Very amusing thread !!!
I have a Mk5 ED30 and a Mk1 16v at the moment, let's just clarify as an out and out performandce car my Mk1 would eat a standard Edition 30 for breakfast, no shadow of a doubt. Mapped ED30 .... well thats something else, at the end of the day its horses for courses. For the last 10 years I have had nothing but MK1's, 2's and Corrado's. They are fantastic - to me - the pinnacle of VW motoring. However, the reason I bought the Edition 30 as I was needing a car that was a little more reliable, not saying that the Mk1's, 2's and Corrado's where not reliable, quite the contrary, but they needed an element of "upkeep" that would sometimes lead to a period of time under the bonnet on a dual carriagway. At the time - this was merely a part of "motoring" and I never batted an eyelid regarding it. Now I work shifts, I couldn;t be doing with that after a night shift at 7am in the morning having been awake for 30hrs plus - thats where the ED30 comes in - no need to worry. -9 outside in freezing cold wales - no problem - air con on - heated seats on hey presto. Mk1, mk2, Corrado - hmmmmm ..... urrrr .... no - but thats a part of the charatacter of the car and the reason I could never be without one. Wan't fun - take the Mk1 - my 300bhp Ed30 is a weapon to put it mildly - wan't to scare your mates - take the mk1 - want to go tearing through German Autobahns at 170 mph take the ED30, driving to the South of France, take out a girl etc. Trust me I;ve travelled extensivly in Mk1's and Mk2's one year taking a well fettled Jetta 16v complete with full roll cage, seats, doorbars etc etc on a tour around france without "major events" occuring ! This is a chicken or the egg type of argument ....
Guys with Mk5's - even remapped 300bhp + ED30's YOUWILL COME ACCROSS SLEEPERS THAT WILL BE FASTER - TRUST ME !!!
A fettled Mk1 or Mk2 has a certain balance and nimbleness (if thats a word) that the mk5 just doesn't have, I love them all - HORSES FOR COURSES.
