Another year closer to forty then...

Yeah. Standard Revo chip mod for the old 225bhp S3 (or Cupra R) takes it
to 265bhp. Letting it out of the showroom like that, though, is just
loopy.

I'm vaguely tempted by the extra 27bhp a Revo mod would give me for 400
notes, but it'd bump my insurance up by the thick end of 300 quid a year
and I'm not sure it's worth it.

 

in a front wheel drive car?

I'd say it's definitely not worth it.

 

I dunno. I've managed to defeat the traction control a few times with
180 on tap, but only when playing silly buggers and doing it
deliberately. It seems pretty good. The Cupra R was 225, now 240, and
that's also fwd only.

The S3 has Haldex 4wd, which makes 265 rather more do-able.

 

I would say 240 or so in a FWD car would be beyond the usability limit
of most people. Repeat after me: "I am not a trained and experienced
rally driver".

well, yes.

 

I'd be inclined to agree. Which is why I'm only considering a mod up to
207bhp.

Does half a day's training near Chipping Norton count?

 

Wtf does "beyond the usability limit" mean?


--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

How on earth is 18k a lot of miles. It should be good for 75-100k.

 

It means "at some point it's going to bite you"

Remember the Top Gear segment on the Astra VXR?

 

are you thick?

<subtitles for the hard-of-thinking>

making use of all of that amount of power in a FWD car is far from
easy in anything other than a straight line, and even then, unless the
road surface is very good and the suspension/tyres are in perfect
nick, flooring such a powered FWD car results in torque steer with the
car diving for the ditch of the wrong side of the road, at random.

 

I can be.

Not if it's got a well designed chassis & traction/stability control
systems. Even if it hasn't, it's still capable of accelerating safely
at higher speeds in the hands of most people, making it very usable in
certain conditions (i.e. overtaking).

Of course none of that's relevant, as most people drive everywhere at
40mph anyway.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

It's a Vauxhall - they have huge teams of people whose sole job is to
make their cars handle as badly as possible. Remember when they did the
'sleeper' saloons? Some high-power Vectra vs Mazda 6 vs something else.
The understeer in the Vectra was absolutely boggling.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

<fx: unusual behaviour for Usenet>

oh, you know, I just can't be bothered.

If you think FWD cars with more than around 240-250bhp are a good
idea, why don't you just go out and buy one.

 

I don't think FWD cars are a good idea, period. But if I /had/ to buy
one, I'd want it to be completely bonkers, but with a few switches to
tame it down when I wasn't in the mood. Good electronics can make any
amount of power safe, whilst still making it available when you can use
it.

--
Krusty
www.MuddyStuff.co.uk
Off-Road Classifieds

'02 MV Senna '03 Tiger 955i '96 Tiger '79 Fantic Hiro 250

 

hmm. What about exiting tight corners on the gas, did it not feel that
it wanted to understeer/did you not get a feeling the power was trying
to pull the steering back into line with the axis of the chassis?

whereas if I turn off the traction control and dynamic stability
control on the RX, it's still a completely drivable car (if somewhat
more lively in corners).

 

This is all very interesting and all that chaps, but can we please get
back to me talking about how fucking groovy my new car is?

Thanks.

 

Your poor man's Audi, you mean? Sure, fill yer boots.

 

It's fucking groovy.

That is all.

 

I'm sure it is, compared to a knackered Peugeot!

 

It's shit going over road humps though. Driving through Eton Wick
yesterday morning utterly did my noggin.

 

I haven't been following this - what's he got, a Skoda?