Cost of handling?

[shaft69]

Hi and welcome! The mk4 isn't renowned for handling but pretty much anything can be made to handle well with the right modifications and money as you rightly mentioned. Like yourself I set out to improve the handling of my car as I do the occasional track day it is of great importance to me. Below is some of my modification off the top of my head, probably left some out but you get the idea:

I use bilstein b16 pss9 coilovers - £~1400
Compbrake solid top mount bearings - £~200
NEX 4 pot large piston brakes on 330mm two piece floating rotors $~1800
Audi s3 lower front strut brace
Upper frot strut brace
Upper rear strut brace
Neuspeed 25mm front antiroll bar - £~180
Neuspeed 25mm rear antiroll bar - £~180
Powerflex rear dog bone bush
Super pro dog bone bush
Super pro steering rack bush
Super pro castor front wishbone rear bush
Super pro front wishbone front bush
Powerflex rear trailer arm bush
Solid subframe bush
Rota grids wrapped all wrapped in advan ad08 - £~1300
Baffled sump

After this I stripped the car down to further improve handling, it is now down to 1100kg +/- 20kg (mine is a 5 door though) the mk4 is a heavy old girl and while stripping the car might not be appropriate for everyone it was something I could live with everyday, what it really needs from here is a good LSD.

If your only looking to use the mk4 for fast road driving then you would probably be better off leaving the interior alone.

he said better not out and out racer, good parts list tho mate, wish had money to spend just wouldn't be on my mk4.

[rockmonkey69]

My ep3 had middle range Tein super street coilovers on with eagle f1 asymmetrics, the golf in comparison is a full out track car and is better than the ep3 in the bends with the amount done to it. There are some things my golf lacks despite being good handling; it's more numb than the ep3 - you feel a lot less through the steering wheel in the golf and so forth.

I recommend the kw variant 1 inox if budget permits, but otherwise the hicon gt will suffice. I think your making the right choice if you are at all concerned with handling and reliability. I myself have tried JOM, before they were made known to the forum I might add and they are only good for slamming, the shocks were not really working compared to quality kits it felt like they are just along for the ride and done little more and after a year 18 months the shocks were dead.

[DunnDeal12]

the mk4 chassis is rubbish for handling anyway even if you do all of the above but the 1.8t engine is immense for tuning.

completely agree with that

I have to disagree, I have done all of the above - The above list is in actual fact my suspension setup, I don't know what suspension modifications you have to be fit to say so definitively the handling on my mk4 is "rubbish" however having owned an ep3 I am able to make a good comparison with what many consider to be a good benchmark. So while it isn't the greatest handling fwd or particularly good value to modify the mk4 chassis, I will say that it has got potential.

I just think handling and braking is more important, I am aware a large majority are more inclined to slam and make their golf 'scene' and 'sick' over handling, which I find not least ironic that they should see themself fit to give advise on handling.

I would also throw this out there for people to consider:
2jz stock engine capable of 600bhp
K20 (type r engine) stock engine capable of 500bhp
Sr20 (Nissan primera gt) stock engine capable of over 400bhp
1.8t stock capable of 300bhp/ft-lb immense? 

I like VAG but I would not say that the: "1.8t is immense for tuning" in fear that I would come across as naive, there are a number of engines that are truly deserving of being called immense. If I'm honest, the 1.8t engine is no more immense for tuning that it's chassis.

yet you still own a 1.8t. weird

all ricers jap crap, you ask most people who have owned a jap car they always come back to vag

and yes the mk4 chassis is dog awful. no matter how much £££ you chuck at it  

[JimBR]

Disagree. Missed by old civic since I sold it 

[shaft69]

Depends what want to spend at end of day for a grand easy spax rsx coilovers with adj damping with front/rear whiteline arb's with uprated bushes.

[cullygti]

rockmonkey you have spent some money on that car mate is there any part you aint sorted out 

[rockmonkey69]

the mk4 chassis is rubbish for handling anyway even if you do all of the above but the 1.8t engine is immense for tuning.

completely agree with that

I have to disagree, I have done all of the above - The above list is in actual fact my suspension setup, I don't know what suspension modifications you have to be fit to say so definitively the handling on my mk4 is "rubbish" however having owned an ep3 I am able to make a good comparison with what many consider to be a good benchmark. So while it isn't the greatest handling fwd or particularly good value to modify the mk4 chassis, I will say that it has got potential.

I just think handling and braking is more important, I am aware a large majority are more inclined to slam and make their golf 'scene' and 'sick' over handling, which I find not least ironic that they should see themself fit to give advise on handling.

I would also throw this out there for people to consider:
2jz stock engine capable of 600bhp
K20 (type r engine) stock engine capable of 500bhp
Sr20 (Nissan primera gt) stock engine capable of over 400bhp
1.8t stock capable of 300bhp/ft-lb immense? 

I like VAG but I would not say that the: "1.8t is immense for tuning" in fear that I would come across as naive, there are a number of engines that are truly deserving of being called immense. If I'm honest, the 1.8t engine is no more immense for tuning that it's chassis.

yet you still own a 1.8t. weird

all ricers jap crap, you ask most people who have owned a jap car they always come back to vag

and yes the mk4 chassis is dog awful. no matter how much £££ you chuck at it  

I have to disagree, I don't think everyone returns to VAG from jap and I do not think those that do come back to VAG all do it for the same reason.

I returned to VAG - in particular a golf because of its understated looks and as you made quite apparent: very little is thought of them. That is why I have a sleeper, what's more; there are not nearly as many sleepers as there are scene dubs, safe to say not everyone came back to vag or for the same reason.

I don't particularly like those that bash jap anymore than you would like someone to bash veedubs, truth is I like both of them for different reasons and I have mates that drive German and jap cars alike.

Also you have to think, if the mk4 had zero potential what so ever, how would there still be a market for performance handling parts. I am not the first or only mk4 on a track, that much is certain.

[shaft69]

I had vw for since 1997 and moved to alfa for 2yrs now im back. pref my alfa had 147 gta 3.0lt v6 awesome car but stuff goes wrong to often. brilliant car tho loved it.

[rockmonkey69]

Alfa rarely manages to iron out their electrical gremlins, Alfa Romeo brera, fairly modern car, well priced. Every time I opened the door the windows go down to clear the soft top, as soon as you close it, the windows don't close though. You had to unplug the battery to get it to work. Yet I had an e36 328i soft top which as old as it was managed fine every time - barring the mechanism for the folding roof jamming.

I do like italian cars, a few mates of mine have abarth, 500 and grande punto, including the ss so it does catch a bit although if it was me I would look at the coupe 20vt

[dan2252]

unless you have too much money to spend on a car.. buy cheap coils theres not much in it if your just doing normal driving, make sure there well greased, tt lower arm rear bushes, oil pickup pipe and new oil and filter is the first thing you wana do if youve been reading recent topics! lol haha, mk4s dont handle that well. i admit i dont have good tyres. but still my old fiesta with ditchfiner tyres went round bends better.  a mate of mine has a old mini and even though i could beat him in 2nd on a straight ina bend youve no chance what so ever!