RSX, Cooper S, Spec V, GTI Mark V COMPARO

[k3smostwanted]

ooo...toughy.

i am also partial with both of these (GTI & RSX). my best friend owns an 06 RSX Type S and has already started modding it but like others have already stated. it doesnt take well to mods though the K20 is still a very impressive motor. together, we are now trying to piece together a solid turbocharger set-up to save on money from most aftermarket kits available. handling is superb for a FWD car. probably one of the best FWD cars i have driven, ever but that isnt saying all that much beings i dont go around test driving FWD cars on a regular basis. this car is fun and a perfect mix of all-around performance and daily driveability.

the GTI, i find very unattractive though the VW has a sense of refinement. solid proven drivetrain adds to the pros. i can see this car being very fun to drive and even more enjoyable once you start to modifying. i see this car becoming very addictive.

so...my thoughts are. if you are partial between both, think to yourself. will you get bored with 200hp and a lacking torque engine and find yourself wanting to modify? if you think you might want to modify the car, go with the VW. very easy, beneficial, and effective to modify the stock FI motor. if you have no intentions of ever spending any money modifying this car, i would go with the Type S.

[NISSANSPDR]

Okay, I thought about this...the RSX-S and GTi are both competent cars. I like the looks on both. I cant abide the 3200 curb weight though. I am in an overweight car right now and dont want a pudgy hatchback. Sure it has more options than the RSX-S, but I dont even want those options...DSG, umm never. I like to row my own. Navigation, umm, anyone say mapquest.com? I mean, do your homework b4 you leave the house and you'll never need a 1000-2000 navigation system. Waste of money.

I wouldnt mind having the RSX-S and knowing that modifying it wont get me that much faster. I would probably do some rims, some suspension, maybe the normal bolt ons and that's it. I am not shooting for 300hp. I would just want to make it a fun daily driver.

The GTi I feel hasnt proven itself in reliability or quality control issues yet and I have to see more to be sure they arent falling apart like other VW's in the past. I am also wary about turbo motors. I know Autoweek was praising this past week about the A3 2.0T they got. But, I would never spend 30k on a overpriced rebadged VW...sure it has nicer interior but the VW Golf doesnt have a bad interior to begin w/

[DinanM3_S2]

My last piece of advice is to drive both. You cannot tell exactly how good a car is until you test drive them both. Numbers and statistics cannot tell you everything. Look at the BMW 3-series for example- its not as powerful as the Infiniti G35, and its more expensive too, but you see alot more 3-series BMWs out there then G35s because the BMW does so much more then the G35 that you cannot quantify in numbers. Good luck with your purchase, if you do choose the RSX-S, then you've probably made a great decision, but don't discount the GTI until you've driven it.

[k3smostwanted]

Originally Posted by DinanM3_S2

Look at the BMW 3-series for example- its not as powerful as the Infiniti G35, and its more expensive too, but you see alot more 3-series BMWs out there then G35s because the BMW does so much more then the G35 that you cannot quantify in numbers.

its amazing how much women have control of what a man buys for his ride. BMW is a name, people buy it without knowing all the facts. i am not saying that it isnt a better, more solid car. i am not saying this is how it is with everyone. but i feel that buying your Audi, Mercedes, or BMW gives the owner a sense of that he has made it and the fact that every man knows women love to be seen in a BMW.

[kman10587]

Originally Posted by k3smostwanted

its amazing how much women have control of what a man buys for his ride. BMW is a name, people buy it without knowing all the facts. i am not saying that it isnt a better, more solid car. i am not saying this is how it is with everyone. but i feel that buying your Audi, Mercedes, or BMW gives the owner a sense of that he has made it and the fact that every man knows women love to be seen in a BMW.

Well, there's definitely a stigma attached to European luxury brands - like you said, it gives the owner a sense that he has "made it" in the world, that by being able to drive a luxurious European car, he is a few notches above the rest of us crude, unrefined, average joes.

Which is, of course, complete horse shit, and a clever marketing tool used by BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi to convince people to buy their overpriced cars, instead of equally good (if not better) Japanese alternatives. The sad thing is, the Japanese themselves buy into it probably more than any other country in the world. Oh well, just goes to show that you can't trust anyone.

[MunG35]

I have a similar dilemma... I'm going on the market for a MkIV 1.8T or an RSX-S. Both are 2003 models or thereabouts... any thoughts on that?

[Jimster]

Originally Posted by TatII

can't stand the new GTi,

also i just looked at the most recent comparo, i made a mistake about the GTi weighting 3200 lbs. its actually 3300lbs!!! why is it so damn fat? its ugly too.

the GTi mark IV looks like a roller skate, and the mark V looks like a nike sneaker. don't like VW's crappy wrap sheet of lousy reliablity. so pretty much to me the car is junk. has nothing going for it. a 200hp engine is not a big deal by todays standards either so its not very fast. 253 crank hp is nothing also esp if your boosted and modded. SRT-4's and cobalt SS's makes that stock ( dont look at manufacturer's rating but look at actual hp measured at the wheels )

so out of htis group, i would pick the RSX type S becasue its the best looking one, has the best top end, handles the sharpest.

then i would pick the SE-R becasue its dirt cheap has a LSD and it won't break like a VW since theres nothing to break.

then the mini since they're neat little cars,

then a far distant 4th is that over weight 3300lb pig.

I'm sorry, but I'm going to call everything you've said bollocks. Perhaps you should drive a GTi The car really does not feel it's weight at all, it handles with precision that Nissan (and even Honda) could only dream of and the engine is probably one of the most responsive small boosted engines I have driven, it certainly feels more sure-footed than even a 975 Kg Renaultsport Clio and that's saying something, because I really do love Clio's. I've seen GTi's happily disposing of 350Z's and Crossfires at exhibition days, it's even run GTA Alfa's very closely.

I'll leave looks out, because they are personal opinion, but I will disagree with you respectfully, I think that most Japanese/American Sport compacts look like clown cars after all (With a few exceptions)

You can have all the comfort, refinement and quality missing from the others (Except I suppose the Cooper, but even that has shady refinement especially on run-flats).


Of course I am basing that on my experience with a Grey-Import DC5 Integra Type R (Much rawer car than the Type S, I suppose the Type S would be much more refined), because if the RSX has the refinement of the Golf, then it's pretty much a dead heat, with the Golf winning for its' superior tunability.

I suppose you guys in the States get your GTi's from the shonky Mexican plant as well, so my quality/reliability argument is null (My experience with VW's is restricted to those built in Germany or South Africa, both very good plants, so I have a good perception of thier quality)

The Cooper S is nice but I probably wouldn't buy one, I don't really like the retro fad.

[kman10587]

Yes, our VWs are built in Mexico, which really does not bode well for their reliability. That said, they don't usually have too many issues, mostly just electrical (not uncommon for any German car).

[Gohan Ryu]

I have a friend who owns an Acura TSX and an Audi A3. The TSX has a Neuspeed fully built suspension and exhaust (his car was used to develop their prototype, he's a friend of the founder of Neuspeed). The Audi has the Neuspeed chip (again, Neuspeed's prototype) and 18 in. rims.

I've ridden in (and driven) his TSX - the handling is amazing. Flat and solid no matter how hard you push it or how hard you crank the wheel. Never out of balance and the FWD understeer is non-existant. Power is about what you'd expect from a Honda/Acura DOHC/iVTEC - no torque but pulls pretty nicely in the upper RPM's.

When Neuspeed did the chip on the A3 they dynoed at 250whp and over 300tq. I haven't driven it yet but my friend says the A3 will run rings around the TSX in both handling and acceleration (and he loves that Acura). He also owns a '04 Porsche Carrera - he says the Audi is pretty close to the Carrera in acceleration. He likes driving the A3 more than the Porsche (the Porsche is a better performer, but the Audi is more of a better ride for city driving).

I am a loyal Honda owner - I love my Prelude but after talking to him and seeing both of his cars I know my next new car will be either the Audi A3 or the VW GTI (instead of S2000 like I had planned).

Trust me you will get tired of low torque - it sucks having to downshift two gears just to get to your powerband which is 2-3k RPM over everyone else's.