5 door stiffer than 3 door ?

[danp]

Something I read on www.honestjohn.co.uk [he does some car stuff for the Telegraph newspaper], struck me as odd the first time I read it, any1 any idea if this is true and if so why ?!

(it's in the car by car breakdown bit, for the mk3 Golf obviously)

To quote:

"
Three-door models flex quite badly (five-door models are better).
"

The solid rear panels would make a 3 door stiffer I'd have thought (i.e. where the 5 door has it's rear doors). Surely "cutting" extra openings in the bodyshell would make it weaker / more wobbly ?

[redcarboy]

Could it not be that in the 5 door version with the  doors being heavier making the car stiffer the stress tollerances are spread over and taken up by the different parts of the car. On the 3 door version with one metal panel from the rear of the front doors  to the back of the car would surely be subjected to more of a load whereas the 5 door would absorb this through the door structure..

Sure i will be told if im talking sh!te or not cos i don't really kno just a thought thats all...

[AudiA8Quattro]

Don't take any notice of honestjohn website.
It is not very good and full of terrible advise.

[AudiA8Quattro]

Just to add HonestJohn is very anti VW, just read through the website and forum, and judge for yourself.
One of the classic comments on the car breakdown, is on the vr6.

 "Problems emerging of stretched timing chains on VR6s and chains actually breaking at around 90,000 miles"

Well not really, chains very very rarely break.
Infact i have a couple of contacts at VW, and they confirmed what i already knew, that such statements are bullsh!t.

[mrwotto]

Glad to see the naugthty word convertor being used again there mr6

[Len]

My tuppeneth - Think coz of the thickness of the B pillar in a 5 door, it makes the structure stiffer.
Also the C post is strengthened to take the door closure.

A thin skin of steel in the back panel has little strength.

[topher]

^ Got it in one.

Generally 5 door variations are more rigid because of the "goalpost" effect of the b-pillar. That's why a 5 door shell was chosen for the G60 Limited.

[danp]

Cheers guys, the above sounds plausible to me !

[AudiA8Quattro]

I wouldn't worry about buying either models, both are very strong.

[carrie]

3 door in theory should be a liitle quicker off the mark as it would be lighter.