Mk2 8v vs Mk4 GTi ...........

here here golfgirl..... i think i gonna get a mk5 GTI in steel grey that might keep up with the mk 2s lol

 

soooooo true gg!
The problem here is one of standards. By judging the mk4 on one demension( ie top speed!) is irrelevant. Its a good all round car, so judge it so. And judging it on the lowest spec model is also unreasonable...the 2.0 doesnt epitomise the mk4gti at all.
If all mk4s are pants, why is the mk4 pd the best selling small diesel car? To decide what is the best golf gti is just too subjective an idea to measure, it means different things to all people at best......!

Mate, try the 115 pd, it is a little fun tbf!
Edited by: Seraph

 

my brother has just bought a mk4 1.8t on (150 bhp) and its quick, left avts for dead at the lightsalthough it dose seem like the power dont come in till 5000 rpm it handles ok to, and yesa mk2 8v will beat the pants of a mk42.0 8v as i regularly do to the sales rep at work but then his car is nice and quite inside and the ride quality is far better. mk4 for every day drivin.... mk2 for racin

 

hope he's ordered up his re-chip already!

 

hes lookin in to it 200bhp on a rechip i think

 

Im pretty sure an 8v Mk2 GTi (I think its been proven as well) will outperform a 150 horse 1.8T Mk4 through acceleration and handling easy. The 1.8T I drove felt pretty flat power wise and definately didnt handle as well as a mk2 (heavy car). I thought it felt torqey enough low down but was fairly breathless after 4000rpm. Thats not to say they arent good cars though, very refined drive and lovely interior/build.

 

hmmm,tricky one.
Would prob outbrake a mk2, and with 162bhp, prob out perform.
Not sure bout handing. Close call.

 

I have driven more or less every variant of the mk 4 (except r32 which is quite a different animal) and have owned both 8v and 16v mk2. The mk4s are generally well planted and reassuring to drive but lack that final degree of feedback and involvement that makes the mk2 such an entertaining drive. Even if you could pull up 'proof' that a mk4 was quicker on road and track, i would take the mk2 every time as its just more fun to drive hard and has a clarity of purpose that the mk4 range sorely lacks (R32 aside)

Speed wise - A mk4 gti, 1.8 or 2.0l, should not be faster than a mk2 8v, i certainly didn't have a problem with them in mine. The mk4 will probably not out handle it either-someone said something about out-handling a mk2 on big wheels- rubbish. Do not confuse handling with mechanical grip, and besides, if we are increasing the contact patch of one then the other should recieve the same treatment.

I would have thought a 1.8t will probably be a bit faster than a mk2 8v, more torque with similar power/weight.

 

That is a broad statement, I've got a 1.8T with 200BHP 234lb/ft of torque, Eibach ARBs (best mod next to the chip) and Oettinger sports suspension and believe me it does handle well. Certainly better than my std 92 16V Mark 2.


From the Factory the only decent Mark 4 has been the R, BUT you can sort everything else out and end up with a decent (heavy but comfortable) all round car, fun when I want and a comfortable cruiser when I need it.

 

So then. You're comparing a 13 year old car (probably on suspension
that's at least 7yrs old) with a pretty much brand new car with heavily
up-rated suspension and ARB's and you are proud of the fact that the
newer Golf handles better.



Compare like with like; modified with modified please. As std, the
valver will piss all over the mk4 (especially if the mk2's
original suspension is well looked after), then with the same
expenditure on each for modifications, the mk2 will out-perform the
mk4 by even more. End of.



There's no point in starting a mk4 vs. mk2 debate with regards to handling, because the mk2 will win hands down.



Excluding the R of course...





Fordo!

 

my slow 8v got p***** on by a 1.4 16v or a 1.6 i think it was

 

I was refering to the all MK 4's are pants quote. Yes comparing my 4 againt my 2 in std form is a bit unfair but it was to highlight that you can make a 4 perform if you throw money at it.


I am well aware that theR was the only decent Mark 4 from the factory - mind that can still be improved.


I know which one I take for a long run though, and which one I'd prefer to be in and accident in !


I've always fancied a 16V ever since driving a company one in the late 80's, my old engineering manager had one. Evo still refer to it as the ultimate Golf GTi so I bought myself one which I love BTW. But I think it needs to be sorted by Vince though as it feels slow when compared to the MK 4. Needs a decent tune with the WUR mod me thinks.

 

Oh dear !!! Just because someone got cut up by a mk4 golf we all debate the ifs and buts as to which is best mk2 or mk4 you gotta laugh.

I thought the original argument was that mk2 8v today would be quicker than a mk4. Like someone said unless its really tiptop brakes suspension and strong engine almost probably not... well thats my opinion anyway!!

 

I think its an argument/debate that can never be resolved.
Firstly, when comparing the mk2 to the mk4gti, which model are people using doing a comparision? The 2.0l would be unreasonable, likewise so would the r32.
Again the comparision here, is which is the faster car?
But hows that going tobe measured, and by who, and under what conditions? Many testimonials are based on..'i wasted the mk4 at the lights!' But how do you know the mk4 was even racing you? Or that theyre running on reduced power ect.
Perhaps the better performing car, is one on a set of different measures, and the appropriate way of comparing a car? It's how motoring mags do it tbf.
Comparisions of cars designed 15years apart seems an almost impossible task, i don't think you'll ever get a conclusive answer here, just a collection of informed/uninformed opinions.
Edited by: Seraph

 

Well bearing in mind I started this interesting thread, its amazing the debate that's followed ! The best comment has to be the one about "burning off" cars .... how do you know that the driver was flooring it ? (i appreciate that when its a TDi its obvious as a little puff of black smoke pops out !) .... all i can say is that my MK2 8V is great fun to drive .... handles superbly .... and is pretty decent off the mark (albeit slacking off a bit over 70 mph) ... oh and it's 15 years old ... and for me is a little hobby so I don't really care ! From my experience (in totally unmodified form) it handles better than my VR6 Highline which is well known for soft suspension hence the aftermarket additions .... however the VR6 is built for a different purpose in my eyes (high performance and settled motorway cruising) .... as for comparing the 8V against a Mk4 GTi probably best to say the 8V is great for weekend driving and VW shows but if you are a business traveller the Mk4 would win hands down for comfort !!! As for the R32, a previous thread I ran seemed to show that apart from its 4wd, it performed little better that a decent VR6 .......... so its great to have a nice little collection (oh ..... the Mk3 Driver is just for the shops by the way !!!!) ..........

 

yep as the source I agree !!! ..... as long as my Mk2 8V doesn't embarrass itself in modest company I'm pretty happy ! .... and its great driving a car without PAS ..... that to me adds to the fun ! Nowt will compare to my VR6 for performance (on a straight line but not in the wet before an R32 owner comments) !!!

 

I have just read all the comments so far


I find the best way to see if it is quicker than your own car is to give the nod and blast off down the road, you`ll soon see which is quicker.


Besides that there is always someone quicke and it doesnt matter which veriant of car they have, who knows what beats below the steeley exterior


I always say- No matter how much BHP you got..ITS NOT ENOUGH!!

 

chill out man....im aloud my opion....and yes i have driven other mk4`s but personaly i like a mk11...in a perfect world a mk11 with mk4 comforts....and ive also had a wee shot of the mk5 tdi and its fantastic....just hoping my uncle trades it in for mk5 gti

 

and to add to this convo, if you threw the cash at the Mk2 that it would cost you for a mk4 standard (engine convo etc) youd have an even more superior car than it already is in the MK2.

 

Bobski? do you have spell check? and vwgolfgtimkii if you had 7k ( enough to buy a 1.8t) you would buy a mk2, i doubt that, sounds like you havent been in one....