OK, i gave up on the Jetta for good last year after finding it needed a new floor welded in so i've decided that to hell with building ANYTHING else as i've wasted a good sum of cash now and have nothing but a rusted old mk4 polo to show for my hassle ... So i decided to give up on building one and just BUY a GTI ... i aint getting a mk2 as it reminds me too much of the Jetta so i went and looked at a mk3 at local dealers that was advertised as a 16v and was in lovely condition but when i opened the bonnet to find it was only an 8V with the 16v badge on the front i told the guy i didnt want it, he offered me money off but i dont want a 8v .. gotta be 16v!! .. i was about to leave when i seen this blue glimmer from the corner of my eye .. went over to look and it was a mk4 GTI .. i'll admit right now that i didnt expect what i seen under the bonnet ... i nearly needed to change my pants when i opened the bonnet and seen a rather dirty looking 20v engine sitting there Ofcorse i had to investigate and found that's the engine the mk4's came with, well apart from the 1.6 GTI but i aint touching nothing less than the 1.8t!! Now this leaves me in a pickle (choice words lol) ... so i come to the best place i could think of to seek help in making my mind up! i drive like ALOT so was looking at a good reliable GTI but which is best for long distance driving? i dont care on the insides, its the engine i am most concerned about, corse when i goto the nurburgring next year .. will be nice to have the 20v but getting there will it cost me a fortune in petrol or is the 20L 16v better on fuel?? help me please? i'm loosing my mind [:^(]
Make sure if your going for the Mk4 20v that it is the turbo version, there are a few floating around that are 1.8 20v without turbo's. Stay away from these like the plauge, the drive is really choppy. If it is a turbo version you'll be able to tune it all the way up to a very respectable 190bhp without really spending huge mounts of cash. I only really consider Mk3's if they are VR6's.
not much in it fuel consumption wise, both can be very economical engines if sorted out properly. 20vt can be got upto c.200bhp cheaply, but if you want a decent power delivery avoid it like the plague. 16v can gain some power cheaply, but cos it doesnt weigh as much as a mk4/a3 a lightly modded 16v mk3 is as quick as a remapped 20vt mk4 in a straight light, every day of the week so pace wise there is not a lot in it unless lots of money is spent (because the mk4 weighs a lot more) economy wise there is not much in it either its down to the power delivery, which the abf wins with two hand tied behind its back. a standard ish 20vt delivers power like a diesel
Thats a bit harsh Matt. I have been driving my mates 1.8t Bora since my VR6 has been off the road and I just love the thing, I really don't want to give it back. I think the engine is superb and delivery is spot on. You'd need to be a race car driver to be sensitive enough to pick out much turbo lag.
they don't lag - but they don't have a top end rush like a good turbo motor. ABF's feel quicker even if they arn't
HEY!!! was a 2.0LVR620Vt1.3!!! and i never left tnx, just been to busy ignoring you and your silly little games tnx for the advice so far, could use more though
I have a 1.8t at the moment, and, to be honest when i first got it i was a bit disappointed by its standard performance and handling. When i got my mk4 i was actually looking for a mk3 16v/vr6 but i couldnt find one with the right spec and price. so ended up buying the mk4, i have prob lost 2k on its value in 2 years (if not more) so maybe i shouldnt have bought it. however since i have it remapped/chipped and i have lowered and uprated the arbs, its a great car, with plenty of tuning potential left in it,(k03s turbo etc etc)
yeah everything points to spending the extra for the 20vt and putting the bigger turbo on it and mapping the ECU, but this ofcorse would also mean bigger intercooler which in itself increases power, plus exhaust system, guessing on exhaust there as if the manifold is bigger for bigger turbo then you want new manifold so may aswell go for the whole system. oh plus i've wanted the 20vt since WAY back .. ahhhhh 2.0L 16v is what i've been trying to build but the choice to scrap the idea completely and move onto a bigger "potentially" better motor ... damn it lol
The 1.8t seems to be getting really bad press in here. I had Mk3 GTi 8v & VR6 and I think the 1.8t compares brilliantly...I'm over the moon with it. Whats surprised me more is that I think I like the Bora better than the MK4 Golf. Anyone have thoughts on this, for some reason it feels more composed than a MK4 Golf in the twisty winding country roads, or is this just my imagination?
HA HA another convert to the sallon side of life? i liked the mk2 jetta over the mk2 golf! cant say same about the vento though, its nice but fells abit butt heavy :/ aint driven a bora yet, you offering to lemme test drive one?
So the 163mph Jetta is no more? Shame. What about the Polo with the big nitrous kit? "Yeah so I lied about the engine but"... go away, Jeb.
I have gotta tell you guys, ever so reluctantly. I much prefer the Bora to the MK4 Golf. It seems a much much nicer car. If I had it before I came across the VR6 I probably would not have bought the VR6 to be honest. Its got lower drag c.d its quieter on the motorway because of its shape, seems better balanced on country roads and if that wasn't enough the insurance is quater YES QUATER of the price!! of the equivalent MK4 golf. Oh did I mention you get more toys in the Bora too? Its quite unique too as you don't get many compact saloon cars. I hear there is a V6 version too.
tam, i agree. i much prefer the bigger ones, incase you didnt know there better aero dynamic than a golf too. least the mk2's where, dunno about the bora just yet but i'm gonna look into it. dont forget btw, most golf parts can be used to fix them too
Lol Maybe its old age making me look at saloons (27 next month) Thanks for the kudos Jettagod. I know that the Vento was badly designed with that HUGE over-sized boot but the Bora is the car that they just got perfect. Before you spluge on the MK4 might be worth testing out a few Bora's. The Bora looks good in any colour as long as its reflex silver.
yeah well i'm done with saloons, i gave up on golf's WAY back when i tried to restore a 1986 mk2 GTI with no success but i no longer have a need nor a want for a 5dr saloon car and as i cant be bothered converting a 3dr to RHD .. :/ either way i've caved YET again and i'm gonna golf it up.
