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Originally Posted by Red Bread
Quote:
Originally Posted by ASAP
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Bread
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Originally Posted by JamesNoBrakes
Never understood the draw of the front-wheel-drive?
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Having owned a number of all three formats, a well engineered, communicative fwd car be more fun than a vague, ham fisted rwd car. Awd is honestly hard to enjoy, it just feels too clinical.
But a lot of it comes down to what's actually available. I've got a three year old, so I want a five door. And it's got to be a manual. Those two choices just killed any rwd car in the US for me. I'd love an M140i, an M2 five door or an RS3 hatch with a manual. But I can't have any of those.
But given a choice every weekend day to drive the wife's 3er or my GTI, I've rarely driven the BMW. A little part of me misses my old Mazda 3 wagon because it had beautiful lift throttle oversteer, which the GTI doesn't exhibit nearly as well, but the motor sucked in the Mazda. |
If you are comparing a GTI to say and old school Mustang... then I agree 300%, its tighter and feels better. However if you compare it to most modern rwd cars, its genuinely no comparison. |
What are you offering as comparison? It's a better chassis than the GT86. That's sort of the end of what's comparable in the price range. I need to carry a kid, so the ND Miata is out, but also not really a better chassis than the MQB. It's still pretty flexy and would need a lot of suspension work to get rid of the stupid amounts of lean Mazda built in.
The 230i is not enjoyable, one wheel drive, heavy and actually exhibits more understeer than the GTI, especially at lower speeds. Sure it has the ability to create power on oversteer, but the chassis understeers earlier and harder than the GTI.
You mentioned the R, but I found it actually understeers more than the GTI. A little more weight on the front axle and no mechanical LSD combined with a Haldex setup that's still predominantly fwd doesn't help as much as one might think. I swear they also have softer shocks and springs, but maybe it's just the lazy DCC.
So again, for under $45k, what rwd chassis is there that's worlds better than the GTI? The only thing I've considered that's outside of the price bracket is a GT350, and possibly the M2 Competition, but I really prefer having rear doors and a hatch. And we have an F30 LCI, it's definitely not that. |
Base M240i for 45k comes to mind but can be purchased cheaper with negotiations... please dont compre these two cars.