Polo GTI Questions

[new2gti]

Hi All,

First post so go easy,  Just have a couple of questions becuase i'm thinking about my first VW.

Have the option of a Polo 1.8GTI for under 12K with only 2K miles on it,  Is this the same 1.8 in the Golf GTI ?.   If so can you recomend somewhere to get it chipped,  My Alfa is currently chipped and would like to get this one done.  What BHP could i expect after chipping ?.

Thanks

Ian

[>>Mart<<]

not to put you off but in topgear mag the other month they slated it a bit it only got 10/20  quality is a bit crap gearchange is a bit vague and steering lacks immediacy you would hope for in a hot hatch and the brakes are spongy (quoted from topgear mag)

as for chipping if you did get one you should see 200 bhp easy but it would be a little scary

sorry if i put u off a bit

[new2gti]

Nah thats cool,   Coming from an Alfa 156 (also 1.  i think its going to be a awesome with 200bhp,   and i'm expecting to have to put the Golf GTI or R32 17" alloys on along with strut braces etc when they become available.

[>>Mart<<]

other options 

civic type r
clio sport 197
mk4 golf anniversary

[charri42]

not to put you off but in topgear mag the other month they slated it a bit it only got 10/20  quality is a bit crap gearchange is a bit vague and steering lacks immediacy you would hope for in a hot hatch and the brakes are spongy (quoted from topgear mag)

as for chipping if you did get one you should see 200 bhp easy but it would be a little scary

sorry if i put u off a bit

Blimey - sounds like a Mk4 1.8t!!

personally, I think Polos always look terribly bland, even the new golf lookalike Gti. Saving pennies and getting a Golf GT TFSi would be a cool move.

[The Doc]

 

[new2gti]

Fare point and i'd love a golf but the insurance is nearly double.   Remember with a cipped ecu and nearly 200bhp this will be an extremly quick car for group13 insurance and will give all the above cars a good run for them money with the exception of the clio.

Ian

[The Doc]

The journalists don't allways get it right - and niether do we here.

Its not the same engine but is is good!

PLUS its very cheap!

Enjoy and post us some pics if you buy her!

[charri42]

New2 - its the same engine as a mk4 gti (and all the other VAG clan)

And for what its worth, Polo GTis seem to hold there value very well. I'm sure its a good car.

Doc is dead right about the journos. They are far too easily swayed by corporate hospitality and the usual PR spin - and of course it is wholly subjective, they have not particular qualifications to judge a car (Clarkson for instance - a fleet street type). Of course they are probably correct that Polo is not the most involving, but it has many other virtues. Not long ago a Citroen C4 was the best thing you could buy  - now many journo's are suggesting an Alfa 159 is a much better proposition than an A4 or 3 series.. Hmmmm, they won't be when its worth peanuts and fallen to bits 4 years later

Take alot of the reports with a pinch of salt. DO however take it for a spin - if you don't drive the wheels off it 100% of the time it will probs seem great. If you love really full on driving, a Fiesta ST, CLio 182/197 would be a more 'involving' drive, but possibly not such a good 'ownership' propersition.

If hot hatches were bought entirely on road test reports and their ability to hoon down country lanes and entertain, Mk 3 and Mk4 Gtis would be as rare as rocking horse sh!t

[Pike Man]

Fare point and i'd love a golf but the insurance is nearly double.   Remember with a cipped ecu and nearly 200bhp this will be an extremly quick car for group13 insurance and will give all the above cars a good run for them money with the exception of the clio.

Ian

Yes, but it will not be group 13 if you have it remaped  Expect to get charged a fair bit more on your insurance if you ramp it up to 200bhp. Of course, you could choose not to tell your insurance company - but then people who do that are being very daft.  Imagine if they find it's remapped and you have a claim in - they just laugh at you and quite rightly refuse to pay up.

EVO magazine gave a fair review of the new polo gti this month - they did not slate it, although they said interior quality wasn't up to much.  However, against the golf gti they were not so polite and stated that it was a long way off being as good as the golf, which is no suprise as the golf would take some beating. I'd be pretty pissed off if it was as good, having just paid £25k for my new golf gti and then finding some silly little polo be able to keep up with me or turn as many heads