Brycey - ahem 335d... 
tron - R32 had a 3.2 V6 (I had mk4 one for a year) not a 1.8T unit. Not sure what suspension set up the Octy has but it was easily the best of the three I tried by miles.
The Bora really was a huge disappointment - really poor handling, engine sounded rough and despite 180bhp, it didn't feel quick at all. This was a low mileage main dealer example too. A shame as I have always liked the look of Boras.
Ahh Mat, but when was the last time you wound down the windows going through a tunnel to listen to your 335d
I will probably sucumb to the Diesel barge thing next time I buy a car. Purley down to cost though, I do a lot of miles and they are now prety good cars if a little souless and it will save me money and the habitat of the odd polar bear.
Mat - I'll set them up, you knock them down! 
My new face lift vRS Estate (petrol) with a 255 bhp remap is ace! More than fast enough, loads of space in the boot for kit and roof rails for the bikes. I can't think of a more perfect car for my lifestyle.
R32 had a 3.2 V6 (I had mk4 one for a year) not a 1.8T unit
It has, but that's got nothing to do with the suspension geometry
VAG basically used a standard and hotted up suspension geometry across the entire range of cars. I did at one point have a fair idea of which cars got which, as a guy from the GTI club was building a Corrado with R32/TT/S3 suspension geometry and explained it all at length.
Oh, and way I say A4, I mean MK4 Golf based, not Audi A4...
Ahh Mat, but when was the last time you wound down the windows going through a tunnel to listen to your 335d
I've heard worse engine notes...
And this muppet left it in "D" - "DS" revs far harder...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfBY8URRr6w
Tron - don't know what they did to the mk4 R32 Golf but it worked wonders. The rest of the range handled terribly, the R32 was very good. Not perfect but still a hell of a step up from even the V6 4Motion and Anniversary models.
I've heard worse engine notes...
But you have not wound down the windows to listen to it though have you
Bet you would have if you had paid the M tax and bought an M3
Dont get me wrong though its a great car and the new 300+bhp model is going to waft along at a fair lick.
but ...
I think for pure driving pleasure you cant beat a normaly aspirated petrol engine.
If you had the choice would you go for a R10 TDI or a 333sp
Bazzer
The sound thing is silly to me. We like the sound of fast cars because we have a pre-learned idea of what fastness sounds like, and that usually means petrol.
Diesels sound fast too, just differently fast.
Tron - don't know what they did to the mk4 R32 Golf but it worked wonders.
Wider track and better camber control therefore you lose less negative / gain less positive camber on the outside wheel under cornering loads. Neg camber basically produces a turning effect in the same way as leaning a bike does - the inside of the tyre isn't travelling as far as the outside.
Edit: I'm **** flabberghasted that molgrips is bringing up social constructionism in a thread about Skodas... For his next trick, he'll be turning a tyre thread into an examination of dialectical materialism.
The sound thing is silly to me. We like the sound of fast cars because we have a pre-learned idea of what fastness sounds like, and that usually means petrol.Diesels sound fast too, just differently fast.
Its all silly to you though Moley isnt it, its just not your bag !!!
Its not about the sound of fastness, some engines just sound sweeter than others. A Rover V8 in a TVR sounds nicer than the flat planed crank V8 in a Cerbera. The cerbera is faster and probaly sounds faster.
Some people like the look, history and feel of somthing like say an E type. Others want to go as fast as possible and not worry about the nuances of it like a Nissan GTR.
Most people who like cars are somewhere in between.
This is going to sound a bit arty but the best sounding engines are the ones that sound free and not strangled or restricted in anyway. Not just loud
Bazzer
My folks have had the estate for a couple of months now. Good car but MPG isn't spectacular, around 35 ish but it goes up on longer trips, I expected it to be slightly better. The ride feels very stiff and you seam to notice the bumps more so than most other cars I've been in. And compaired to the previous car (A4) and my car (Old astra estate) it seams much bigger on the outside, i.e more difficult to fit in the garage width wise always longer than the parking space, yet the astra feels bigger inside and has a bigger boot (but it the VRS does have a bigger boot than the Audi.) Overall though good car but I would have probably been boring and got a normal one instead and a diesel at that as a mate has on and the MPG he gets is unbelievable.
Iain
Well the 1.8T engine in the vRS is pretty uninspiring sounding. Worse than some diesels...
Bazzer - pretty much every 335d kicks out over 300bhp standard (335i usually above quoted bhp too). Yes and M3 sounds far better but mates with them are getting well under 20mph and with a 60 litre tank, are having to stop constantly to fill up. The M3 also need thrashing to get the best out of it.
The engine note makes me smile when pushed - not like the R32 but still pretty rorty.
Best engine noise IMO is a toss up between the Carrera GTs V10 and the SL55 AMGs supercharged eight. Woofly loveliness.
Yes to hear a "nice" sounding four pot.
Totaly agree with that, 1.8T is not an inspiring engine. Turbo is too small and runs out of puff higher up the rev range.
M cars can be stupid expensive to run, and in the real world on roads will be no faster than a 335d
I must admit to liking the noise a 911 GT3 makes I did actualy think about buying a E 55AMG but decided though it was fast was not special enough for what would be a weekend car. At the end of the day its just a very fast saloon all be it one that sounds fantastic
Still thinking about maybe getting an Z4M coupe for a weekend car, Even though I know the 3L would be just as good in 95% of situation I would still go for the M
Do you ever wish the 335d had an LSD ? I have driven a few powerful BMW's including some M cars and I am sure they leave it off the list on purpose as they would challenge the M cars more if they could get power down better.
Bazzer
Edited to add
Remember listening to an R32 with a sports exhaust pulling away from a toll booth in France sounded great
Cosworth BDA or Subaru Flat Four?
Edit: I'm **** flabberghasted that molgrips is bringing up social constructionism in a thread about Skodas
Lol
Well I am trolling somewhat of course. I mean these threads about what car is best in certain situations are daft unless you are racing. Seconds per lap just don't count on real roads. What matters is whether or not you like the car and driving it.
So if you like a 140bhp diesel and find it nippy then it is, even if it does roll/understeer/whatever.
As bazzer says.
EDIT: although this thread is fairly sensible so far compared some of the others.
My two'penth:
A 02 car with 110k may go for another 100k with consumables replaced as they wear and tear.
Another identical 02 car with 110k may go for another 10k then something major goes leading to its scrapping.
How to counter the above? Annual servicing TO THE MANUFACTURERS SPECIFICATIONS on the dot.
Seconds per lap just don't count on real roads. What matters is whether or not you like the car and driving it.
Well I agree with you on somthing at last In fact I use the term nippy quite often to describe cars that are not really fast but not slow either.
The converse is if someone likes driving a 500BHP petrol car there is nothing wrong with that either, unless you are a Polar bear
A nice feel to the steering, predictability and a good linear power delivery make for better driving pleasure on the road, not ultimate grip. People confuse grip and handling, they are not the same.
Well I am trolling somewhat of course.
Why? What's the point? A guy asks about a car, and you deliberately try to draw people into unrelated arguments, stuffing his chance of getting any more info. Pointless. If you want to have an argument, you can always start a thread titled "Why the BMW 335D is rubbish, and implies the owner is of small genital stature".
A Impreza WRX would drop the VRS.
A MX5 on certain roads with its lower bhp etc would leave the VRS.
What it is though its a lovely, fast and capable load lugger that doesn't attract thieving intentions like the WRX would or hairdressing appointments like the MX5 does.
Great car.
I had one. Chopped it in for a BMW 320d.
To be honest that was a mistake.
The VRS although only a hatch at more space and was so much more fun to drive. OK not in the Scooby or Evo category but for something that is affordable and economical the VRS 1.8 turbos are great fun, handle well and will take you across Scotland, with bikes tucked away in the book and kit on the back seat quicker than your passenger would find amusing!
I bought mine with 10,000 miles and sold it at 95,000 it didn't cost me much to run, did 35mpg providing I behaved (so only occasionally) and covered ground pretty quickly and inconspicuously. People on the motorway used to pull into the middle lane and let me past out of pure respect! Although they may that thought I was police.
The converse is if someone likes driving a 500BHP petrol car there is nothing wrong with that either, unless you are a Polar bear
Well that's another thread isn't it?
Why? What's the point? A guy asks about a car, and you deliberately try to draw people into unrelated arguments, stuffing his chance of getting any more info
Well not exactly - I got involved in the thread way back with opinions and (albeit second hand) experiences of the car in question. Then it turned to engine notes, and I threw in an opinion slightly tongue in cheek.
Threads do ramble, as do posters, this is allowed is it not?
I've recently bought at estate on a '03 with 75k and am enjoying it massively. The torque is great, the fact that it has long gears (as opposed to having the one massive dump of torque you get in a TDi) is great and makes the car incredibly flexible. It is quick in 'real world' situations because of this as well, but not as quick as a mate's Evo 6 that has been chipped and tuned to 420bhp - funny that.
This all said, I don't think it handles as well as the Mk.1 Focus it replaced. I also don't think that it's as well put together as the Focus, and the boot isn't quite as practical (the Focus has a flat back when the seats were down, no lip on the boot sill and useable slots for the headrests in the underside of the rear passenger seats). However, the main reason I got this instead of a Focus ST170 estate is the engine - the vRS is quicker and more economical than the Focus, is apparently even more economical when tuned(!) and, despite the above, is an awful lot of fun for what's essentially a practical car.
So far I'm a happy Skoda driver and would buy another.
Although they may that thought I was police.
Heh! There is that too.
I'll say this again. 1.8T VRS owners - seriously get the taster-session remap on your engine. It completely transforms your engine into something amazing.
the one massive dump of torque you get ina TDian older VAG PD TDi
Fixed that for ya
the one massive dump of torque you get in a TDi an older VAG PD TDi
Fixed that for ya
Heh! Too kind.
Not sure whether it was an older PD VAG - it was in a Leon FR on an 07 plate. Very torquey, very quick but you had to smack it through the gears to keep it in the power band.
Hmm... I test drove a Seat Altea when I was looking recently, about that vintage perhaps, and it did have the older style one without the piezo injectors.
They can be driven well, you just have to really use higher gears than you'd think. My Ibiza didn't really care what gear it was in - I'd overtake in 4th to avoid having to upshift, and be just as quick.
I drove an Altea TDI from Manchester to southern Germany and back.
I can honestly say I couldn't have had a better car for that smooth and stressfree journey...
except for Belgians not checking their mirrors when pulling out to overtake lorries at +5mph of the lorry in dual carriageways.
Molgrips - it was the 1.9 170bhp version. I recall it revving up to about 5k (but could be wrong - I haven't driven it for 2 years), but most of the power was around 2k. 6 speed though, so not a major issue.
I agree about the higher gears though - I used to forget there was a 6th and rev along at 80 in 5th. However, overtaking at 50 in 4th was a joy.
Hora - a trip to Jabbasport is on the cards fairly soon.
EVO(?) does this test remap first. Its basically time-based and expires after so many driving hours.
You might like it or you might not. Its not the speed-aspect its the way its delivered and feels. Far better IMO. I found the 1.8T 'nervous'/rough accelerating.
I recall it revving up to about 5k
Aye, I did that for a while then realised that 3.5k was the best place to change up for rapid progress. Great feeling being propelled with that deep rumble rather than screaming revs
Read through all of this, got excited....then opened my email...and the deal has fallen through...gutted.
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