My friend and I were having an in depth conversation about racing my '96 I30 (all stock) versus one of his elders - a VR6 or 1.8T Golf (stock); since he drives a '99 2.slow golf - auto. The argument was racing these two cars, both stock, both autos, and he thought that either the 1.8T or the VR6 could even put up with the VQ engine. I have driven an 1.8T before and I would say that's not even competition for the I30 or Maxima, but with no doubts, I would think the VR6 is. So both of us decided to post in our mother forums for input from other members and see what everyone has to say about this.

Here is his thread in the VW forums, and what his people have to say about this:
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3184222

Now, please explain to these VW people why the VQ engine is something not to underestimate.

 

as someone that has helped to build a 300fwhp 1.8t i can say that there motors aren't somethign to sleep on. i raced a bone stock 1.8t when i first had my car and we were pretty close but thats stock vs. stock.... if you do regular mods to a vq and the same to a 1.8t odds are u will get walked until u do a 3.5 swap or run boost. they benifit from a setup that can yield alot of tq and people forget that tq is god as far as power is concerned. but their ko3 and the sport version loose a bit up top so if u want to race one u have to run them up pretty high...

so stock i dunno since i have a manual and my friends have stick jettas/golfs but once ur modded u can run across one that u might walk and another that will walk u while towing another maxima....it all depends.


one thing though is i hate how tight the engine bay is in a vw.....

 

No mods. Stock to stock. Auto to auto. Stick to stick. You're saying a stock 1.8T will keep up with our VQ?

 

stock to stock a VQ should win, but those 1.8's drop a seccond and a half to two secconds real quick with some cheap mods....they also sludge like crazy if you dont take care of em

 

Stock for stock, auto to auto, I think a 4th gen could take a early 1.8t car or early 8v VR6. The later 1.8t is more of a challenge it would be a close race. The 24V VR6 is gone hurt the 4th gen. I think the VWs a geared a little better than the Nissan. I would rather run the cars 5spd for 5spd and use the VQ30dek then I think you take the 1.8t and 8v VR6 and the 24V VR6 becomes a close race.

 

let me tell you.. those 1.8Ts are friggin fast.

 

well to my experience 96max>12v vr6, 96max>01 1.8t, but if you'd compare against a +02 1.8t, good match from a dig, but the 1.8t should be a hair in front. 24v>96max. but now were talking about new car vs old car. year for year Maxima>jetta/golf.

as for bolt-ons, +02 1.8t w/GIAC chip> 96max,24v vr6, etc... but F/I, 4th gen> the rest...