Modest mouse is right, there are are far better cars out there for the money. The G40 is a quick car in a straight line, but show one a set of corners and the 205 GTi's etc of this world will leave it for dead.

The thing is, I don't really like G40's. I do however like the idea of a heavily modified (Turbo) G40 engine in my mk2 breadvan. Thats the whole idea for me, I couldn't give 2 shits about owning a VW because its cool, trendy or whatever and fitting silly width alloys with stretched tyres etc. I much prefer the old skool looks of the mk2's, they're so simple and inoccent looking. The sort of cars your Nan or Grandad might of owned. IMO, just ripe for building something very quick indeed! I simply want my rather plain looking breadvan to go like shit off a shovel and surprise a few people. I have always liked building very fast cars out of something thats supposed to be slow.

If I was after buying a decent hot hatch, I'd be looking at a Peugeot 205GTi or a MK2 Golf GTi. Better in just about every way than a G40 other than acceleration.

Edited 29 December, 200718 yr by breadman

This is going to sound odd but:-

I have a mk2 Golf GTD & a G40. The G40 is great for a nice blast on a dry road - especially one you know well. But take it out when its slightly wet or frosty and its a handfull! Just trying to get the power down to overtake a van in 3rd I just spun the wheels all the way passed!

However the GTD is a far easier beast to push hard. It sticks in all weather - the brakes actually work well, just 239mm vented on the front and drums on the back (like the g40 setup) It really handles well with its lowered/uprated suspension and even though its a bigger car its on exactly the same tyres as the G40.

Plus as an added bonus the worst MPG i get out of the GTD is 48 and thats pushing it hard into 3 figures! best i get out of the G40 is maybe 33mpg! Plus i'm never sure if its going to breakdown on me at any point because recently it just seems to break everytime I take the thing out!

G40 breakdowns:-

Charger seals

Charger seals

Charger blowsup!

clutch goes

new charger's seals

oil pump knackered

new charger's seals

new charger's seals

dizzy - hall sender knackered

toothed belts strip its teeth

Give these are over 4 years - but I have only done 35,000 miles in it and 30,000 of that was in the first year as my only car!

GTD breakdowns:-

starter motor solenoid knackered

alternator sender for revcounter brakes

flat battery

And thats in 2 years - and i rag the shit out of the GTD on a daily basis!

I'm actually starting the dred taking the G40 out for a run and find myself choosing the GTD over it 9 times out of 10!

Performance Polos like the G40 and GTI are more just good allrounders compared to similar cars of their era, and that's fine by me.

Bullshit! ^^ How can you say that a G40 is a better allrounder than say a Peugeot 205 GTi?? It may be quicker in a straight line, though a 1.9 GTi would give it a run for its money! On a circuit, the Peugeot would leave the G40 for dead.

The Peugeot has a fantastic chassis, excellent brakes and superb engine (particularly the 1.6). They have a better ride and more equipment too.

Before any VW badge snobs out there start coming out with shit about French build quality and how because its French it must be shit etc etc, just remember Spanish built VW ain't exactly the last word. MK3 headgasket anyone? Breadvan rusty arches, rotten battery trays, G40 split chassis legs and charger life expectancy?? MK4 gearbox, electric windows, central locking failures, gutless 1.4 engines? The list goes on, VW have problems just like any other cars.

Bloody hell Andy those charger seals don't like you do they.

In the 2007 mines done-

Headgasket

ECU

Charger(oil seals)

toothed belts x2

lift pump

lambda probe

clutch cables x2

boost pipes

rocker cover gasket

leads

coil

I took the engine loom out to repair it due to numerous electrical gremlins and have had to seal up 4 different water leaks into the car so was without the interior for a month.

The clutch is about to go and I need to fit a new isv!! So its not been the best of years for the G really.

I did do 400 miles in it over the weekend though and she didn't miss a beat and when I wasn't canning the arse off it I was getting 38mpg due the new PSD chip!!

I have noticed a drop in power lately though so I'm gonna have to look into that next.

I've had the G smiles all the way though!!!

Edited 30 December, 200718 yr by phillgx125

i got 3 mates that have them and use them as daily drives and have never had any problems with them (although one did blow a gear box, but he was ragging the living shit out of it like a fool ), how many G40 owners can say they use there car as a daily without and major costs?

Mines sweet use it as a daily only cos i dont have a garage to hide it away for the winter... only problem i've had is rear calipers leaked as it was garaged for 12years only covering 18k that and my zorst rubbers snapped on the backbox...

love having the car as a daily but dont like to put it threw this crappy weather or over do the miles.... so lookin 4wd to gettin thegt back n running agen..

I'd just buy a Corrado G60

Second car me thinks, 2 years NCB

Bullshit! ^^ How can you say that a G40 is a better allrounder than say a Peugeot 205 GTi?? It may be quicker in a straight line, though a 1.9 GTi would give it a run for its money! On a circuit, the Peugeot would leave the G40 for dead.

The Peugeot has a fantastic chassis, excellent brakes and superb engine (particularly the 1.6). They have a better ride and more equipment too.

Before any VW badge snobs out there start coming out with shit about French build quality and how because its French it must be shit etc etc, just remember Spanish built VW ain't exactly the last word. MK3 headgasket anyone? Breadvan rusty arches, rotten battery trays, G40 split chassis legs and charger life expectancy?? MK4 gearbox, electric windows, central locking failures, gutless 1.4 engines? The list goes on, VW have problems just like any other cars.

I'm not sure the G40 and 205 GTi are in the same class of car. I see the 205 GTi as being in the same group as a Golf GTi, proper grown up hot hatch.

I don't think mouse was saying the car is great all round, he is saying the are all round cars...they do everything...somethings well...others adequetly...

Mouse did actually state that "Performance Polo's like the G40 and GTi are more just good allrounders compared to similar cars of their era". This is just not true though, particularly in the case of the G40.

I know what you're saying though Tav about the "class" of car. For me though, the mk2 Golf GTi was a bit more "grown up" than the 205 GTi. Though it had very good handling, it was not really as much of a focused drivers car as the 205.

When you consider how expensive the G40 was, it didn't have a great deal to offer other than straight line performance and rarity. Dunno what other car's were in its class really - for the same money?

Modest mouse is right, there are are far better cars out there for the money. The G40 is a quick car in a straight line, but show one a set of corners and the 205 GTi's etc of this world will leave it for dead.

The thing is, I don't really like G40's. I do however like the idea of a heavily modified (Turbo) G40 engine in my mk2 breadvan. Thats the whole idea for me, I couldn't give 2 shits about owning a VW because its cool, trendy or whatever and fitting silly width alloys with stretched tyres etc. I much prefer the old skool looks of the mk2's, they're so simple and inoccent looking. The sort of cars your Nan or Grandad might of owned. IMO, just ripe for building something very quick indeed! I simply want my rather plain looking breadvan to go like shit off a shovel and surprise a few people. I have always liked building very fast cars out of something thats supposed to be slow.

If I was after buying a decent hot hatch, I'd be looking at a Peugeot 205GTi or a MK2 Golf GTi. Better in just about every way than a G40 other than acceleration.

i beg to differ... i have a golf gti g60 and i prefer the g40!!! more fun!!

I've never said that G40's aren't fun.

I can't wait to get my breadvan on the road. Oh how I'll laugh when this staid and humble looking little red Polo of mine pisses over some of the unsuspecting so called performance cars of this world!!! (In a straight line at least!)

A G40 by nature is there to be driven hard, therefore things will go wrong more often than a base model polo. I think its all about the driving experience with the G40, helluva lot of power but nowt really much else (go kart stylee). I think the G40 was the prototype for the G60 of Golf guise anyhow, so you can forgive VW for not making it better structurally. It was so popular it made it to the production line!

i drive mine daily and think its a great daily. you rarely see another car remotely similar. actually i know my g40 is the only one for miles around my area. its fast and makes me giggle like a tit all the time. its simple and loves to be driven hard. yeah from time to time i wish i had a newer easier to clean/maintain car but then what could i buy that was as much fun and newer, for the money i'd get for it. I'm still struggling to think and believe me I've toyed with the idea of switching to something else for the last 12 months..

i think the problems with g40's just get highlighted cos those who have them generally give a shit. i bet half the gannies who own the 1 litres get just as many silly little problems but they dont care and certainly wont come on a webiste like this to moan about it.

g40's are great in any light. those who say otherwise are lying

Great fun indeed, but in "great in any light"? Mmm... I think I must be lying then!

Great fun indeed, but in "great in any light"? Mmm... I think I must be lying then!

well they are by far not the best car out there I'm sure but I'm yet personally to drive a car that gives me as much fun than one. and for me its the enjoyment i get out of a car that makes me like it.

Sorry but the G40 is not as bad round corners as some of you make out, and if you think it really is that bad, learn to drive... properley.

Edited 30 December, 200718 yr by G40_Mike

Sorry but the G40 is not as bad round corners as some of you make out, and if you think it really is that bad, learn to drive... properley.

I've gotta agree with that actually. I've made a few changes here and there H&R cup kit, Gladerseite blocks new Vag parts, top mounts/bottom arms/steering arms all the proper rose jointed ones and its pretty good actually.

Totally agree, driving enjoyment/fun is where its at.

Of course any car can be made to handle with the right mods and enough money, including the Polo. However, out of the box they ain't all that in comparison with the afformentioned 205GTi.

And G40_ Mike, its properly!!

Mouse did actually state that "Performance Polo's like the G40 and GTi are more just good allrounders compared to similar cars of their era". This is just not true though, particularly in the case of the G40.

See your missing the point again.

"more just good all rounders" means that they aren't exceptional at anything. I know this is what Mouse means because he mentions the Mk5 GTi...which in its class is out performed by a lot cars in both straight line performance and handling...but...no other car in the class offers the same performance, handling, style, comfort, accessories, ride quality and general appeal...thus the car is a good all rounder. Same can be a applied to a G40...other cars do other things better...but the G40 does a lot of things quite well...or at least it did back then.

I think people who own Mk3 Polo's should invest in new suspension...go and replace all the bolts, bushes, shocks and dampers then see how the car felt when new...rather than judging what a car with 120k mile old bits of rubber holding everything together feels like.

I doubt a lot of people on this forum drive their cars to their full potential (not that you should on the public road, save it for the track)... and wouldn't be able to comment on how the car feels when being driven quickly on a winding B road or hanging on round a race circuit...so trying to pick out the subtle differences between the easily manipulated and mobile rear end of a 205 and the progressive understeer of a Polo won't really be something they can comment on. For the majority of people the levels of grip and the quality of the ride and handling should be sufficient for what they do.... I doubt I could fully exploit the differences in the way I drive on the road.

I think if I were driving a 205 GTi or Polo G40 on a public road I'd still take corners at the same speed. I am trying to negotiate them safely rather than seek the very limits in adhesion in most cases. This will be why I can nip along in the GT on skinny tyres almost as quickly as I can in the Mk2 Focus...apprently the leading car in its class for handling prowess. Admittedly you are much closer to the limit of the GT's traction than you are in the Focus...but then...whats more fun?

Club Polo is the haunt of people who think slamming your car -100mm on rock hard coilovers some how creates a better handling car...so I am sometimes sceptical when people pipe up about Mk3 Polo's and their (in)ability on the road.

Edited 30 December, 200718 yr by Tav

g40s are fun n all that but my mk1 golf 16v (heavy than standard engine)with only springs and shagged ballon tyres handled better than my fully bushed and gladersiete blocked up car with low pros and propper suspension.

Totally agree with your last point Tav. However, I'm comparing them with other cars of the time.

And yes, I can see where Mouse may be right with the mk5 GTi Polo, it is a good car in many areas rather than brilliant at any one thing.

However, other than straight line performance I can't see what else the G40 is any good at? I'm not saying they're not fun, but I seem to recollect road tests at the time complaining of poor ride quality, heavy steering at parking speeds, only average handling, a basic interior spec, and being expensive to buy. They were after all nothing more than a new set of clothes on an old chassis, another statement of the time I seem to remember.

Bullshit! ^^ How can you say that a G40 is a better allrounder than say a Peugeot 205 GTi?? It may be quicker in a straight line, though a 1.9 GTi would give it a run for its money! On a circuit, the Peugeot would leave the G40 for dead.

Pug has better handling but not as well built, not as fast, not as much tuning potential, less reliable. Still love both cars though

A Polo GTI as standard has good handling and is fairly nippy. However a 106 GTI has excellent handling and is more than fairly nippy. However the Polo is much rarer, much better put together, an exceptional standard spec in its day (even now), much better looking and has very high residual values. And again I love both cars, it's just I chose the Polo

I chose the GTI because it had a great spec, but then if I had a G40 I'd have no trouble accepting the fact I'd have no air con, no leccy windows etc, because I respect the era it's from and the car it is. I'd be prepared to chuck money at improving a G40/GTI because it is fun. You take a very good car and make it better. I know I won't ever get the money back on all mods I undertake, but then I'd just waste that money on beer otherwise lol. The G40 is a very raw car and that is the appeal

...just some random thoughts jotted down ha ha!

Edited 30 December, 200718 yr by Mouse_GTI

Pug has better handling but not as well built, not as fast, not as much tuning potential, less reliable. Still love both cars though

I agree with the rest of what you've said but need to pick out this paragraph in particular. I reckon you'd have less hassle running a 205 GTI as a daily, than a G40... And the tuning potential is massive for the 205 - 16v head? Turbo 8v? Turbo 16v? All from the Pug/Citroens of that time, 405s, XMs etc.

Plus, providing a G40 is built the same as any other Mk3 Polo, then you've got a far quieter cabin in a 205 GTI as well!

205 GTI FTW!

a standard 205 gti should easily beat a standard g40, g40 in standard form isnt really fast imo fun to drive an all that tho.

The handling as standard doesn't match up to many modern cars, but saying that I don't think it is as bad as some people say. Definately better than the lower spec. Mk3 Polo's (the uprated suspension components do help, as do vented brakes).

I was out in the GT yesterday with 7 other cars including a 106 Rallye, EK9 Type R and a Impreza Type R. Now these cars are all miles better in almost every way but, in the real world with everyone wearing their 'reasonably sensible' hat, I could just about keep up. I think I was working twice as hard as anyone else (just to keep them in sight) and I was probably much closer to the limits of the car. It was bloody good fun though.

Now with new suspension, subframe, replaced bushes (remember a lot of these cars are driving about on 15 year old suspension, how can that be good?) and some other chassis mods I have no doubt in my mind that the car would be more than a match for the 106 Rallye (what I see as a car to compare to, rather than some of high performance cars people always compare G40's too...it really isn't an Impreza killer) and probably keep with the EK9 as well...remember we're talking 'sensible' hat driving here, it might be a different story on the track or driving at ten tenths.

There is a really good car in there...it just takes some time, money, thought and elbow grease to tease it out. Personally I think the engine is one of the best I've ever used. Great power delivery across the rev range and the perfect match to the weight of the body. I'd be quite happy to have one with standard power...but I think 140-50 bhp would be more my thing...more power?...well...could be fun but I think for me it'd be taking the piss.

So sort the handling, fit some bigger/better brakes, de-restrict the engine and a few other tweeks and you'll have something that's worth shouting about.

If you want central locking, electric windows, a good stereo and an alarm you can buy and fit these. Air con is a no go though so they always steam up in winter and can roast your balls of in summer....small price to pay.

I also love how they look. Sensibly lowered on standard BBS wheels I think the Coupe is a genuinly awesome looking car. 40mpg + is do-able with a light foot and copious amounts of off boost driving.

Blah blah blah...

Now for some videos....

G40 w/ full blend charger and a 68mm and chip. It has a powerflow exhaust at the standard bore (makes a good note) and that's about it...power? No idea but might be between 120 and 130bhp? Maybe a few more? All cars are our friends except the Ford Escort, thankfully. All videos at Crail 1/4 mile.

G40 vs. Escort 2.0 16v:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26iCU7qDsz8

G40 vs. Honda Civic VTi (160-170bhp? Our friends, nice car):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H08ixjS9rbA

G40 vs. 850R (250bhp):

Just to show it doesn't always win here is the G40 getting it's ass handed to it by a very nice Corsa.

G40 vs. Corsa 2.0 16v w/ throttle bodies (200+ bhp belongs to one of the guys on our local VW forum, fast w/ N.O.S)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsbTcLVDRII

and this one aswell:

and we win. yay!