Anyone ever compared the VW GTI with the VR6 to the 1.8T Quattro with sport suspension (both with 5 speeds). I drove the VW last night and it was awesome to drive. Any opinions on the advantages of each?

Drive them back to back, they're both great, but very different. I had a '94 Jetta GLX (VR6) and loved it, it was quicker and more tossable than my A4. However, the A4 handles better, the comfort/convenience features, ride, and fit and finish are far better as well. The new generation VW's have improved, but still aren't in the same league in the categories I discussed above. The VW's best feature is the VR6, and its reasonable price. There were three things I didn't like about my Jetta: FWD (I'm biased...hate FWD); automatic tranny S*CKED (I don't know what I was thinking), stock Goodyear Eagle GSA's S*CKED (replaced with Dunlop SP4000's). The new ones also come with daytime running lights which is another personal pet peeve for me.

They are both great drivers' cars, but have extremely different personalities. Drive them both back to back and go with the one which is right for YOU.

Regards,
Rodney

'99 A4 1.8tqms

Someone asked me that at work a while back. You have really got to make the decision for yourself. These are two different kind of cars. One I call a pocket rocket, the other a sports sedan, IMO, and also two different price ranges, aren't they? One only has front drive the the other has quattro. One has two doors and a hatch, the other has 4. I haven't checked prices on the GTI, but my guess is that for the prices of a A41.8TQ, you can do a lot of mods to the GTI. Do you want to do mods? With about $2-600 you can add ~50hp to the A4. Now that you have driven the GTI, go test drive the A4. What do you really want is the question? You have to answer the questions. Is it cost, room, quattro, what?

I see what you are saying and appreciate the response. Actually, though it is virtually impossible to drive them back to back (can't find 'em). I did drive an automatic tip A4 with sport and a Jetta VR6 GLS automatic (smaller tires, worse suspension than GTI) back to back and in that comparisn the A4 was the clear winner even though it was a 4 cylinder.

I had the pleasure to drive the VR6 GTI before I bought the A4. What I can say is the VR6 is certainly a fast car. ( Scary Fast !! ) but handling, unless you upgrade the suspension and wheels, it seem a little loose due to the height. And did you know all VW corners on 3 wheels when driven hard!! I also felt the steering on the VR6 to be on the lighter side.

Thanks for replying, and I can see what you are saying. They are about $3800 apart, although half of that is the cost of the Quattro option itself. I really want the sports sedan although a pocket rocket is fun to drive. I need room for my golf clubs and the GTI has little room with the seats up. As you probably guessed my concern is that the 1.8T while great isn't as quick as the VR6. I would like the 180 hp version of the 1.8T. Any idea what aftermarket chip could get me that? I don't want anymore power because I like to keep my cars a long time. My present car is a 1985 Jetta I bought new.

Long term reliability is purely speculative at this point, whether stock, .8 bar, 1.0 bar, or more. More horsepower will result in a shorter engine life, but the question is how much shorter, and from what starting point? We don't know how long the stock 150 hp 1.8t will last (100k miles, 250k miles, 500k miles??? shrug) or how much chipping and other mods will reduce engine life, the hard data just isn't there yet.

Personally, I think a stage one chip shouldn't reduce engine longevity much, since the same engine is available in Europe with 180hp from the factory and the stage 1 chips are pretty close to that. However, this is my personal opinion, based on extrapolation, not fact. What is less speculative is that propper maintenance (regular fluid and filter changes, allowing cool down period for turbo before shutting off car) and good driving habbits (not running to red-line all the time) will play an even greater role. I plan on chipping my car, and keeping it 6-8 years, which will mean exceeding 100k miles, hopefully I'm not making a mistake...only time will tell.

Regards,
Rodney

'99 A4 1.8tqms

Thanks for the reply - which A4 did you get 2.8 or 1.8T? I did notice the steering was light in the GTI. I think the A4, at least with the sport package has better steering feel.

I had the oportunity to drive the GTI VR6, and it is a lot of fun. But I still prefered my stock 1.8T. Granted, the VR6 is really great, but I found the GTI's steering less precise, its shifting a bit too light for my taste, and handling to be inferior to that of the 1.8T.

The GTI definitely is a rush to drive and it is quick off the start, but driving 1.8T always gave me a bigger smile. It feels more solid, it is much more comfortable to sit in, and it still feels quick even in stock (thanks to the low-end torque). The A4s interior is also at a level above that of the GTI. IMHO, if money is not the problem I would definitely go with the A4. But as others have pointed out, they are totally different cars.

Just to let you know, I ended up purchasing the 1.0 bar APR chip and it makes a huge difference.

Good luck with your decision. Both are great cars, so it's a win-win situation :-)

Wayne
99 1.8TQMS APR

I *really* like the characteristics of the VR6, perhaps even more than the 1.8T chipped (maybe...). Don't forget, that if you don't need to buy now, the 204 hp 4-valve VR6 will "be coming"....granted thats VAG talking, so who knows when that's going to be here in the US. Likewise, the 1.8Ts should show up by 2000 Spring (supposedly). When we get the 4-valve VR6, the GTI will get the Haldex 4-Motion (not quattro, but better than FWD), and your choices will basically boil down to cost, size, fit & finish. The 4-motion VR6 GTI will also get an upgraded suspension according to VWVortex.

My lease on my GLX Jetta runs out in 2 years...indeed it will be an interesting time to purchase with (hopefully) lots of choices.

For now, though, I'd go w/ the A4 if I were you. It's a much nicer car, and can be quite fun to drive w/ the right suspension and a chip.