New car

[soc]

I'm picking up my new car on thursday or friday which will be quite a departure from the exotic FTO. I just agreed a sale on a 2001 5-door VW golf GTI.

That said I'll still be knocking around the site cause in a year or so I plan on sourcing a last of the line (if possible) late model 1999 FTO.

[kevinod]

I just agreed a sale on a 2001 5-door VW golf GTI.

Congrats Shane, hope it goes well for ya. I have a friend who's big into VWs and has a (chipped) 240bhp Gti golf. Think i mentioned it before, but you might want to check out http://www.vage.ie, the VW/Audi group enthusiasts site.

Out of curiousity, and without asking for figures, is insurance much different on the GTi?

Kev.

[soc]

Congrats Shane, hope it goes well for ya. I have a friend who's big into VWs and has a (chipped) 240bhp Gti golf. Think i mentioned it before, but you might want to check out http://www.vage.ie, the VW/Audi group enthusiasts site.

Westward in Enfield do a Revo upgrade for the ECU (www.revotechnik.com) - according to some of the UK boys and a mate (who's running an S3) because I got an AUM variant of the 1.8T engine I should be seeing 210bhp and 220-230ft/lb torque - apparently it's the same engine as the 180bhp TT and it's very easily tuned.

The beauty of this setup is the AUM (2001 ->) 1.8T VAG engines have "spare" memory in the ECU and the Revo software is downloaded via serial port in the dash onto this free memory - you then get a switch box that you can plug into the port and switch between the standard and the modified map - also you can use the switch box to disable the drive by wire throttle thus rendering the car unstealable even if the scum has the keys

Westward have a 5 hour free trial for this software which I'll definitely try out before considering whether to part with the €800 it'll cost.

Apart from that I'm keeping it as OEM as possible - maybe some RS4 alloys and depending on how the sports suspension goes I might or might not lower it.

I might add some stainless bits to the interior but as it's already got the leather heated recaros it's already pretty sweet

Out of curiousity, and without asking for figures, is insurance much different on the GTi?

Kev.

Believe it or not I got quoted €750 fully comp on the GTI compared to €880 tpft on the FTO. Both quotes fro QD. I'm shopping around between today and tomorrow though.

[CJ]

Nice one Shane, give us a full report after a weeks driving!

CJ

[soc]

Nice one Shane, give us a full report after a weeks driving!

CJ

I'll do that for sure - have to admit to a tinge of sadness at the prospect of the FTO going though