2.0T Test Drives

Okay first of WOAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

I was not expecting that! These things just do not hang about do they???

I tried 2. One white, 99, 40000km with half leather and the bass bin in the boot, the other a 98, 140000km with metalic. Both have ECC, and leccy windows all round.

They both drove very nicely, and the older one with more milage was actully faster, 75-100mph in ten seconds! The 400 gets from 75 to about 82 in that time. In short, I'm bloody impressed! Tried to see what the 0-60 was, but the wheels just would not stop spinning (knackered tyres) and sqirmed about all over the place. 'Twas great fun.

Decided that I would go for the older car, nicer colour and 4000 euros cheaper. I want a couple of things fixing, but with a 6 gurantee (and brought from a dealer) it should be a problem (fingers crossed). The problems are a 'clunk' when changing from first to second, or second to third (not CV's, tested them ina car park - I think it's the rear engien mount (on thegearbox??)) and a smell under the bonnet (I think that a breather pipe is crakced), and a noisey pump (cuts in and out for something I don't know what). All should be fixed before I pick the car up and it will be test driven again before I pay and hand the keys to the 440 over.

Anyway, just thought I'd say thanks to Dan and the rest for saying how good these things were, you are not wrong!

Stu

[Dan F]

Hi Stu.

I am VERY enamoured with my S40, and I heartily recommend them. You can get dodgey ones as you can with any car hence the requirement to test drive first.

The one with higher mileage has done more 'motorway miles' by the sound of it. That kind of driving is very good for an engine and the cars LOVE it. It has obviously just about run in, whereas the one with lower mileage still needs to put some miles under its belt and loosen up a bit.

As for your 'problems', the clunk is most likely the engine mount/s, although it is the drivers side top mount that goes most often.
At my next service I am going to get all my engine mounts changed, as when cold my engine mounts make noises like an old 14th century ship setting sail and creaking like old planks on the deck when you pull away and change up a couple of gears. Once the engine has warmed up however, and everything has expanded, the noise stops. It isn't serious, it is just annoying, and the replacement mounts have been modified to be stronger, from what I have heard/read.
The smell under the bonnet is a hard one to comment on without smelling it myself. However the breather hoses may need replacing anyway as a precaution.
As for the noisey pump that cuts in and out, does it sound like a sort of "shhhut-click"?? If so I think it is the ECC compressor cutting in and out as necessary to keep the temp constant.
I heard this noise yesterday and thought "oh bu88er, what is that?" only to realise that my ECC was on (it comes on automatically if you select windscreen on the dial) as I had been demisting, and the pump was cutting in and out as required. A/C doesn't do this as the compressor is on all the time when it is engaged. ECC is more efficient.
Easy way to check is to make sure the ECC is off (amber light on AC button) and see if the noise goes away. Mine did! Phew!

As for the wheels spinning when trying 0-60, it isn't just the knackered tyres that cause that it is the high torque of the engine. You will find it does it (albeit to a lesser extent) even with new tyres.
Was the 75-100 in fifth? I would guess so with that time. Good eh?
One good way to check everyday performance of the car is to time the following speed ranges:
30-70mph Through the gears (9.8s) *8.4s
30-70mph in 3rd gear (11.6s) *10.2s
30-70mph in 4th gear (17.5s) *15s
30-70mph in 5th gear (29.3s) *20.8s

Also try:
50-70 in 3rd gear (6.2s) *5.3s
50-70 in 4th gear (7.5s) *7.7s
50-70 in 5th gear (9.7s) *10s

The figures in brackets are readings from our 420SDi (averaged from 3 attempts)
and the figures after the asterisk are from an AA road test of the Passat 1.8T 20v. Our diesel car has the same torque as the Passat, hence the very similar figures, but the Passat has longer gearing).
To give you a clue you should be a good second faster (probably even more) than those times with no bother whatsoever, and with Optimax...., who knows!

I know you will thoroughly enjoy your car once you have it but be aware the turbo models are quite specialised and require regular maintenance. (Definitely on the oil change front).
Remember to let your turbo cool after a drive and you will be fine.

Also, just be aware, that unless you *constantly* tell your self to drive frugally, you WILL find your fuel usage goes up a little as you find yourself WANTING to feel the acceleration 'just one more time'. ;-)
I annoy my missus as even when I just accelerate to 30mph I like to feel the thrust and so I press the fun pedal hard. Oh hum!

Anyway, enjoy your new motor.

Dan.

Thanks,

It was in 5th and the ECC was on (I was guessing that was it, I just didn't realise it could be so noisey at a stand still). They have said they will fix all faults and I will test drive it for a second time before I hand over the keys to the 440......

I will most definately enjoy it, I think the most fuel usage will be when you get some stupid Golf TDi sales rep trying to tailgate. The 440 just doesn't have the power to get out of the way before pulling over and so they try to put their Golf in the same lane you are half in. Not any more I suspect :) .

Just waiting for the contract to come through then I can find out when I can pick it up. Insurance isn't too bad over here for it. 60GBP per month, fully comp, 26 yr old, with full no claims. That's what they charge for my Spitfire with 4500miles limit on it in the UK. The last 160bhp car (MR2) they charged 150per month (and that was in 1999 - guess why I sold it!)....

I'll let you know when I get it.

[Dan F]

Cool, look forward to it.

Dan.

[Dan F]

Any news on the 2T?

Got a call yesterday saying the car is ready to pick up, so Monday morning I go to get it. I'm going to give it another short test drive to check they have fixed the things, seeing as it's about 80 miles to the dealer.

Other than that I just have to pay the local council a tenner to get a peice of paper saying where I live as you can't transfer the car to your name without it (And it has to be less than 6 months old.)

So Monday I have an 80 - 90 mile drive at least, will try to fit the Sony MD player I've just taken out of the 440 and on Tuesday hopefully I will be writing how wonderful these things are! Why it takes 2 weeks to prep a car is unknown to me though - when I got the MR2 from a dealer in the UK they had to fetch it from another part of the country and still had it ready in less than a week! Then again you need to book your car in for service sometimes 6-8 weeks in advance over here.

Just the weekend to wait (AND IT'S TOO BLOODY LONG!!!!! - Never thought I'd say that.....)

Stu (Slightly exited about getting the car....)