GTI Vs GTD

[maca]

I love my car, but I don't like how it attracts attention wherever I go because of the noise.

And having owned it now for over a year, I'm happy with the results of the car. But unless if I was going for a family wagon, I wouldn't buy another diesel. The noise is the only real thing that would turn me off it. Sure it's got positives, the huuuuuge torque, the free smoke screen, the fact I got from Sydney to Springwood on one tank. But as an everyday car that I use to go to work, friends and car meets, I wouldn't buy another diesel.

Mind you, the look of surprise that a diesel can present itself well is awesome

[Buller_Scott]

i've yet to drive a DSG, but.....

if they keep on producing manual diesels [because manual keeps fuel consumption figures down], and yet introduce ONLY DSG in petrol models.....

that'll just be more incentive for me to get diesel from now on.

im addicted to the awesome torque, the awesome fuel economy, and working busily to keep the turbo on point. it's mucho funo!

[Corey_R]

if they keep on producing manual diesels [because manual keeps fuel consumption figures down], and yet introduce ONLY DSG in petrol models.....

Technically the DSG is more fuel efficient than the manual. However, from what I can tell, I don't think that VW necessarily changes the ratios in the DSG for each specific engine. So if you look across the entire VW range, sometimes the DSG has better fuel figures, sometimes the manual has better fuel figures, depending on the engine.

Granted, there are far more Petrol engine's which are more fuel efficient on the DSG than diesel, which is currently only the Polo 66TDI - DSG.

[GoLfMan]

no turbo 4 pot sounds that great IMO

Sure my TDI sounds like a tractor, but that torque makes a HELL of alot of sense when I'm in the hills and dont have to change out of 3rd

I just like the stupid fuel economy around town, the wave of torque and the look on peoples faces when you tell them its a diesel haha.

If you want sound, get an R32

[pologti18t]

no turbo 4 pot sounds that great IMO

Sure my TDI sounds like a tractor, but that torque makes a HELL of alot of sense when I'm in the hills and dont have to change out of 3rd

And you can't do that in a normal GTI?
Two factors against diesels are their doughiness off the line and their narrow power bands. Both of which would make them rather tiresome (in traffic) unless you match it with DSG.

[Dubya]

Why have you been advised to wait? Do you want performance? Do you travel a lot of km's with mostly longer trips? It's really pretty clear cut deciding between the two if you know what you want in the first place.

That's right. If you could assign a value to different responses for each of the relevant factors you could come up with a model that provided a score which could guide your decision (eg the higher the score the more suitable the diesel, and perhaps indicated with an average score per question of 12 or more).

For instance:

Annual mileage:
Score one point for every 1000 kms travelled pa.

Car size:
Light (eg Polo) - 10
Small (eg Golf) - 15
Medium/Soft Roader (eg Passat/Tiguan) - 20
Large - 25

Usual number of passengers:
Score five points for each passenger.

Requirement for towing:
No towbar: 0 points
Occasional towing: 15
Occasional towing over long distances: 20
Regular towing: 25

Auto or manual gearbox:
Manual: 10
Auto: 20

Fuel price sensitivity:
Not at all - 5
A little - 10
Fairly - 15
Keen to save - 20
High priority - 25

Another factor might be terrain.

However, driving style not so much a factor as spirited drivers will save more with a diesel but have more fun in the petrol, so each has benefits that cancel each other out.

Typical journey length also gives rise to benefits that cancel each other to some extent: with mostly shorter trips, with more stop start, the diesel will save more, but this is offset by the greater lag off the line of the diesel being experienced more often.

What I would be interested in seeing is figures comparing the in-gears acceleration times for the GT(D) and GTI on the flat and uphill.

[GoLfMan]

And you can't do that in a normal GTI?
Two factors against diesels are their doughiness off the line and their narrow power bands. Both of which would make them rather tiresome (in traffic) unless you match it with DSG.

Mine isn't doughy off the line. It's got a very short first gear which hampers progress but after that its smooth sailing.

How is driving tiresome in traffic? 2nd goes from walking pace to 70, 3rd from 70 - 130. If i was that worries about changing gears I'd short shift 2nd to 4th.

Have you driven a TDI for an extended period of time? I've driven a GTI and I can't say its any easier to drive in traffic.

[Greg Roles]

TDI is a bitch off the line, but that's half the challenge. I'm a FAR better driver now thanks to the manual TDI than I have been in years, and that's a plus. But yeah, you have to like rowing gears, guess I'm just used to it. Glad most people don't like diesels, I'd hate to be in the common club.

[MkVIGTI]

Ive just traded from a mk5 GT TDI to a MK6 GTI and it really depends what you want from it

Performance wise the GTI has the edge if you like to drive it on the throttle whereas the GTD will be a bit more responsive low down for day to day driving.

The big factor in choosing is economy - I am down 300km per tank on my daily commute to work (80km freeway) average 8.3l/100 instead of 5.8l/100.

The noise is another, the GTI sounds awesome when you give it some beans, the TDI will always sound like a tractor.

Trim levels i believe in the GTI/GTD debate are a lot closer than they were for the mk5 but the GTI will have a few extra trim features.

Best bet is get out and drive them both. If i had known i was going to change jobs and put 6000km on my new GTI in the first 3 months id probably have gone another diesel. But then again, maybe the driving experience makes up for a little bit extra fuel.

Whatever you choose will be an enjoyable car.

Just over one & a half months of ownership and I've already got 3800kms on the clock! But then again the GTI is such a joy to drive that I think it's worth every bit of the petrol Besides, it is already a very fuel efficient car given its potentials. In regard to the GTD, you will have to make a bit of trade off in handling given the obvious weight penalty of the diesel donk.

[STV4SYT]

In regard to the GTD, you will have to make a bit of trade off in handling given the obvious weight penalty of the diesel donk.

There is not much of a trade off if any. The suspension is very similar if not the same as used in the GTI. Weight difference will affect the handling characteristics a bit, but having driven both in anger, both are very capable cars in the twisties. Really the only deciding factors have already been mentioned, that being economy and noise.

Oh and the GTI has red brake calipers.

This pretty much sums it up from teh UK.

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