ha ha ha ha ha. i've just started fully reading this thread and i never knew so many of you had handbags
Heres my input anyway. I have a golf Mk3 8v. AND YES IT IS SLOW.
0-60 in the late 9's or early 10's is slow. Very slow. When fiestas, 106's and and clio's (and i'm only talking 1.4's here) can be pretty much as nippy then we're all screwed so no it isnt a quick car. no one of any stature has ever said 'ooh yeah, that MK3 8V - now thats a quick car'. In fact it is slow in respect to cars of today and also cars from 92 when it was launched - hence they slated it. it tops out at 125mph which again isnt that big of a top speed.
If you've never driven any other cars, or migrated from an Escort 1.3 then it might seem nippy, but if you look at, and have driven many other cars then it just is not that quick. And 124IB FT of torque is pretty average as well - frankly the people who keep regurgitating that the 8V is torquey are just responding to the torque of the 16v at 2000 rpm - It is an early 16v engine so it will be pretty weak low down. It doesnt make the 8v a really torquey engine.
The 8V has something like 80 bhp per ton and produces 62.5 bhp per litre - sorry but that is very poor.
I really have to say that if you are 19 or 20 and/or have never driven anything above 100 bhp before then the 8V will seem ok. Get a few more miles and some car experience under your belt and you'll realise that it just isnt a performance car. I frankly think that its more like a GL with a bodykit.
Before you wonder why i bought it - well i had a Peugeot 306 XSI that was great to drive, and would cream MK3 16v's but was really rattly and cost fortunes to fix bits - and thats being 4 years old with 25k miles on it, so the 8V was a far better built car that drank less fuel and held its value better.
Sorry to be a traitor but i jsut do not understand how anyone can call it fast.....
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