[rageshgr]

Hi Robi, question related to above. If I replace stock pads with brembo and retain stock rotors is it worth it?

Also how is the braking of Tarox Rotors + Brembo Pads compared to Tarox Rotors + Tarox pads?

[GT145]

Originally Posted by rageshgr

Hi Robi, question related to above. If I replace stock pads with brembo and retain stock rotors is it worth it?

You can see some good words for stock rotors and Brembo pads here in below posts.

Review on Brembo Pad + Stock Rotors on Polo TSI

Another review on Brembo Red Pads

[robimahanta]

Originally Posted by GT145

Hi Robi, sorry to bump this old post, do you have any specific model details for G88 that can be used in TSI ? Is it the second one with 288mm dia from the below link?



http://www.tarox.co.uk/product/front...9-1-2-tsi-g88/

http://www.tarox.co.uk/product/front...1-2-tsi-g88-2/

Mine is the 256 stock replacement one not 288

[robimahanta]

Originally Posted by rageshgr

Hi Robi, question related to above. If I replace stock pads with brembo and retain stock rotors is it worth it?

Also how is the braking of Tarox Rotors + Brembo Pads compared to Tarox Rotors + Tarox pads?

I found tarox and oem pads to be better than tarox and brembo pads

[robimahanta]

Really sad to see this car go as I have had some nice memories with it. I modded it a little and it was a very nice city hatchback. When I got the car in 2013 quite a lot of automobile enthusiasts warned me against the 7 speed dry clutch auto box but I went ahead and took a risk even without a proper test drive. I am very glad that a tbhpian picked it up from me and I wish him many happy miles with it. Thank you diesel_convert. Thank you to all the bhpians too as I honestly never expected this thread to cross 370,000 views.

Coming to the car replacing the GT TSi, it was a choice between the Polo GTi and the Mini Cooper S. The Merc A class and V40 always felt like all show and no go. The Cooper S is a really nice package and the steering is really something special but at close to 50 lacs on road in Karnataka its horribly overpriced considering it has a similar engine to my 328i.

Soon enough VW started discounts on the GTi and eventually it reached a price point which was more than 30 lacs less than the Cooper S on road. It was a no brainer and I always had an affinity towards the 1.8Tsi. Having said that, there were bhpian enthusiasts trying to dissuade me from getting it citing the same 7 speed dry clutch DSG issues but I again went ahead and picked it up. There are extensive reviews about the car in tbhp so there is no point putting up another one.

In a nutshell, the car is miles ahead of the GT TSi in every department. The braking is really special and the NVH is pretty close to cars thrice its price. The few nitpicks would be that the D mode is very conservative while S mode is too aggressive. The gearbox feels very different (read way better) than the one in the GT Tsi even though its actually the same one.

Being a two door, the doors are comparatively longer and it needs some time to get used to it, especially in tight parking spaces. The seat belts are little more behind the front seats than usual and at times it is annoying. Also there is no armrest and Carplay/Reverse camera etc. But once you start driving it, you will forget all its quirks and fall in love with it.

Using VCDS, I bumped up the XDS to strong and understeer has become almost nonexistent for a fwd car. I even changed the steering assist to make it a little heavier and as a result it feels like a proper go kart now. One weak link is the 215/45 Bridgestone Turanza tyres. I am not sure why VW gave such an uncommon touring tyre that too in a weird size in one of their halo cars. They missed the price point completely at launch and the price at which its selling right now should have been the launch price in the first place.

My GTi






Cheers!
robimahanta

[chiranjitp]

Originally Posted by robimahanta

Really sad to see this car go as I have had some nice memories with it. I modded it a little and it was a very nice city hatchback.

Soon enough VW started discounts on the GTi. It was a no brainer and I always had an affinity towards the 1.8Tsi. Having said that, there were bhpian enthusiasts trying to dissuade me from getting it citing the same 7 speed dry clutch DSG issues but I again went ahead and picked it up.

Congrats on the GTi, this is one proper hot hatch & do bring her down to Guwahati at least once. How would you rate the reliability of the GT TSi over the years? What was the final odometer reading?

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by robimahanta

In a nutshell, the car is miles ahead of the GT TSi in every department. The braking is really special and the NVH is pretty close to cars thrice its price. The few nitpicks would be that the D mode is very conservative while S mode is too aggressive. The gearbox feels very different (read way better) than the one in the GT Tsi even though its actually the same one.

Being a two door, the doors are comparatively longer and it needs some time to get used to it, especially in tight parking spaces. The seat belts are little more behind the front seats than usual and at times it is annoying. Also there is no armrest and Carplay/Reverse camera etc. But once you start driving it, you will forget all its quirks and fall in love with it.

Congrats!

So when do the mods start? I assume you're already prioritizing the tyres and head unit? It's otherwise very well loaded isn't it?

[Santoshbhat]

Congrats once again Robi on getting the true blue hot hatch. Laura Tsi ---> Polo GT ---> GTI - We tread the same path . I remember you were one of the first ones to buy the GT TSI and your thread was instrumental in giving a lot of us the confidence to take the plunge. And with 3.70L views VW should have gifted you a GTI F.O.C!

Your Laura thread was legendary too, so please start a new thread.

Originally Posted by robimahanta

One weak link is the 215/45 Bridgestone Turanza tyres. I am not sure why VW gave such an uncommon touring tyre that too in a weird size in one of their halo cars. They missed the price point completely at launch and the price at which its selling right now

Yeah the tyres are odd, but its a standard option on EU Polos in 16" wheel size. In order to keep maintain the overall dia they have ended up with an odd size. I checked up international tyre sites too. Very few manufacturers have this size. Our only other option is 205/50/16 Michelin PS4.

Pricing was a major blunder. Whoever decided to price it at 27L Ex showroom initially needs to get his brain tested.

[robimahanta]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Congrats on the GTi, this is one proper hot hatch & do bring her down to Guwahati at least once. How would you rate the reliability of the GT TSi over the years? What was the final odometer reading?

Thanks. Driving down to Guwahati in the GTi is an enticing idea, lets hope I am able to do it some day. The GT TSi was quite reliable and I never had any issues with it since I got it in mid 2013. It never went to the service centre other than for its yearly service. Odometer reading was around 43000kms when I sold it.

[robimahanta]

Originally Posted by chiranjitp

Congrats on the GTi, this is one proper hot hatch & do bring her down to Guwahati at least once. How would you rate the reliability of the GT TSi over the years? What was the final odometer reading?

Thanks. Driving down to Guwahati in the GTi is an enticing idea, lets hope I am able to do it some day. The GT TSi was quite reliable and I never had any issues with it since I got it in mid 2013. It never went to the service centre other than for its yearly service. Odometer reading was around 43000kms when I sold it.

Originally Posted by itwasntme

Congrats!

So when do the mods start? I assume you're already prioritizing the tyres and head unit? It's otherwise very well loaded isn't it?

Thanks. Well no mods are planned as such since the car is pretty much perfect as it is. Tyres I may change once I run through this set.

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat

Congrats once again Robi on getting the true blue hot hatch. Laura Tsi ---> Polo GT ---> GTI - We tread the same path . I remember you were one of the first ones to buy the GT TSI and your thread was instrumental in giving a lot of us the confidence to take the plunge. And with 3.70L views VW should have gifted you a GTI F.O.C!

Your Laura thread was legendary too, so please start a new thread.



Yeah the tyres are odd, but its a standard option on EU Polos in 16" wheel size. In order to keep maintain the overall dia they have ended up with an odd size. I checked up international tyre sites too. Very few manufacturers have this size. Our only other option is 205/50/16 Michelin PS4.

Pricing was a major blunder. Whoever decided to price it at 27L Ex showroom initially needs to get his brain tested.

Thanks a bunch Santosh. I really wanted a black GTi after seeing your car, unfortunately all those were sold out. Also I am glad they didn’t launch the car initially at the price at which they are selling now as then it would have been sold out and I wouldn’t have got it . Let see if I can put up a review after driving it for a few months.

Thanks for the info on the tyres. PS4 seems like the only option for now albeit it maybe a downgrade size wise. Bridgestone Potenza is available abroad in 215/45 16, maybe we can try to get that here through some dealer. Lets see if VW can help in some way. Lot of senior level VW guys have picked up the GTi for a steal now.