Golf R -v- Golf GTI

**AdamD** · 25-10-2010, 10:56 PM

Originally Posted by Pepe

What's your next moan about the R? LED tails somehow add to drag or change the centre of gravity? R front badge causes clearance issues for the bugs flying into the grill? Lack of red stitching makes you sad, but you read it somewhere else on the internet too, so it's a valid complaint?

Guys seriously, WJ's entitled to his opinion, and he's not bagging one model at the expense of another here. You mightn't agree with his views (nor do I in this case), but please don't just blindly assume he's bagging the R because he mentions it in a post. If you re-read the post, you'll notice that the only kickback he claims to have experienced himself is in his GTI, and he says he's spent some decent time in an R.

If you don't like or want to read WJ's posts, you might as well just /unsubscribe from this thread. Less insults will make for a better forum IMO.

(At any rate, all else being equal, kickback is likely to affect the GTI more than the R anyway, due to the proportion of torque sent to the front wheels.)

*Gets back in box*

**SilvrFoxX** · 26-10-2010, 05:58 AM

Originally Posted by AdamD

Guys seriously, WJ's entitled to his opinion, and he's not bagging one model at the expense of another here. You mightn't agree with his views (nor do I in this case), but please don't just blindly assume he's bagging the R because he mentions it in a post. If you re-read the post, you'll notice that the only kickback he claims to have experienced himself is in his GTI, and he says he's spent some decent time in an R.

If you don't like or want to read WJ's posts, you might as well just /unsubscribe from this thread. Less insults will make for a better forum IMO.

(At any rate, all else being equal, kickback is likely to affect the GTI more than the R anyway, due to the proportion of torque sent to the front wheels.)

*Gets back in box*

+1

I use these insights to see if they actually matter to my driving experience...also makes for interesting read whilst waiting for the unit to turn up.. I might point out that the manner of my driving would not experience any of these issues so it is just a good read

Keep up the contraversy WJ

**WhiteJames** · 26-10-2010, 07:02 AM

The GTI has previously shown a tendency for steering wheel kickback. Queanbeyan/Canberra to Batemans Bay route of 130km would have the GTI kicking back through the steering ½ -1 dozen times each way– namely around the 50km twisting and flowing roadways of the Clyde Mountain from Braidwood to Batemans Bay.

The steering wheel kickback is namely on mid corner scarred & damaged sections of the roadway – regardless of whether they were slow, medium or faster speed corners. Doesn’t matter if the GTI is on little, part or full throttle or on constant throttle or cruise control for that matter – steering has a tendency to kickback in certain instances on unsettling features around mid corner.

The kickback detracts from the drive experience to a degree – making for a very good drive as opposed to an excellent drive – it takes that bit of shine off the Golf’s superior dynamics when it comes to absolute driver involvement.

Torque steer is not a worrisome issue in the GTI. Other roadways that are very tight, twisting and hilly, have very little or no torque steer & no hint of steering wheel kickback as the roadways is much smoother and better quality than the rural roadways down the South Coast of NSW, which have scarred sections of bitumen with ruts and troughs around corners. I think it’s more a function of roadway quality & texture rather than an abundance of torque steer in the GTI.

In respect to having DCC in Normal –v- Sport: DCC in Sport does cause the GTI to have a greater tendency to follow longitudinal ruts and troughs slightly altering the trajectory of the GTI when accelerating in the straight line – no drama on smooth flat roadways. The GTI in DCC Sport shows less suspension compliance to soak these bumps up & will wonder of course a bit with a slight adjustment of steering wheel angle required to keep it straight and true. DCC Normal offers that bit more compliance to better filter out some of this tendency on harsher country roadways.

Cheers
WJ

**Mr_Bob** · 26-10-2010, 08:01 AM

it's also possible that in order to add "weight" to the steering for Sport mode, the power steering effect is reduced, allowing more feedback.
I welcome all steering feedback, so long as it doesn't affect the vehicle dynamics (e.g. tramlining)

From memory, Caster is one of the factors contributing to kickback?
If so, this is a good sign that the MK6 has a more aggressive suspension geometry..

**Pepe** · 26-10-2010, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by AdamD

Guys seriously, WJ's entitled to his opinion, and he's not bagging one model at the expense of another here. You mightn't agree with his views (nor do I in this case), but please don't just blindly assume he's bagging the R because he mentions it in a post. If you re-read the post, you'll notice that the only kickback he claims to have experienced himself is in his GTI, and he says he's spent some decent time in an R.

If you don't like or want to read WJ's posts, you might as well just /unsubscribe from this thread. Less insults will make for a better forum IMO.

(At any rate, all else being equal, kickback is likely to affect the GTI more than the R anyway, due to the proportion of torque sent to the front wheels.)

*Gets back in box*

I've said before he's entitled to his opinion, but seriously, for the kind of posts he does, he should have a blog, it'd be the perfect medium for the stuff he posts (which I, and a lot of other people I'm sure, find tedious at best).

As for being objective about it, well, my objective criticism of the posts relates to things like "There may be an issue ..." when it is based on heresay from somewhere else, not even on his own experience. I've driven my R hard and absolutely disagree with the assertion that it pulls to one side, etc. Haven't seen a single person on here that's driven the R for more than an hour agree with him either? If I had the time (or effort factor), I'm sure I could find many more examples.

And constantly taking the thread off topic, with the Polo thing. I wouldn't normally comment, but someone who continually does that provides for a frustrating experience when reading a thread that everyone else seems to be able to stay relevant in.

Also, if you look at his latest post, it's got nothing to do with the R, so why isn't it in the GTI-love thread?

Honestly, I wish he'd just get on and enjoy driving his GTI like I enjoy driving my R

**Corey_R** · 26-10-2010, 08:36 AM

Lol... my main objection is the fact that he's written thousands of lines of analytical text, to the point where I even question where an actual person can even determine some of the things he apparently feels (like differences in the fuel delivery between a 2 lobe and 8 lobe cam, or whatever the diff is between the MKV and MK6), and then he can turn around and say "Oh, saw a Polo GTI at the motorshow and now it's like 40% on my rating and the Golf GTI is only 50%".

Like seriously. That's what it boils down to.
Looks. Nothing analytical at all

**Fab_R** · 26-10-2010, 08:42 AM

Originally Posted by Pepe

I've said before he's entitled to his opinion, but seriously, for the kind of posts he does, he should have a blog, it'd be the perfect medium for the stuff he posts (which I, and a lot of other people I'm sure, find tedious at best).

As for being objective about it, well, my objective criticism of the posts relates to things like "There may be an issue ..." when it is based on heresay from somewhere else, not even on his own experience. I've driven my R hard and absolutely disagree with the assertion that it pulls to one side, etc. Haven't seen a single person on here that's driven the R for more than an hour agree with him either? If I had the time (or effort factor), I'm sure I could find many more examples.

And constantly taking the thread off topic, with the Polo thing. I wouldn't normally comment, but someone who continually does that provides for a frustrating experience when reading a thread that everyone else seems to be able to stay relevant in.

Also, if you look at his latest post, it's got nothing to do with the R, so why isn't it in the GTI-love thread?

Honestly, I wish he'd just get on and enjoy driving his GTI like I enjoy driving my R

Like Corey_R has mentioned and i agree....the WJ posts are a "get up"....they are a shyte stir!!!

**team_v** · 26-10-2010, 08:45 AM

Originally Posted by Pepe

I've said before he's entitled to his opinion, but seriously, for the kind of posts he does, he should have a blog, it'd be the perfect medium for the stuff he posts (which I, and a lot of other people I'm sure, find tedious at best).

As for being objective about it, well, my objective criticism of the posts relates to things like "There may be an issue ..." when it is based on heresay from somewhere else, not even on his own experience. I've driven my R hard and absolutely disagree with the assertion that it pulls to one side, etc. Haven't seen a single person on here that's driven the R for more than an hour agree with him either? If I had the time (or effort factor), I'm sure I could find many more examples.

And constantly taking the thread off topic, with the Polo thing. I wouldn't normally comment, but someone who continually does that provides for a frustrating experience when reading a thread that everyone else seems to be able to stay relevant in.

Also, if you look at his latest post, it's got nothing to do with the R, so why isn't it in the GTI-love thread?

Honestly, I wish he'd just get on and enjoy driving his GTI like I enjoy driving my R

Geez, someone's got a complex.

If you don't like reading it, you can just click the "ignore user" button and it will block all his posts from your profile.

I find it really informative, how often do you get a auto journalist who doesn't even know about launch control or comlains about something while doing a abre bones review.

Here you are getting a extremely in depth comparison of 3 cars which are all at the front of the VW hot hatch market.

**AdamD** · 26-10-2010, 09:13 AM

Originally Posted by Fab_R

Like Corey_R has mentioned and i agree....the WJ posts are a "get up"....they are a shyte stir!!!

No matter what you may think of WJ's posts - and even if you choose not to read them - you've got to admit that this thread has got plenty of potential for interesting insights, opinions, and comments. Interpret the word interesting any way you see fit.

But it'd be much better if it didn't degenerate into a flame war from time to time. Forums are 90% chaff anyway, and flames don't improve that ratio. Just my 2c.