At 2:19 PM -0500 1/28/00, Williams, Chris (RSCH) wrote:
I've always preferred the GLI to the GTI.
Uh-oh! Another classic GTI vs. GLI debate; run for cover!
I prefer the GTI over the GLI because it fits my lifestyle
better: I almost never have more than one passenger, so the rear
doors and trunk are just extra weight. When I do have to carry a lot
of stuff it's usually backpacks/camping or SCUBA gear . . . so the
ability to fold down the rear seats and have a micro pickup is handy.
I've moved myself several times with just the GTI: full size futon?
No problem! The GTI offers far more 'utility' to me than a GLI could.
Also, I prefer the look of the hatchback, it seems 'sportier'.
However, if my car needs were a bit more traditional: four person
comfort _and_ a large trunk, then the GLI would clearly be my choice.
Or a 5 door GTI, but we don't get them here.
One of the reasons is that the GLI was made in Germany, while the
GTI was made in the US/Mexico.
Very good point; I wish my GTI came from the homeland!
Also, the GLI seemed to get some of the "goodies" that were never
offered on the GTI
Hmm, mine's an '87 so I don't have many goodies at all, but the weight adds up.
At 11:30 AM -0800 1/28/00, vw racer wrote:
I know I'll get flak from this but:
The Jetta GLI actually handles better than the GTI.
At least you're prepared!
The extra weight(not much)over the rear wheels makes it understeer
less(or oversteer more). this is something I read in either VW Sport
Tuning or WaterCooled performance Handbook.
So by the same arguement I could put a bag of sand in the
back of my GTI and it would handle better? I don't think so. It might
work for a Camaro in the snow, but not a GTI in the dry. Suspension
tuning is done by adjusting tire pressure, spring rates, shock
damping, roll stiffnes. . . Weight distribution is one thing, but
_extra_ weight is never a good thing.
The acceleration times are not much different,
If I remember correctly from some early tests of 1.8l cars,
it was at least 0.5 second difference in 0-60; that's a lot. Unless
traction is really limited, or the car is hampered by a automatic,
0-60 times are pretty much dependant on power to weight ratio. Since
everythinf else is the same, 0-60 times should be roughly
proportional to weight. Increase weight 1% and the time will go up
(about) 1%. I'm not sure, but I think the weight difference is almost
200lbs, but I could be wrong. If so, that's getting close to 10% of
the vehicle weight, which is very significant.
it would probably come down to the driver's skill level, rather than
the car's performance.
Agreed; it always does.
Also, the issue of whellbase came up recently, and it was
said that they're the same, which really surprised me. I don't know
for sure, but the Jetta looks to be the same length as a 5 door golf,
while the 3 door looks shorter. Maybe that's an optical illusion,
does anybody know for sure? Numbers, please, or I can check the
Bentley when I get home.
IMO, all else being equal, the GTI will be faster and handle
better (slightly), and I think most here would agree with me.
Later,
Lee
W. Lee Hendrick
[email protected]
http://soliton.ucsd.edu/~hendrick/
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