penry Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Ok, so on thursday my insurance on the GTi started. Handling wise, similar to the arosa but as its heavier at the front it does grip loads better. Interior I still think there's something about it but it feels more refined too. Perhaps its because i had grey carpet in the arosa and in the GTi the black carpet makes such a difference. Now...... on to the performance. The first time I went out in it yesterday on my own I had the biggest grin ever style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> It's just so torquey, pulls from 3rd gear doing about 25 ish up to 70 no probs. The 6spd box is awesome, the throw feels a lot shorter than the arosa though which meant at first i kept on thinking it wasnt going in properly. Overall id pay the extra insurance any day, its a totally different experience from the arosa to drive, but i think you'd struggle to match it smiles per mile. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Glad your enjoying it, if you keep it in the power band it's a quick car to drive and the more you get used to it the more you'll be able to exploit it. Just be a bit cautious on these greasy roads, even with coilovers you can slide about! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penry Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Yeah i'm not intending to rag it about anyway, it's a nice car and i want to keep it that way. If i prang it my father may chop my legs off.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The subtle modder Posted February 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Handling wise, similar to the arosa but as its heavier at the front it does grip loads better. well 4mm thicker ARB, wider track and lower profile tyres than you had on the arosa? should be loads better in all aspects really Interior I still think there's something about it but it feels more refined too. Perhaps its because i had grey carpet in the arosa and in the GTi the black carpet makes such a difference.Black headliner carpet, dash plastics (were yours grey?) , leather wheel? more upmarket dials etc all contributes to make it feel a bit more special even with the identical seatsperformance. It's just so torquey, pulls from 3rd gear doing about 25 ish up to 70 no probs. The 6spd box is awesome, the throw feels a lot shorter than the arosa though which meant at first i kept on thinking it wasnt going in properly.sounds good in this aspect Overall id pay the extra insurance any day, its a totally different experience from the arosa to drive, but i think you'd struggle to match it smiles per mile. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />im still wondering whether its worth 8 insurance groups more than mine style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> or indeed 6 more than a sport?, myself im loking at £800 more than mine a year is it worth it in this case?keep it in the power band it's a quick car to drivethats the only thing that would put me off if it was like the mini cooper S in the fact that instead of dropping from 5th to 4th to get it going you needed to go to 3rd so it was screaming and then it would shift? style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":o" border="0" alt="ohmy.gif" /> im yet to find one of these in a dealers to test drive style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":angry2:" border="0" alt="angry.gif" /> style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> be a bit cautious on these greasy roads, even with coilovers you can slide about!i find my arosa has more tendancy to slide with the coilovers than without sometimes it can be really on edge style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
db Posted February 3, 2007 Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 Hmm i think what your finding is that your used to an 8v engine, as i was when i came from my polo. 16v engines behave completely differently form the point of view that they work best when they are being revved, because of this the peak torque comes in a lot lot later. In my polo it would pull from 1.5k and thud you in the back, but it was pointless going over 4.5krpm as nothing happened. The move was made from 8v to 16v because they could make them more efficient and more powerful with the same if not a smaller engine size. Unless you move to a car with forced induction your not going to repeat the same sort of engine characteristic that your used to as most 16v engines aren't very torquey, you just have to look at the french engines for an example. VW however are quite focused on producing torquey engines, my polo had a figure of 108lbs/ft of torque, but because it was available from a low rev range it felt pretty quick, now my GTi has a figure of 112lbs/ft but you don't get the same feeling at the same revs, you will get it but you have to be at about 3krpm. Now don't get me wrong, i'm not saying a GTi has nothing low down, as it will quite happily drive round in 5th at 30 and pull away without any fuss, it's quite happy to pootle round in higher gears, but what i am saying is that if you want the best from it and you want to be able to use it's potential you need to be willing to rev it to 6k. I found that i had to completely change my driving style coming from my polo and it took me months to adapt, but once you do it's style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The subtle modder Posted February 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2007 New test drive i did two weeks ago and forgot to post about style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> the salesman was a complete priCk despite the fact i was genuinely interested and had already gave him all details and had a price done on my car and wanted me to put a £100 deposit down before id even test drove it style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> after much talking i was 20 minutes later in the car style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":coffee:" border="0" alt="coffee.gif" /> 2004 MG ZR 1.4 16vStarted off good pulled nicely from the fourcourt and soon notcied overall drive aint that bad, can certainly see why people have these but within 2 minutes despite getting myself comfortable at the garage i was now uncomfortable seat sits way too high and wouldnt go lower had to sit closer to wheel than would have liked to fully disengage clutch so on this aspect it was already disapointing meapproaching a roundabout ahead at 40 and pressing the brakes and another impressive part the pedal had good feel alot more than the vags or new fiats for example they worked well and gave confidence, round the roundabout and you notice just how nice the steeing feels like the panda and sportka it has great response and like the sportka you can feel what its doing on acelerating out it also impressed gears are long and even from cold it loved to rev and was straight upto speed limit at the next set of lights i learnt again keep it in gear and will keep on pulling yet unlike other valvers in fourth at 30 it still had some pull none like mine but still impressive it would potter about in high gears if you made it but then just cog it down and it goes with out hesitanceconclusion? good car, nice handling not the best but good in its class and price range, good steering response and turn in, quick for what they are but the interior is one of its big let downs although it looks and feels good (half leather seats and wheel/gearknob aint bad) its an uncomfortable driving position the dash is severly dated and the same indicator/wiper stalks i had in my old metro style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> serves to remind you your in an old design car the dash and doors like the sportka feel cheap, the engine bay spray job was poor and there was many parts where i can could see the factory acid primer style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> they look very good IMO the mk1 especially, they go very well for what they are and certainly have more power feel should i say? than the saxo vtr for example, spec aint brilliant but is inline with others in class so cant criticise it for that overall its not the car for me but for others looking for a baragin hot hatch (iv seen 02 plates for £3000 easy) theyre good for the money and reasonable spec and will look pretty sweet left standard and will keep most drivers happy i would think - the salesman was a right idiot and as soon as i said i wouldnt be having the car (why string him along?) he got nasty "why do you know not want it " to which i replied " the dash feels cheap as do the stalks in that respect its no where near as nice as my seat and doesnt feel any where near as good quality " and this is where he totally finnished the deal "its not a seat its an MG (whos clever eh?) personally parked side by side your arosa next to the mg id have the mg anyday over that car" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> at which point i walked out next car please style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penry Posted February 4, 2007 Report Share Posted February 4, 2007 Wayne i think the feel of the lupo is defo the black carpets and headlining as well as the black sun visors. Sounds silly but it does make a big difference, it feels so much more luxurious. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":confused:" border="0" alt="confused.gif" /> And having just got back in from driving it again, its not so much the speed that makes it - more the way its delivered. I would go out now and drive the arosa again as a back to back test but my insurance was cancelled yesterday...As for the salesman, i think he needs to go back to salesman school. He's not going to be meeting his targets this month with world class patter like that is he style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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