Left foot braking not pernitted in Golf TDi!

[DustyC]

In order to sort a braking problem I was left foot braking yesterday and it cant be done effectively in a Golf TDi as it kills the fuel!

If you go maximum gas and then left foot brake the gas is cut off and doesnt return until about 2 seconds after releasing the brake!

Small dabs are ok though which is good enough for the sweeping corners on the rapid country lane driving.

[Trefor]

Yep, most newish Audis and VWs do this. Another reason I would avoid buying sporty VWs and Audis - they actually get in the way of you driving quickly.

Cue my girlfriend's TT with nanny state ESP (which is turnoffable thank the lord). I've never stalled pulling out of a T junction quickly in any car, but the TT has done a great impression of doing so with a truck bearing down on me with the ESP cutting in. FFS - what happend to the 4WD? - I just turn it off when I'm hooning).

[DustyC]

So even the petrol ones do it? I thought it was just a Diesel thing. Thats outragous.

Addmittadly though the handbrake works rather well!

>> Edited by DustyC on Thursday 20th May 12:37

[130tdi]

You'll find you get the same thing if you boot it on a wet surface also.

The traction control will try and control any wheelspin but after a couple of seconds gives up and cuts the power instead.

[DustyC]

Thats if you have TC.
My '97 TDi doesen't have it.

[timbrown]

add SEAT Leon Cupra R's to the list ... graze the brake with your left foot ( for a legitimate reason or not ) and the management system goes AWOL, stopping almost everything for a couple of seconds .... I think pretty much everything in the VAG group that shares the same management system
(adopt german accent) ... Vye vud zee driver vant to brake and accelerate at zee same time ? Ist Shtoopid, nein ?

Personally, if I'm going to loose control, I'd rather do it ALL myself than have a computer join in ...

on a similar subject .. whilst the traction control is switchable ( and usually off ) the stability control isn't, so goodbye to lift-off oversteer, and hello a nannying car that complains if you brake too hard and too late whilst you're turning in to your favourite corner

[DustyC]

Lift of over steer is easy and great fun in my lollopy '97 TDi.

Perhaps I wont bother upgrading to a newer model now, I'll just get the £400 chip upgrade if I get bored with it.

[edc]

Get a mk2 Golf or Ibiza then, add some arbs then lift-off oversteer round any corner you so wish None of that electronic interference.

[timbrown]

following up on lift-off oversteer, has anyone else noticed that all the VAG 1.8T motors seem to have the flywheel from a marine diesel ?
The revs don't fall fast enough to get liftoff oversteer, whether you have stability control or not

[DustyC]

Admittidly I only get it in the wet but I took a wet (empty) roundabout the same speed as my XR3i just after I had bought the Golf and let off just before exiting. The back came right round, it was great fun!

[timbrown]

fun is right
I first did it in an XR2, then the RS2000 that replaced it, but when it started happening in my coupe 20V turbo at upwards of 80mph, you can imagine what my trousers were like.
best car I've found for this is the punto 55, get it sideways at 30mph completely safely, no weight, no grip, and NO FCUKING COMPUTERS telling you how to drive ... anyone got a better or similar recommendation ?

[DustyC]

I rented a 2003 1.2 Corsa in Southern Spain and had great fun on the twisty roads with it. It was like the back wheels were covered in oil on some of the better corners.
Probbaly helped that the roads were rather neglected and shiny though.
It was a brand new Corsa and for what it was I thought it was a very good car. Not my cup of tea but good fun. The 1.2 felt more like a 1.6 or more too.

[DustyC]

And when the rear bushes (antiroll bar?) go on a MK2 CRX VTEC you certainly know it. Feels like good fun for a while but when you get it sorted and it sticks again it feels so good.

[timbrown]

so smaller and lighter is the way to go
or £10 remoulds on the back ?

[DustyC]

timbrown said:

so smaller and lighter is the way to go or £10 remoulds on the back ?

A bit of both perhaps!
Smaller lighter cars are always more fun IMO.
The Caterhfield is the best experience ever. If you havent yet then make sure you get a driver in one.

THe PH Caterham Slalom days are bloody good fun.

[DustyC]

Tim, just noticed you are newish.
Welcome to PH

Make sure you look into those PH Caterham days, they really are a good way of meeting other PHs and really abusing the rear tyres of a car!
Cheap day too and you learn a bit.

I have done a dry one and a wet one now.

[timbrown]

thanks Dusty, I'm about 2 hours old in PH terms !
not driven a caterham, but had much fun in ... oh god, can't remember it's name now ... looks like a caterham but isn't, not a westfield either... had a 2l sierra motor and no diff ... help ?
you get the idea though

[adrianr]

DustyC said:

So even the petrol ones do it? I thought it was just a Diesel thing.

Believe it's a feature of the drive-by-wire versions, which is the TDIs, V5s, V6s and later 1.8T engines.

Plus side is that if you do a lot of M-way stuff, you can retro-fit the factory cruise control kit for stress free mile munching.

AdrianR

[edc]

I think all 1.8Ts have a dual mass flywheel, which is allegedly mahoosive.

[Trefor]

DustyC said:

I rented a 2003 1.2 Corsa in Southern Spain and had great fun on the twisty roads with it. It was like the back wheels were covered in oil on some of the better corners. Probbaly helped that the roads were rather neglected and shiny though. It was a brand new Corsa and for what it was I thought it was a very good car. Not my cup of tea but good fun. The 1.2 felt more like a 1.6 or more too.

Last month we rented a brand new Panda in Southern Spain (actually right across the road from Gibraltar - saved queueing). Great little motor and it was nicely run in when they got it back. Tiny cars are great fun for a few days, esp. on windey roads. Not sure I'd want one permanently though.