Do I.... don't I? uprating standard gti chassis - does it morally corrupt a GTI?

[Skid]

Ok, I'm not a kid, I own a mumber of cars, a bike and have spent many years in the motortrade so have done the 'new car' thing repeatedly and driven some amazing cars. So I don't need anymore to fulfill anything when I drive other than my own pleasure.

Then one day I bought a runout model 92 8v Gti 5 door in Schwarz with BBS RA's as a daily hack.... for 6 months as a run about car......... 9 years later it's still going strong, cleans up nicely when it does actually get a wash, and just keeps going and going hard. It's now 190k on the original clutch and head gasket!!!

The thing is, once warmed up the mechanicals are still on the ball and give me mucho pleasure to drive becasue I can go flat out everywhere. Trouble is the chassis is getting sloppy and I'm now in a dilema.

Do I got poly bushing, and 25mm lowered/uprated suspension. Financially this is I guess £1k, which is probably what the car is worth.   

Is this sacrelige??? I don't want any look other than standard as still love suprising the unsuspecting badge snobs who believe the motor trade marketing that newer is better. I *want* to be original and let the golf perform on it's own merits, and just add some driving effort on my behalf.

I don't need to look bling or lowered or pimping. I'm 40 years old and got an AC cobra for thingy play if I really have to..

So what do I do? What's the honest opinion. If I upgrade the chassis have I crossed to the darkside?

I am honestly flumoxed and change my mind constantly between going for the mods, leaving alone and suffer the roll and vagueness, or just replacing all with 100% original which is still a fair cost,.

genuine thoughts appreciated.

[Skid]

Oh and I'm right royally f**ked off with GSF exhaust parts which never line up properly and keep blowing.
I've got a second hand milteck stainless system in my garage somewhere witha modest twin pipe but is definately a bigger bore and has the first box deleted.

right or wrong to fix this to a stock car?

[raferackstraw]

wow from your post i would suggest just renewing with standard parts you wil find all the 'slack' is taken out and the car will firm up and drive better, however a good set of shocks and springs will enhance handling even further, but which ever way you go renew the bushes is a must, poly bushes may lead to harsher ride, whereas standard bushes and a good quality spring/shock combo will maybe transform  the handling from what you have known?  

there's a good few threads from the track guys on here about improving handling, maybe worth trawling thru them, but one thing i learned thru riding a bike was that you need good suspension travel with progressive springs to allow you to soak up the bumps

[Skid]

Thanks for the quick feedback.

Yep I fully understand the technicalities and improvements of the components..............it's just the moral thing I'm struggling with. Do I, don't I?

Really genuine original cars are very rare now, do I stick with standard components, or go to the darkside? Looks are not the issue, handling is an issue but I would be happy with standard new parts, but while I'm at it do I go the whole hog and go a bit hard core.

Will I have sold my standard Gti 's soul to the tuning Devil?? 

[Diamond Hell]

Will I have sold my standard Gti 's soul to the tuning Devil?

Your standard GTI wants you to sell its soul to the tuning devil.

You've just been frustrating it for the last 7-8 years.

Get a 2.0 bottom end in there, put a proper cam in it, get the suspension re-bushed.  At 190k you're going to need the stem seals done soon anyway, so send the head to JNL racing and get JP to breathe on it - you won't regret it.  Personally I'd go for OEM bushes, with the odd tweak like TT bushes on the front arms (and I'd seam weld them while they're out - makes a big difference).  OEM bushes also don't sqeak like trapped mice, which I've experienced poly bushes doing.

As for suspension, get some really good struts and -40mm springs in there.  Bilstein B8 might seem a lot of money but OEM VAG probably weren't cheap units when new and you sound like the sort of guy who's looking for quality rather than looks.

I'd also search out a set of 6kg wheels to replace your RAs.  Losing 2-3kg per corner on the unsprung will add a lot to your pleasure.

[VeeDubGTI16v]

if you aren't sure just stick to bolt on parts and keep the original bits tucked away somewhere

[Skid]

Will I have sold my standard Gti 's soul to the tuning Devil?

Your standard GTI wants you to sell its soul to the tuning devil.

groan........I sort of knew if I came on here that's what I'd hear, perhaps subconciously that's what I wanted to hear? 

No one on here to defend the 'standard' VAG approach as god intended??

Modified to add: good point Veedubgti16v - good point.

[dubber36]

I'll defend the standard VAG aproach.

I have been there and done that with modified cars, and all of them have been compromised in one way or another.

VW did an excellent job when engineering the dynamics of the Mk2 GTI, and whilst things have moved on in the last 20 years, in my opinion, a standard car still does what it was designed to do really well. My standard 1990 16V may not be the sharpest of the hot hatches by modern standards, but it always puts a smile on my face, and to me that is the whole point.

If you want a car to perform like a newer one, then maybe you should buy one.

[maxp]

Watch these, theyre only a few mins each.

They go 'non-oem' but respectfully if you know what i mean.

part 1:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFCcUSbdtzI

part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtpsKV-8C_k

And is imo the perfect approach.

[mac7]

^^^ That should sell it.

There is no corruption in uprating the 8V GTI suspension - after all VW did it for the 16V and G60 powered cars. If done properly there are no compromises, which is speaking from 12 years of daily use of a modified Mk2.

I agree with others in fitting new standard bushes (upgrading the front wishbone rear bush for ones from a TT/R32) and using decent springs from Eibach or H&R with dampers from Bilstein and Koni. You will lower the 8V about 30-40mm and get far superior suspension control without significantly sacrificing ride comfort.