I seem to be finding that I am forever changing gear in my GTi. Now I read an article in CSMA magazine where a guy who has a 6 speed box and his wife has a 5 speed box that he is forever having to change gear in his car when slowing a small amount and then re-accelerating. Whereas in his wife 5 speed box, you don't have to keep changing as there seems to be a better gear ratio and engine/torque match. He also went on to say that one of the reasons for manufactures using a 6 speed gear box was to save fuel when cursing at motorway speeds.
Anyway, I just think that manufactures are giving new cars not enough low down/midrange torque when in the higher gears. My last car had max torque (295ft lb) at 1950rpm and a 6 spd G/box and in any gear it would pull with the lightest of throttle prods. Now, I suppose you could buy a 'Denziel' fuel of Satan car, but I find these just as bad, if not worse. I have driven a few diesel cars, (not performance diesel models I might add) and find them almost worse for low down torque in a higher gear. I find that you have to drop down at least 2 cogs to keep going and not labouring the engine or 'stuttering', whereas in a petrol you don't really need to. Like 25-30mph in a diesel you would need to be in either 2nd or 3rd whereas in a petrol car at the same speed you could be quite happy in 4th or even 5th.
And another thing, when I want to accelerate in my GTi, and give it a boot full it seems to be hesitant like the old TVR's - "are you sure?'...'Yes'..."okay then"...and the the power comes in. I am sure VW designed it like that as a safety measure. Perhaps I should try a disable the ESP and see if I get the same result.
Sorry for this rant, just wanted to get it off my chest.
