[obk]

I've had my 1.4 golf now for a year and I'm still in love with it except for one thing...it being a slug.

I came onto it from a 1.0 litre corsa and it felt so much faster but after looking at the published 0-60 mph times on the net (14 seconds!) I couldn't beleive it was that slow...so I timed myself having a go...and it's true.

Ever since it's caught up with me how slow it really is, I often have to almost red line it to keep up with traffic on the motorway and I'm always dropping down to 4th to pull up a gradient on the motoroway, and even so, can only keep about 85-88 mph (M62 between Leeds and Manchester!). 90% of the time I drive very casually but now and then I need to pull away...but there's never anything there say if I'm in 3rd gear at 30 mph...you hardly notice and pull. I'm often tailgated by white transits (well, the Merc versions!) and have a go at loosing them but they keep up with me and it's embarrasing to thing they know I'm trying as hard as possible! So I just tend to drive slow and careful in the hope others think I've got something large hidden under the bonnit!

To all other 1.4 drivers, in your eyes how does your car perform? I had a chat with a guy the other week about them as he has one and he said "they pull well!"....I agreed verbally but didn't really concur in my head as to be honest...mine doesn't...taking into account I've driven my brothers 130PD TDI.

 

[Chan]

Well mate i recently changed my 1.0 corsa for a 1.4 golf which is on 18s. well when my golf wasnt on 18s but steelies it was def faster than the corsa loads of torque pulled away from anything pretty much crusing along motorway doing 85+ easy. Now ive got my 18s its slowed down a little but still i reckon it aint bad. Theres no way a 1.0 corsa can beat it. Mine seems fine just need to keep revs on and not necessarily 4+. End of the day im on 18s with wit a 1.4 engine and probably the smallest possible engine for a gof. Its good a lot of torque for what it is.

 

[Cat1.4]

Sorry, say what... 1.4 pull? You're having a laugh right? []

Na seriously, mine is normally ok but I did notice a drop in acceleration when I put the 18"s on. Nowhere near as bad as what you say though, although it can be disappointing coming from a revo'd pd150 of a weekend. Maybe the drivers round my way just don't tailgate/etc as much as they do there, but in most gears you can still pull some. As long as nobody gets in my way going up the one uphill stretch of motorway I have going to work, the 1.4 is fine... it's if they do, I find there is not much pull in 5th after dropping revs & speed, it's got to be the worst for mid-range acceleration.

 

[obk]

Yeh I agree, I find 3000rpm pulling power pathetic. It's only every good at 2000rpm or around 4000rpm but it depends what gear.

What type of 18's you have on? I have 17" TSWs on which feel very very heavy. I see what you mean about when steel wheels where on...it used to fly down the M1 with minimal pedal and far more miles to the gallon!

Cheers

OBK

 

[Chan]

Im running on 18inch Rvs sports on 225/40/18 tyres.Getting around 120miles from ?15 worth of petrol not bad really.

 

[GrahamOliver]

I've had plenty of girls in my 1.4 [][]

On a serious note, I generally find that there's enough pull and I find that the 1.4 is at it's best on the motorway.

 

[kenl]

Quote: posted by Chan on 14/04/2005 02:47:12

Im running on 18inch Rvs sports on 225/40/18 tyres.Getting around 120miles from ?15 worth of petrol not bad really.

That's only about 30mpg, not very good for a 1.4 car. Do you boot it all the time or sit in traffic a lot?

 

[W36 EJO]

That exactly what I was thinking about the MPG. I get 32-36 normally in my 1.8T you should in escence be getting more than me unless your flooring it everywhere!

 

[thechief]

I found with my 1.4 i HAD to floor it to get anywhere. The only thing that really annoyed me was how much the engine was struggling at higher speeds on dualers etc.

 

[golf-ball]

OBK, i spotted you in salford the other day. driving past hope hospital

 

[S1R SS]

The consumption in my 1.4 was only around 30mpg!

IMO, anything above 60mph and you might as well drill a hole in the petrol tank coz it begins using it for fun!

On a similar not, if you remember that the Golf is a fair bit heavier than most other 1.4s (e.g Corsa, Clio etc), plus it tends to have less bhp than the others, but I never had a prob with mine.

 

[GrahamOliver]

I'm quite suprised about your fuel consumption. Generally I get 55miles to ?5 of petrol and slightly less when I'm giving it beans.

I've found it very economical to run, I hope my 1.6FSI is as good!

 

[match14]

Performace on mine seems ok but I running on 15" alloys which probably helps.

 

[gfunk]

Mine was very sluggish at about 50k then decided screw this so went in for a 60k+ service (as in the whole lot). Its so much more responsive now and im getting about 500 for a tank!

Also have no probs at 3k rpm but i try and stay under that for economy sake!

 

[Chaddy_V6]

'I've had my 1.4 golf now for a year and I'm still in love with it except for one thing...it being a slug'

I must agree, just picked up a courtesy car, a Golf Mkv 1.4 5dr and yes its a little on the slow side but the ride is fine I guess.

Not sure on the fuel consumption yet, let you know once I've been for a thrash around at dinner.

There?s nothing quite as nice as a bonnet full of cc's.. v6 baby.

 

[sutherlandm]

...until you phone Mr insurance man and pay Mr Oil Company for the privilege!

 

[Y0Gi]

Quote: posted by W36 EJO on 14/04/2005 09:06:02

That exactly what I was thinking about the MPG. I get 32-36 normally in my 1.8T you should in escence be getting more than me unless your flooring it everywhere!

[:O] How do you get that consumption! I can only manage 27-28 MAX & thats like driving miss daisy!!!

 

[HuDSoN]

i was looking in the haynes the other day and the 1.4's and 1.6 16v all have there max torque at 5.5k or something mad like that.

makes me happier with my old 1.6 8v now as max torque for that is like 3.8k or something which is right in the motorway driving band. means when i push it it goes well. although i must say i dont really like the idea of 4-5k at 80-90. too revy but i have got used to it and the engine seems tuned for it as used to get 40 mpg.

when i put 18s on droped to about 37 mpg and it has slowed a little the the handling and grip is tons improved.

 

[daflyingfinn]

mine pulls like a train because of this

NOT!!! [)][V]

 

[Chan]

Well 30mpg seems right for ?15 as i do rag it a little but i also stop and start all the time living close to the centre of manchester. My uni and works there so its pain in the bum really. Plus petrol up here is stupidly expensive. Saying that when i had a 1.0 corsa i was only getting about the same amound of mpg but i did honestly had to floor that car to get it going.