads. The mini also has a john cooper works stage 1 kit, making it a bit quicker than stock.
I thought the mini would be quicker with it's weight advantage over the GTI, but this was not the case. The DSG gearbox is superb and saves time keeping the turbo on the money. In a straight line there is not much in it both cars neck and neck. Both cars are very good at cornering, although the GTI would oversteer more than the mini (due to it's greater weight). I felt the GTI could make an average driver look quick, where as the mini needed to be man handled to get the best out of it. Being on a public road, I wasn't really trying to find the limits of these cars, but we couldn't help ourselves.
We swapped cars and I felt the mini was better through the corners with heaps more driver feedback through the steering thanks to it's sports mode that reduces the amount of power assisted steering (and other small changes). The mini could turn in easier, but the GTI had better drive out of the corners. I also felt the brakes were better on the GTI, there was a serious downhill section which the mini was starting to feel a bit of fade - the GTI remained strong.
At the end of the day my mate agreed that the GTI was a better all round package to live with, comfortable seats, auto for the days stuck in city traffic, and paddle shift for fun in the sun. The mini has to be constantly driven and man handled with it's six speed manual, and is a small car without much space. But as a drivers car I liked the mini - just couldn't live with it as my only car.
B.
ps Saving up for the APR ecu upgrade and then I'll be back to the hills to dust off my mates mini.
About a month ago I purchased a second hand stock 2006 GTI with DSG. Having fun punting this car around the place, although the wife thinks the ride's a bit harsh - I don't really notice.
Anyway a mate has a late model turbo mini cooper s, so we went for a blat through mt nebo/glorious here in Brissie which has excellent twisty roads. The mini also has a john cooper works stage 1 kit, making it a bit quicker than stock.
I thought the mini would be quicker with it's weight advantage over the GTI, but this was not the case. The DSG gearbox is superb and saves time keeping the turbo on the money. In a straight line there is not much in it both cars neck and neck. Both cars are very good at cornering, although the GTI would oversteer more than the mini (due to it's greater weight). I felt the GTI could make an average driver look quick, where as the mini needed to be man handled to get the best out of it. Being on a public road, I wasn't really trying to find the limits of these cars, but we couldn't help ourselves.
We swapped cars and I felt the mini was better through the corners with heaps more driver feedback through the steering thanks to it's sports mode that reduces the amount of power assisted steering (and other small changes). The mini could turn in easier, but the GTI had better drive out of the corners. I also felt the brakes were better on the GTI, there was a serious downhill section which the mini was starting to feel a bit of fade - the GTI remained strong.
At the end of the day my mate agreed that the GTI was a better all round package to live with, comfortable seats, auto for the days stuck in city traffic, and paddle shift for fun in the sun. The mini has to be constantly driven and man handled with it's six speed manual, and is a small car without much space. But as a drivers car I liked the mini - just couldn't live with it as my only car.
B.
ps Saving up for the APR ecu upgrade and then I'll be back to the hills to dust off my mates mini.
)
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