Big Turbo GTI v. R Upgrade

[tigeo]

I think the 4Mo Golf Sportwagen (S trim) is seriously under-looked at w/r to this discussion as I keep reading. Yeah, it's a wagon so not everyone is into that vs. a hatch but you get the same 4Mo/Haldex/drivetrain, stripped out so cloth seats/no nanny safety stuff, a $20K OTD new price, and can spend $5K on upgrades and have a car that will handle well, launch like an R, and be in the low 4s 0-60/mid-12s 1/4 mile.

 

[Andrewbens]

I think the 4Mo Golf Sportwagen (S trim) is seriously under-looked at w/r to this discussion as I keep reading. Yeah, it's a wagon so not everyone is into that vs. a hatch but you get the same 4Mo/Haldex/drivetrain, stripped out so cloth seats/no nanny safety stuff, a $20K OTD new price, and can spend $5K on upgrades and have a car that will handle well, launch like an R, and be in the low 4s 0-60/mid-12s 1/4 mile.

I would of bought a alltrack if they came in a 2.0t I love the 1.8t but I wanted the extra gains from the 2.0t

 

[The Dude]

yeah, exactly. There isn't an honest, real-world way to compare an R to a base GTI. I think everyone understands that what people want is an S with R performance guts, but that just isn't an option from VW.

Me....I'd rather get an R, a wrecked RS3, and pop the RS3 motor and such into the R.

I've looked into it, it's not cheap.

 

[PowerDemon]

I would of bought a alltrack if they came in a 2.0t I love the 1.8t but I wanted the extra gains from the 2.0t

Exactly. I have no interest in AWD unless you’re pushing big power, and you don’t get the big power with the 1.8. Man I wish they sold that R wagon over here...

 

[KevinC]

You're right that Haldex + 60hp isn't worth $14k; because there's a lot more in that $14k that the S doesn't have, and it's real cost that you can't ignore.

All valid points. Still, the GTI S is a great value, especially with massive discounts readily available - even when we're not in a crisis situation. Now with the crazy finance deal, a leftover '19 with 6/72 warranty is a screaming deal.

Another factor that rarely seems to come into these wacky cost comparisons is the depreciation factor. GTI's drop like a rock. R's hold their value much better. But some of that is negated by lack of discounting up front on the R compared to the GTI.

As for calls for a stripper R, while that would be a nice option for a lot of people, it just doesn't make a lot of sense for VW to offer it in that kind of trim - a lot of their profit would get stripped out. I'm just thankful that we get the R at all - it's quite loaded and if you compare what we pay at the trim level we get (particularly Canada, where it's an insane bargain thanks to the exchange rate) to what Europeans pay - we're doing just fine with the one offering we get.

Bottom line - buy what you prefer. S, R, SE, Autobahn.. No bad choices!

 

[tigeo]

I would of bought a alltrack if they came in a 2.0t I love the 1.8t but I wanted the extra gains from the 2.0t

Understood - the IS20/38 options are great for a DD (I can't imagine needing more than this but I digress....) and aren't lacking that much from the 2.0 but yes, we just don't get the tuning/aftermarket big-power options like you do with the 2.0.

 

[PowerDemon]

Understood - the IS20/38 options are great for a DD (I can't imagine needing more than this but I digress....) and aren't lacking that much from the 2.0 but yes, we just don't get the tuning/aftermarket big-power options like you do with the 2.0.

What power levels would you see with an IS38 on the 1.8?

 

[tigeo]

What power levels would you see with an IS38 on the 1.8?

~350ish at the crank. I prefer to just look at 1/4 data. That's a low 12 to high 11 car. My IS20 wagon ran a ~12.3/111 in ideal conditions on the street (all that matters to me). Some folks have gotten up to the 400ish mark with the fancier turbos if you do some searching.

 

[jimlloyd40]

Why wouldn't you feel comfortable above 300 HP on the GTI? I'm at 363 HP currently and it runs great.

Edit. Just had a TPC20 turbo installed and now I'm at 416 HP and the car runs greater.

 

[The Dude]

I think the real question would be TCR vs R.

 

[ChrisMk77]

Edit. Just had a TPC20 turbo installed and now I'm at 416 HP and the car runs greater.

Nice congrats, would be nice if you could upload a 4th gear log to the aftermarket turbo thread. Always interesting to see data on turbos.

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/aftermarket-turbo-options.352712/page-77

 

[GTIfan99]

I think the real question would be TCR vs R.

I'd take CSS over either, but we don't get the good stuff in the US.

 

[KawaZukiVdub]

Edit. Just had a TPC20 turbo installed and now I'm at 416 HP and the car runs greater.

Will you be making a thread w/review on this turbo? It will be nice to get some real info on this turbo finally.

 

[Tom Brohanks]

Understand you have an automatic but you should still be able to feather your throttle in order to reduce any wheel spin.

Yeah, I suppose you're right in that I could let off the throttle a little during gear changes. This car would really haul ass if it didn't bog down from traction control in between shifts.

 

[zinfamous]

I've looked into it, it's not cheap.

oh no doubt. I usually qualify that with "had I the disposable money..." (which I don't really foresee ever having). I also probably don't have to mention that the only reason I've thought of this is the lack of hatchback RS3 in the US...it's really the only reason. A true MINO dream.

I would also be thoroughly unqualified to do this kind of work; don't really know what all would be required, I just know the engine would fit and if for some reason you can't transfer the RS3 transmission over to the R, an R DSG should? be adequate, if not an easy enough upgrade. Are the Haldex systems between the 2 the same? So...I would have to pay a pretty penny more for someone to do this work for me or at least let me in on the assist & vastly extra time required if my dumb hands were involved.

I just think it's criminal that that 5-cyl doesn't make more appearances in the market.

out of curiousity, what was your best estimate for the whole project?