mk2 golf vs e30 bmw

[psychochild187]

ok there similar in the retro style and track performace and cost sort off! there the both the best of wats out there. but

thought i will let u guys guys know . ive just got back from the ring in a golf gti 8v. lowered and pretty much standard engine as fast almost as the 16v

last time i was in my e30 325i lowered and prety much standard engine and oh my god , all i could say and think was my bmw was faster and better

for egg sample .max speed golf was 115 . bmw was 138
up the long hill 95 mph in the golf 120 bmw and caresel 55 bmw 50 golf

but the bmw was soooo much better at long curcuit than the golf
i love golf but i love e30 more and now ...much more .
i nearl had a ride in a e30 m3 and a m5 but i wanted to rack up my own laps.
i had the back out in the golf still sombody (dont know who) got a great photo of me coming out of a turn sidways in my golf lol i sore the flash as i was holding opposite lock
my friends are the golf nuts iam gonna have to show them wat bmw can do i recon.

thats my veiw wat dou u lot recon?

[Davenotouring]

I've only ever been in a Golf 8v, not a 16v.

the 16v's go well, when revved hard apparently?!

A well set-up E30 325i is a joy to drive and should beat the Golf (8v for sure) due to the extra torque and power. Strip out your 325i for fun.

Come to the Ring on the 18th of June by the way!

[Widge]

I had a MK2 before my 325, twas only a 1.3 so I can't comment on handling or performance, although it did handle well on the set of alloys I got for it. All I'd like to say that the BMW is far more comfortable and refined than the golf on the motorway and stuff, and much more fun on the b roads.

Wasn't really a great fan of the golfs, although I shouldn't knock it as I bought it for Ԛ£300 and sold it for Ԛ£400 12 months later, it served me well but I wouldn't go back to one, even a GTi I'd miss the torque.

[bryang]

Wasnt the 8v Golf 115BHP and the 16v 130BHP?

I cant see the golf being much lighter than the BM so that'd explain the big difference in indicated speeds.

hate the look of the MK2 Golfs now, E30 all the way

[Davenotouring]

The 16v was ~137bhp and the 8v was indeed 115bhp.

I like the look of the big bumper GTi's.

[M3RAGS]

fwd vs rwd is like comparing apples and oranges. My mk1 golf is as fun as my m3 but they cannot be compared.

[nav786]

golf rallye is the danglies. my mate has one and the sound of the charger is just sweeeeeet, only prob with them is the chargers fook up.

[e30_Turbo]

My mates Mk3 GTI 16V is a joke really.

We G-tech'd it the other day and it gave a 8.5 0-60 and a 18 sec 1/4 mile........I told him to take the GTI badges off cause it was false advertising
Golfs are good fun, nippy and handle well, but the 325 is a different animal, loads more torque and RWD means it's faster, more refined and much more stable on the track.

The later golfs are too heavy and the best of the bunch, the original hot hatch the Mk1 GTI is still the best fun you can have in a car, so many for not many Ԛ£Ã”šÃ‚£Ãƒ”šÃ‚£!!

[Richy325iTouring]

i had a scirocco gt2
handles better than a golf and as quick as the mk2 16v supprised a mate that had a golf 16v at the time.

anyways the bmw is loads more fun allough id have another scirooco if i had the space and the cash but sadly i have neither.

only downside on my scirocco was shit brakes

[tim_s]

totally agree with rags. they're completely different cars and each have their merits.
fighting the veedub corner, they are massive fun to drive, regardless of all else. i own a 2l 8v mk1 which does 110bhp+ atw and weighs just over 800kgs - its great fun and v fast round the twisties (at least as competent as my 318is with konis, eibachs, lsd, 205/50s etc). mk2 golfs are under 1000kgs and are equally great fun, and the 16v is faster than you's imagine - many do 150bhp+ with few mods. there are also many easy cheap bolt-on mods to all veedubs which makes them great for those who like to tinker.
i like all sorts of cars for different reasons, they all have their pros and cons. i mean if it were just about speed, we'd all be driving jap-crap as most are way more capable than our bms.

[billyboy193]

I had the Mk1 gti and the Mk2 16v and the Mk1 won hands down and IMO the E30 325 is far better than the Mk2 golf 16v sorry to all those that own the mk2 16v but it will never be in the same leauge as a 325 - however the mk1 ????

[Ant]

Ahh Mk1 Gti !!! proper old skool

E30s are kinda same as for me, both retro funky and good at what their makers intended, yeah mk2 16V is a rapid machine 10/10s but 9/10s ie off the boil anything would whip it, I owned an oak 3 door big bumper valve and my mk1 @ the same time, MK1 was quicker in all respects, handles soo much nicer too.

[gazm3]

Iv'e got a Mk2 Golf GTI 8V its great fun and quick through the gears, great handling. Sometimes I feel much safer in the golf, when caining the gas. She doesn't step out of line!.

[E30BeemerLad]

Had a MK11 8V a few years back. It was my first proper hot hatch and I loved it. It remained standard throughout. 8V motor pulled really well and there is absolutely nothing in it between 8V & 16V upto 60. Hitting 100mph in the 8V was like hitting a brick wall though, seemed to take forever for the next 15-20mph.

I had it 3 years and it just got total abuse constantly and rarely gave me any grief. I hardly ever serviced it, ran it with no antifreeze in over one winter and it boiled itself up inside of 2 minutes on one occasion, when I lifted the bonnet the pipes were still frozen solid! But it never complained.

It got redlined from cold every morning as I lived just off a busy A road. I would have another one no problem, but i wouldn't part with my E30 for one. I traded it in against a V6 Alfa 164, which felt like pure luxury but no quicker off the line. However, all Alfas come with a complimetary self-destruct interior and dodgy electrics, ooh plus air con compressors that seize on christmas eve on at A1 when you don't have breakdown cover, Ԛ£350 recovery bill, thank you very much. And auto gearboxes that lose drive! Cuore Sportivo!

[andrewe30m3]

i bought a 16v mk2 gti after i sold my old 325i e30 (Swartz with vream sports leather, low on azevs... i miss that one), and i thought it was sh1t.

yeah it revved, but i prefered the torque of the beemer and rwd. really couldnt get used to the golf even tho it was a late h reg and mint and really tight, just felt flimsy - no leather upset me.

hope this helps

[tomstickland]

I spent 5 years driving around in a MK2 Astra GTE, gradually doing more and more to it. It proved that FWD cars can go round corners. However, I wouldn't want to go back to a FWD hatch now after driving a 320 for a few weeks.

I had a Jetta GTi as a spare car for 6 months. Mk2 Golf GTi 8v with a boot on it. It was an instant hit with me. Great engine, good fun to drive. The engine accelerated the car far better than I expected. It never made me think "my god this is a beast", but then again it reached 80-90mph a lot quicker than I expected. It was far more perky in a straight line than this 320.

However, the Golf is still an 80s fwd hatch. Good fun but ultimately not as satisfying as a decent RWD set up.

[billyboy193]

I spent 5 years driving around in a MK2 Astra GTE, gradually doing more and more to it. It proved that FWD cars can go round corners. However, I wouldn't want to go back to a FWD hatch now after driving a 320 for a few weeks.

.

I had a 16v astra gte that had a blue print race engine pumping out about 200bhp and hell could that go but I agree RWD is so much more fun!

[Danstable]

My last car was a J reg Jetta GTi 16v, bought it with a DTM exhaust, sensibly lowered, tastefull velour seats (not the pinstripe things that I don't really like), and a few discrete 'GTi Engineering' badges. Never knew what had exactly been done to it but when the head gasket was replaced they said it had been ported.....so there may have been more.

I absolutely loved it, went like the clappers, took loads of abuse, a lot of car for the money. Supposedly better handling than the Golfs too.

Ended up buying the 325 and the Jetta sat for the best part of 6 months on a mates drive (too busy enjoying the 325!). Anyway, sold it on ebay for 500 notes, clearly stating that it needed a service, MOT, and Tax, and that it had been stood.....so shouldn't be driven.

Anyway, the winner turned up from the south coast (I was in Manchester) and drove it home.......but, got a call an hour or so later, the engine had gone pop on the motorway. He was trying to lay the blame on me! Unlucky mate, re-read the advert you fool.

Great car, deserved better.

[psychochild187]

i drove the jetta 16v too there a hand full with out power steering , defently feels like they have the boot. but rwd all the way ,the golf dont seem to like a 100 for a long time ,its just the bmw like to crusie at that speed .

[GraemeP]

I have had stacks of VWs in the past - best for speed and handling of note were:

1. Corrado VR6
2. Corrado G60 (with stage 4 charger, konis, jabbasport ECU upgrade, induction kit, Rallye intercooler, miltek exhuast etc)
3. Mk2 16V GTI with Turbo Technics conversion (twin stage switchable).


The mk2 16v is too revy for my liking, but the 3 above will suprise you! Most notably the VR6 'rado handles as close to a RWD car as you are going to find, and way cool styling (active spoiler a la porsche!).

the Mk 2 was the quickest, but handling and brakes did not match, and I hate the feel of the car and interior styling is awful. You cannot beat a VR for sound (even by BMW standard) - and the G60 with big boost and decat etc also sounded delightful on full chat!

All 3 are probably faster than my 2.8 Z3, but the Z3 goes sideways and also sounds pretty good!

[jamie325isport]

Ive had a few VW's too MK1/MK2 golfs, corrados and polos. Out of all the ones listed i was very suprised with three of them.

The first one was the corrado it handled like a dream lift off oversteer on round abouts is a pleasure totally predictable except it was a bit heavy for the engine (1.8 16v) VR6 i would imagine is perfect with its extra power!!

Then second one was a little polo GT (J reg shape) it was only a 1.3 with multi point injection i think? But with the little standard alloys on it oh my god it was well nippy not very well built but still alot of fun.

And the last but no means by least was a 16v MK2 golf. This thing was a moody looking piece of rubbish it was a pinky red in colour lowered too much on sh*ty 14 inch alloys a nasty DTM upswept exhaust but it had a years MOT and i ended up getting it off the guy for Ԛ£150. Well i got it home gave it a clean put some other wheels on it tried to get it as sensible looking as possible.

Once i started driving it about i soon found out it had been played with it had a 4 branch on it and i bumped in to a previous owner and he informed me it had had a fair bit of engine work done. I had so much fun it, it would rev to 8000 but from 7000 (red line) to 8000 it would chuck out loads of blue smoke well funny so after beating cars of the lights (a fair amount being BMW's) would rev it round to get the smoke out just to let them know they had just been beaten by a complete shed!! But it never died!!!! The gearbox broke in the end then i got the sport.

[M5pilot]

I had a superb mk2 Gti 16V.

They are fantastic cars and I would serioulsy consider buying another one.

They are very quick and are proper drivers cars, infact more drivers cars than even an E30.

E30 325i vs Gti 16V.......done that race too many times and there is basically nothing in it. The 16V has the edge at higher speeds and out handles the 325i silly.

[psychochild187]

mk2 out handles e30
not in my books!

[Andy_magic]

A few years ago I had a 1500cc caddy that I blew up on the A14 (4 speed gearbox)

At the time a mate had a Scirroco GT that had died due to rust.

I fitted the GT engine in the caddy and left the 4 speed gearbox. really good acceleration but would only just do 100mph. Great fun.

[Lowm3]

Think the wrong cars are being compared here ..

Golfgti 16v with a e30 325i, totally different league engine and the 325 has 40 brake more ..

However if you compare like for like, bmw 16v 318is and golf, i think the golf definatley handles better .. can't comment on speed, both nice to drive..

However a mk2 golf with a vr6, and a 325 is abit more on level terms, same horsepower .. so all depends how well the conversion is done, if done well, i think every one would choose the mk2, bldy amazing ...

else the 325 if standard

[M5pilot]

The golf may have 40 bhp less (thats if you can really find a 325i that makes 170 bhp) but the golf weighs like 250 kg less!

E30Pilot bought my 16V gti and I had a 325i. We regularly had a play and I can tell you now the 16V is just as fast.

The 16V are known to make very near stock BHP figures whereas the 325i's barely make 160-165 bhp so the difference is more like 30 bhp.

Top end acceleration is fantastic on a Golf.

And the handling on a 16V is just something else! Very fun car.

Gti with Vr6 lump........will destroy and eat 2.7's for breakfast. I know........I tried to race one in my Alpina 2.7.

E30's are great cars but they are not the fastest best handling cars out there. Cars like the 16V will upset many 325i's.

[orangecurry]

as has been pointed out, they are very different cars, so to compare them would be foolish, so here I go...

but before I do, how about someones opinion that we all respect - EVO magazine give the mk2 Golf 16v 5 stars (and they give the mk1 M3 the same), but they don't even mention any other E30 variant.

I have owned the first 3 versions of the golf gti (4 cars in all) and have a 325i now and I have to tell you that the mk2 16v is definately the best drivers car - I love the E30 to bits, but even the sport was designed and conceived for rich businessmen, whereas the mk2 was the follow-up to beat all of the competition which jumped onto the hot-hatch bandwagon after the mk1 gti appeared.
The mk2 16v is razorsharp, only just beaten by the 205 1.9gti and the clio 16v williams's for pure handling abillity, and that's only cos these weigh less, which isn't always what you want flying round the countryside, and the golf beats these two to own because they are too fragile.....

getting the back-end out is fun, and controlling it shows driving skill, but to fly fastest from A-B and NOT in a straight line is what does it for me, and the mk2 16v really does fly

[Ant]

I sold my MK1 tonight

first time in 5 years without the beast , Mini Cooper will suffice for the go-kart handling though even though its much slower , still 3 cars was takin the

[6potWil6pot]

I had a run in with a mk2 Golf on the motorway in the departed E30, it was keeping up even tho i was really giving the pedal some. It cant have been an ordinary 16v GTi surely?

The guy later pulled along side and it was a bit of on both sides cause his certainly wasnt standard too

[tomstickland]

My Astra GTE (not standard in any way by the time it was finished) was faster down wet A roads than the 318IS. I used to indulge in BMW bashing for fun in that. With 190 BHP/tonne it should have managed a sub 15s 1/4 mile (managed 15.17s with 160BHP/tonne). So it would have been faster than a 325.

However, despite their fun, there comes a day when you tire of hot hatches. Well I have anyway.

[Lowm3]

Didn't know the 16v golf was so quick on the road, fun to drive i agree ..

Strong engine too, my brother did 263,000 on his and it was still ok, but thought it was time for a change, so we have rebuilt a vr6 lump and popped that in.. loves eating boxsters now, and even kept up with an r32 the other day, but we are sure the r32 was not going for it properly..

The porsche was though, on a bendy road, 3.2 boxster S and he thought he would overtake 6 cars and then sit on our bumper, but we kept pulling away, (this was the first time we took it out) so we let the porsche pass to see if we can sit on his bumper, or if he pulls off a little, like bees to honey, he wasn't going no where ..

[E30BeemerLad]

LowM3 - nice one - there's nothing more fulfilling than mixing it with some exotic or powerful machinery when your car would usually have no business being there. Porsche driver would have been having just as much fun as you guys, but ultimatley would have gone home scratching his head and wondering if there was something wrong with his Ԛ£40K steed

[Lowm3]

Yeh the best one was when i posted on the porsche forum, whats the power of a boxster S. I put it up just so we have a rough idea of what this engines capable of, and some people there didn't like it, most of them are fine, they like other german marques .. but then some got their heads too far up, i was gettting comments like bet it cost more than the boxster? lol what a muppet

[E30BeemerLad]

yeah - some people like that are so misguided and think you have to spend similar amount of cash to get equal performance.

My motor cost me Ԛ£500 and I take pride hanging onto the back of UK spec early impreza turbos

[M3RAGS]

daljs car is finally done!