Potential new Lupo owner

[Moose]

Afternoon all,

After 4 months without a VW, I'm getting withdrawal symptoms! I used to have a Polo 16v (the 100bhp one) which was totally standard apart from a Longlife cat back stainless exhaust and a K&N panel filter:

I ran it for 50,000 miles with nothing going wrong and loved it to bits. However, last October, I spun it into a lamp post exiting a motorway junction I do every day and it was subsequently written off I've since been cruising around in a Saab 900 which is VERY boring and I miss having a small car to chuck about.

Which brings me to looking at Lupos, and more specifically the Sport model. A few questions if I may:

- I assume these have the same 100bhp 1.4 16v and gearbox as my Polo had; the gear ratios were perfect in the Polo (about 500rpm between ratios)?

- if not the same, what's the gearing like at 80mph as my daily commute requires about 10 miles of motorway (the Polo was doing about 4000rpm)?

- what size is the fuel tank (is it possible to do 300 miles to a tank when driving properly or would you have to drive like a nun to get this)?

- what's oil consumption like (the Polo was excellent and never used a drop, despite me ragging it daily)?

- what size are the tyres on the standard VW alloys (the Polo has slightly odd 185/55/R14's which I could never get Goodyear F1s for, which was annoying)?

The other car I'm considering is a Puma 1.7 as a mate has one, which was pretty similar in terms of performace to my Polo. However, it's a Ford which just never seems as solid as a VW. They are however quite nice to drive but I worry about the reliability.

Anyway, sorry for the long first post but any comments/answers much appreciated

Edited March 9, 2008 by Moose

[Little Green Giant]

welcome, i shall not try and tell you the answers as i will probably get them wrong.

but welcome all the same.

[LJ51NXX]

Afternoon all,

After 4 months without a VW, I'm getting withdrawal symptoms! I used to have a Polo 16v (the 100bhp one) which was totally standard apart from a Longlife cat back stainless exhaust and a K&N panel filter:

I ran it for 50,000 miles with nothing going wrong and loved it to bits. However, last October, I spun it into a lamp post exiting a motorway junction I do every day and it was subsequently written off I've since been cruising around in a Saab 900 which is VERY boring and I miss having a small car to chuck about.

Which brings me to looking at Lupos, and more specifically the Sport model. A few questions if I may:

- I assume these have the same 100bhp 1.4 16v and gearbox as my Polo had; the gear ratios were perfect in the Polo (about 500rpm between ratios)?

- if not the same, what's the gearing like at 80mph as my daily commute requires about 10 miles of motorway (the Polo was doing about 4000rpm)?

- what size is the fuel tank (is it possible to do 300 miles to a tank when driving properly or would you have to drive like a nun to get this)?

- what's oil consumption like (the Polo was excellent and never used a drop, despite me ragging it daily)?

- what size are the tyres on the standard VW alloys (the Polo has slightly odd 185/55/R14's which I could never get Goodyear F1s for, which was annoying)?

The other car I'm considering is a Puma 1.7 as a mate has one, which was pretty similar in terms of performace to my Polo. However, it's a Ford which just never seems as solid as a VW. They are however quite nice to drive but I worry about the reliability.

Anyway, sorry for the long first post but any comments/answers much appreciated

The Sport has the 6n engne+gearbox, and yes the ratios are close (around the 500 as you stated)

At 80 mph, yer gonna be doing around 4000rpm

Fuel tank is 34 litres. I get about 240-250 miles per tank (using V-Power) and I dont exactly drive like a nun, which you would have to do to get 300miles!!!!

They can get through a little oil, just check it on a regular basis!

Not sure about VW, but mine are 195/55/R14

[cardaft]

Afternoon all,

After 4 months without a VW, I'm getting withdrawal symptoms! I used to have a Polo 16v (the 100bhp one) which was totally standard apart from a Longlife cat back stainless exhaust and a K&N panel filter:

I ran it for 50,000 miles with nothing going wrong and loved it to bits. However, last October, I spun it into a lamp post exiting a motorway junction I do every day and it was subsequently written off I've since been cruising around in a Saab 900 which is VERY boring and I miss having a small car to chuck about.

Which brings me to looking at Lupos, and more specifically the Sport model. A few questions if I may:

- I assume these have the same 100bhp 1.4 16v and gearbox as my Polo had; the gear ratios were perfect in the Polo (about 500rpm between ratios)?

- if not the same, what's the gearing like at 80mph as my daily commute requires about 10 miles of motorway (the Polo was doing about 4000rpm)?

- what size is the fuel tank (is it possible to do 300 miles to a tank when driving properly or would you have to drive like a nun to get this)?

- what's oil consumption like (the Polo was excellent and never used a drop, despite me ragging it daily)?

- what size are the tyres on the standard VW alloys (the Polo has slightly odd 185/55/R14's which I could never get Goodyear F1s for, which was annoying)?

The other car I'm considering is a Puma 1.7 as a mate has one, which was pretty similar in terms of performace to my Polo. However, it's a Ford which just never seems as solid as a VW. They are however quite nice to drive but I worry about the reliability.

Anyway, sorry for the long first post but any comments/answers much appreciated

Welcome to the club, nice polo you had there. I like that shape with the fully plastic bumpers, looks much better

THe engine and gearbox sound the same as LJ51NXX said, so it should be very similar to run as your polo was.

The tyres are the same size as your polo too - 185/55/14 - no you carnt get the F1's but you can still get some good makes for them, let me know if you want more info on those, ive had loads of tyres on my 185/55/14 wheels now

I really like the pumas, they are supposed to be great handling cars too.

The Lupo Sport sounds just right for what you want though, drive one and see what you think.

Not sure about VW, but mine are 195/55/R14

Yours will aso be the 185/55/14 size

[Niche]

Yup, exactly the same specs all around.

Only the sport has its extra things like that centered exhaust.

For 185/55/R15 I would recommend a set of Federal SS-535, they are the top spec they do.

I used to have the long-life ones on my Polo and my god they just gripped to the ends of the earth.

I can't imagine what their top end ones are like judging by the tread pattern.

Federal are a division of Bridgestone so you can only expect the best from them as well

And at £40 each or maybe cheaper from a local garage there a bargain.

-Nick-

Edited March 10, 2008 by Niche

[LupoEnvy]

Just to confirm what others have said - I do a decent commute to work, about 60 miles a day, in my 1.4E (75hp), and at 70mph its about 3500rpm, so about 4000 at 80mph at most.

If you drive 'very efficiently', you'll just about scrape 300 miles from a tank (this is using just normal 95 petrol for me) - though I've never risked leaving it until the fumes!

I've never had any major problems with oil consumption on my long commutes - just a few dribbles once in a while to keep it topped up.

In terms of engine reliability, if you're doing long commutes, the only major thing you need to keep an eye on with the Loops is the cambelt - these should be changed every 40,000miles or 4 years (whatever is sooner), according to what people say in the forums.

Hope this helps

[cardaft]

I got a pair of Toyo CF1s a few weeks ago now, they are great tyres, and i got mine for £42 each. Quite cheap really.

If your wanting to splash out then conti premiums are great, i got two for £125, worth the money though, mine are about dead now, the edges of the tyres seem to wear very quickly!

The thing i dont like about the federals mainly is they look really chunky with a huge rim protection. The toyos are much nicer looking tyre imo since they arnt chunky. ALthough ive not used feds so im not sure how they are for grip etc. I think they are quite a noisey tyre though.

Just to confirm what others have said - I do a decent commute to work, about 60 miles a day, in my 1.4E (75hp), and at 70mph its about 3500rpm, so about 4000 at 80mph at most.

Your 1.4 75 has a different gearbox to the sport. The sport has a very similar gearbox to the one used in the 1.0, it might even be the same box! since the ratios are very similar.

But as you had that engine and box in your polo you will know its gearing. About 75mph is about 4000rpm.

[Niche]

The FD1 Feds seemed pretty silent to me dude.

[Moose]

Thanks for your comments all. Sounds like I need to find a local Lupo Sport and try one out! My only reservation is the fuel tank, as filling up more than once a week will be a bit of a pain. Guess I could always carry a 5lt petrol can and use it to top it up during the week

[Little Green Giant]

Guess I could always carry a 5lt petrol can and use it to top it up during the week

that was the plan with mine, untill it flew off on the M40! wasnt secured properly, luckily it was late and no traffic and the can was empty!!! Edited March 11, 2008 by Little Green Giant

[Moose]

that was the plan with mine, untill it flew off on the M40! wasnt secured properly, luckily it was late and no traffic and the can was empty!!!

Just a follow up question, how does the TDi Sport compare? I'm assuming it'll do more than 300 miles to a tank? I've never had a diesel car but if they're as fun to drive it could be a consideration I gather these can be "chipped" for more power and notice Revo are claiming 109bhp:

http://www.revotechnik.com/products/softwa...t.aspx?pvID=777

does that make them as quick as the Sport or does the extra weight of the engine combined with different gearing mean it's still slower?

cheers

[cardaft]

I would really recommend the TDI. On a steady run you should see 400 miles from a tank without too much trouble.

(BTW, did you know there is a bit of a secret button (expansion button) that allows you to fill up the expeansion space in the fuel tank, people have claimed to get as much as £10 worth of fuel in there, so thats about 9 litres extra fuel. Although it is an expeansion space so i wouldnt recommend filling it to the brim but it does help on long journeys)

Average MPG is about 55-57mpg, although you can get up to 70MPG on a good motorway run sticking to 70mph.

They arent like typical diesels, they sound nice being a 3 pot and have a lot of go in them. They are really refined, sitting at 70-80-plus you can NOT tell its a diesel, its very very silent. Unlike the sport with its engine buzzing away at 4000rpm the TDi only does 2500rpm at 72mph.

If you do all the mods you can get up to 116BHP as a few people are running around that with TDis.

Now a few on here say a remapped TDI did get slaughted at a drag strip by a standard sport. ALthough id really have to see that to believe it! I would never imagine and would put money on the fact that the TDI will beat it no problem.

THe TDi already has masses more torque than the sport as standard so remapped its going to be very quick indeed. And since its only a 3 pot engine it is still light.

Since your now considering a TDi then i would go with that, you get miles more MPG, better tuning possibilities, cheaper tax (£35 a year, wonder if it will change after the budget!) cheaper insurance. Not to mention a sport sufferes from the two big lupo weaknesses - gearbox and pedal box problems - the TDI doesnt suffer these!