>To the guy claiming the Golf hasn't decent torque: go down a gear >or get an auto box to do it for you.
Eh, that was me. And, my point was clearly that LOW RPM torque was lacking. Of course the torque is decent at high RPM's, which is what you get dropping a gear or two. But I don't LIKE cruising around at 5krpm. >A mistake with a RWD costs too much and even a skilled driver >can make a mistake since conditions on the road are ever-changing >(rain, mud, bad asphalt..). I still fail to see how FWD is such a foolproof design, that unskilled squids can save themselves when they screw up. I still don't like being unable to make the rear end move around while in a corner, or while exiting. It's just along for the ride and that's annoying. Maybe it's just me, but I greatly prefer having the rear wheels break loose in corners, not the fronts. Just my opinion... btw, I do think AWD is cool (and better than FWD or RWD) but there aren't many fun, affordable, sporty German cars with AWD. (Notice I tossed in "affordable" for you Porsche fans...:) >99 Camaro...He also kept complaining about the rattles and >bad ride and cramped interior, etc.. I never claimed the US musclecars were of top build quality. I don't think there was anyone on the list claiming they were even remotely as good as MB, VW or BMW build. But don't get me started on the numerous things the VW engineers screwed up. Different cars, different problems- but VW and ponycars BOTH have their share of difficulties. >There is a replacement for displacement: modern engine >management systems and forced induction. Yes, and sort of. Modern engine management systems are awesome. However, forced induction applies significantly greater loads (internal pressures, etc) on a small motor. This is typically not a good combination. However, a well-designed factory turbo or supercharged motor can be a very acceptable substitute for small displacement. The GLH/GLHS is a good example. The downside is aftermarket bolt-on setups are usually crude and much less refined that the factory setups. I don't hear much about blown or turbo'd 16v motors. Do you? There are tons of kits for American V8's, crude as they may be; becasue the base motor is waaay stronger. (And heavier, and therefore often makes for poor handling....) Sorry to continue the mostly-OT thread. I happen to like most German cars, and some select American cars (sorry, nothing Japanese with more than 2 wheels). It's the folks that slam all American stuff that ruffle my feathers. Yeah, they're not perfect, but they're not quite as bad as some people claim. And the ponycars, as much as y'all don't want to hear it, really DO perform quite well- regardless of being gas-guzzling, creaky, squeaky RWD oversteering monsters. :-) -Dave (2) '91 GLI _____________ List Sponsor: http://www.netsville.com To remove yourself from this list, send mail to [email protected] with 'unsubscribe a2_16v' in the body of your message See us on the web at http://www.a2-16v.com Visit the 16V Homepage at http://www.gti16v.org
