1.8 or 2.0 petrol?

[ste25]

im after a gti but unsure which engine to go for. Could you guys supply me with your opinions so i know what im up against.

cheers

ste

[Gene Hunt.]

Got to be the 1.8 turbo.No offence to all the 2.0  gti owners but i really dont think it should wear the gti badge not with those sort of power it puts out.

[bosun]

I couldn`t agree more,but consider a diesel.If you haven`t drove one,try one.(130 or150 bhp)

[richy]

Hi - I posted a reply under your original "New guy" topic: Here's a link

http://www.golfgtiforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=19082.0

[Sugar79]

mines quite quick, i have driven quite a few other 2.0's and mine felt much quicker (prob because its throwing the whole contents of my petrol tank in the engine)  but its ok if you cant afford to insure a turbo

[Jimbo Mc]

Hi, Im new to the forum!! Ive recently got a 1.8T which is great! but I had a MK4 2.0 before this and would like to clear up a few things about it. I know the 2.0 GTIs get slagged off but I thought mine was great.

The 2.0 made a much better noise than my T, it still felt quick if you drove it right and even backing it off my driveway it would make a nice growl. Still beat plenty of other cars in it as well!! Whatcar mag got 9.0 to 60mph and 30-70 in 9.5 which is still pretty fast. My 1.8T is much faster and handles better but Id recommend a 2.0 to anyone as it sounded good and was still a Golf GTI!

Good look with the decision

[richy]

I wasn't slagging off the 2.0... in fact I made a point of saying that I thought it was a good car in my post. 

When I bought my Mk4, I couldn't stretch to the price of a 1.8T, for the low mileage that I was looking for.  I test drove a couple of 2.0's and a couple of 1.8 (non-turbos), as well as one 1.8T  I agree with Jimbo that the 2.0 is pretty drivable and made quite a nice noise - but being 8v, for me it lacked that certain something that the 20v 1.8 lump gives you.... like when you go past about 4000 revs and the rev needle just keeps on going, all the while giving you a firm push in the back. 

I don't pretend that the difference in performance is massive, but it's there. 

When working for Bosch, (who supply lots of VAG parts -esp. for the Diesels), and talking to some guys from VW, they said that the reason they discontinued the 1.8 non turbo, and replaced it with the 2.0 was partially to make the distinction between the turbo and non-turbo more pronounced (not just in performance, but in the way they drive).  The 10bhp difference between the 2.0 and the 1.8 non turbo is not much, but they feel like quite different machines because of the way they drive.

[BOGGLE]

Chipped 1.8t all the way