my friend just got a new wolfsberg edition jetta with the 1.8 T I have a gxe auto, i love autos!!, his is a 5 speed, we usually have races fri and sat in an airforce base, and he destroyed my buddys tiburon so i was going to show him up and the first race i just floored it in drive and didnt pump and he was right there with me and then pulled ahead when i shifted into 4th at the finish he was about 1/2 car length ahead. the 0-60 sex 7.8 and i know my 97 should run 7.2-7.4 stock We are both stock. the 2nd race i manually shifted and lost because i hit neutral instead of drive but i was ahead before that. its a quick car and hes chipping it, I know a 5 speed max would kill it but its wierd how mine lost even though im an auto. any suggestions on starting, i tried the hold brake and give it gas thing cant really get it. THNX! peace

 

....damn...I would expect you to spank him ! Those jetta's dont look to mean. And a 1.8 liter ?? And it's not like its a light civic...it looks quite heavy...Man...Maybe your car needs some shop work ?

 

Did he already have an upgraded chip in it before you raced?

 

nope we are both stock he might have the new car "pep" but still its wierd how he kept up i know he has 150 hp and a stick but damn, i could hear the turbo squealing.

 

Those stock 1.8T 5 speed can only do 8.2sec 0-60mph. You must be doing something wrong or he didn't tell you that he's got it chipped.

 

Where did you get the idea that your stock auto can do 0-60 in 7.2-7.4s? At best, if you beat the transmission you may get 0-60 in 7.6s. If you just floor it like normal, a stock 4th gen auto does 0-60 in approx 8s. That makes it a bit slower than a 5-spd 1.8t Jetta.

 

Don't forget that VW upped the power on the Jetta and Golf's 1.8t to 170hp. Your buddy might have one of those. Even if you were a match for the 150hp 1.8t, a 170hp one might still be able to take you. The 1.8t is not a Honda engine. They make quite a bit of torque for their size(over 150lb-ft), and have a very flat and consistent curve. Just the 150hp version makes more torque than the 195hp ITR(143lb-ft) and the new 200hp RSX Type-S(141).

Another thing to remember is that your friend [/b]had a manual[/b]. It sounds like he could have been at least decent with shifting, so that's another factor that probably turned the tide in his favor.

 

Shop work like what?

Also, it's a 1.8 TURBO. With nothing more than a $400 ECU upgrade that thing will put the same HP and torque as 5th gen 5spd at the wheels...