Hard riding and noisey GTI 7.5

[sjw]

My R is on Pretoria 19" and in comfort, without passengers I would say its too comfortable, and bounces a little too much, thats how good the DCC is.

This caught my eye. I've often thought that there's not much difference between my settings. I CAN tell the difference, but it's more in the finer vibrations. There's more of them in sport.

In the corners I can feel a difference, sport feels flatter, but as for straight roads with undulations, can't say it's that different. Maybe I ought to try a different car and see how it compares.

GTI PP, Brescia (19s)

[Hertsman]

My R is on Pretoria 19" and in comfort, without passengers I would say its too comfortable, and bounces a little too much, thats how good the DCC is.

This caught my eye. I've often thought that there's not much difference between my settings. I CAN tell the difference, but it's more in the finer vibrations. There's more of them in sport.

In the corners I can feel a difference, sport feels flatter, but as for straight roads with undulations, can't say it's that different. Maybe I ought to try a different car and see how it compares.

GTI PP, Brescia (19s)

With passengers the ride in comfort is quite settled, without it can be a little bouncy for sure, to point my daughter when she is on her own in back complains of travel sickness that when I keep it in normal she does not - Race is firm but completely compliant even on bad roads

Personally I feel the difference is quite tangible but unless its extreme imagine we all have our own very subjective tolerance and so the best advice given by anyone on these subjective areas is to go test for yourself as best anyone can give otherwise is a basic guidance and understanding.

[sjw]

My R is on Pretoria 19" and in comfort, without passengers I would say its too comfortable, and bounces a little too much, thats how good the DCC is.

This caught my eye. I've often thought that there's not much difference between my settings. I CAN tell the difference, but it's more in the finer vibrations. There's more of them in sport.

In the corners I can feel a difference, sport feels flatter, but as for straight roads with undulations, can't say it's that different. Maybe I ought to try a different car and see how it compares.

GTI PP, Brescia (19s)

With passengers the ride in comfort is quite settled, without it can be a little bouncy for sure, to point my daughter when she is on her own in back complains of travel sickness that when I keep it in normal she does not - Race is firm but completely compliant even on bad roads

Personally I feel the difference is quite tangible but unless its extreme imagine we all have our own very subjective tolerance and so the best advice given by anyone on these subjective areas is to go test for yourself as best anyone can give otherwise is a basic guidance and understanding.

Interesting. I can't really tell much difference between Normal and Sport, I must admit. The difference C->N is bigger, but still not a lot.

[mcmaddy]

An R and a GTi ride completely differently. The extra weight of an R from the 4wd system means it feels a bit more settled than a GTi but a GTi is slightly more nimble and being lighter you'll feel more of the road surfaces.

[Grahamt]

Don't think in the first post you said whether you were on 18s or optional 19s but guessing as you said you'd now ditched the Bridgestones then you'll have the 18's.

Mine is the same setup. The only time I think this is hard is around the city centre where some of our roads are absolutely disgusting. Other than that I find it rides well. PSI is normally 34ish. Living on the edge of the Peaks means I regularly get on some good roads and the GTI is really in its element on these. As quick as you need a car to be and handling is excellent. Soaks up the bumps perfectly and never feels like it needs to be any firmer.

Yes your right 18s and way less noise now I've dumped the Bridgestones......I'm surprised VW put such rubbish on that actually detracts from the car. Not many new owners would throw nearly £400 on tyres they've already paid for  but I did after reading numerous threads on this forum.

Well today I've put another 240 on the clock with the tyre pressures dropped to between 34 and 35psi, was previously at 38psi. I'm surprised at how it has taken the jaring out of some if the corrogations on a terrible road section near me.....my keys now don't rattle on the microfibre cloth they sit on in the side door pocket,  which is good.

In a few weeks I might try a DCC car, just to see the difference  but im not sure I'm ready to take the hit on 5 months depreciation with only 3.5k on the clock.

Cheers again to the contributors above , it's provided some good sound food for thought but with the lowered pressures and the jaring smoothed off I'm much more content. The decreased pressures haven't had any negative effect on fuel consumption,  I got 47mpg cruising at gps 74 ish over the 230mile round trip.......can't complain at that.

[Grahamt]

An R and a GTi ride completely differently. The extra weight of an R from the 4wd system means it feels a bit more settled than a GTi but a GTi is slightly more nimble and being lighter you'll feel more of the road surfaces.

Interesting.....might see if I can test drive  an R too 👍,

[fredgroves]

The R rides entirely different to a GTI/GTD. Really very different. It feels squat and planted and utterly unfazed by bumps - even level crossings!

The FWD golfs are very very light at the rear. Its not "bad" vs the R but definitely different!

Tyre pressures do make a fair old difference. I inflate mine to the four passenger pressure when I have a big old load of gear in the car for a long journey and after I often forget to drop the pressure back down and its a really different feel. I find 33 all round on 18's is best and no stupid tyre wear from it either. The higher pressures from VW are to scrap a few numbers on the test cycle and quite frankly are not good news on the road.

[mcmaddy]

The noise difference between the factory Bridgestone and a Michelin PS4 is negligible if any. Utterly pointless to ditch perfectly good tyres sand contrary to what every one says the bridgestones aren't that bad. Driving style has more to do with it than anything.

[monkeyhanger]

The noise difference between the factory Bridgestone and a Michelin PS4 is negligible if any. Utterly pointless to ditch perfectly good tyres sand contrary to what every one says the bridgestones aren't that bad. Driving style has more to do with it than anything.

We can't all be wrong Chris. Quieter, marginally better mpg, massively better traction from a stop (less critical for those with LSD to prevent/minimise tramping), way better turn in grip, better road feel and less choppy ride is what I've experienced with the change - and you don't have to drive like a dick to appreciate the difference.

That being said, although the PS4 are marketed as a replacement for PSS, the PSS are better (softer), but wear quicker.

Even on my Golf R with no tramping issues, the back end was jittery going around roundabouts at moderate speeds.

For my Polo GTI+ (with no LSD), I put up with the standard fit Turanzas until the back end got away from me exiting Testos roundabout as a Golf GTD sailed past me with no drama, on a dry day. Some might've thought it's the limitation of torsion beam rear suspension and a light back end, but changing to PS4 and the car is rock steady and you have to give a hell of a lot more to induce tramping.

Part of the problem is that to maximise mpg claims, over the last few years, official tyre pressures are way too high, which hinders noise, ride and grip.

[Grahamt]

The noise difference between the factory Bridgestone and a Michelin PS4 is negligible if any. Utterly pointless to ditch perfectly good tyres sand contrary to what every one says the bridgestones aren't that bad. Driving style has more to do with it than anything.

Sorry I have to disagree. With the BS tyres the noise levels are awful on anything but perfect roads. I seldom have the radio system on. I've measured , same road,  same bit of road,  same speed, same weight in car, no wind, dry surface etc etc and the db readings would hit 80 ish on rough roads and 73 ish on perfect roads. Now those figures are 78 ish and 68-70 ish. Not a scientific study using calibrated equipment but the  figures show the trend. At the high end saving say 2 db might not sound much but it's a logarithmic scale which means 3 db is a doubling so if sound energy.
So to me it's been worth it.
Put it this way I can now hear the exhaust note when I push the throttle from a cruise position even slightly,  at speed , over say 50, I never heard the exhaust note change at all as the racket from the BS was so intrusive.
If you want a very cheap  set of BS let me know, their in the shed, I'm near Chester.