8v vs 16v

sports racer

Active Member
Jan 4, 2016
31
1
Australia
I know the 8v vs 16v issue has been done to death but I'm buying a 16v Cupra next week, plan to use it as my daily and I'm after some prepurchase advice.

I live out in the country, 100ks from work. There's one stop sign and 14 traffic lights between me and work but for the first 75ks it's all country roads. From what I've heard about 16v's this should be the fun part of the drive but what are they really like when I get to the stop/start traffic?

Are they as bad as people make out compared to the 8v? The car comes with 4-2-1 extractors and adjustable cam wheel which the previous owner says has given it more torque down low. It also has a Garlock EPROM. I'm not too worried about having a 16v but while I still have a few $ is there anything else that I can do to smooth out the 16v?

My previous daily was a MK2 Golf with a 2.0 8v engine tuned for torque not horsepower and a lot of suspension mods to make it corner on rails. Unfortunately I hit the back of a slow moving truck which is why I'm getting the Cupra.

Any advice most appreciated.

Cheers

Paul
 

DrewCole

Spannering the Cupra
Oct 19, 2015
697
1
Braintree, Essex
The 8v engines are old and slow, 16v are far more responsive.

Traffic won't effect anything unless your launching it at every stop.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

bete noir

Green Meanie
Dec 11, 2008
353
10
Last Resort
What car are you actually getting as the Cupra's are 20v?

That is the mk3 Ibizas. Mk2 both 8v and 16v were available as Cupras.

It's a 1998 Seat Ibiza 2.0 16v.

I have had both 8v and 16v mk2 Ibizas. I think I prefer the 8v as it is an easier drive, whereas the 16v had nothing down low and consequently needs to be revved hard to show its performance. However, if you are using the car for your daily drive to work, how much you enjoy the 16v may depend on how often you are in the mood to drive it hard.
 

sports racer

Active Member
Jan 4, 2016
31
1
Australia
I still like driving fast.

My kids (twins) are only 15 so I drive them to school. Hard to deny to the wife that I was speeding when my daughter shows a vid she took on her phone over my shoulder and the speedo is sitting on 130ks. :whistle:
 

sports racer

Active Member
Jan 4, 2016
31
1
Australia
Here's what I'm picking up next week.

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That headlining and door trim has to go and I'll hit the seats with some black leather colour changer.

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There's a few bits I want to swap from my spare parts car which is an ex track weekend racer. Should make for a fun toy.
 
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CatB1

Full Member
Nov 19, 2003
535
1
Manchester
www.freeserve.com
Looks good in white, hope you enjoy it. Got a Mk2 16v & a Mk3 Cupra, both weekend toys. Youngest son also has a Mk2 16v for a daily drive & a Ko4 hybrid LCR. We keep the VAG theme here, oldest son has a Golf VR6 & a Rallye Golf.
Good choice of car, bet theres not many Mk2's in Australia.

Pete
 

sports racer

Active Member
Jan 4, 2016
31
1
Australia
I'm really envious as all those cars except the VR6 are really rare in Australia. I know of only 1 Rallye here and I don't know of any MK3's. There's probably less than 50 MK2's in the whole country.

Just for fun I'm going to stick some VW Polo badges on it and call it a 2 door Polo (it's the rare SE model AT). We've got lots of late 90's 4 door Polo's here but the 2 door never made it to our shores.

Cheers from one Manchester lad to another.

Paul
 
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sports racer

Active Member
Jan 4, 2016
31
1
Australia
She's done 100,000 miles but had a top end rebuild 3 years ago and I know the 2 previous owners from the Aussie VW forum. Springs, shocks, disks and pads were replaced back in 2013.

For $2400 it's a bargain considering MK2 Golf GTI's go for double that plus I can now put to good use all the good trim (and headlining) from my spares car.
 

sports racer

Active Member
Jan 4, 2016
31
1
Australia
I picked it up last night and drove 500ks home. An absolute blast to drive and no problem driving in traffic. Who said ABF 16v's have no low down power? This one's got it in buckets full.

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