Golf R -v- Golf GTI

[WhiteJames]

I agree with the statement above that the Renault Megane RS250 offers a greater sense of torsional rigidity. The RS250 has a certain solidity about it and offers lightweight alloy (unsprung) suspension components that really improves the drive experience. Bear in mind that the Renault Megane is almost one full generation up on the MKV-MKVI platform in terms age of design.

The MKV did twist a little in the rear end with leather rear seats squeaking when entering and leaving driveway lips & steep driveways. The MKVI is noticeably improved in this area, but does exhibit a slight tendency to twist a little in the rear like the MKV.

The aspects that I find difficult to overlook in the Renault RS250 are: Poor resale, 3 door only, limited dealer locations & possibly spare parts/service, torsion beam rear end and manual only. Renault refers to the rear torsion end offering programmed deflection ... I'd prefer to call it old fashioned bump steer. Otherwise the Renault is the pick for the true drivers sports hatchback.

Cheers
WJ

[adzy]

Agree 100%, if it wasn't for those cons in realation to the RS250 I would have one in my driveway right now! Re-sale is a real shocker!

[sabloke]

Is it really? How many 3 year old RS250s have been sold in Melbourne?

I was wondering if there's any difference between GTI and R chassis in regards to torsional rigidity.

[adzy]

Is it really? How many 3 year old RS250s have been sold in Melbourne?

As in re-sale of the last couple of generations of Renault's in the Australian market champ, vs the strong re-sale of VW's.

[triode12]

I have never mentioned this before but since day one of owning my MKV GTI I was amazed and appalled at how soft the chassis is; as in torsional rigidity. I have never owned a car before that was so sloppy in chassis stiffness to the point that you can HEAR the ruber window seals creaking every time you enter a drive way??? It still eats away at me and is now even more pronounced since I have a firmer suspension set up. It becomes even more evident how torsionally sloppy it is when you hear the sub-frame bolts ticking/clicking in similar circumstances.
Love my VW's but I would never say the MKV, MKVI chassis' come any where near the poise and rigidity of the RS250.

Adzy,

You should consider adding the Unibrace X and Under bracing to the car. I can't vouch for the x brace, but the underbrace alone did stiffen up my car quite a bit. I would imagine the xbrace would do more.

[triode12]

As in re-sale of the last couple of generations of Renault's in the Australian market champ, vs the strong re-sale of VW's.

The Clio RS200 I test drove had a standing pool of water in the back passenger foot well from being parked out in the back of the dealership. The leak was coming from a hole somewhere in the roof. Also the rubber seals had water stains/marks on them. It looks as though they were not made for our weather.

The french do make nice cars from a performance stand point but damn, their quality is crap.

[AdamD]

The MKV did twist a little in the rear end with leather rear seats squeaking when entering and leaving driveway lips & steep driveways. The MKVI is noticeably improved in this area, but does exhibit a slight tendency to twist a little in the rear like the MKV.

My driveway is a great test of this - a short steep rise to a crest whilst turning sharply left. My MkVI is marginally better than my parents' MkV in this respect, but I'd put the majority of the difference down to the variance in age between the two cars (2005 vs 2010). My last car (Honda Accord Euro) didn't flex a bit; most others I've driven home do to a greater or lesser extent, but the Golfs are certainly amongst the worst offenders.

[adzy]

Adzy,

You should consider adding the Unibrace X and Under bracing to the car. I can't vouch for the x brace, but the underbrace alone did stiffen up my car quite a bit. I would imagine the xbrace would do more.

Sounds good! I will have to look into that as I want to track my car a lot more this year and semi slicks will just show the chassis weekness even more.

The Clio RS200 I test drove had a standing pool of water in the back passenger foot well from being parked out in the back of the dealership. The leak was coming from a hole somewhere in the roof. Also the rubber seals had water stains/marks on them. It looks as though they were made for our weather.

The french do make nice cars from a performance stand point but damn, their quality is crap.

Sounds a bit extreme to be a fault that would be on every example of the RS200? But yes, the quality is not up to VW standards although they have improved a lot with the RS250.

[triode12]

My driveway is a great test of this - a short steep rise to a crest whilst turning sharply left. My MkVI is marginally better than my parents' MkV in this respect, but I'd put the majority of the difference down to the variance in age between the two cars (2005 vs 2010). My last car (Honda Accord Euro) didn't flex a bit; most others I've driven home do to a greater or lesser extent, but the Golfs are certainly amongst the worst offenders.

Apples and Oranges comparison IMO. One is a hatch while the other is a Sedan.

Being a sedan, there Accord has a fixed strengthening bar which sits low across the chassis where the hinge of the boot goes . The boot of the Accord is also shallower in height (in comparison to the Golf) and is rectangular in shape which offers greater torsional strength over the Golf.

Being a hatch, the Golf doesn't have the "luxury" of the added strengthening accorded (pardon the pun) by that extra bit of metal, the last bit of chassis sits high in a large square-ish frame (less torsional strength) which also has to support a large rear hatch.

[triode12]

Sounds a bit extreme to be a fault that would be on every example of the RS200? But yes, the quality is not up to VW standards although they have improved a lot with the RS250.

I checked out the quality of others over several dealerships, and the water marks/spotting was evident on all of them.