Polo vs Golf - in a different way

[Tahrey1043]

So I'm in Tesco. I come back out to the car park. There's an H reg Golf (mk2 to my H-mk3) parked next to me, and I think, hmm, that looks a bit small. So I adjust my position by about a foot, and what do you know. The two machines are about a credit card's thickness difference in length, on the same wheelbase. Indeed it looks like the windows seem different merely because the Golf's blind spot is from a thick C-pillar rather than the Polo's thick B.

Now given that with both cars mk2 into mk3 was supposedly just a facelift - what actual difference is there? (Should I expect to see the same putting a mk2 polo next to a mk3 golf? ) I neglected to compare height and width for one thing... The Golf does have a "chunkier" feel, though that might just be from having 14" wheels and a slightly more spacious engine bay.

I'm all perplexed

[ereeiz]

I miss things about my mk2, the solid feel of it for one thing. The polo is a lot lighter and more fun to drive though, even if it does have shocking brakes. The polo seems to have a few bits missing too (protection wise) but then, it is the budget little car. There are things which are just annoying about it though such as why the hell didn't they update the fuses and bring the box inside? It looks as though its never changed since the audi50 or whatever it was
Still both excellent cars, especially in GTi and G40 guises

[DanW]

actualy had to look at the back of a city golf the other day to reckognise it wasnt a polo, was quite worried how simular they are

[nick euro]

i'd actually buy a golf for a everyday car as i think they r mint after my mates grew on me and the fact that u dont really see many around anymore that look that good

[dub envy]

if a mk3 polo and a mk2 golf had a fight, the golf would knock ten ton out of the polo.

Golfs are the better car. Performance. Handling. Looks. Style. Build.

End of.

[hardhitter]

You could argue forever which is the better.
IMO the Mk 3 polo is better than the Mk 2 golf.
They both have their good and bad points, we all know that. I don't agree they are better all round at all.
It depends what you prefer which is important, not what others think.

Case closed

[Gareth_GT_Hatch]

The mk3 polo is supposedly a foot shorter than the mk2 golf, unless youve got a saloon. The mk3 polo is a few inches longer than the mk2 polo; Longer bonnet and thicker tailgate* The mk2 Golf is the best golf in my opinion, but I still wouldnt buy one over a GT hatch

*hatchback anyway

[Tahrey1043]

Thanks Gaz, you were the first person to actually answer the question

I'm not thinking about mk2 vs mk3, anything like that, i'm just trying to figure out why, when parked side by side, the next car "up" in VWs model range and supposedly larger turned out to be almost identical in length (and wheelbase) to the little "city car" (though looking ineffably "different") and quite what I missed.

the mk3 has a bigger nose and a fatter ass?
hehe..

(eeriz, dont forget the battery - in possibly the worst position a battery could be... right at the back so you have to pass the jump leads over the engine, not very far away from the fuel lines but a "long" way from the fusebox and coil, and right at the best place in the whole of the bonnet (except the fuse box) for getting covered in rain )

[ereeiz]

yeh, and it's great, you can really fit a nice big battery in there
The stupid postioning of open plugs by the fuse box, facing the run off of the inadquate drip tray was another good move by VW

[Tahrey1043]

And with the stereo (that's 180w at full cane, and it's not a loud one really), foglamps, propensity to forget the lights etc, I could do with shoving a kickass battery in there... I'm not even sure if i can get the old one out. The positioning of the bolts and the size of the enclosure may necessitate taking the bonnet off at the very least.

Perhaps I'll just disconnect the old one, rip out that dead alarm sounder, gaffer tape a Passat TDi-sized battery onto the freed up mounting, and run some extension leads over to the free-hanging terminals...

Hey.. that could work. I might finally be able to move the bugger on the starter then (my battery is not only wimpy, but shagged out because of it). I have nightmares about getting stuck on a level crossing with no petrol and the door lock jammed...
Hell I could even bypass the lockout and run the starter for 100% extra torque on overtaking with the current available

[ereeiz]

I may relocate my washer bottle to the bin and put the battery there, then get a smaller bottle instead

I was gonna post a pic of my engine bay, but it only shows half of it every time i try adding it to my appauling website