Polo GTI on P-Plates

[Kesh]

Hey guys,

I really like the look of the Polo and am looking to get one as my first car. I especially like the look of the 3 door version but the issue I'm having is that I feel that the 66kw engine in it will certainly not be adequate enough, especially when taking friends along and so on.

The only other 3 door is the GTI, and it's under the banned list unfortunately. Is there anyway I could possibly get an exemption to drive a polo GTI? Can you try and persuade vicroads? I'm led to believe it has the same 118tsi engine in the golf and the base tiguan as well? ( I think the engine might be the main reason?)

Thanks guys, either way, I wouldn't mind the 5 door 77tsi, perhaps I'll get that stage 1 tune to 100kw that I've been seeing around.

[ecks]

I'm going to sound like an old man here, but the 66kW diesel is surprisingly nice to drive, lots of torque (But I've done 50,000km in mind since Feb.) means it can get off the line quite quick, and it hauls a carload quite comfortably.

I know in NSW you would have near no chance of getting a GTI exemption - the TSI + tune wouldn't be too bad though, surely!

[Kesh]

Oh really? I imagine the torque of a diesel, albeit from 1.2, is quite pleasing haha. Yeah, in NSW apparently the 118tsi golf is banned too... How does the car handle inclines? 230nm does seem very impressive for a 1.2L!

Yeah, I imagine the tune would solve most of my issues, the polo weighs about 1000kg right? 100kw per ton definitely sounds adequate. But I'd really like a 3 door

[alexaescht]

Polo GTI on P-Plates

Hey guys,

I really like the look of the Polo and am looking to get one as my first car. I especially like the look of the 3 door version but the issue I'm having is that I feel that the 66kw engine in it will certainly not be adequate enough, especially when taking friends along and so on.

The only other 3 door is the GTI, and it's under the banned list unfortunately. Is there anyway I could possibly get an exemption to drive a polo GTI? Can you try and persuade vicroads? I'm led to believe it has the same 118tsi engine in the golf and the base tiguan as well? ( I think the engine might be the main reason?)

Thanks guys, either way, I wouldn't mind the 5 door 77tsi, perhaps I'll get that stage 1 tune to 100kw that I've been seeing around.

Hey Kesh
The Polo Trendline is no longer offered as a 3-door and has instead been replaced with a 5-door, so unless you're looking at one second hand you won't find one. The GTI has 132 kw so while it might be the same engine as the 118 tsi it is tuned so I don't think you'll easily get VicRoads to let you have one.
If I were you I'd get the 77 TSI or the 66 TDI, depending on how many kilometres you do per year (if you do over 30,000 km/year then go for the TDI)

Because of all the problems with the 7-speed dry-clutch DSG, I would go with the manual in either variant.

Alex.

[Lemonskin]

The diesel has almost as much torque as the GTI, 230nm vs 250nm. Grab an APR tune too and you should be ok

How long do you have left on your P-Plates? If its not long, you might be able to get an exemption.

[alexaescht]

Polo GTI on P-Plates

Oh really? I imagine the torque of a diesel, albeit from 1.2, is quite pleasing haha. Yeah, in NSW apparently the 118tsi golf is banned too... How does the car handle inclines? 230nm does seem very impressive for a 1.2L!

Yeah, I imagine the tune would solve most of my issues, the polo weighs about 1000kg right? 100kw per ton definitely sounds adequate. But I'd really like a 3 door

The diesel in Australia is a 1.6 litre 4-cylinder, not the euro base model 1.2 litre 3-cylinder.
From my experience, the 230 nm of torque is mental compared to the 195 nm in my Megane, which feels like a snail in comparison.
In my diesel polo we've done 56,000 km since early 2011 and no faults so far.

Oh, and how it handles inclines?
In my experience, you can't even feel them, it pulls like a train in the correct gear.

[Kesh]

Hey Kesh
The Polo Trendline is no longer offered as a 3-door and has instead been replaced with a 5-door, so unless you're looking at one second hand you won't find one. The GTI has 132 kw so while it might be the same engine as the 118 tsi it is tuned so I don't think you'll easily get VicRoads to let you have one.
If I were you I'd get the 77 TSI or the 66 TDI, depending on how many kilometres you do per year (if you do over 30,000 km/year then go for the TDI)

Because of all the problems with the 7-speed dry-clutch DSG, I would go with the manual in either variant.

Alex.

Hey Alex ,

Thanks for the reply, I only just found out that the polo is actually tuned up from the 118! That does put me in a worse position. I won't be doing anywhere near 30,000 actually.

Are the DSG issues really this profound? I could probably learn how to drive stick but it'd certainly be better to use the dsg as other people may also want to use my car occassionally (parents etc)

The diesel has almost as much torque as the GTI, 230nm vs 250nm. Grab an APR tune too and you should be ok

How long do you have left on your P-Plates? If its not long, you might be able to get an exemption.

Who said I have my P's

I'm doing my L's now and should be ready to take the test this June

The diesel in Australia is a 1.6 litre 4-cylinder, not the euro base model 1.2 litre 3-cylinder.
From my experience, the 230 nm of torque is mental compared to the 195 nm in my Megane, which feels like a snail in comparison.
In my diesel polo we've done 56,000 km since early 2011 and no faults so far.

Ahh okay, thanks for the clarification. Is your diesel a DSG or manual?

[mythik]

As an owner of a faultless MY11 TSI Polo in manual, avoid DSG. It's a bucket of ****.

We have a total of 5 Polo's in the family relative tree, a mix of 1.4, 1.2 TSI and 1.6 TDI and every single DSG vehicle (4 of them) have had continual issues. I cannot stress enough. AVOID.

[Kesh]

As an owner of a faultless MY11 TSI Polo in manual, avoid DSG. It's a bucket of ****.

We have a total of 5 Polo's in the family relative tree, a mix of 1.4, 1.2 TSI and 1.6 TDI and every single DSG vehicle (4 of them) have had continual issues. I cannot stress enough. AVOID.

That seems to be enough evidence for me to avoid :\ ... As if they'd sell something with so much issues!

You know what else sucks, there aren't any non deg polo's in white. (except the GTI's) 77tsi came in Manual and White yeah?

[nomadx38]

I have a 77TSI and I tell you it's a gun!!! I can carry all my friends and me (5) in the car with luggage and she will still get down and boogie. Don't go off all the marketing spin that car manufactures want you to hear KW this and KW that. It's all CRAP. Unless you want to do 200km/h+ chances you will never use it.

When I first looked at my car it was between the fiesta (1.6L 89kw / 151nm) and the polo (1.2L 77kw / 175nm) and when I test drove the fiesta and then drove the polo 30mins later I told the saves guy put a deposit on it, before I even got back to the showroom!

It's all about torque and how it is delivered. My babe does 175nm at 1500rpm! That's why I can take off at the lights and gun it to 100km/h in 10sec. It's also the reason I can go up 35% incline hills and never drop below 6th (7 speed DSG).

The 77tsi is also easy to get an exemption for (diesel you don't require an exemption at all). The GTI on the other hand, forget about it, you have very little chance. I have been driving for 4 years now (2L's and 2P's) and even with a compleatly perfect record they still said no.

The diesel is slower than the petrol by 1 second which is not much to some people and some people it is. I'm a petrol man myself so the choice was clear but there are advantages of the diesel, that been better fuel economy and unbelievable torque to pull the ass out of anything.

[alexaescht]

Polo GTI on P-Plates

I won't be doing anywhere near 30,000 actually.

Ahh okay, thanks for the clarification. Is your diesel a DSG or manual?

It's a manual. My mum bought it to have for a year and then give to my sister (who is 18 and on her P's) she loves it, mainly because you can put $15 of diesel in it and go 300 km!
There have been no real issues with it, apart from some pesky rats that decided to eat some vacuum hoses which made it go into limp mode and $800 later it's fixed.

Since giving it to my sister, mum bought a 2012 Renault Megane Sport Edition which will be mine when I'm 18 (I'm 14 now).

Edit – here she is!

[ecks]

Another thing to keep in mind with the TDis is they have cracked the mapping, there are a few tuned ones getting around South Africa - 300Nm from memory and a few extra horsies too. I'm not sure if they're tinkering with them here just yet, but it can't be far away.

As far as weight goes, I think they're closer to 1500kg...

[alexaescht]

Polo GTI on P-Plates

As far as weight goes, I think they're closer to 1500kg...

Mine (diesel, manual) weighs 1130 kg.

[Kesh]

Looks like I'll be better off dreaming about the 77tsi then

Good to know that it can take passengers and good inclines. I'm also a petrol man myself

To make myself feel better, the GTI is a whole lot more expensive anyway!!! I'll be making my mods list now

With regards to weight, I just poked at wikipedia and saw 1,040–1,140 kg. But guys, do the 77tsi's come in white and manual form?

[nomadx38]

Also personally I wouldn't be to concerned about the reliability of the DSG. The only real concern that "WAS" to the gearboxes is that the clutches were been worn down extremely fast and then shuddering. As of march 2012 they released a new type of clutch pack for the hot climates (Australia, china, South Africa).

since I got them replaced it has not had a problem since, and has done double the km to the original ones. I would say the down side of them is that they have made the gearbox slightly more rough due to the harder compound so you tend to feel more feedback from them. Also I have come to learn that driving style plays a big part in the smoothness of it. In all the only gearbox I know off that has seriously failed was on a 2011 GTI which had been seriously tuned way over the specs of the gearbox so in all not really surprised.

Also after asking the dealer for clarification they have confirmed (and I saw the bulletin from VW head office Sydney) that there is an official 5 years / 150,000km warrantee on the drivetrain (Entire DSG, including clutches, mechatronics unit, mechanical gears and differential and the entire Manual gearbox EXCLUDING clutches) which means trouble free motoring for 5 years at least!