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Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: Logie on 05 August 2005, 16:19

Title: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Logie on 05 August 2005, 16:19
Hope this doesnt seem like a daft childish question but what is the difference between:

Golf GTI 8v
Golf Driver 8v

First, im not sure they did a 1.8 Driver? Thought only a 1.6?

Was told a Golf GTI 8ver was just a dressed up Golf Driver and only the 16v is a true GTI car

  Whats the difference between the two? Personally its a dam f**king true GTI!
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 05 August 2005, 16:26
The Driver came with a 1.6 or 1.8 carbed lump and has (early small bumper) GTI side & arch trims, but not the big splitter.  The CL is exactly the same as a 1.6 Driver but without the arches, and the GL is exactly the same as a 1.8 Driver but without the arch trims.  The GL was only ever offered with 5 doors, and is more likely to have PAS c/locking & e/windows etc as they were more 'luxury', but not always though.  The GL usually has chrome window strips too!  Later GL models had the big bumper kits fitted, but with a smaller front splitter and again no arches.  I have seen late Drivers with the big bumpers, but am pretty sure they didn't get them as standard.

The 8v GTI is a 1.8 Fuel injected engine with more power than the carbed models, and the 16v GTI came out a bit later and is a 1.8 lump with 16 valves (funily enough!) and even more power!

Specs:
1.6 Carb 75BHP
1.8 Carb 90BHP
1.8 GTI 112BHP
1.8 16v 139 BHP
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Logie on 05 August 2005, 16:28
Good, mechanicly theres a hell'of a diff then. Thanks :)
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 05 August 2005, 16:32
Oh and I forgot, all GTI models had rear discs and ARBs at the front & back.  All 1.8 Carbed models also came with a front ARB, but no rear one.

Brakes:
1.6 carb, 1.8 carb and 1.8 GTIs all came with 239mm front discs, with the GTI having vented front discs and the carbed models having solid discs.  The GTI discs are a straight swap with the carbed models, but you also need to fit the pads at the same time as they are different thicknesses.

Last of all, early 16vs got 239 discs too, but later models were upgraded to 256mm discs.  Also, later 8vs and all 16vs had a larger master cylinder :)

Think that about covers it  :grin:

Oh and one more thing, the Drivers all got the quad light grill, but without the red trim, whilst the GTIs got the quad grill with the red stripe.  Some of the low end models got the dual lamp grill with chrome trim, which is the new 'in' thing at the moment :grin:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Deefadog on 05 August 2005, 19:47
I was just about to type that ^  :grin:

Book of knowledge! *claps hands*
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 05 August 2005, 20:54
;)
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: monzablue16v on 05 August 2005, 21:42
Not all gti's come with power steering either as I well know and yup 239mm brakes as well good knowledge rubjohnny :)
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: [han] on 05 August 2005, 23:57
i love my driver... i had similar questions when i got my driver on road about 2 month ago! hopefully when i can get insured on  a gti i'll be moving on.....
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 06 August 2005, 13:42
Yup VW are tight when it comes to luxuries, no PAS for GTIs, no Rev counter for lower models, on my girlfirends 91 1.3 Polo they were too cheap to even include speaker wires to the back of the car!  Gotta run my own  :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: whiteee on 06 August 2005, 19:15
Straying slighty from topipc but All corrados have PAS but not all hav sunroofs or leccy windows... Option forms must ba night mare at VAG dealers... combinations are infinite (almost)
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: sellers on 06 August 2005, 23:15
iv added a piper cam and a weber carb to my 1.6 driver and it eats my mates 1.8 driver i aint tried it against an 8v gti yet but i hope im somewhere close :grin:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Hatchet Harry on 06 August 2005, 23:24
the 1.6 only has about 75hp doesnt it?? so with the cam and carb u should see 85-90hp so not quite gti territory yet bud! but get the gti downpipe from scrappy and good cold air feed to the carb and get the cam dialed in with a vernier and it should kick some then.... take out the interior aswell , its all about power to weight ratio.
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 07 August 2005, 00:29
Specs:
1.6 Carb 75BHP
1.8 Carb 90BHP
1.8 GTI 112BHP
1.8 16v 139 BHP

;)
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Rain on 07 August 2005, 07:57
also depends on the driver :P slammed gave me a good run for my money in my 8v and he was in a 1.6 unmodified far as i know id need a good straight to out accelerate him in milton keynes all them roundabouts :S
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: golfpro on 07 August 2005, 08:25
good knowledge everyone!

Just what i was about to say, but u beat me to it, all of u!  :huh:

LOL
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: mjamoose on 07 August 2005, 12:07
My Driver 1.6 has PAS C/locking and that's about it!
Came with the crappy radio cassete unit which was immediately replaced with a 12 disc changer!
Still nippy enough but really do want a GTI- just can't insure it, too expensive.
It's bad enough on the driver  :shocked:!
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: dubslug on 07 August 2005, 12:46
my old driver could keep with my 8v gti untill abt 55ish, but is has a gti cam exhaust system 1.8 head and webber carb, k&n filter etc, was told by specalist he thought it would be pushing 105 to 110 bhp in hiss estimate
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: sellers on 07 August 2005, 14:44
a good idea for all you driver owers. i did it and its mint

if your gonna get a performance cam for your driver don't!

get a performance cam for an 8v and stick it in your driver!

same price but the 8v one keeps going to 7k :grin:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 07 August 2005, 15:03
Another bit of trivia for you, the 1.8 bottom end on a carbed motor is exactly the same as the GTI.  And the 1.6 carb bottom end is also the same, but with different pistons & crank to reduce the cc from 1.8 to 1.6.  It even has 1.8 cast on the block :)

Oh and the 1.6 and 1.8 carbed heads are the same too.  As pointed out by several members the 8v GTI cam will fit into the carbed heads for a nice power increase.

The 1.6 & 1.8 carbed exhaust manifolds are also the same, but the 1.8 downpipe is the same bore size as the GTI at the end, so a GTI exhaust system from the front silencer back will fit straight on.  For a 1.6, you fit the 1.8 carbed downpipe & GTI system.

The other option is to fit a full GTI system from the manifold back, which also bolts straight on :grin:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: [han] on 07 August 2005, 22:40
i driver don't have PAS... gutted....
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Rhyso on 08 August 2005, 08:51
Neither does mine but I got the red trim around the grill!!  :wink:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: 92 rocks on 08 August 2005, 19:13
I run an 8v Concourse and a 16v daily driver and out of them all i like the 14th valve on the 16v best  :laugh:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Organisys on 08 August 2005, 20:40
GTI also has lower ride height than the carb models !

 :smiley:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 09 August 2005, 08:41
and the 16v is even lower than the 8v GTI ;)
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: SimonJ on 09 August 2005, 10:14
A weber carb made a massive difference to my old 1.6 driver, it may vary from car to car, but before mine felt very sluggish and the weber helped a lot. U have to put up with a manual choke though.  :wink:
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Logie on 09 August 2005, 11:01
So the real main difference is that the GTI is injection?
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: Gang* on 09 August 2005, 13:27
the driver doesnt seem too far off the gti
Title: Re: Driver vs GTI (8v)
Post by: rubjonny on 09 August 2005, 13:53
Engine wise the difference between the 8v carb & injection models is thus:

1. 1.6 Carby blocks have different crank & pistons to reduce 1.8 block cc to 1.6 (block itself is identical between carby & injection models)
2. Carby head has smaller valves and a coolant hole round the back for the inlet manifold coolant channel, and no injector holes. (1.6 & 1.8 carby heads are the same)
3. 1.8 GTI has more agressive cam
4. GTI engine has oil cooler mounted to oil filter housing

Pretty much it :)