Golf R -v- Golf GTI

[Justin Fox]

I feel like I'm on a Honda forum! How can anyone possibly suggest that front wheel drive cars are better than AWD cars?!

[Corey_R]

lol hey Justin - I didn't realise you were registered over here!
Are you sure after looking at this thread you still want to leave that link in your signature! hehe

[Lima]

having gone from RWD, to FWD to AWD and now back to FWD, the AWD certainly was an advantage in accelerating through and out of corners in the wet. the first FWD I owned was a V6 Vectra, which threatened to understeer off the road any time it rained and you encountered a corner. The Liberty could go through corners in the wet at speed which would have had the Vectra leave the road.

I was surprised last night in rain, how easy it was to break traction in low speed corners in the GTI and I wasn't travelling fast.

Our Mk5 GTI is like that too. The S3 with quattro is much better, as you would hope/expect.

[dave_r]

+1 me too. No rubbing yet and I've punted.

Mine was due to a lug on the drivers side, just inside the top of the arch which was loose/sticking out a bit. Had nothing to do wit hthe little wings they fit on the car front/back as the rubbing occured with/without them. I tried a hard left into work which has a bump mid corner that rubbed every time before, since pushing the lug back in, no rub.

So R + 19's = perfect match. 18's just look small!

And yeh, AWD over FWD any day. But if they had a Golf R available in RWD as well, I'd be driving one of them!

[WhiteJames]

The Golf GTI Manual is long & ill-defined compared to the Renault Megane RS250. I would buy a manual Megane RS250, but not a manual GTI.

Some owners of manual Golf’s opt to install a short shifter. Most short shifters I’ve sampled on VW Golf’s shorten the gear-throw, but blunt the notchiness in between gates, making for missed or incorrect gears. The extra weight of the counter-weight in the short-shifter mechanism is a bit like the extra weight in the Golf R – it tends to blunt the experience.

The Golf R, like the Renault Megane RS250, has had the sensitivity of the driver controls increased to improve driver feel and give it that ‘racy’ demeanour. Unlike the Renault Megane RS250, the Golf R fails to pull it off in terms of power delivery and suspension tune – racy controls coupled with grand tourer suspension and inert motor under 4,000-4500rpm does not provide the substance for a well executed driver’s hot hatch. A Grand Tourer – yes. A Hot Hatch – no.

A draw-back of the Renault Megane RS250 is fuel economy – about the same as the Golf R in terms of stated fuel use, depsite the Megane being @ 100-120kgs lighter. Out in the real world, I can see the added fuel use in the Megane over the GTI (esp. DSG) and it entices the driver explore more of the rev range, dishing up added fun. With DSG in traffic (Golf GTI), many tend to leave it in D for drive, optimising fuel economy.

Different Magazines target different markets. Wheels is for the all-rounder and Motor is for the harder core. Both magazines are giving victories to the Megane RS250. I put about 80% weight on what they have to say and determine that 20% for myself. In this case, I agree with both magazines. (Not sure what demographic Top Gear covers?).

Best to visit your local Renault Dealer for a test drive so as you can decipher yourself, esp. in light of delays of up to 8 months on Golf GTI, Polo GTI and Golf R orders. Ray is just been told his Golf R order in Dec 2010 doesn't arrive until Aug 2011.

Cheers
WJ

[Ideo]

Are magazines even still relevant these days for reviews and the like?

In saying that the only car magazine (or any magazine for that matter) i'll buy these days is Top Gear but only for Clarkson and Co's shenadigans. Anything regarding car reviews and opinions though I prefer to watch youtube .... stupid Gen Y brain

I mainly read Evo as it is in a class of it's own in terms of journalism.

Motor in particular reeks of onanism.

[dave_r]

Motor in particular reeks of onanism.

LOL, well played

[REXman]

Just looked it up.. ONANISM.. top word.

Im using it. Like..

"look mum, and Onanism" or, "man, have you seen my Onanism?"

Or maybe I got the meaning wrong?

[sabloke]

Or maybe I got the meaning wrong?

Totally wrong

[REXman]

hahahah. Thats a cracker of a word.

[Justin Fox]

What's with all the talk about the Renault Megane? Not sure if it's just me, but I'd NEVER consider driving a Renault. Not for one second. Hate the styling inside, hate the styling outside too (hate is a strong word)...back on topic I think there's lots of very valid discussion going on between the R vs GTI and whilst I wasn't a fan of the R before it came out, after a couple of hot laps around EC in one (I was driven) I'm officially converted.

[REXman]

What's with all the talk about the Renault Megane? Not sure if it's just me, but I'd NEVER consider driving a Renault. Not for one second. Hate the styling inside, hate the styling outside too (hate is a strong word)...back on topic I think there's lots of very valid discussion going on between the R vs GTI and whilst I wasn't a fan of the R before it came out, after a couple of hot laps around EC in one (I was driven) I'm officially converted.

What is there NOT to like about this guy??

[sabloke]

What's with all the talk about the Renault Megane? Not sure if it's just me, but I'd NEVER consider driving a Renault. Not for one second.

I am sure though, it's just you. If styling is your only criteria then you're not a true car enthusiast. The proof is in the driving at the end of the day.

This sort of fanaticism smacks of onanism, too

[Whistler]

I think we all agree the R is a great GT that covers vast distances in comfort while the RS250 is more track oriented (read better drivers car). However, I read here that in adverse conditions the R is superior because it's got AWD. So, a car you don't normaly drive at 10/10 since it is not a track beast, in adverse conditions simply starts to shine and beats everything FWD? I have to ask, what adverse conditions? No snow, no black ice. We live in Australia, not Austria

I can't really see the point of AWD in anything short of WRC cars or fast off road driving. Good to see I'm not alone

My friend, I picked up my golf R Recently on a slightly wet Sydney day (not Austria)
and, as it happened at the first set of light I stopped at I had a GTI on my left and a 300kw hsv maloo on my right. I could tell they were keen for a poke and, yes, we all hit the peddle on green. I actually laughed out load as the hsv wiggled it's butt but barely moved and I could see the GTI (in tear view mirror) shuddering like a virgin. Driving at 10 10ths? Huh, we're talking 0 to 60. I'd day I was doing 40 before they got moving. All that In my first three minutes of owning an AWD. You don't need blizzards to enjoy the traction!
I've owned a mk v GTI but won't ever go back if I can afford it

[sabloke]

Glad to see you love the car! R must be one of the best traffic lights weapon on a slightly damp road, that's for sure