R32 or SC VR???

[corrado9a 0]

Hi guys

 

I have become to a crossroad and is getting hard for me to decide what way to go. In any case i will win both cases so all i want is the feedback from the people that had driven both set ups, pros and cons and what they think is best at the end of the day.

 

I have a ABV engine with schrick goodies, 268 and intake, metal HG, Metalwerks exaust manifold, 2.5 inches TT cat and back and i just got an OBD set up to transplant to my car in preparation for a VFE stage 3 (from a Golf, 10.5 PSI?) that is been sitting in my house for the last 2 yrs until the car was ready.

 

Well the car was runing nice lately so thats when i decided to move onto OBD2 for the blower, when last week i blew off an oil line and spew all my oil out in the freeway. I stopped the moment the oil light came on so i thought that no harm was done. My wrong. The car is now burning oil like crazy.

 

At this point i have two options the way i see it:

 

1- Buy a cheap VR6 do the transplant at home in a couple weekends. This option shall cost me about 500-800 euros that is the price of a long block here in Spain and continue with the plan.

 

2- Find a R32 and fund it by selling all the goodies that i allready have, (SC, Schrick Manifold, 268 cams, Exaust manifold...) and then build it over the next moths. Here i could go 6 spedd or maintain my tranny, depending on price of the complete package. One friend that has done a couple of this swaps would be doing it and me just helping, and that would be a couple K€ more.

 

 

The car is my second car and i use it for week ends and some days to work so it needs to be reliable as a daily driver and foultless at driving. Otherwise i will not be happy with it. Power wise i am not that concern between 280 or 300hp. Police is really cracking down on speed here so i am more concern in the pleasure of driving a well sorted fast car.

 

 

Please if you have driven both set ups, please comment what you liked best and why.

 

Thanks a million in advance.

Best regards from Spain

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Personally speaking, neither. I'd go VR6 turbo :D

 

I like the R32 best in it's original package, especially when coupled up to the excellent DSG gearbox. With the 4WD of the MK4 or 5, it just all works as a package perfectly. I've driven one or 2 24v equipped Corrados and the over snatchy throttle response and lack of urge past 4000rpm just doesn't suit the car's character at all imo.

 

If it's a Vortech V9 Supercharger, it's too small for the VR6 imo and doesn't boost soon enough in the rev range but if you like how the normal VR6 feels and just want a bit more, then it's probably the best way to achieve it.

 

A turbo gives you more of everything and bags of character and if the Spanish police are clamping down on speeding, then it's easy to restrict your power to what ever you like, then turn it up again when the coast is clear....

 

Just my 2p....

[corrado9a 0]

kev, thanks for your reply. You have always come around for me with help.

 

Initially I have not included Turbo in my plans because one of my top priorities is drivability and Turbo maybe too much for a car that lives mostly on long mountain roads and city driving. In these scenarios i rather put all my HP down on the ground than have a huge amount of torque blasting me in between corners. But is even more true that i have never driven a Turbo VR, neither a SC or R32´d car so i am baseing my decisions on opinions of people i dont know over the internet with different set ups and tastes, so i need to take that with a pinch of salt, and turbo can be as usable as the other set ups.

 

I really hope that some more people can chime in here. Herisites had a SC and r32, many others have r32 their cars and could also help with their view, pros and cons. But i understand as well that people do not tend to critisize their mods after spending so much on them.

 

Thanks a lot in advance.

[herisites 0]

kev, thanks for your reply. You have always come around for me with help.

 

Initially I have not included Turbo in my plans because one of my top priorities is drivability and Turbo maybe too much for a car that lives mostly on long mountain roads and city driving. In these scenarios i rather put all my HP down on the ground than have a huge amount of torque blasting me in between corners. But is even more true that i have never driven a Turbo VR, neither a SC or R32´d car so i am baseing my decisions on opinions of people i dont know over the internet with different set ups and tastes, so i need to take that with a pinch of salt, and turbo can be as usable as the other set ups.

 

I really hope that some more people can chime in here. Herisites had a SC and r32, many others have r32 their cars and could also help with their view, pros and cons. But i understand as well that people do not tend to critisize their mods after spending so much on them.

 

Thanks a lot in advance.

 

I've had both, both similar power as well Rotrexed VR was ~270bhp the R32 is 278bhp. The car was a LOT easier to drive with the Rotrex on, it drove just like a normal VR only quicker! Don't get me wrong I love the R32 engine, it's effortlessly quick, but for every day drivability it's hard work, especially through town and in traffic. The throttle is very responsive which is great when you want to go quickly, but when you just want a relaxing drive or you're in traffic it's a bit of a PITA tbh and can be very 'snappy'. Also the torque on the R32 comes in very low down so in the wet it's hard work again, tbh I'm used to it now and I find the Kumho's I have on my Rota's are impressive in the wet and I can actually drive mine pretty quick in the wet, but it only takes a slight touch too much of the throttle and it'll spin the wheels forever. I imagine with a diff or with the Racelogic traction control etc it would be a lot better though!

 

I don't want to sound like I don't like the R32 conversion though as I do, I love it most days, it is a great engine, sounds fantastic, effortlessly quick and for me I went from a ~150k mile engine to a less than 10k mile engine with more power and for about the same money as going supercharged so it was a bit of a no brainer for me.

 

I've been in Kev's car and it's in another league to mine, smooth standard VR like drivability but put your foot down and it goes like a bastard! And it's smooth power delivery, which is down to Kev's time and effort doing it all to a very good standard, it's not just lag lag lag SHIT WE'RE OFF!!! :lol:

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah it's just that R32 throttle response really. It needs toning down a lot for the Corrado imo. The response can be remapped but it never really gets rid of the problem completely. As I say, that uber responsiveness works brilliantly with the DSG and 4WD, but in a FWD corrado, it can be a handful.

 

Cheers for the VRT comments mate :D It is actually a very civilised car to drive. I don't know why people have this preconceived idea that VRTs are undrivable animals :D Good ones have perfect road manners and cars only tend to find ditches at the owner's command - i.e. inappropriate throttle inputs at the wrong time :lol:

[corrado9a 0]

I don't know why people have this preconceived idea that VRTs are undrivable animals :D Good ones have perfect road manners and cars only tend to find ditches at the owner's command - i.e. inappropriate throttle inputs at the wrong time :lol:

 

Well maybe is because most of the videos of turboed corrados or VRs for that matter are on a straight line going wild with revs in first second and only at the end of third gear is when the tires really hook up. And then cars braking down every other week...

 

Now it will be your fault if I consider a 3rd option; travelling up to UK and visit Stealth for one of his kits...