UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

That quote is upto 10,000 miles with an excess of 120. Norwich union said they wouldn't insure me untill i was 21 but when i took out a policy with them on the gt after a month of being with them i phoned up and asked again and they said it was fine. Worth looking into.

DanW wrote:

DanW wrote:Quick hijack of the thread, will my 1.3 MPI, with no mods out pace a 1.4 Golf? MK3 I think.

Balls it's a MK4, will I still do it ?

Now that IS touch and go. Theres nowt in it; 0.2seconds faster 0-60 urs is. Top apeed itll out do you though. Mk4 1.4 is 75bhp u c.

yeah, when i need a new gearbox (which by the sounds of it wont be too long) would it help to get a close ratio gear box?

Apologies I was lookin at the wrong figures before. The golfs a second faster 0-60 than urs (13.6 and 14.5 respectively) You never know though, ur car might not be 55bhp. I cant believe those NZ engines have such few horses. You not done any mods at all? Air filter or anything?

Yeah a GT gearbox would be a big help. Theyre quite rare though, separate from an engine that is.

nope nothing at all done to it yet performance wise yet, although I'm sure my 0-60 time is better than that. I've not got a lot to spend this summer on mods, I'm not going to the nice look now, I'm just guna wait till something like a G comes along... And I'm a bit older.
Would it be worth looking for a hig flow air box? or to enlarge the cold air intake (mind u I think it's open on cold all the time with the temperature today not rising above 70 in the warm and thrashing it quite a lot)

U might have a knackered thermostat if it doesnt get to 90 quickly. My AAV engined CL (Single point injection version of yours) had a knackered thermostat. It always ran at 70 unless it got really hot like in heavy trafiic or something. I replaced it and it was ok after that. Theyre only about a fiver from GSF but worth every penny.

1. Smoking a Golf with a 1.3 MPi Polo........ depends whether it's a 55hp MPI (that ol' NZ) or a 75hp (as properly befits a GT badge). To find out without a dyno - first find somewhere where it's safe and legal* to do the ton. Get up to 85, select top, floor it. If you think the car is "struggling" to kiss 100, then it's probably 55 (quoted top speed in the high 90s).. if you can pass it, if not quickly, then at least easily, then it's likely a 75 (supposedly knocking on for 110). Both will respond similarly at lower speeds, with the 75 only having a slight advantage, til you rev it, when the extra fun comes in
You also may want to figure out if your air intake has a restrictor flap fitted in it, and get it out by whatever means if so.

For an idea of what the loss of weight between the two models can do, I used to drive a 75hp Fiat Punto, which was similar in stature to a Golf, and while it wasnt a slug (like the ol' 1.05), it didn't really feel like too fast a car, merely adequate. If your GT feels quick, then you're in with a chance even against a 90hp Golf. Just use the nimbleness to your advantage, and try to drive -smarter- than him, too.
(and yes - a tight gearbox would probably help, especially if it's the 75 - the peak power band will be narrower and 'sharper' than the 55, though of course higher all round)


2. Smoking an MG ZR with a G40.
It's a poverty spec Rover 25 with a body kit, sports suspension and possibly a tighter gearbox. Don't make me laugh the G40 would be all over it like ebola. (Me mum drives a 25 with that exact same engine... quick enough, has a good 104hp when revved hard, but is heavy - and anything with a supercharger would eat it for breakfast, it simply can't match the midrange torque figures the charger can help the G40 pump out - never mind that it has less peak HP anyway! ... the slipperier shape may well help it get a higher top speed in the end despite the lesser horses, but it'll be playing catchup from 200m behind, or further on the twisties as you blat thru goat-like holding it in 3rd while they skip 2nd-3rd and try to keep that lard arse on the road)

(detailed discussion of power curves, power-to-weight calculations, the malignant evil inherent in the rover that would inevitably cause the driver's downfall, etc, skipped)


* standard disclaimer. definately not an encouragement to get out on the M42 at half 2 in the morning. Oh no. Not in the slightest.

PS Gareth - tragic choice of location for that picture shoot mate. Look at the roadway in the background. Sublimial disadvertising?

Tahrey1043 wrote:Smoking a Golf with a 1.3 MPi Polo........ depends whether it's a 55hp MPI (that ol' NZ)

Mines defenitly the NZ

Tahrey1043 wrote:or a 75hp (as properly befits a GT badge). To find out without a dyno - first find somewhere where it's safe and legal to do the ton. Get up to 85, select top, floor it. If you think the car is "struggling" to kiss 100, then it's probably 55 (quoted top speed in the high 90s).. if you can pass it, if not quickly, then at least easily, then it's likely a 75 (supposedly knocking on for 110).

Once got it to the 110 mark but it was strugeling, I thought it was something to do with the 4speed gear box

Tahrey1043 wrote:Both will respond similarly at lower speeds, with the 75 only having a slight advantage, til you rev it, when the extra fun comes in
You also may want to figure out if your air intake has a restrictor flap fitted in it, and get it out by whatever means if so.

Where is this restrictor flap?

Tahrey1043 wrote: PS Gareth - tragic choice of location for that picture shoot mate. Look at the roadway in the background. Sublimial disadvertising?

Hah. Never noticed that before. Id change the pic but my doesnt look as good as that anymore since the rear end was modified by an old mini...

with regards to the comparisons in speed between mg zr and golf gti 8v, i can say one thing- beaten. My GT has pissed on an MG ZR and i beat a 5 door golf gti from the line to 60. Dunno how much difference a 5 door is from a 3 door. GTs are a nice car but you end up driving with it floored everywhere as the speed is addictive! Oh and you'll easly beat a 1.4 golf 8v, a friend of mine had one and they're nothing special.

DanW wrote: Once got it to the 110 mark but it was strugeling, I thought it was something to do with the 4speed gear box

Ouch... that'll be somewhere within a spit of the limiter then Good going in that case as your power's fallen off for at least a grand and some of revs. Big hill was it?
(if not... then... you *sure* its a 55? )

DanW wrote: Where is this restrictor flap?

Um.. i think it's in the air intake pipe or filter box somewhere. Not really too sure (haven't had a suitable car to check). If it's a 55hp it might all be academic anyway - think it was only present in 75hp GTs and G40s to keep a lid on the power for sake of certain bits of euro legistlation! (It doesn't hamper bottom end torque or drivability much, but higher engine speeds at full throttle = more air rushing past = more turbulence past restrictor = harder to get enough air in to burn fuel = less power up top.... like the opposite of a sports filter and straight-thru exhaust really. Maybe the NZ has a *really big* one that limits max power to the 4000s? I really dunno much about this one)

Nope along the *private* motorway flat land.

i raced my mates 8 valve gti mk2 and it was similar upto about 60 i pulled away from him in 1 and second then in third he started to pull away. Don't know how you beat a gti mate, was he flooring it.

Not sure what you mean by a restrictor flap. I think G40's have a bit of the air box you can de-restrict. The NZ and GT air box's can be opened up a bit and a panle filter used. 4 speed box wont be good for acceleration as they have long ratio's. The best box by far for acceleration is the GT (AHD) box.