"Your mate reckoned" is probably the key statement there.
It's hard to time it by counting in your head or looking at a stopwatch etc. Probably the most accurate way of timing yourself would be with GPS. The factory will have real timing equipment. 3 seconds off a factory stat on a fairly low 0-60 is a bridge too far I reckon. I think fifth gear did this test with a budget car, the factory 0-60 was something like 23 seconds and the guy did it in 18, so yes factory figures may not be totally accurate, but there's also a big difference between a car that can do 0-60 in 23 seconds and one that can do it in 9 seconds.
I doubt a mk4 1.6 16v is quicker than my cab and I reckon that would do 0-60 in around 9.5 - 10 secs.
