Automotive Dillema >> The Dark-side......

[~ ~ Cal ~~]

Folks,

In an unusual set of circumstances, I have been recently drawn to the dark-side...............2WD that is.

Basically, I happened to drive my wifes Golf 1.6 FSI on the backroad that I know really well from Bearsden to Stirling.

Despite being massively underpowered it was a dream to drive with some gusto. It got me thinking that the Golf GTi would

be a damn good drive. So much so, that I am going to look at a GTi and R32.

I love the Scooby but it's sometimes doing too much on the drivers behalf. In addition, I find the driving position quite high, something

I don't recall happening in my bug-eye.

I doubt I'll switch cars ( althought the Golf has a huge boot and mega leg room and a cracking interior )

We shall see...............does anyone else think along these lines.

Sometimes I only find the Scooby fun in the wet whe you can invoke some lift off and power oversteer. In the dry it's very very capable at B-road

traversing but it's almost too good and leaves me mildy unengaged from the experience. My 2WD Civic Type R was immense and took many a Scooby scalp

@ KH. However, Colin McCrae and that burble had me switching.

I think a VF34 + Sportscat + remap may change things...........something my wife isn't keen on and I have 1.5 years warranty left.

I am beginning to sound like Zeolite now !

Shall keep you posted.........if it rains I'll likely slap myself and delete this thread

Thoughts welcome although I suspect this post is better suited in Pistonheads or somewhere

Cal

[johnnyr6]

i know what you mean, i've been tempted away many time but somehow i still have a scoob. Although i don't agree with it only being fun in the wet, i can induce power oversteer in the dry if i want to and as i have a classic i sit quite low.

It was a westfield and a lotus elise that nearly had me changing.

If you still fancy a scoob, a classic type r would suit sir..

Johnny

[zeolite]

Funny you should mention me Cal, I saw you on South Anderson Drive on Thursday about 18:30. Nice wagon!

In answer to your post you will find the dis-engagement the same with the Gti. The more powerful, more heavy and more capable the car the faster you have to drive it to get the "on the edge" feel. This is why the minimalist MX5, early MR2 type cars are so popular. You just can't drive a scob fast enough on the rods to get the buzz. On the loose however.....

[RS Grant]

Had my sisters EP3 Premier all of yesterday.... sunny, dry and an absolutely awesome wee car, round the B-roads its wicked fun. I've been considering a change into a late EP3 and slapping an LSD in it or a Facelift DC5 but to be honest for the couple of months worth of proper, good, dry weather we get a year, its not worth changing.

I would miss the burble, miss the ability to spot a gap and spool past 2 or 3 cars without even thinking about it or dropping half way down the gearbox and miss the all-weather ability too.. they are the reasons which made me decide to keep the Scoob.

I have never been a fan of the seat design or the height that you sit at in my Hawkeye, but after lengthly research and intense questioning to a few people/suppliers, I've decided that a pair of new seats & rails are needed to solve the problem. Which isn't going to be cheap, but if it solves the only thing that I dislike about the car, its definitely worth it.

Cheers,

Grant

[G.T.]

I had an R32 that had an induction kit cat back exhaust and a map for 268bhp , it wasnt the comfiest for the 3 of us on any length of journey hence the reason i got rid of but it was a cracking car otherwise. I test drove a GTI when i had the R32 and it wasnt up to much tbh.

On your topic kind of my mrs has just got a corsa 1.4 exclusiv and ive drove it to work the past 2 nights and thought it was great fun to drive maybe you should just drive your mrs car more often saves you getting too used to the scoob all the time. I took the scoob to work tonight and it felt great after not driving it for a few days

[superstar_tradesman]

My 2WD Civic Type R was immense and took many a Scooby scalp

@ KH. However, Colin McCrae and that burble had me switching.

Cal

Civic Type R taking scooby scalps. Dream on mate. They couldn't have been trying. Have drove my mates 54 plate Type R several times and found it to be over rated and under powered.

[RS Grant]

I have to say, when I had my sisters car for the day... I came across a reasonably standard Green UK Scoob and it was almost even, with the Civic just pulling away slightly at the top end in 6th, at high speed. That was two up and a car FULL of tennis-related equipment, weight really makes a difference in Hondas as the lack of torque does struggle to pull the extra around.

Against a Classic STi or clean WRX then I'm sure that it would have been beaten.. but the guy in the Scoob was impressed enough to give me a flash of the lights and a wave when I turned off.

The trump card of the Type-R is the handling, I wouldnt be too far behind my Impreza with an extra 150bhp and 250lb/ft and 4wd on a twisty backroad that I know well in the Civic. Imprezas aren't as untouchable as people make out.

Cheers,

Grant

[~ ~ Cal ~~]

Civic Type R taking scooby scalps. Dream on mate. They couldn't have been trying. Have drove my mates 54 plate Type R several times and found it to be over rated and under powered.

I have several videos on my hard drive and one was with Imy as a passenger. A CTR at KH is a weapon and the brakes are immense..............perhaps just poor Scooby driving but they were pursued and then passed with ease. Green classic with 250 bhp too. I remember the driving being rather miffed. Also a silver WRX wagon which was sliding all over the place - another scalp in the bag. These clips used to be posted on my website which I stopped running due the bandwitch nightmares. Numerous Elises were also taken. On a B-road it's different but at KH the CTR's are very strong.

Went to VW today - R32 alloys look a ball-ache to clean !! VW Golf 30 Anniversary edition is very nice. To be honest I love the torque of my WRX but the power delivery is very linear and changing up @ 5k is a tad dull. Overtaking is a breeze though. I guess I miss some lag although I like the TD04 spool up out of corners

WRX is staying.........but I believe these Golfs are very nice and do miss 2WD's a tad

Cal

[iain01]

You could persuade your wife that it would be wise for her to upgrade to a golf GTI, then you would have the best of both worlds. My wife has just agreed to that, as long as its "red and has 5 doors".

Know what you mean about your car Cal, I've got a GB270 and have added green panel filter, 2nd decat pipe and straight thro centre section, but many a sleepless night has been spent thinking about the VF34 etc, really enjoy the car, especially on the b roads, but it could be doing with just a little more. Emailed Andy F and he can supply the VF34 ported to suit the 2.5.

But the thought of trying to explain to the wife why the warranty is fecked if it goes t1ts up has got me questioning if its worth the risk.

[the squiggle]

I have several videos on my hard drive and one was with Imy as a passenger. A CTR at KH is a weapon and the brakes are immense..............perhaps just poor Scooby driving but they were pursued and then passed with ease. Green classic with 250 bhp too. I remember the driving being rather miffed. Also a silver WRX wagon which was sliding all over the place - another scalp in the bag. These clips used to be posted on my website which I stopped running due the bandwitch nightmares. Numerous Elises were also taken. On a B-road it's different but at KH the CTR's are very strong.

Went to VW today - R32 alloys look a ball-ache to clean !! VW Golf 30 Anniversary edition is very nice. To be honest I love the torque of my WRX but the power delivery is very linear and changing up @ 5k is a tad dull. Overtaking is a breeze though. I guess I miss some lag although I like the TD04 spool up out of corners

WRX is staying.........but I believe these Golfs are very nice and do miss 2WD's a tad

Cal

Rehost the old Civic vids on You Tube

Always good to hear Imy giggling like a schoolgirl

[colin_ross]

Lets see, you want the flat 4 noise of the subaru, the top end rush of the civic and the 2 wheel drive characteristics of the golf?

Easy. Buy a REAL Type R and get it all.

Flat 4 rumble that can shake the bonnet off it's stand - check

8300 rev limit with a short ratio box and a wide ratio grin - check

2wd? Wind the diff all the way back (as if it wasn't already) and show the mki/mkii escort drivers what rear wheel drive should look like - check

Any questions?

[cullenmin]

A civic Type R would waste my Scoob Type R...............top end

[thewelsho]

Correct the high-up driving position of your WRX by pushing the lever at the right-hand side of the seat downwards. This will sink you lower in the passenger cell, stop when desired . Correct top-end grunt by installing a VF34 turbo, sports cat and remap. No more speak of this Golf nonsense!

If you want to test-drive the afore mentioned configuration, gimme a shout.

[colin_ross]

A civic Type R would waste my Scoob Type R...............top end

What do you mean, speed or power?

[cullenmin]

What do you mean, speed or power?

Speed, I'd get there quicker.......much quicker

Rich

[Power Junkie]

Speed, I'd get there quicker.......much quicker

Rich

I would get there quicker still

Type R Sti all the way

[mikeyb13]

A civic Type R would waste my Scoob Type R...............top end

I had a Civic Type-R and now have an Sti Type-R and can assure you the Honda is not even in the same Ball Park

My mate has a modified Integra Type-R which is closer to the Subaru but not much. It doubt either of them have a higher Top Speed never tested, but even if they have they wouldn't catch you till 5 miles down the road.

[C_WRX]

Actually was half considering Golf GTi as my wifes next car, but just don't get those tartan seats. Nice cars an all but I was surprised by even 2nd hand price tags. R32 just seems like a petrol gusling monster, and even scarier a price tag.

My last car was a Civic Type-R, totally different to drive -v- a Scoob. Have to admit the kick at 6k revs was brilliant, was sad to see that car go, although the wet was hairy with no tc. Wife prefers driving the Scoob (uses it more than her own car just now!!). My sister had the new CTR and it was less hairy to drive but felt it had lost the drivers involvement a bit, still quick but not to the same feeling level. Much more comfortable inside.

Stick with it Cal, mod other things until the warranty runs out !

[cullenmin]

8300 rev limit with a short ratio box and a wide ratio grin - check

Mind you mine is only set at 7800 rpm max IIRC on the Apexi

An extra 500 rpm may mean an extra 10 mph to the top end, if the type R short ratio box 5th gear is 20 mph per 1000 rpm.

If my calculations were correct (which I'm not sure if they are yet) then the top speeds would be around the same.

Rich

[colin_ross]

I believe it's 19mph/1krpm but you're right that the theoretical tops speeds are about the same. The difference is the subaru has the poke to see them easliy. Also the subaru's is calculated on 16's, up the rolling radius to the same as the civic and you'll be going even faster.

On 17's and standard gearing I had a gps confirmed 160. I think the bushy tailed one may still have it on video.

[Boyakasha]

Cal I'll give you a shot of my car just to remind you what a real Scoob is all about

Now stop your moaning and get some choice mods and a remap from Andy.

[~ ~ Cal ~~]

No need........ I've had your sideways ! That's as hard as it will ever be driven

[RA Dunk]

No need........ I've had your sideways ! That's as hard as it will ever be driven

well put Cal!

like Welsho once said there`s no point having all those ponies if all your going to do is groom them

[thewelsho]

well put Cal!

like Welsho once said there`s no point having all those ponies if all your going to do is groom them

Ah, that was a great quote. Well remembered! Haha!