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What hot hatch do you own? This poll is closed. |
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| Golf GTI / R / R32 |
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196 | 0.02% |
| Impreza WRX / STi |
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133 | 0.01% |
| Mazdaspeed 3 |
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92 | 0.01% |
| Veloster Turbo |
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20 | 0.00% |
| Focus ST |
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149 | 0.01% |
| Other Hot Hatch |
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230 | 0.02% |
| Elantra GT |
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1000001 | 99.92% |
| Total: | 1000821 votes | ||
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Right now I'm basically torn between the Focus ST and the MS3, although I'm also looking at a few other things in that price range. However, I haven't test driven anything yet. Probably my biggest problem right now is that I don't drive manual. Will a dealership take me on a test drive, or is that not something they do?
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Aug 8, 2013 03:58
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Thanks for the responses. I have actually driven a manual before (once, for about a mile), and am pretty confident in my ability to pick it up, because I'll have to, heh. My main concern is test driving, but yeah I can get a friend to come with who can can drive manual as well. Unfortunately I can't seem to track down anyone with a manual to learn, ah well. My 'commute' is 16 miles round trip, and I only have to make that trip 3 days a week since I work from home the other 2, so I'm not too concerned about gas mileage or being in traffic. Yes, I am also looking at the GTI (and the GLI); I haven't kept up with cars over the past few years so I've spent the last few days just pouring over videos and reviews. I'm also slightly intrigued by the Fiesta ST but it doesn't seem like too many places have them yet. Full disclosure, I've been driving a 2001 Windstar for the past 5 years, so almost anything is going to be an upgrade for me. I'm going to test drive a Veloster Turbo either today or tomorrow since there's a Hyundai dealer about 5 miles away from me. How are Hyundais buildwise and qualitywise nowadays? AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 14:59 on Aug 8, 2013 |
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Aug 8, 2013 14:54
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KakerMix posted:Hyundai's are on par with anything anyone else makes these days for build and quality. As Phone already said though, the Veloster turbo isn't the same thing as an ST or MS3, both of those are much harder and more 'serious' cars in the performance department in terms of raw power and ride stiffness and things like torque steer. I did the same thing you did about two months ago, and found that I liked the mix the GTI/GLI had, and so went with those instead (actually a Golf R but hey Thanks for the response. My main criteria is price; I don't want to pay much more than $25k, which can lead to a disparate group of cars. I also don't want a truck or SUV, but would be open to a boring sedan as a fallback. The Golf R's are gorgeous, I'm jealous, just a little more than I want to spend. Even used ones are going for 27-29k from my cursory searches. Yeah, I've had the Windstar for about 5 years and maybe 35,000 miles, and it finally died. A few weeks ago it had this awful banging sound: it sounded like a small man inside my engine hitting it with a hammer to get out, which got me quite a few startled stares on the road. While my mechanic said he could replace the cracked manifold, he heard my engine trying to seize up. Transmission only has 50k miles on it though! Before that I drove a 99 Escort ZX2 and put 130,000 miles on it over 10 years (zero frills but it never had problems til the end), and before that an 87 Cutlass Ciera. I've never had anything other than a regular radio/CD player in my car so it's interesting to see cars with way more extras at this price point. I really like the GLI so far but I haven't actually sat in one yet. I like the GTI too and plan to test it as well, it just doesn't strike me as much as the GLI does. I'm including the Veloster strictly for the form factor and price. I think my biggest reservation about the ST/MS3 is I feel like I'm living vicariously through myself 10 years ago, as this is exactly the type of car I wanted back when I was 19/20. I passed a black Focus ST in the parking lot yesterday and stopped to admire it for about a minute, it's really sharp looking in person. Actually now that I'm looking for a car parking lots have become a lot more interesting to walk through.  Also, will an auto dealership take a personal check, or do I have to go get a cashier's check? West SAAB Story posted:Depends on how much its for, and how much they trust you to have that cash. ZX2 Bros. Makes sense. I've never stepped foot in a dealership before with the intent of buying a new car so this is all new to me. I've already got my loan set up (Navy Federal is awesome, took me about 15 minutes over the phone to be approved), so that plus cash is how I'll be paying for the car. My ZX2 was a great little car that never gave me a lick of trouble until the end. Favorite moment: doing a 540 on I-70 in West Virginia in a driving blizzard, and then looking over my left shoulder to see a tractor trailer barrelling down on me. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 18:28 on Aug 8, 2013 |
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Aug 8, 2013 17:58
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) instead of a Focus ST or Mazda Speed 3. 
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I drove a Veloster Turbo today. I'd been saying "Velos-ter" in my head but apparently it's supposed to be pronounced like velocity, except with an R on the end. The interior didn't feel cheap. Seats are comfortable, nice quality. The door handle was weird; it sticks out like a snow shovel handle. The push button start is really convenient. Side visibility was good, but the rear window is tiny. We went on some back road, and I didn't really get it above 40 because I didn't think the salesman's insistence that I "push it a little bit, lay into it, really see how it drives" meant going more than 10 over the limit. So he offers to take me out again and suddenly we're doing 70 on that same road, and then 90 in a 45 zone later. It is pretty quick. Salesman was really nice, no pressure whatsoever. I told him I was looking at manuals and he kind of laughed and advised me not to, because they can be a pain to drive sometimes, but then he said he drives an S2000, and also went on to say that if I got the Veloster in manual it'd be faster too.
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Aug 13, 2013 02:54
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I just got back from test-riding a Focus ST and MS3 (and driving Scion tC and Toyota Rav 4). Ride comfort is better in the MS3 but the ST grips the corners better. I can't really speak to acceleration since I didn't drive but they felt pretty similar. Coming from my '99 ZX2 they are both much more comfortable to sit in, and have decent leg room for what they are. The MS3 interior color pattern didn't annoy me nearly as much as I thought it would, which was nice. Tangerine Scream and those yellow Recaros are not for me, however. I was amazed by how low pressure all the salesmen were; the Scion guy was the only one who even asked me if I was ready to buy one today.
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Aug 15, 2013 21:57
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I"m liking my Speed 3. It pulls so nicely in fourth on the highway. As I live right near 495 and 95 in a 65mph zone it's been easy to take it out for a spin. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 03:27 on Sep 4, 2013 |
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Sep 4, 2013 02:08
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VoLaTiLe posted:There is a bit of torque steer however Nah I was totally planning on turning into that lane anyway.
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Oct 10, 2013 18:07
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Bob A Feet posted:Yeah, the manual fit wasn't a sports car but it was easily one the most fun in its segment of the market. The only thing that I think compares to it in fun value is the Chevy sonic because it has a similar sized engine but with a turbo. I have driven exactly 2 manual cars: My Speed3 and a friend's Honda Fit. The clutch on the Fit is so much lighter.
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Jan 9, 2014 21:44
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veedubfreak posted:
Do laser jammers work and/or are they worth it? My previous vehicle was a Ford Windstar and my Speed3 has attracted more...attention than I'd like so far.
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Apr 3, 2014 12:35
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Since a deer recently facilitated my beloved '13 Speed3's passage to heaven, and also due to the fact that it held its value extremely well, I've been shopping for a replacement. I test drove a '16 Fiesta ST and a '16 Focus ST back to back. The Fiesta drove fine, but felt small for what I need. I appreciated the Focus's larger interior volume, although sitting in the Recaros felt like dropping into a bucket. I wonder if I didn't have them adjusted properly or something. Both felt very solid, and their clutches were substantially smoother and more forgiving than my Speed3. I still stalled that thing out every few weeks even after driving it for 2 years. I wanted to test drive an Ecoboost manual Mustang, but none were on the lot, and so I ended up test driving a '16 Mustang GT PP. Clutch was closer to but still smoother than on my Speed 3. I then tested an FR-S, and while it was fun, just wouldn't work for me as a daily driver. Then a '16 GTI. My favorite of the bunch. Probably the best of the lot to be sitting in. Smooth shifting, and extremely smooth clutch. Despite it's apparently underrated numbers, and the Speed3's driveline losses vs. paper power, the GTI just didn't feel as fast as the Speed3. None of the hatches kick you in the pants like the Speed3 does when you hit 3000 rpms, though.
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Jan 2, 2016 04:32
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Pic:
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Jan 2, 2016 04:43
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BlackMK4 posted:They are meant to feel linear, the boost comes on very early. A tune and DP puts them over 300whp. The lack of boost gauge was very disconcerting, coming from the Speed3 where I always had to be careful not to mash the gas before 3000 rpms. Such a pleasure to drive, though. Just a really nice place to sit. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 04:50 on Jan 2, 2016 |
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Jan 2, 2016 04:47
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Edit: I had no complaints about the interior of the (leather, heated seats, info tainment nav) Veloster turbo I test drove, and for someone who regularly drove a sedan with an Iron Duke, I couldn't call it slow. When I test drove the Veloster two and a half years ago, my main complaint was with the rear window. It felt like looking through this: AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 22:11 on Jan 2, 2016 |
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Jan 2, 2016 19:32
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I'm going to go test drive a Focus ST again. I'm haggling with some dealerships on GTI pricing so I figured I might as well. One question: should sitting in the Recaros feel like I'm sitting in a bucket? Only thing I didn't like about the Focus ST, and I'm hoping I just didn't adjust them properly, although I'm afraid this won't be the case.
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Jan 4, 2016 21:21
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They didn't feel tight, but when I sat down the seating position felt like the back of the seat was a lot lower than the front of the seat, like I'd fallen into a bucket, if that makes sense. Like I said, I am hoping I just didn't have it adjusted right. Afterwards I sat in a base model and the seats felt much more normal, seating position wise. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 21:35 on Jan 4, 2016 |
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Jan 4, 2016 21:33
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Larrymer posted:This is a little weird, I felt the same way driving my friend's ST. I hated the angle of the seat bottom and that it wasn't adjustable. I definitely couldn't live with them. Basically this was my experience too. It felt like the seat was trying to swallow me. Voltage posted:I loved the recaros in my fiesta st, broke in nicely and were so comfortable, really hug you in but in a good way. Getting used to the flat seats in new base model jetta kind of sucks. I drove the Fiesta ST with Recaros first, and they didn't feel anywhere near as different as the Focus ST, for some reason. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 18:24 on Jan 5, 2016 |
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Jan 5, 2016 14:35
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Not strictly a hatch question, but what's up with the difference in torque figures between the GTI and the GLI? Is it the same engine, or different?
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Jan 5, 2016 18:27
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tijag posted:This is true. Test drove a V6 Camaro recently. The rear sight lines are bad. When I mentioned this to the sales manager he said when he takes one out, he just makes sure he's ahead of everybody. Winning strategy.
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Jan 27, 2016 00:13
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Even after driving my (first manual) Speed3 for 2 years, I'd still stall it out like once a week or so. I think I've stalled my GTI like, twice since I got it a month and a half ago.
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Feb 20, 2016 19:29
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Quite A Tool posted:poo poo is getting real in my search for a hot hatch. It's currently down to the Fiesta and the GTI. Anyone mind throwing down why they went one way or the other? I drove the GTI, Focus ST, and Fiesta ST, and the GTI interior is a much nicer place to be. I drove the GTI from DC to Key West and back with a dog and passenger and it was really comfortable. I came from a 2013 MS3 and I couldn't drive that more than a few hours without getting uncomfortable. I also didn't really like the Recaros in the STs.
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Feb 22, 2017 16:38
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fknlo posted:Estimate on my re-repairs is "over $2000". That's one expensive rear end GTI that is loving worthless. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 00:08 on Feb 23, 2017 |
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Feb 23, 2017 00:05
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Just got a JB1 for my mk7 GTI. I've got it set on +5 psi and so far I'm really pleased with it. Obviously it doesn't change throttle response but power and power delivery is so much better now. Second and third gear remind me a lot of my Speed3 now, as it'll actually push you back in your seat a bit.
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Feb 28, 2017 22:29
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fknlo posted:The throttle response really isn't bad at all in sport. There's a slight delay but nothing like on my TDI where I can blip the throttle to the floor and it gains like 200 rpm. It felt more than slight to me, but all I really have to compare it to was my Speed3. It may have also been more attributable to the taller gearing of the manual on the GTI and different expectations in response i.e. having nothing down low but knowing anything above 3k results in instant throttle vs actually having usable power from 2-3k with power building but no real surge. I also bought my Speed3 new without really knowing how to drive stick. Driving home I barely got it onto route 70 and drove it from Frederick to down around the Beltway, somehow. BlackMK4 posted:Install which? The JB1 can be done in fifteen minutes without a jack. How long do you think it would take a mechanic to install? I'm pretty much a novice with cars and installing the jb1 was slightly intimidating. Really just plug D was difficult once I was able to visualize where all the plugs were. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 23:17 on Mar 1, 2017 |
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Mar 1, 2017 23:09
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opengl128 posted:That is not a car I'd want to learn on. Heavy clutch with what feels like half an inch of friction zone in the pedal travel. Ha yeah it was not fun. What was fun was finding out where each and every slight incline existed at a light where I'd never noticed them before. And stalling out a bunch. Fortunately I was also borrowing a car and had 2 weeks to practice before I started driving it daily. Another reason why I like hill start assist.
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Mar 1, 2017 23:21
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BlackMK4 posted:I dunno, I paid $14k to drive the GTI for 18 months. Bad with money, whatup I paid $3k to drive my Speed3 for 2.5 years.
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Mar 12, 2017 19:08
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Quite A Tool posted:Took a 17 GTI out yesterday, getting ready to head to Ford to take out the Fiesta. GTI is gonna be a tough act to follow though. It was way quicker than I remember the MK6 I test drove a few years back. That interior is a great place to be, too. And I didn't hate the DSG but I still need to give a 6spd a shot, don't think I really care to pay an extra grand for it. I never test drove the DSG, but others complain about the tall gearing on the manual and I believe the DSG is quicker due to the gearing ratios. However, the manual is very well behaved in traffic and second gear takes you all the way up past 60 mph. I had a Speed3 before and it's nice not to have to shift 3 times to get to 60.
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Mar 13, 2017 15:41
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big crush on Chad OMG posted:I forgot about the Speed3 multiple shifts before 60. Internet fanboys would lose their poo poo that the 0-60 was slower because it required a multiple shift Much easier to get into trouble with too. I got my first ticket with the car not realizing how quickly third gear can get out of hand when using an on-ramp to the highway. I recall one year that the WRX was quicker to 60 than the STI because of the 5 speed vs 6 speed. Anybody who's looking at or getting a GTI, and doesn't want to get a tune, look into the JB1. My only substantive complain with the car was acceleration and the JB1 fixes this for me.
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Mar 13, 2017 18:11
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veedubfreak posted:Third tops out around 90 in the R :P Yeah the cop had me on radar at 86 in a 65 which is reckless driving in Maryland not to mention points points points, but luckily he didn't show up to court (knocks on head with fist). big crush on Chad OMG posted:I'm definitely leaning that way. The JB4 install looks like a lot more of a pain in the rear end and isn't easily removable. That was my take as well. I'm not sure if I'm going to modify the car further and reading a lot revealed you really need to do more mods than just the JBx to make it worthwhile to go for the JB4 over the JB1. Plus the JB1 was butt easy to install. Visualizing which plugs to hook into was the hardest part for me, and still the whole thing took about half an hour, including taking off the bottom shield to get to plug D. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 19:55 on Mar 13, 2017 |
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Mar 13, 2017 19:49
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I got 1 speeding ticket in the (metallic gray) Speed3. 86 in a 65 when I was following a silver Genesis Coupe on an on ramp for 95. In my silver GTI I (knock on head) feel as camouflaged as I did in my 2002 Windstar.
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Apr 13, 2017 00:42
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Arishtat posted:I received our custom plates for the GTI earlier this week and slapped them on after work yesterday. I like the Maryland flag but I do not like the new Maryland plates for some reason. Not that I really like the 1812 plates either.
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Apr 21, 2017 13:11
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Arishtat posted:The new design for the plates is definitely better than the 1812 plates, but I'm pissed that I didn't get in on the 2014 retro black and yellow plates when they were available. Oh well. The car is still a bucket of fun, it's a 2014 Driver's Edition in not-quite-black Carbon Steel Grey and both my wife and I love taking it out around town. It's my first 'fast' car and already it has me looking with a different set of criteria at what will replace my daily driver which is an '09 Jetta SportWagen, yes the dieselgate version. I agree, I like those black and yellow plates too, but I'd hate to be mistaken for a New York driver. . The carbon steel gray is nice. I went with silver on my '16 and I still like the way it looks but I'm having some regrets over not going with gray, black or navy blue. The new MD driver's licenses are hideous. They look like a bad Costco ID card.
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Apr 22, 2017 13:43
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Night Danger Moose posted:The R&R Taqueria in White Marsh/Perry Hall is amazing and very well worth it. There's a second one now? I used to go to the one inside a Shell station on 1 when I lived in Laurel, best gas station food I've ever had hands down. Good mole and the tacos are good too.
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May 5, 2017 12:41
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fknlo posted:It's not something that bothers me at all, but the gearing on them is absolutely ridiculously long. Coming from a '13 Speed3 to a '16 GTI, I still find myself clutching out of 2nd and 3rd in traffic because its a circumstance in which I would've had to downshift in my Speed3. Then I'll end up not downshifting and clutch back into the exact same gear a few seconds later because the gears are so long. It is nice having a first gear that goes past like 20, though.
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Oct 17, 2017 17:13
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MourningGlory posted:I've heard that the Gen 2 MS3's have longer gearing. Mine feels about perfect. The spacing betweens the gears seems sane and 6th is acceptably deep for a 4 cylinder. Spacing was fine on my Gen 2, for what it's worth. It's just nice to only have to shift twice on the way to 60. And being able to use 3rd gear at higher speeds. Stale Saltines posted:My 05 Scion xB finally died on me so I went and picked up a 2015 GTI Autobahn last night. Check out the JB1 and notice even more starkness.
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Oct 20, 2017 16:37
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If I'm in traffic and might need to speed up quickly I'll leave it in fifth, but sixth being usable is nice. 6th was completely useless in the Speed3.
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Oct 21, 2017 17:27
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| # ¿ May 1, 2024 15:20 |
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opengl128 posted:Eh? I had no issues just leaving it in sixth on the highway in my MS3. No problem passing either as long as I was over 65 or 70. On my '13 Speed3 on the highway in sixth it was possible to pass, but only at very slow rates. If I wanted to pass with alacrity I needed to drop down to fifth or fourth. The HPFP issue made me weary to ever push it too hard in sixth. I guess usable here means i could floor it, if I wanted to. PaintVagrant posted:Nice thing about the turbo swap in the FiST is that boost doesn't really come in til 3500rpm...so cruising at 80 in 6th gear sips gas and I get better highway mpg. If there's one thing I miss about my Speed3 it's the way the turbo kicks in. The linear delivery of the GTI is nice, but the feeling of being kicked in at 3000 RPM is sweet. AvesPKS fucked around with this message at 05:55 on Oct 22, 2017 |
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Oct 22, 2017 05:52
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