[Ponefish]

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How much horsepower gain can you get out of the GTIs with some basic tuning, what about the TDIs?

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The GTI will give you more hp from the factory, the TDI will give you better fuel economy.   Both have a lot of potential.  The TDI will be a low rpm torque monster with insane fuel economy while the GTI will have a higher rpm focus on horsepower and less fuel economy.   It is a bit of a preference.  Both would have a lot of power just massively different characters.
 
From the factory the GTI will be faster.  After tuning it is less defined.  Turbo diesels are very easy to get power out of.  The difference in the end is that the TDI will get 40 mpg while making that power while the GTI will get about 25 mpg.    As I said its a bit of a preference.
 
With the same ammount to each of work you may end up with power ratings like this..
 
It looks like a just a revo stage 1 remap on a stock Mark 6 Golf TDI will give you around 200hp and 290ft lb of torque.   The stock GTI already has 200hp without a remap. With a remap it looks like 240hp is in range.  The GTI may cost you the extra money just to buy the sport model.   Both of the cars can benefit from exhausts, intakes, and upgraded turbos.  With those you can get about 350hp from the GTI, the TDI with the same mods will only be pushing about 270hp but with about 430 ft lb of torque.  Both are easilly modified cars.  Either would be a great option.

This is pretty much correct except Revo is not a popular VW tuning company. APR is supposedly had the best tuning out there right now for the mkVI, for the GTi stage 3 would put you around 400hp and 400ft lb of tx. TDI is a little different... I haven't really seen any good turbo upgrade tunes for it. Not sure if the demand just isn't there or what is exactly going on with that. What I really dislike is the limited amount of options you have, its seems like more and more tunes that are put out are only for a specific turbo. I feel like with newer cars you are so limited on your overall options that your car loses personality and character. Might just be me but I am definitely more attached to my previous vehicles than I ever will be with my mkVI.

 

[alv4426]

I dont think this has even been asked before;
What is the fastest you have ever driven (dont mention where just in case the Man is looking in on this thread 

).
Ill go first about 150ish MPH

 

[Ponefish]

I don't know

easily upwards of 130mph, then my eyes stayed on the road and rev limiter. Thing just kept climbing too. I think i have a video somewhere of the tac when doing a light pull for a for a friend.

 

[cheapfi]

Around 120mph probably.   I did once mantain an average speed of 107 mph over 6.5 miles of curvy and hilly back roads.  This includes two full stops and 3 ninety degree turns.  I said I would be on time and I was.   Speed limit on that road varied between 25-35 mph.
 
That was also in a 1994 Chevy Lumina with a 3.1 liter v6,  140hp 185ft lb of torque, stock brakes, stock suspension, 4 speed slushbox.  I was young and dumb.   The speedometer was pegged so all I have to go by is overall time it took and google map's distance calculation.

 

[loxxrider]

The figures about the GTI and TDI are a little misleading... but misleading in the best way. I'd say the figures for the TDI are about right, but for the GTI, you can make more like 280 - 290 hp and some pretty awesome low-end torque with only a chip. Intakes are mostly just for noise and the stock exhausts flow very well on them so again, that is really just a noise-maker. I know because I've had my hands on these things quite a bit. A friend of mine had the first APR K04 kit (slightly larger than stock turbo) and put down 310 hp to the wheels with it (340 hp). Stock exhaust, stock intake

You will still get great mpg as well even with more power because since the engine is small displacement, when you are out of the throttle, it will get the same mileage as stock. In fact, it will get better fuel economy if the tuner has leaned the fuel map out for all areas below 100 kPa (absolute manifold pressure). The factory is only allowed to lean the mixture out a certain amount because noxious gas production increases above a certain air:fuel ratio. This is somewhat bad for the environment, but also results in better fuel economy and is safe for the car itself. For example, from the factory my Audi can only go to about 14.7:1 AFR during idle and cruise (stoich). With my own map, the car can achieve almost 17:1 AFR which nets a roughly 6 mpg increase for me on the highway Anyway, I think you get the idea. All turbo cars generally have these characteristics.

I have owned a MKIV Jetta as well (had the 1.8t) and that thing was great on a stock turbo. 33 hwy mpg, ~200 hp at the wheels with a chip, and torque from the bottom. They can be had for damned cheap now, but have typical VW problems (waterpumps, stupid little quirks, check engine lights, etc.). Well-taken-care-of examples will do you well though. I also had a larger Garrett turbo on it at some point and managed to make about 360 hp on it while still retaining reliability and 33 hwy mpg. This is the beauty of turbocharging and it is becoming prolific in the auto industry right now as we approach rising fuel economy requirements.


To really accentuate that point, in it's previous configuration, my Audi made 450-500 hp and still got better fuel economy than it did in stock, 217 hp form. In its current (in-progress) configuration, I fully expect it to make over 1000 hp while STILL retaining that fuel economy.

Cliffs notes: turbos are awesome

 

[micrors4]

Those TDIs sound tempting and I might get one if this Saab of mine ever dies as that amount of torque sounds crazy in a little VW plus you can't beat the fuel economy.  I have to agree, turbos are awesome things, better fuel economy and more power.  It is amazing how far engine technology has come, my dad has an old Plymouth Barracuda that makes 275HP from an engine 4x the size of my Saab's and yet there is only 10HP seperating them, never mind gas mileage.
 
Also, the fastest I have been is 135MPH but that was only because of the speed limiter on the car, I live in the typical small New England town with lots of tight back roads that are a blast to fly through especially at night, I love scaring the crap out of passengers who aren't familiar with the roads because it's like a roller coaster ride.

 

[planx]

Vancouver roads are too hilly and always bends so we do more cornering than straight-line speed. But with that said, our forest/mountain roads are LOADS of fun, especially when wet 

 Actually learned how to control oversteer with my Subaru on these wet roads. Scandinavian flicks here and there and you're going sideways on a harsh U-turn. But with harsh driving, my wheels did get a bit punished... I need a wheel balance now LOL

 

[crowhue]

An extremely boring VW Touran that's great for carrying guitar amps, PAs..oh and children.

 

[planx]

Well great freaking news to report... Vancouver is known for their notorious potholes and I went over one and BOOM... Something is broken and I don't know what... Heavy steering wobble causing it to be "dangerous". Going to tow it to an alignment shop and see if an arm is broken or something. Gah..

 

[arnesto]

I'm planning on buying a new car and I ended up with a short list of 4 cars.
I wanted to get something in the sub 40k range.
 
These are the cars on my list:
Subaru STI - 35k
BMW 328 -38k
Lexus IS250 -38k
2012 Corvette - 42k
 
I test drove the Subaru and I really liked it, the noise of the engine and it is super fast.
 
I went to the Chevy dealership and they said they don't allow test drives on the Corvette. They said if I sit down and write up the paperwork and just before I sign my name on the contract, I can test drive then only to check to see if everything is ok with the car. Not sure if I want to go through all that trouble to test drive the Corvette. They explained that because it's a premium car, buyers already know what they are getting and they don't want to buy a car that has been used for test drives.
 
Still need to test drive the other two cars.
 
Does anyone have any recommendations on which car is better in terms of fun to drive, long lasting ownership experiences?

 

[cheapfi]

Try a different dealership.  Or look for a corvette thats a year old, it'll drive about the same for a test drive.

 

[planx]

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I'm planning on buying a new car and I ended up with a short list of 4 cars.
I wanted to get something in the sub 40k range.
 
These are the cars on my list:
Subaru STI - 35k
BMW 328 -38k
Lexus IS250 -38k
2012 Corvette - 42k
 
I test drove the Subaru and I really liked it, the noise of the engine and it is super fast.
 
I went to the Chevy dealership and they said they don't allow test drives on the Corvette. They said if I sit down and write up the paperwork and just before I sign my name on the contract, I can test drive then only to check to see if everything is ok with the car. Not sure if I want to go through all that trouble to test drive the Corvette. They explained that because it's a premium car, buyers already know what they are getting and they don't want to buy a car that has been used for test drives.
 
Still need to test drive the other two cars.
 
Does anyone have any recommendations on which car is better in terms of fun to drive, long lasting ownership experiences?

 
I think the Subaru is the clear winner in 24/7/365 fun. Fun in summer, fun in winter, fun everywhere. I just don't see myself paying more for a Lexus or a BMW that, on paper, doesn't even compete with the Subaru. And to be honest, the two "luxury" names aren't really that luxurious at all. My vote goes to the STi as it has an endless amount of aftermarket parts you can add (unequal headers for MORE boxer rumble 

). I think all the cars are well made, but I don't know if the Corvette is as my family never owned American cars

 

[alv4426]

You are clearly a Subie fanboy. But seriously I've got a lot of experience with BMWs and Subarus they are not even close to the same level. I would NEVER pay close to $40K for a Subaru (id struggle to pay near $30K.. again 

). You cant always compare cars just by how fast they are around a track driven by a pro driver you have to live with them as well and BMWs destroy STIs in that regard. 
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I think the Subaru is the clear winner in 24/7/365 fun. Fun in summer, fun in winter, fun everywhere. I just don't see myself paying more for a Lexus or a BMW that, on paper, doesn't even compete with the Subaru. And to be honest, the two "luxury" names aren't really that luxurious at all. My vote goes to the STi as it has an endless amount of aftermarket parts you can add (unequal headers for MORE boxer rumble 

). I think all the cars are well made, but I don't know if the Corvette is as my family never owned American cars

 

[planx]

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You are clearly a Subie fanboy. But seriously I've got a lot of experience with BMWs and Subarus they are not even close to the same level. I would NEVER pay close to $40K for a Subaru (id struggle to pay near $30K.. again 

). You cant always compare cars just by how fast they are around a track driven by a pro driver you have to live with them as well and BMWs destroy STIs in that regard. 

 
Ah Subie fan vs a Bimmer fan I presume? The STi seems like the more cost effective solution here. I just find new small luxury sedans to be kind of... Useless... For one, I can't see myself really enjoying the 328 or the IS250 for both luxury and performance. They both seem to be in an awkward position between luxury and performance if you ask me. It's not exactly that comfortable and "classy" nor do they pull off mind boggling figures. Don't get me wrong, I love the M3 and the ISF, but I love them both because they went the Performance route instead of finding a balance of the both. I find the only car that can achieve both luxury and performance is the M5, E63 AMG, Volvo S60R, and a few more. I don't own a STi myself so I can't comment on everyday driving of one. But for sheer excitement, I would take the Vette as he listed above.

 

[alv4426]

Oh man you are starting to sound like our Ferrari loving friend from this thread 

. Performance is important but you are going too far with it, you sound like you are just going to be driving around a track everyday where that second faster a pro driver can go around a track is the only thing that matters. I am a fan of WRXs and Subaru in general just not STIs which I think are some of the most overrated cars out there; unless of course you are only planning to race on a track. I don't want to comment on the other stuff you mention because I don't see how you can be disappointed in an 328i and IS250 for not being on the same level as some TOTL models; especially if my assumption is correct that you have never driven any of them. 
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