colinstone
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 1999
- Location
- Oxford, England
I have a UK 1998 VW GT TDI with the 110 bhp engine. In standard spec it is an absolute stormer and amazingly quiet and refined - as well as economical.
The car is only noticeable as a diesel for 2 reasons - aurally at idle without the radio on and by the infrequent visits to the fuel station. 800 miles per tank is feasible!! In a year I have done 20000 miles and averaged 5.3l /100 km , or 53 miles to each english gallon. This includes storming around Europe for about 6000 of those miles and cruising at 80 - 100 mph. I ordered the car with beige leather, climatronic, cruise control and the Canyon Red pearl effect paint options. As standard it came with elec windows and sunroof, alloys, sports seats, foglamps, 8 speakers, armrests. Luckily it came without audio and I fitted a Pioneer Rad/Cass - wood trim variant and a 6 CD changer. The Pioneer wood trim closely matches some mahogany burr veneer that I have fitted around the central dash below the air vents - see pic.
Coupled with the beige leather interior, it looks pretty good and is often commented upon.
I have also fitted a TuningBox, www.tuningbox.com , which plugs into the fuel pump electrics and also senses the turbo boost pressure but has no adjustments - see comments elsewhere on this site. Cost 350 STG, but effect is outstanding. Power is up to 140bhp ish and torque up to 290 nm. Fuel economy also improved by 5 - 10%. The power available at 85 mph to get back up to 100 mph using cruise control "resume" is staggering - a real shove in the kidneys and the torque steps in with a vengeance from about 1600 rpm. The car trickles around town in 5th at idle, 26 mph, and still pulls away cleanly and smoothly. The engine is also much smoother and blasting around country lanes up to the red line in 3rd - 75 mph is a real hoot with no more vibration or noise than from a petrol engine at the same speed in 3rd. In many ways the engine is very similar to the new 115 bhp PD TDI, which I have driven in Bora (Jetta) form in Germany. TB has still more power though and is more economical, even though the PD 115 has a 6 spd gearbox. Of all the boxes on sale in UK, about 10 in all, TuningBox is about the best value for money. A proper rechip is possibly technically better, but not so easy to transfer to another car. Regrettably, the car is up for sale. But condolences are not required, MY 2000 Golf IV is on order to exactly the same spec. Golf IV is partnered by a 1986 petrol Golf II which I have had since new and 145k miles. First pair of front tyres lasted 70k miles, and one original rear was only changed in Nov 97. 13 years also included 2 years laid up on bricks while I was abroad, and it started first turn after reconnecting the battery.
Hope you all enjoy your Golf/Bora/Jetta motoring.
Colin RM Stone, Oxford, UK
The car is only noticeable as a diesel for 2 reasons - aurally at idle without the radio on and by the infrequent visits to the fuel station. 800 miles per tank is feasible!! In a year I have done 20000 miles and averaged 5.3l /100 km , or 53 miles to each english gallon. This includes storming around Europe for about 6000 of those miles and cruising at 80 - 100 mph. I ordered the car with beige leather, climatronic, cruise control and the Canyon Red pearl effect paint options. As standard it came with elec windows and sunroof, alloys, sports seats, foglamps, 8 speakers, armrests. Luckily it came without audio and I fitted a Pioneer Rad/Cass - wood trim variant and a 6 CD changer. The Pioneer wood trim closely matches some mahogany burr veneer that I have fitted around the central dash below the air vents - see pic.
Coupled with the beige leather interior, it looks pretty good and is often commented upon.
I have also fitted a TuningBox, www.tuningbox.com , which plugs into the fuel pump electrics and also senses the turbo boost pressure but has no adjustments - see comments elsewhere on this site. Cost 350 STG, but effect is outstanding. Power is up to 140bhp ish and torque up to 290 nm. Fuel economy also improved by 5 - 10%. The power available at 85 mph to get back up to 100 mph using cruise control "resume" is staggering - a real shove in the kidneys and the torque steps in with a vengeance from about 1600 rpm. The car trickles around town in 5th at idle, 26 mph, and still pulls away cleanly and smoothly. The engine is also much smoother and blasting around country lanes up to the red line in 3rd - 75 mph is a real hoot with no more vibration or noise than from a petrol engine at the same speed in 3rd. In many ways the engine is very similar to the new 115 bhp PD TDI, which I have driven in Bora (Jetta) form in Germany. TB has still more power though and is more economical, even though the PD 115 has a 6 spd gearbox. Of all the boxes on sale in UK, about 10 in all, TuningBox is about the best value for money. A proper rechip is possibly technically better, but not so easy to transfer to another car. Regrettably, the car is up for sale. But condolences are not required, MY 2000 Golf IV is on order to exactly the same spec. Golf IV is partnered by a 1986 petrol Golf II which I have had since new and 145k miles. First pair of front tyres lasted 70k miles, and one original rear was only changed in Nov 97. 13 years also included 2 years laid up on bricks while I was abroad, and it started first turn after reconnecting the battery.
Hope you all enjoy your Golf/Bora/Jetta motoring.
Colin RM Stone, Oxford, UK
