A sad realisation

[James14100 10]

Hi,

 

Well I've had my Corrado G60 a few months now and I love it to bits. There were a few issues when I bought it and I've now sorted (almost) all of them. However I came to a realisation today that I'm going to have to sell up and get a diesel. I do 2000+ miles a month and with fuel prices and the G60's love of drinking the stuff I can't convince myself that I can afford it any longer. I'm totally gutted as I've dreamed of owning a G60 Corrado for about 10 years. I've enjoyed my ownership but it's just a disappointment that I can't continue the dream.

 

I'm sticking with VAG of course and I'm on the looking out for a Mk5 or Mk4 GT TDi. Hopefully I'm making the right decision

 

James

[boost monkey 0]

If you have self control, the G60 can return 35+mpg, sometimes over 40 if you're particularly lazy with the throttle.

 

Is there no chance to keep it stored somewhere?

[James14100 10]

I just can't manage it. I'm getting around 25mpg cos my commute is on a great piece of road. Every slight opportunity to pass something it has to be done. Maybe the boost is still just too much of a new thing at the min. I can store it, keep it, etc, but if i'm not using it everyday then theres not much point in having it. At 25mpg and my current milage it's costing me £500 a month just in fuel :-(

[domwells27 0]

I can easily get 35mpg on a run, but self restraint is key! If you could eek it to 35mpg your more likely to spend £350 per month on fuel. Still significant, but you must have known this before you bought it?

[James14100 10]

Yeah I knew it was going to be bad but before I was getting 35mpg out of my Mk3 Golf GTi 16v and I'd heard you can get 35 out of the G60 but as far as I can see, even when careful and filling the tank before doing an eco run its not possible

[JMC 0]

Your Jabba chip is likely to have something to do with it (they have a reputation for running rich). Do you have any head work (I see from your sig that you have Newman cam, but can't see what head work has been done if any). That'll also impact economy. No reason why should shouldn't be able to get 30+ out of one of these even with some fun with it. Talk with G-werks or DG about a decent chip for your setup.

[Supercharged 2]

I think with the price of fuel and that sort of mileage you really need a TDI

[tony_ack 0]

Sadly this is becoming an expensive hobby. It was £91 to fill up the VR a couple of days ago, and you really begin to cringe when you see the insurance costs come in as well.

 

35mpg on a careful run is respectable for a G60, but nowhere near what a diesel is capable of, if driven carefully as well. You do lose the fun factor, but you need to ask yourself whether the extra outlay for the fuel is worth paying for that. For some it is, for some it isn't. Everyone has their limit where they have to say 'enough is enough' and the way fuel prices are going, a lot more people are going to reach that limit soon.

[jamiehamy 0]

James - I was in the same position as you in October. I was sickened by the amount of money I spent on fuel. So trotted off to bank to ask for money and started scouring for diesel A3's and Bora's. Having driven a few, I realised two things. A - none were as comfortable as my Corrado. I hate seats that are too big, and the Rado holds me nicely with a great driving position. But mainly, I found diesel noise bored me to death, and that despite some being almost as quick as the Rado, there was no excitement. Yeah, turbo boost, but it stops at 3k. I knew that if i did the same miles as I did in the Rado in a diesel, I'd soon hate driving.

 

So bit the bullet and got LPG installed and have not looked back. I've done over 15k miles hassle free and found very few drawbacks. Yeah, slight power loss, but only noticable (i think) when really gunning it. And I've lost my spare wheel - just put it in the boot for Europe and rely on AA for home.

 

Oh, and my insurance would have nearly doubled with a 'modern' car.

 

I don't know how the supercharging side of it works with LPG, but maybe an option for you? LPG is not for people who do low miles, but at your miles, it'll pay in no time. Joni on here has done it before.

 

 

Not trying to persuade you to get LPG as such, but am trying to say - You almost definetely will miss the Rado once you're bored of modern banality. You will look back one day and ask 'Why?'

 

:)

[davidwort 0]

Going to take you a few years to pay off the difference in buying a decent newish TDI by purely better mpg (not to mention £1.40+ a litre for diesel) even on a high mileage, then you add in the depreciation (not to mention servicing and replacement parts on a newish TDI) and all of a sudden driving and maintaining an old corrado doesn't look so bad after all.

[VR6Pete 0]

Swings and round-abouts. my 1.2litre punto only does about 38MPG.... but if you have no self control, no matter what car you drive you will find that you'll use alot of fuel :)

[davidwort 0]

having said that, try as I might I never managed to get a 1.9 fabia TDI lower than 45mpg, I drove it the same (well attempted to) as a golf G60 and that averaged 18mpg :lol:

[tony_ack 0]

Good point about the depreciation - with the money you lose in depreciation on a newer car you could afford to run the Corrado AND buy another Corrado if it breaks!

[Critical_Mass 10]

I think David has hit the nail on the head. Any money you save on fuel in a diesel you will negate it with servicing costs, insurance, tax etc.

 

How about a 2.0 8v Corrado?

[mikkijayne 0]

TDI swap the Corrado! Its easy and cheap and you can get an easy 50mpg from them :D

 

Have you read Purple Tom's thread?

 

With a few tweaks the TDI can be as quick as a G60, and you already have the intercooler in place. If you find the right donor and prep properly this swap can almost be done in a weekend :D

[davidwort 0]

my 8v has just done 38mpg ave. on the last tank of fuel, not bad for a sub £500 car, and I reckon that means ZERO annual depreciation too :lol:

[petethepug 10]

Sounds like it's time for a TDI swap. It's a long shot but do you think there is anyone finishing their TDI conversion that would trade your G60 for their swap with a little. Most folks in the States that have done this swap have completed two or three TDI swaps. They're always looking for another good candidate to convert again. Frank's TDI conversion is actually faster than a G60.

 

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=142679

[mimjed 0]

try not to do it, i had to break my g60 to raise funds and bought a 115 tdi sport. its gay.

 

and really isnt that much better on fuel unless you are on a proper run i find. of course it does more miles but nothing worth shouting about for how little it pleases me.

 

the birdos mk5 gt tdi is an improvement, handling is tighter and general engine pull is much smoother. but again still nothing on the g60.

 

what if you could lay your hands on a mk3 tdi to potter round in and save the g for weekend fun. leics council have garages available at the mo and at £8 a week, its reasonable.

[James14100 10]

Yeah I'd love to keep it but I just cant justify using it as a second car. I'd only be looking at spending about £1500-2000 on a Golf TDi so depreciation wouldn't be so bad. I'm fairly ok with servicing work so thats not something I have to factor in. I know I need to be a bit more discipline with the right foot, every time I drive my Dad's Passat TDi i'm always keen on how far I can get the fuel to go, I dont seem to be able to do that with the G60 :(

 

I like the idea of LPG but I'm not sure if it's doable on a G60. I wouldn't want to do an engine conversion to TDi but ending the life of another G60 would be shameful.

 

I just don't know what to do, my Golf GTi was so much better on fuel I'm tempted to go back to that for a bit (I've still got it)

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

I think Corrado's are getting to the age where most people should be considering owning them as toys and not commuting tools. With more and more parts becoming obsolete, the poor (by modern standards) fuel consumption and the cost of servicing (especially the g60!) I would dread to think what I would do to mine if I drove her to work every day... When I first got her (G60 like yours) I used to commute. Was about 1000 miles a month and she was great but I was spending loads on fuel! About 20mpg was my best due to the heavy foot. Took her off the road and got a little 1.4 cl mk4 polo. Just as fun but got 50mpg if I behaved myself! Little cars like that are the salvation of little luxury cars like the C.

 

So if the C is a toy, a fun car to drive and own on the weekend, and you don't want to keep her for that purpose then I agree with you, selling may be the best option. But if i was you I'd do what i did, Get a small, cheep car for peanuts and dive that about to save yourself for the C. Classic insurance for the C is cheaper with max mileage limits per year, you'll save on the fuel and more importantly you'll save a rare car from being driven to an early grave.

:)

[mic_VR 3]

Ok, it's currently costing you £500 a month in fuel using the G60, if you got a tdi capable of 45mpg you'd be spending ~£280 a month, so over the year saving ~£2600 right? If I was you i'd be buying a £300 tdi with a years tax/mot, run it until it dies (could get a couple of years if you're lucky) and then buy another. Why people insist on buying fancy cars just to pile on miles and lose money hand over fist is beyond me..... plus you get to keep the G for the weekends, got to be a option surely??

[Alex_G60_Fanatic 0]

Ok, it's currently costing you £500 a month in fuel using the G60, if you got a tdi capable of 45mpg you'd be spending ~£280 a month, so over the year saving ~£2600 right? If I was you i'd be buying a £300 tdi with a years tax/mot, run it until it dies (could get a couple of years if you're lucky) and then buy another. Why people insist on buying fancy cars just to pile on miles and lose money hand over fist is beyond me..... plus you get to keep the G for the weekends, got to be a option surely??

 

agree... the polo i got was a low mileage car with mot and tx for £400. I'm sure you can find something sensible to drive to work in

[James14100 10]

Yeah I hear what you're saying. I bought the G60 because I used to have a G40 and I could get 40mpg out of that. The G60 just seems to be an untamable engine for my right foot. Thing is I've always been into my cars and especially the VW's and it was just frustrate me driving off the drive in a Golf leaving the C on the drive and not being able to use it everyday.

 

Yeah could be an option mic, with that sort of milage I want it to be comfortable hence looking at something a bit newer.

 

I really need to try and make a decision as you're all making me want to keep which is what I'd love to do...

[bristolbaron 11]

I used to do a 70 mile per day commute in my g60 - 200 bhp and i'm not light footed.. I'd get 35mpg most days. Somethings wrong with your fuelling, or you only have 2nd gear!

 

My situation is now very different to yours so can't really appreciate it, however weekend toy and passat tdi daily is the way forward - you will still save money.

[mic_VR 3]

Have a hunt on autotrader/ebay etc. if you don't restrict yourself just to VAG (ie pay a premium) will get something easily, and if you scrap it in 18months who gives a monkeys as you'll have still saved maybe £2k... i know that's what I'd do.