Mk2 GTIs, a consistent drive???

I am sure many posters on this forum have owned or driven several different Mk2 gti's. Personally I have driven five different gti's; my 1989 Tornado Red 8 valve; my current 1991 Alpine White 8 valve; my G/F's 1989 Alpine White 8 valve and also a couple of Bright Blue Metallic 8 valves I was looking to buy on two separate occassions.

To get to my point!

To me all of these gti's have driven very differently and especially my 1991 8 valve, which feels very different to my G/F's car. I prefer the way my car drives (well I would, wouldn't I??)

What are other's thought on this. Why does essentially the same car drive and feel so different??

For what it's worth, I have never driven a Valver...but would like to try one out!!

Alpenweiss2

 

Prob due to suspension wear, chassis damage......or simply just different tyres (or even matched vs unmatched tyres)

 

Drive a valver.
You'll love it

 

but you will still prefer the torque of the 8v.

 

Never mind why different Mk2s drive differently, what I don't get is why my car can be running beautifully one day & sluggish the next even in similar weather conditions, even the sterring can be light & responsive one day & the next it handles like a yak wearing flippers, it can also develop squeaks & rattles overnight that are gone a day or two later?

Is that just mine or does this happen to other people?

 

They have mind's of their own. They're messing with you.

 

I've noticed that my car has 'moods'.

Sometimes it feels like the engine is running better and it wants to get going, whereas other times it feels sluggish and lazy. I know exactly what you mean.

I recently purchased another 8 valve GTi, and it drove differently to my current one, felt a bit softer, and the engine was a lot smoother, but for some reason didn't feel quite so quick.

 

Nah mine have all been like that.

Though I can put the handling down to various factors, the engines in all my 16v's have been massively different, regardless of having them set up exactly the same, everything spot on and similar milage you just get good and bad engines!

 

all part of the mk2 ownership, it should be an honour to have such gripes cos on those good days when you go for a spin and you come back smirking theres no better feeling, it is a bummer when things are not going your way but dont forget that you are driving one of the best cars ever and when things are good, they are really good.

 

I have found all of my mk2's have driven similarly.

I guess it comes down to suspension and bush condition mainly.

Decent regular servicing helps the cause

As for engine setups- I have never found a vw that runs it's best on oem settings. Saying that, I have always tweaked the engines!

I have driven a couple of standard cars that felt a bit baggy and lifeless- brakes especially

 

Been thinking the same thing.

+1

 

Agreed on the different moods thing! My 16v has been annoying me lately with random hesitations and not really pulling well at all, but it was feeling pretty lively on my way home today which I noticed when it lit up the Yokos changing into 2nd in perfect conditions, cue a w*nker in a Mk4 anni getting the shock of his life when I sat on his bumper up to *** mph after pulling out on me on a roundabout.

Also some days I just can't seem to crack the 30 mpg barrier on the MFA even when nannying it, but I've seen 35 mpg when giving it beans, and have even broken 40 mpg on my 18 mile commute. My MFA is accurate to within 1-2 mpg tank to tank as well!

I did think it had developed an annoying squeaky rattle. But, I just need to learn to shut my tailgate properly lol.

 

All my mk2's have been totally different cars to drive. I currently have a k jet 8v and a k jet 16v both feel miles different. All due the 8v is standard and the 16v has coilovers and other upgrade parts.
However i did have a digi 8v which was standard again felt like a totally different car altogether..

 

hey ive had 3 8v gtis and one 16v . the first 8v gti i had was a d reg kjet it was tatty an had done 225,000 when the subframe desided to snap lol but it was a very fast car for a standerd k-jet use to **** all over digifants as u all know you get didilag:/ then i scraped that and got a didi 8v and rote that off but that was very nice to drive as it cost me 2500 and had only 2 owners from new and 56,000 miles on her and was on a 1989 g reg then i got a j reg 16v and hed a full egine rebuild done on here an she drives like a dream but the down full is shes a cat one wich means its onley 127bhp :/ unless i decat it lol but shes compleatey standerd and wonna keep in that way now i move on to my baby lol my h reg
8v started off as a 1.8 8v and was pretty quick but wanted more power so i took the old engine out and put in a 2.0 agg block with a ported/polish head with 285 piper cam 421 s&s mainfold straight throu system and she was really nice to drive loads off power alot faster than the 16v but then i thought mmm lets get rid of the digifant system and put twin 40 webers on and i tell ya thats the best thing ive done the raw induction noise is great and its a diffrent sort out power just keeps going and going lol . but next year im after a 2.0 16v abf or 9a lump and stick webers on that .

any way id still say the 8v is better that the 16v gti as u anit gotta thrash it to get anyway.

 

8V doesn't have more torque...

 

but you can plough a field with an 8v!

 

20+ years of wear & tear on everything and being replaced with some genuine, some 2nd hand, some pattern parts

^ that alone would spread the range of how they all feel before you even mention things that were actually different e.g. comparing kjet 8v to digi 8v

 

I know you haven't been on the forum for a while so we'll excuse you for that outburst of factual information, in future please stick to ill informed opinion

You'll be telling us it's safe to drive without brake disc retaining screws next

 

8v does have more torque. Diesel 8v that is.