Used GTI second thoughts.

[valvebounce]

"on the road you won't see much benefit..."

That's correct as tyre grip is the limiting factor in braking distance in the vast majority of on road situations, hence why ABS activates. A professional driver might achieve a shorter stopping distance in dry conditions with the PP brakes but I doubt it makes any difference for us mere mortals. Would help on a track day though as would delay onset of brake fade.

[caprigreen]

I still have my MK2 GTI , which is more fun to drive, I love it. Although a lot lighter it really makes you realise how far brakes have come. I love the reaasure of braking on my PP . Very true tyres make a difference although not personally had any problems with the Bridgstones but then again that I am getting old

[Exonian]

In normal everyday driving there is pretty much no difference in the way they feel and if thats all you want it for then you'd probably save your pennies, like you when i ordered mine i HAD to have the PP knowing i would probably never get the most from it, just because it was "better".

Truth be told, if I was ordering new again now I'd spec PP still otherwise I'd get a GTD (or R?)

I still have my MK2 GTI , which is more fun to drive, I love it. Although a lot lighter it really makes you realise how far brakes have come. I love the reaasure of braking on my PP . Very true tyres make a difference although not personally had any problems with the Bridgstones but then again that I am getting old

My daily driver is still an elderly GTI that I've owned for years and years which rattles and shakes and has half the power of my mk7 and no ABS brakes (280mm discs though) and I'd agree - it's nowhere near as good a car as the mk7 but is far more fun to drive.

[caprigreen]

In normal everyday driving there is pretty much no difference in the way they feel and if thats all you want it for then you'd probably save your pennies, like you when i ordered mine i HAD to have the PP knowing i would probably never get the most from it, just because it was "better".

Truth be told, if I was ordering new again now I'd spec PP still otherwise I'd get a GTD (or R?)

I still have my MK2 GTI , which is more fun to drive, I love it. Although a lot lighter it really makes you realise how far brakes have come. I love the reaasure of braking on my PP . Very true tyres make a difference although not personally had any problems with the Bridgstones but then again that I am getting old

My daily driver is still an elderly GTI that I've owned for years and years which rattles and shakes and has half the power of my mk7 and no ABS brakes (280mm discs though) and I'd agree - it's nowhere near as good a car as the mk7 but is far more fun to drive.

My Mk2 is a bit of a museum piece as only 30k miles from new so dont drive it much. When I do it all comes back of how much fun they are to drive. Get back in the MK7 touch the brakes and your would be through the windscreen of you did not have a seatbelt on. That is the same for most cars. Get in a MK1 than that is scary

[matchboy]

The diff is not going to make the car any better in the snow. In fact it is likely to be more tricky - prone to terminal understeer under power (grip will return if you get off the throttle)...

Whilst the brakes on the PP are bigger, they aren't much of an upgrade and on the road you won't see much benefit...

However, if I were buying and I could get a PP for similar money, that's what I would have...

The PP will make no difference in the snow whatsoever, and indeed may make it worse - agreed.

I disagree with the difference in the brakes however; when I had my GTI PP I tested it on the same braking points on the same roads with a GTD (driving one after the other), and there was a massive difference in the brakes, the GTI PP brakes were far more responsive and better.

I'm assuming the brakes on a GTD are the same as with a normal GTI - if they're not, then I'm talking mince 

[carl1]

I have to agree about the brakes, having the PP was mainly about the brakes for me and the diff is a bonus. I had a ED30 and ED35 and i found the brakes were poor at high speed etc and i'm sure they are the same as the 220 ps GTI where as the PP brakes are the same as the R brakes i think.

[GrahamFR]

I have to agree about the brakes, having the PP was mainly about the brakes for me and the diff is a bonus. I had a ED30 and ED35 and i found the brakes were poor at high speed etc and i'm sure they are the same as the 220 ps GTI where as the PP brakes are the same as the R brakes i think.

Never knew that! So the ED35 didn't have S3 brakes, but the cheaper Cupra did??

[carl1]

No the Ed35 never had S3 brakes just standard Gti, I'm 99% sure on that.

[GrahamFR]

No the Ed35 never had S3 brakes just standard Gti, I'm 99% sure on that.

After a bit of googling I think youre right, what tight vw so and so's!

[Exonian]

Yes, the ED30 & 35's had normal 312mm brakes as per the standard GTI.
I guess the accountants and product planners didn't factor in people remapping them straight to nigh on 300bhp when they were at the design stage.
SEAT were obviously a lot more dialled in when they released the mk2 Leon Cupra. Either that or they knew their customers were generally hooligans!