what would be a better buy if i plan to only use bolt ons to increase hp? intake, chip, exhaust, throttle body, etc. should i get the turbo or vr6? any feedback is wanted
Turbo, as most can be chipped to run extra boost quite easily, and more importantly, cheaply. Car would probably be better balanced as well if you use the 1.8t. Some reckon that the VR6 can make the front of the car a little heavy. VR6 is a smoother engine though. I'm assuming that you are talking about transplanting into a mk2 golf.
Whoa people! The guy is asking a question and presumably looking for impartial advice. Nobody is knocking the VR6, which is a great engine, but saying that this, that or the other is testicles is not going to help him much, is it? It just shows that you have a biased opinion towards your own vehicle. I've driven a VR6 before and it is great, nice and smooth, but if you want easy and cheap BHP, a turbo is the only way to go. Which is what the guy was asking about. I just gave an answer based on personal experience, basic handling principles, and what other people have said. Not trying to start a row here, OK??!!!
depends how far u are going basic upgrades (bassically up until the point where you open the bottom end) the 20v wins hands down. But as soon as them V6s see some trick pistons and a mechanical snail you can say bye bye to mr 20v
Assuming you can afford the cost of install. VR engines are much better value now and produce good results in a mk2 (presuming it is). Depends on how much power long term you want as Rallye said.
As above, depends how much power you want - forget the heavy Mk2 VR6 talk; just look at the Alfa 147 GTA! Go and drive one of those and you'll know that with well setup suspension and brakes, a heavy(ish) engine can be masked easily (yes the alfa is a bigger car and ultimately would be more balanced with a four cylinder -as a Mk2 would be) - yet you don't notice the weight of the six pot... I suppose the main drawcard of the 1.8T is that it's very tuneable and it'll have less use than the older VR6. Still after hearing a 16v on throttle bodies, I can't help but imagine the sound of a VR6 with a similar setup!!!
I'm stating the facts not hearsay, i drive a mk2 vr6 every day of the year, on all road types/surfaces and in all weather conditions and it handles great in comparison to my mk1 GTI and my Mk3 VR6 (my unbiased, first hand opinion). I've never owned a mk2 20vt but i would imagime that handles/performs great as well other wise why would people bother building them? As for biased towards my own car I would have a mk2 20vt over my vr any day.
Why? I'll be taking the 8v out of my Corrado soon, I can easily put a 1.8T in it, but I'm not going to. its getting a 10 year old VR lump in it.
rallye has hit the nail on the head. up to a certain power output its probably cheaper to build it with a 1.8T. then its going to start costing you just as much as it would with a vr6 to go over that. And the VR6 will have the potential to make far more power - if you wanted to take it that far and spend the tens of thousands necessary, the 1.8T would be struggling to put out any more useable power and having huge lag issues, because by its very nature, smaller engine needs more boost to make the same power. of course, if you never want to go that high, then the 1.8T would be a better bet I'm sure.
Already been said I see but put in simple terms: Intermediate mods: 1.8T. 200BHP with a chip alone Major mods: VR6. S1 Turbo 310BHP, S2 380BHP, S1 Twin Turbo 440BHP....etc etc. And it sounds 10 times better too. But a chip will only net you 20BHP max, you need big money Who says this is a for MK2? If hes a yank, it could be just a Golf MK4... Edited by: Mikedav
well pops is around 400bhp on his 1.8t, with very little lag, a 24v vr6 could make over 1000bhp, but how much power do you actually want?
So do I, I've seen a vid of one running about 700bhp. I think the problem is that nobody has invested enough money in one yet (5 figures definitely needed). If I find enough cash in future mine may well get internal mods so that I can raise the boost some more, but at present I'm gonna be happy with the fact that it is a turbo vr6 in the first place!
vr6 every time. i know this guy who does hillclimbs in his vr6 engined mk2 and he reckons that the car is actually better balanced with the bigger engine, better traction off the line and bites harder into the twisty stuff - says the vr6 should have been made for the mk2. the noise is also incredible! sounds like an old alfa v6, try matching that with a farty 1.8 t. for sheer noise alone, the vr6 wins it for me.
Surely if youhave a Ko3 turbo car you will need to spend fair $ to modify over the initial chip alone (ie past 200bhp). Just wondered how the cost of 1.8T install & engine mods compare to a vr install & S/C or turbo.
